1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 2: It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 2: you and Senator there are a couple big issues we 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 2: get to deal with today that are really important, including 5 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: a shock that almost one hundred terror linked migrants were 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 2: released into the United States of America in twenty twenty 7 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: four a loan by the Biden administration. 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 3: It really is a shocking story. Tulsea Gabbard revealed an 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 3: eagle pass in Texas that the intelligence community had informed 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 3: the Biden administration that of hundreds of terror linked illegal immigrants, 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 3: that roughly one hundred of them were arrested in twenty 12 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: twenty four, and that they released all but eight of 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 3: them after they knew that they were linked to terrorist organizations. 14 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 3: It's a shocking story. We're going to break it down 15 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 3: and give you the details. We're also going to talk 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 3: about the Take It Down Act. To Take It Down 17 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: Act is my legislation protecting women, protecting teenage girls, teenage 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: boys from revenge porn, from deep fakes online. And this 19 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 3: week the First Lady of the United States, Millennia Trump, 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 3: she came to the Capitol supporting my legislation. We did 21 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 3: a roundtable together, so we're gonna bring you into what 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 3: Milania had to say about to Take It Down Act, 23 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 3: and also President Trump at the State of the Union 24 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 3: praise the Senate for passing my Take It Down Act 25 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 3: unanimously and call it on the House to pass it. 26 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 3: We're going to bring you in that roundtable and you're 27 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 3: gonna hear what the first lady had to say and 28 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 3: what several of the victims had to say. 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: All right, let me also remind you don't forget the 30 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 2: algorithms change and the way that podcasts change all the time. 31 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: So if you have not hit that subscribe button or 32 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: auto download button, make sure you check that hit the 33 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: save depending on where you're listening. And please, if you'll 34 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: help us by reaching we'll reach more people when you 35 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: guys share this pod on social media. So we do 36 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: the fight here every day to try to get you 37 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: great intel and information what's happening in DC and around 38 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: the country and really around the world. So make sure 39 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: you share this podcast on social media. Helps tremendously for 40 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: us to each new people and change hearts and minds. 41 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: So let's go back center to this headline. Almost one 42 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: hundred terrace linked migrants released in twenty twenty four. The 43 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 2: part that I think we really should hone in on 44 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 2: is this wasn't an accident. It wasn't like a misappropriation 45 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 2: of paperwork. This was done on purpose. 46 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, they knew, they had full knowledge. And look, don't 47 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 3: take my word for it. Listen to Tulsa Gabbard and 48 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 3: what she said this week down in Texas at the 49 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 3: Eagle Pass. Give a listen. 50 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 4: Pump has been in office. Really what you're seeing here 51 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 4: today and what you'll continue to see as a unified 52 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 4: effort across President Trump's National security team, the Department of 53 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 4: Homeland Security towards our mission, which is to ensure a safe, free, 54 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 4: and prosperous society for Americans. As Director of National Intelligence, 55 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 4: there are a number. 56 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 5: Of areas where we are focused. 57 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 4: The President talked about in his speech. Over twenty one 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 4: million people have come across our borders illegally under Joe 59 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 4: by administration. There are many of them that we don't 60 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 4: know who they are. They have not been vetted, we 61 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 4: don't know where they are. I'll give you one quick 62 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 4: example of one of the problems that we are getting 63 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 4: after from Central Asia. There were over four thousand people 64 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 4: who came across our borders using an ISIS affiliated network, 65 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 4: Our National counter Terrorism Center went through and identified those individuals. 66 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 5: There were hundreds of them who. 67 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 4: Were either known terrorists or associated with known terrorists. That 68 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 4: information was provided to the Biden administration. 69 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 5: You may remember in some of the news a little 70 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 5: over one. 71 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,839 Speaker 4: Hundred of those people were arrested in twenty twenty four. 72 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 5: Of those who were. 73 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 4: Arrested, only eight were either deported or remained in custody 74 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 4: only eight. The rest of them were released back into 75 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 4: our country. Where are they, what are they doing? What 76 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 4: may they be plotting? This is just the beginning. There 77 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 4: are many many areas that we need to stay very 78 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 4: focused on, working with Department of Homeland Secure already working 79 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 4: with the FBI to ensure that we're keeping the American 80 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 4: people safe. Our counter Terrorism Center is working on making 81 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 4: sure that we have that single source for vetting so 82 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 4: that we can figure out who is actually in our 83 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 4: country and identify those who pose a threat and get 84 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 4: them removed. 85 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 5: The President's designation. 86 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 4: Of the cartels as foreign terrorists organizations falls directly into this, 87 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 4: especially as we're seeing some of the tactics that these 88 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 4: cartels are using reflect some of the tactics that we've 89 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 4: seen used by Islamus terris in countries that many of 90 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 4: us have served in overseas. 91 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 5: Our mission is very clear. 92 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 4: Our objective is to keep the American people safe. 93 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 5: I'm grateful to be. 94 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 4: A part of this team that President Trump has assembled 95 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 4: to accomplish that mission. 96 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 5: Thank you. 97 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: I love the focus. 98 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: The Vice President was down there as well the team, 99 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 2: and you compare that to the borders. Are who never 100 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: decided to go to egle Pass didn't want anything to 101 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: do with it. And now we understand again more why 102 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: because they knew they were doing all of the things 103 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 2: that they were doing to put America's national security at risk. 104 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's worth really focusing on the facts that 105 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 3: Tulsi Gabbert, who is now the Director of National Intelligence, 106 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 3: what she said. She said from Central Asia there were 107 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 3: more than four thousand people who came across our borders 108 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 3: using an ISIS affiliated network. So isis you know, kind 109 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 3: of bad guys, terrorists who've killed lots and lots of Americans. 110 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: They're smuggling over four thousand people illegally into this country 111 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 3: from Central Asia. By the way, Central Asia includes multiple 112 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 3: Islamic countries like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, where radical Islamic terrorism 113 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: is a real threat, and Tulsi said, the National counter 114 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 3: Terrorism Center went through and identified those over four thousand individuals, 115 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 3: and there were hundreds of them, hundreds of the word 116 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 3: she used, who were either known terrorists or associated with 117 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 3: known terrorists. And then she says, quote that in nation 118 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 3: was provided to the Biden administration, So the Biden administration 119 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 3: knew hundreds of either known terrorists or people associated with 120 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: known terrorists were smuggled into America illegally by an ISIS 121 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 3: affiliated network. And then she goes on to say, in 122 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four, a little over one hundred of those 123 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 3: terror leaked people were rested. And then the shocking thing 124 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 3: of the little more than one hundred, only eight were 125 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 3: either deported or remained in custody. Only eight quote the 126 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: rest of them were released back into our country. So 127 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 3: this is not illegal aliens crossing the border that get 128 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 3: apprehended at they let them go, but they don't know 129 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 3: their terrorists. These are people they know are either themselves 130 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 3: known terrorists or associated with known terrorists. They also know 131 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 3: that they were smuggled into this country by an ISIS 132 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 3: affiliated network, and they were arrested again. And yet over 133 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: ninety of them, nearly one hundred the Biden administration released 134 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 3: into America into your community, into my community in a 135 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 3: single year. This isn't twenty twenty four. That is stunning. 136 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 3: And I got to tell you, bet, I've never heard 137 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 3: a single Democrat give any justification for what is just idiocy. 138 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 3: Let's release terror linked illegal immigrants into America. What possibly 139 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 3: could go wrong with that? 140 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: When you look at the and you sometimes it's just 141 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: people are stupid, is it? 142 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: But it also could be more I could be more 143 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: sinister than that. 144 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 2: I guess I look at this, I'm like they knew it, 145 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: did They just not want to admit that the open 146 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 2: border would allow for so many bad actors to come across, 147 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: with many that may just be coming across right for 148 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 2: a better life, a job if you put it in 149 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 2: the best like possible center. And so they knew that 150 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: if they admitted they caught these people and then they 151 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: didn't release them, and they actually prosecuted them or sent 152 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 2: them back to their country, there's a lot of options 153 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 2: here that was going to sign a huge light on 154 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 2: the problem. So therefore, hey, we can't admit it's happening. 155 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 2: So we're just gonna go with this anarchy and in 156 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 2: Sandy till the end. 157 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 3: Look, Bet, I really don't know. You know, I had 158 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 3: my very first boss at a phrase he used to say. 159 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 3: He said, never attribute to incompetence and never attribute to malice. 160 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 3: What can be explained with incompetence? And look, I think 161 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 3: there's a lot of wisdom to that that A lot 162 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 3: of times people are just they just do dumb things. 163 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: That being said, Listen, I do I believe the Biden 164 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 3: administration wants terrorists to attack America. No, but then why 165 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 3: the hell would you release these people? And I guess 166 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 3: the only plausible explanation I can come up with is 167 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 3: there're such radicals on open borders. They're so committed to 168 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,599 Speaker 3: their open borders because they want millions and millions of 169 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 3: illegal immigrants, because they they view them as future Democrat 170 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 3: voters that they're just deportation was off the table. They're 171 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 3: not in that business. They don't do it. I don't know. Listen, 172 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 3: this is related to a story we covered in a 173 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 3: pod a couple weeks ago. We're in Massachusetts right now. 174 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 3: They're taking violent child abusers, child molesters, people who are 175 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 3: raping children, who are illegal aliens, and even with violent 176 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 3: child rapists, the Massachusetts authorities are releasing them rather than 177 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 3: give them over to Ice to be deported. Now, look, 178 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 3: reasonable people, you could have an argument about what should 179 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 3: be the level of illegal immigration. You could. There are 180 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 3: all sorts of things you'd have reasonable disagreements on. But 181 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 3: I mean, Ben explained to me why someone says, you 182 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 3: know what we need more of, We need more child 183 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 3: rapists in our community. Let's let these go. Like I 184 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 3: my brain cannot wrap itself around those repeated actions. And 185 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 3: yet that's what's happening. This is the same sort of thing. 186 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 3: You apprehend someone who's a known terrorist who was smuggled 187 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: into America by ISIS, and you say, oh, let's let 188 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 3: them go, Like like I, I don't know. You know. 189 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 2: The poll numbers that came out from the present speech 190 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 2: the other night were truly incredible. Seventy six percent approved 191 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 2: of Trump's address to Congress. That is a massive win 192 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: for the president. You look at some of the other 193 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 2: ones and poll numbers. Not only that, ninety one percent 194 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 2: said Trump spent time on issues they cared about. 195 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, that is a home run. 196 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 2: Seventy one percent said the speech was quote inspiring, and 197 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: sixty two percent said it was unifying. And they said 198 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 2: that this speech sixty eight percent, so they felt hopeful, 199 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 2: fifty four percent, so they felt proud of the country 200 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 2: from the speech. And when you look at these numbers, 201 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 2: even on the issue of inflation, where Democrats leaned in 202 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 2: heavy over the last few weeks to try to say 203 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 2: everything that's you know, eggs and everything else are the 204 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 2: problem of Donald Trump, the American people aren't buying that either. 205 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: When they were asked for the president a clear plan 206 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 2: to battle inflation, sixty eight percent said yes to that 207 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: as well. And then on the issue of immigration at 208 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 2: the border, the people watched in seventy seven percent said 209 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: they were in favor of Donald Trump's plan on immigration 210 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 2: at the border. When you see this right and you 211 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 2: look at what the President's saying, and then all those 212 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 2: that are working towards this, you've got the Vice president, 213 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 2: you've got Tolca, you've got the Secretary of State. Everyone 214 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: seems to be in lockstep on this issue of the border. 215 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 2: Is that the reason why you think the president's winning 216 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: so much right now on securing this border, because he's 217 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 2: explaining it the way we are right now as well. 218 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 3: Because he is not absolutely frigging nuts. Yes, I think 219 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 3: the Democrat Party has gone insane. Releasing murderers and rapists 220 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 3: and child molesters into America is a really bad idea, 221 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 3: and it turns out it's a really unpopular idea. Releasing 222 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 3: terrorists into America is a really bad idea, and it 223 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 3: turns out it's a really unpopular idea. Look, you and 224 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,599 Speaker 3: I the we covered did a pod the night of 225 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 3: the State of the Union, uh, and we talked a 226 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 3: lot about how the Democrats, for the first time ever, 227 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 3: didn't applaud for the President of the United States, didn't 228 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 3: stand for the president of the United States, didn't applaud 229 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 3: and anything. I'll tell you. Actually, yesterday and the Senate 230 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 3: Jim I had a conversation with a Senate Democrat. I'll 231 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 3: keep him anonymous, but he was a Senate Democrat, one 232 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 3: of my colleagues, and he made a comment. He said 233 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 3: something about he thought we were just living in a 234 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 3: surreal world. And I said, look, I got to say, 235 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 3: I was shocked that you guys didn't applaud or stand 236 00:12:55,040 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 3: for the president at all. And he and he was like, well, 237 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 3: you got to understand. We just think he's destroying the constitution. 238 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 3: And I said, look, I stood and applauded every year 239 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 3: for Barack Obama, I stood and applauded every year for 240 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: Joe Biden. And I disagreed with almost everything they were doing, 241 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 3: but I respect the office and I respect the American people. 242 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: And he just kind of shrugged and said, we're living 243 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 3: in different universes and where our bases are fundamentally different. 244 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 3: You look at Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 245 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 2: He also announced a policy to penalize foreign countries that 246 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,440 Speaker 2: allow the transit of illegal immigrants and is pressuring many 247 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: countries that refuse to accept to the return of their 248 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 2: migrants as well. This could also have a big impact 249 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 2: on this country. I want to get your thoughts on that. 250 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, look, this administration is securing the border. They're doing 251 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 3: it right now, and they are going to deport illegal aliens. 252 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: They are going to send out of the country, especially 253 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 3: the violet criminal illegal aliens, the murderers, the rapists, the 254 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 3: child molesters, the gangbangers, and the countries that don't take it, 255 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 3: they're they're going to make them take it. And that's 256 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 3: what a strong president who's actually defending this country. 257 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: Does all right, I want to move on to this 258 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 2: other really important issue, and I want to say, sincerely, Senator, 259 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 2: thank you for leading on the Take It Down Act. 260 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: It is going to have a huge impact in this 261 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 2: country at protecting people against deep fake porn and people 262 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 2: that are trying to harm them, especially young girls. You've 263 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: highlighted it and explained it, and the First Lady is 264 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 2: now all in on this issue as well. And you 265 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 2: guys had a round table on Capitol Hill talk a 266 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 2: little bit about this. 267 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 3: Well. Yeah, So the First Lady came this week to 268 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 3: Capitol Hill and this is the first legislative issue she's 269 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 3: gotten involved in this term, and she's leaned in hard 270 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 3: in support of my Take It Down legislation. And so 271 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 3: we did a roundtable that she came and participated in, 272 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 3: and we had several of the victims who had been 273 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 3: targeted share their stories and it was really powerful and 274 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 3: her leadership will really have a powerful effect here. I 275 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 3: want you to listen. These are my opening remarks at 276 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 3: the roundtable. Give a listen. Start by thanking the First 277 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 3: Lady for joining us today and thank you for your 278 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 3: support of this incredibly important Legislation to Take It Down Act, 279 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 3: which has already passed the Senate unanimously, and I am 280 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 3: hopeful that the House will soon take it up and 281 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: pass it and put it on the President's desk to 282 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 3: be signed into law to protect young women and young 283 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 3: boys and all of those who are being victimized across 284 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 3: the country. I also want to thank our brave victims 285 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 3: and victim advocates who are here. Alliston Barry, Francesca Mani, 286 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 3: Brandon Guffey, and Breezeloo. Thank you for being here. Each 287 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 3: of you have endured the unspeakable and your courage standing 288 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 3: up and speaking for others is really remarkable. I also 289 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 3: want to thank Stephan Turkheimer with Rain for your advocacy 290 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 3: and support on this issue as well. Thank you for 291 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 3: your leadership. And of course I want to thank Senator Klobuchar, 292 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 3: who is the lead Democrat sponsor in the Senate, and 293 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 3: Representative Salazar and Representative Dean who are the lead sponsors 294 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 3: in the House, who've worked alongside in this important bipartisan legislation. 295 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 3: If you're a victim of revenge porn or AI generated 296 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 3: explicit imagery, your life changes forever. Most likely you've been 297 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 3: targeted by someone you know, and you're likely struggling to 298 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 3: have that material removed from the Internet. Disturbingly, many of 299 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 3: these victims are teenagers at American high schools who are 300 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 3: facing a surge in AI generated sexual images. Hundreds of teens, 301 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 3: often targeted by their own classmates, are enduring senseless psychological 302 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 3: harm knowing that these fake images exist and they're still 303 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 3: out there, and in many case there's no recourse for 304 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 3: these teenage victims. But this issue extends beyond high school. 305 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 3: There are thousands of cases where predators have used non 306 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 3: consensual intimate images to extort victims, both sexually and financially, 307 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 3: and the results can be even more traumatic than financial loss, 308 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 3: as we'll here today. In dozens of instances, parents and 309 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 3: siblings have suffered unbearable pain, having lost their child, or 310 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 3: their brother or their sister to suicide because the victim 311 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 3: felt there was no way out from sextorship outside of 312 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,360 Speaker 3: high school. Many adults are also dealing with the very 313 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 3: real and dire consequences of having their sexually explicit images 314 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 3: shared online without their consent. I have heard from victims 315 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 3: of sexual abuse, of rape, of human trafficking who strongly 316 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 3: support the Take It Down Act because they desperately want 317 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 3: some of the most traumatic moments of their lives taken 318 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:40,360 Speaker 3: off the Internet. The Take It Down Act empowers victims 319 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 3: across the entire United States. It makes it a felony 320 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 3: for these deviants to publish any non consensual intimate images, 321 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 3: including fake lifelike pornographic images of real people. Just as 322 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 3: importantly are by partisan bill requires big tech to have 323 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 3: a notice and takedown process so that every victimized American, 324 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 3: not just the rich and famous, but everyone, has a 325 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 3: right to get these disturbing images taken offline immediately. We 326 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 3: are today one step closer to making this dream of reality. 327 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 3: Just three weeks ago, the Senate unanimously passed to Take 328 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 3: It Down Act. Now it goes to my House, colleagues, 329 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 3: and I have every assurance and confidence that the House 330 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 3: will take it, take this up, pass it, and put 331 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 3: it on the President's desk so that we can protect 332 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 3: the victims of these predators. And we're very excited to 333 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 3: be joined today by the First Lady of the United States, 334 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 3: Milania Trump. Missus Trump has long been a champion for 335 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 3: protecting our nation's children with her be best initiative and 336 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 3: I can think of no more important issue for our 337 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 3: First Lady to lie than protecting children online. Your success 338 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 3: will mean our children's success and healing for thousands of victims. 339 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 2: I mean, it's incredible this legislation, and it's also awesome 340 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 2: to see the First Lady coming to the forefront on 341 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 2: this issue and saying I want to champion this as well. 342 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 6: Yeah. 343 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 3: Look, it was tremendously important. She reached out, she wanted 344 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 3: to do this, She actively participated in the roundtable. And 345 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 3: here I want to play a moment of what she 346 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 3: had to say at the round table. Here's the First Lady, 347 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 3: Milania Trump. 348 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 7: I was hard to learn that Senator CRUs and Senator 349 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 7: Toobchi united to prioritize these famenta. 350 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 5: There I must the lead. 351 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 8: However, I expected to see more de mocrats leaders. 352 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 7: In US to add any serious issue. Surely, as adult, 353 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 7: you are a THI American's children are head of farms 354 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 7: and policies. 355 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 3: I urge Congress to. 356 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 8: To prioritize the passage of the taking Down EQUIL. This 357 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 8: limization essential for addressing the growing concerns related to online safety, 358 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 8: protecting individual rounds, and promoting a healthier digital environment by 359 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 8: advocating you bi, Congress. 360 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 7: Can take an important step towards ensuring accountability and postling 361 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 7: responsibly online aviation to take it down, and he represents 362 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 7: power from step to justice. 363 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 8: Healing and unity. 364 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 2: The first Lady there, and I do love that she 365 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 2: was honest. She's like, how are there not more Democrats 366 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 2: with this? 367 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 3: Well, and look it's the answer is the anger and 368 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 3: rage we saw at the State of the Union. They're 369 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 3: just filled with anger and rage. But I will say 370 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 3: the fact that the first Lady got involved. So last 371 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 3: year we passed the Take It Down Act out of 372 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 3: the Senate. We got it passed out of the Senate 373 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 3: and went to the House and unfortunately the House did 374 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 3: not take it up and pass it. Now, the House 375 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 3: tried to, and they actually had it attached to the 376 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 3: continuing Resolution at the end of the year, and then 377 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,160 Speaker 3: it dropped out at the end of the day. And 378 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 3: so here's how this happens. When the First Lady wanted 379 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 3: to come, she came, and we invited multiple victims to 380 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 3: tell their stories and it was very powerful. But we 381 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 3: also invited the Speaker of the House and the majority 382 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 3: leader in the House, and so both Speaker Johnson and 383 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 3: leader Scalise came and then both Mike and Steve are 384 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 3: good friends. But look, what are the challenges of getting 385 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 3: any legislation to move in either body is getting leadership 386 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 3: to prioritize it. There are lots of priorities, There are 387 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 3: lots of people pulling it all to different directions, and 388 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 3: so you're always battling to say, Okay, this should be 389 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 3: high enough up on the priority list to move And 390 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 3: the fact that the first lady leaned in now makes 391 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,120 Speaker 3: it a certainty. Both the Speaker and the majority leader committed. 392 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 3: The House will take it up and they will pass it, 393 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 3: and I think they're going to do so quickly. And 394 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 3: Elliston Berry. So Elliston was there, and she is she's 395 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 3: from Texas. She is a fifteen year old girl. And 396 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 3: what happened to her She's from Aledo, Texas, up in 397 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 3: North Texas. And what happened to her is is is 398 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 3: she woke up one morning and she was in ninth 399 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 3: grade and she was getting all these texts and calls 400 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 3: from her friends. And it turns out a classmate of hers, 401 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 3: a boy in her class, took a perfectly innocent picture 402 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 3: of her from social media and used an app an 403 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 3: ai app to create a deep fake that turned her 404 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 3: picture into naked pictures. Now it wasn't real, but anyone 405 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 3: looking at it with think it was real. It appeared 406 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 3: to be real. And then this, this, this, this ninth 407 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 3: grader emailed it, or not emailed it, but sent it 408 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 3: on snapchat to to all of her classmates. And and 409 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 3: so she woke up, you know, just in tears because 410 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 3: all of her classmates. I mean, look, remember how hard 411 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 3: freshman year is. It's hard to be a teenager. And 412 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 3: and the nightmare. You're a teenage girl and suddenly all 413 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 3: your friends think they're looking at naked pictures of you, 414 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 3: and and and there was nothing she could do about it. 415 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,640 Speaker 3: The boy they found out who did it, and and 416 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 3: and he did he did not get in significant trouble 417 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 3: and and and and she was frustrated out of her mind. 418 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,679 Speaker 3: That now it's it's kind of a cool story. Uh, 419 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 3: how the take it down legislation happened? Which is she 420 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 3: she's a textan, she's a constituent. And so her mother 421 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,399 Speaker 3: called my office and and described what had happened to 422 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 3: her to her daughter and said, look, can y'all help 423 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 3: help us with this? And and my team brought it 424 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 3: to my attention and I said, look, this is horrible. 425 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 3: Let's do something about it. And so Elliston was was 426 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 3: actually the inspiration for this legislation because I heard what 427 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 3: happened to her and I said, this isn't right. And 428 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 3: so we drafted the bill, and we invited Elliston and 429 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 3: her mom Anna to come up to DC and they 430 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 3: were at the press conference where we introduced the bill, 431 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 3: and Bennett was striking. We were meeting in my office 432 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 3: before the press conference and I was talking. This the 433 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 3: first time i'd met them in person, and I was 434 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 3: talking and I asked in the middle of the conversation, 435 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 3: I said, okay, so what happened to the pictures? And 436 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 3: they both looked at me in enormous frustration, and they 437 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 3: said they're still up. It had been nine months since 438 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 3: this had happened. And Elliston's mom said she had called 439 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 3: Snapchat repeatedly, she'd emailed them, and she just got the 440 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:49,360 Speaker 3: stiff arm. She said it was they were just stonewalling. 441 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 3: They would get no response whatsoever. And so I turned 442 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 3: to my staff and I said, I want you to 443 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 3: get the CEO of Snapchat on the phone today and 444 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 3: I said I want this garbage down today. Within two 445 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 3: hours they'd pulled them down. 446 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 1: Incredible. 447 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 3: Now, look, it's maddening, but it shouldn't take a sitting 448 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 3: US senator making a phone call to the CEO to 449 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,360 Speaker 3: get it down. The victims ought to have the right 450 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 3: to get it down. So what we wrote into the 451 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 3: Take It Down Act is Number One, we make it 452 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 3: a felony to post non consensual intimate images, either real pictures. 453 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 3: Let's say you have and real pictures can come from 454 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 3: a number of places. They can come from Number one, 455 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 3: people who are in a romantic relationship and they take 456 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,199 Speaker 3: a picture, they take a video, and then they have 457 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 3: a breakup, and somebody's pissed and decide to post it 458 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 3: to the world. And that's a grotesque violation of privacy. 459 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: You don't have a right to do that to somebody else. 460 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 3: Or they can come from deep fakes, and we're seeing 461 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 3: the numbers. The numbers have increased three thousand percent of 462 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,199 Speaker 3: deep fakes that are being put out the pictures but 463 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 3: they're real people, but fake either explicit pictures or in 464 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 3: some cases explicit videos that appear to be sexual videos 465 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 3: and they're generated by AI but nobody watching can tell. 466 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 3: And this is exploding. And one of the reasons you 467 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 3: need the legislation is a number of states of past 468 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 3: laws criminalizing revenge porn, but the laws often don't cover 469 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 3: deep fakes, that they only cover real pictures, and so 470 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 3: deep fakes fall into a hole in the law. And 471 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 3: I'll tell you, Ben, there's another instance where this happens, 472 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 3: which is kids are subject to human trafficking and are 473 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 3: sexually abused and violated, and you have the predators will 474 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:49,199 Speaker 3: put those images out online. And the second component of 475 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 3: this bill is a requirement that any tech platform take 476 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:58,199 Speaker 3: down these images or these videos once they're notified by 477 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 3: the victim, a legal requirement that once you're notified, you 478 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 3: got five forty eight hours to take it down or 479 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 3: else they face serious penalties. And that the number of 480 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 3: victims I've heard who have been so frustrated getting big 481 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 3: tech to act. In many ways, that's the most important 482 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 3: part of this bill is getting this garbage taking down 483 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 3: and creating a legal right for any victim to remove 484 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 3: the content. 485 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 2: One of the things that I also love seeing now, 486 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 2: and I want you to expand on this just for 487 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 2: a moment, was the fact that when you guys had 488 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:36,400 Speaker 2: this roundtable you mentioned Speaker Johnson was there. How important 489 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 2: is it to get legislation done that Republicans and the 490 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 2: senat are working with the Republicans in the House, because 491 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 2: this is that type of I call it harmony that 492 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 2: I know makes a huge difference in getting an idea 493 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 2: to become a reality. 494 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 3: Oh look, it's very important. And personal relationships make a difference. 495 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 3: I mean, I had dinner with Steve Scalise last week. 496 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 3: Steve is a good friend. Mike Johnson is a good friend. 497 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 3: Mike and I had dinner multiple times. We spent a 498 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 3: lot of time together. And and that's how you move 499 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 3: legislation is through personal relationships, through strategizing, through working together. 500 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 3: And so when when the first lady said she was coming, 501 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 3: I reached out and invited both of them, and invited 502 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 3: Brett Guthrie, who is the committee chairman of the Energy 503 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 3: and Commerce Committee, which is the committee that has jurisdiction 504 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 3: over this. It's it's the equivalent of the Senate Commerce 505 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 3: Committee that I'm the chairman of. And and Brett's a 506 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 3: friend as well. He and I have had dinner. I 507 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 3: mean a lot of what if you want to actually 508 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 3: move things through Congress, the personal relationships really matter. And 509 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 3: I got to say I was really excited because at 510 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 3: the State of the Union address, Elliston Barry was sitting 511 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 3: right next to Milania Trump. She was her guest, was 512 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 3: right there in the in the box. And actually President 513 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 3: Trump explicitly called on Congress to pass the Take It 514 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 3: Down Act. I want you to listen. This is the 515 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 3: President at the State of the Union calling on Congress act. 516 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 6: And Berry who became a victim of an illicit deep 517 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:09,960 Speaker 6: fake image produced by a peer with Elliston's help. The 518 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 6: Senate just passed the Take It Down Act, and this 519 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 6: is so important. Thank you very much, John, John Thune, 520 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 6: thank you, stand up, John, Thank you John, Thank you 521 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 6: all very much. Thank you, and thank you to John 522 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 6: Thune and the Senate. Great job to criminalize the publication 523 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 6: of such images online as a terrible, terrible thing. And 524 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 6: once it passes the House, I look forward to signing 525 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 6: that bill into law. 526 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 4: Thank you. 527 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 6: And I'm going to use that bill for myself too, 528 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 6: if you don't mind, because nobody gets treated worse than 529 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 6: I do online, nobody. That's great. Thank you very much 530 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 6: to the Senate. 531 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 4: Thank you. 532 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 2: I mean, I love how they're just enthusiasm there's excitement, Yeah, 533 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:11,959 Speaker 2: there's momentum. 534 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and it makes the chances. I think it's a certainty. 535 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 3: Now the House will take it up. As I said, 536 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 3: the Speaker and the Majority Leader both committed to doing 537 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 3: that and doing so quickly. And the President and First 538 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 3: Lady engaging just raises it on the priority list. So 539 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 3: that's really good. Elliston was there another teenage girl, Francesca Mani, 540 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 3: who's from New Jersey. She's the same age, fifteen. She 541 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 3: had the same month. This happened to Elliston in Texas, 542 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 3: the identical thing happened to Francesca in New Jersey. They 543 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 3: had the exact same experience. And both Elliston and Francesca 544 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 3: I've had testify at a field hearing I did on 545 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 3: the Take It Down Act that I held in Dallas, 546 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 3: and they both testified there. And these are two young 547 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 3: ladies who were really, really effective. Francesca was featured in 548 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 3: sixty Minutes. She's really powerful. Ellison and I did Good 549 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 3: Morning America together and she told her story there, and 550 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 3: I kind of tell you, she's so so articulate that 551 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 3: the Good Morning America host were laughing and saying that 552 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 3: Ellison was coming for their jobs and I think that's right. 553 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:15,840 Speaker 6: Here. 554 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 3: Listen to listen to Ellison telling a little bit of 555 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 3: her story in her own voice. 556 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 9: I'm Ellison Barry. I'm fifteen years old. I'm from Fort Worth, Texas. 557 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 9: I was a survivor of aid fakes. A classmate of 558 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 9: mine targeted me and eight other of my friends and 559 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 9: put an innocent picture of Instagram through an AI ending 560 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 9: app that stripped our clothing off. And since you round 561 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 9: my whole school, I was able to get in touch 562 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 9: with Ted Cruz's office and we were able to write 563 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 9: up the Take It Down Act, which protects America's children 564 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 9: from these heinous acts. Thankfully, the First Lady's Office was 565 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 9: able to reach out, and it's really just been such 566 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 9: an amazing experience knowing that she has the heart for 567 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 9: my situation and that she cares, and that the overall 568 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 9: support behind this act in the situation is so amazing 569 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 9: and we are protecting the future generation. 570 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 2: It's sad that this story has to even be a story, 571 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 2: but what an incredible young lady at fifteen to be 572 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 2: this articulate and to be able to understand that she 573 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 2: can help so many others and to contact your office 574 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 2: and that you were able to help her and so 575 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 2: many others. 576 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: This way is just truly incredible. 577 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 3: It is really powerful, and I'll tell you we had 578 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 3: multiple victims testify and sometimes the consequences of this are 579 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 3: even worse. And so I want you to give a 580 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 3: listen to the testimony of Brandon Guffey at the roundtable 581 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 3: to describing what happened with his son. Although the vast 582 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 3: majority of the targets of this abuse are women and 583 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 3: young girls, young boys can be targeted as well, and 584 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,959 Speaker 3: the FBI has warned that there's a growing threat of 585 00:33:55,040 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 3: sextortion deliberately targeting minors online. Were evil people use either 586 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 3: real or fake explicit images to extort their victims, both 587 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 3: sexually and financially, and in some instances, the results can 588 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 3: be even more devastating and catastrophic. And that was the 589 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 3: tragic situation that that South Carolina State Representative Branded Guffey 590 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 3: and his family experienced in twenty twenty two. Representative Guffey, 591 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 3: would you please share what happened with your son? 592 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 10: Thank you. 593 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 3: Senator Cruz. 594 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 10: July twenty seventh, twenty twenty two. I lost my oldest 595 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 10: sign Gavin Guffy, to suicide. We quickly found out that 596 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 10: he was being extorted online, that someone pretending to be 597 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 10: a young female at another college requested images to be 598 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 10: shared back and forth, and as soon as he shared 599 00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 10: those images, he took his life. It was an hour 600 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:01,920 Speaker 10: more than forty minutes from the time that he was 601 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,759 Speaker 10: contacted until the time that he took his life. At 602 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 10: that time, I had never heard of the crime of sextortion. 603 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:18,239 Speaker 10: I was always a more liberty minded politician, even though 604 00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 10: I hate to say that word, and you know, I 605 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 10: wanted freedom as much as possible. But as I started 606 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 10: looking into this, I started to see that big tech operates, 607 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 10: and they are the equivalent of big tobacco, of this 608 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 10: of today's generation. The account that targeted my son, that 609 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 10: caused him to take his life, was taken down online 610 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:45,359 Speaker 10: once Homeland Security reached out. However, they left the additional 611 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 10: accounts up. If I send a friend request, I can 612 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 10: choose remove this account and any other accounts associated. 613 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 3: Yet they left these other. 614 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,520 Speaker 10: Accounts up, and those other accounts began to extort my 615 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:01,839 Speaker 10: fourteen year old cousin, my sixteen year old son who 616 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 10: had just lost his brother, and myself as well, going 617 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 10: as far as sending a message saying did I tell 618 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 10: you that your son begged for his life. From that 619 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 10: day forward, I have made it my life's mission. Politics 620 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 10: are not to fight to protect children online. Since December 621 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:28,280 Speaker 10: of twenty twenty two, whenever I took office, within four months, 622 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 10: we were able to pass Gavin's Law in South Carolina, 623 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 10: which criminalized digital sextortion. And the first person that we 624 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 10: were able to convict under Gavin's Law was actually under 625 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 10: an AI photograph. I have helped thousands of children since then. 626 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 10: Matter of fact, I've dealt with three within the past 627 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,400 Speaker 10: forty eight hours. The families that are reaching out that 628 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,800 Speaker 10: are being extorted in these situations. I've worked with groups 629 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,919 Speaker 10: such as in Cozy and Nick Mack Here on the Hill. 630 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 10: I have showed up with parents and unfortunately, the amount 631 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:07,760 Speaker 10: of parents that are losing children are growing daily. Since 632 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:12,200 Speaker 10: my son took his life, there's been forty other teens 633 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 10: that are public about this. I can tell you there's 634 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 10: more than a dozen that I know of that just 635 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,919 Speaker 10: do not feel comfortable share in their stories. But I'm 636 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 10: witnessing teens constantly take their life and as you said, 637 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:28,240 Speaker 10: Senator Cruz, trying to get an image down. Now. Granted, 638 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 10: I'm just a state representative, but I have a little 639 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 10: bit more pull than the average citizen, and I'm able 640 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 10: to get some of these taken down occasionally, but that's 641 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 10: generally not the case. And with something such as take 642 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 10: it Down, it would allow families to be able to 643 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:49,239 Speaker 10: have those images taken down and to have the voice 644 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 10: that my son did not have. There was no recourse 645 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 10: of being able to know, to be able to get 646 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 10: these images down, and in his mind one had his 647 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:05,319 Speaker 10: back and this wasn't talked about. So since then it's 648 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 10: been my mission to speak up, scream it from the 649 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 10: mountaintops on how we have to hold big tech accountable 650 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 10: and take it down? 651 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 5: Does that? 652 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 10: So for everyone involved, I really thank you for your 653 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 10: involvement and urge for passage within the house. 654 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 7: Santa. 655 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 1: You hear that part of the story, and it's heartbreaking. 656 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:28,680 Speaker 2: It's also incredible to listen to a father making his 657 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 2: life's work to help others. 658 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,120 Speaker 3: Afterwards, you know what a friggin nightmare You and I 659 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:37,720 Speaker 3: are both dads. I mean, that's it's terrifying. And and 660 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:42,399 Speaker 3: you know young people will anyone, but especially teenagers are 661 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,759 Speaker 3: are targeted and victimized by this, and and and that's 662 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:46,879 Speaker 3: why the bill, bill is really important, and it's it's 663 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 3: it's a huge problem. So listen, I'm grateful to the 664 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,279 Speaker 3: first Lady, and I'm grateful to the President for for 665 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 3: for leading on this, and we're going to get it done. 666 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,840 Speaker 3: And I'll tell you I told I told Brandon, I 667 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:00,840 Speaker 3: told Elliston and Francisca and and all of the victim 668 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:05,200 Speaker 3: advocates there that they're going to be in the Oval 669 00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:07,879 Speaker 3: Office for the bill signing. The President's going to sign 670 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:09,920 Speaker 3: the bill and each one of them is going to 671 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 3: get a signing pen that they're going to get to 672 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 3: take home. And then that's you know, that's really who 673 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:16,919 Speaker 3: we're fighting for, are the victims who are targeted here. 674 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:20,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's incredible. Make sure you share this podcast with 675 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 2: your family and friends. It is a really important one. 676 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,800 Speaker 2: We did this Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can grab 677 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,320 Speaker 2: my podcast a Ben Ferguson's show on those in between 678 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 2: days and we'll keep you up there in the latest 679 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:31,239 Speaker 2: breaking news and the center and I will see you 680 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,280 Speaker 2: back here for the week in review, the top stories 681 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 2: of the week on Saturday morning as well