1 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: My guest today is independent investigative journalist Walter Kurt. So 3 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: nice to have you on, Walter. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on, Carol. 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: So, how did you become an independent investigative journalist? What 6 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: was the path to this? 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 2: Not the normal path, I would say that, you know, 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: I was actually a mechanic for ten years. 9 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah, it was really not the normal path. 10 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 2: Definitely not well. I grew up in DC. I grew 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 2: up in the political world and determined I hate it. 12 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: It's terrible. All these people suck. It's all these people 13 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: are all terrible. I hate all of them. So I 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: decided to move away from it. And I thought I 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 2: would be able to get away with that. And now 16 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 2: it didn't work out like that. You know. It took 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: about ten years before life caught up to me. And 18 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: then COVID happened, and then the world started falling apart 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: in my eyes, and I was like, Okay, I don't 20 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 2: have a choice. I got to do something. So I 21 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: started my own substack in that and it just grew 22 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,119 Speaker 2: and grew and grew and grew and took off. 23 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: Wow, you only started during COVID, Like, I feel like 24 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,639 Speaker 1: I've been reading you and listening to for far longer 25 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: than that. It's really only been that long. 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 2: Well, it's funny that you say that, Carol, because I 27 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: followed your account for a long time and read all 28 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 2: your work for a long time. So it's interesting to 29 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: me that you say that, because to me, I started 30 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: You wouldn't believe this, but last year, in November of 31 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: last year, I think I had two thousand followers on 32 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: x Wow. 33 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: Yeah quick growth. 34 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, well it was. It was a hell of 35 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: a rock So definitely definitely quick growth. 36 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: So what was your biggest breaking story, like what propelled 37 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: you to that kind of growth? 38 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: Well, I had a couple of things go viral during 39 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: the dough stuff, but the biggest thing was definitely when 40 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: I got swatted. So I got swatted with the group, 41 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: but there was about fifteen other journalists all got swatted 42 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 2: at the same time. And ever since then, you know, 43 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: it's just been rocket ship AFTERWYD Yeah, so it's just 44 00:01:57,960 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 2: been NonStop. 45 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: Do you have any who did that or what the 46 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: motivation was. I mean, I know what the motive, larger 47 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: motivation was, but why did they pick you? 48 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: Like, why me. That's a good question, because I think 49 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: at the time I had a thing. I think I 50 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: had about thirty thousand followers or forty thousand followers. I 51 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: have no idea, you know. My only thought was it 52 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: was something to do with what I was writing about 53 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: at the time. I was talking a lot about Ukraine. Yeah, 54 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 2: and some there were some government contracts that was going through. 55 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: I actually got a cease and desist around the same 56 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: time period. But you know, I don't know if it 57 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 2: was right, if it was all the same thing or not. 58 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: I mean, someone wanted everyone to stop doing the dose stuff. 59 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 2: I'll tell you that much interesting obvious. 60 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: Okay. I guess that makes a lot of sense that 61 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: it was the doge thing that might have led to that. 62 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: But you never know, right, people become obsessed with you, 63 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,679 Speaker 1: or they become obsessed with what you're working on, even 64 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 1: when it's not super big. I can think of instances 65 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: like I think my career really blew up during COVID, 66 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: But before that, I had a column in the New 67 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: York Post for years. But I would have like obsessive 68 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: people get really into what I was writing about, even 69 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: though I also didn't have that many followers and I wasn't, like, right, no, 70 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: famous by any estimation. So you really don't ever know 71 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: any regrets about leaving your mechanic job and going into 72 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: this crazy thing we do. 73 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: Well, you know, at first, it was something that I 74 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 2: wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to do. 75 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: You know, me, I was supposed to be essentially a 76 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: DC circuit lawyer, is what wh family wanted me to be. 77 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: I grew up in politics. So it's like, you know, 78 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: I just I despised it. But you know, now that 79 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: I'm back into it, it's like, you know, this is 80 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: just what I'm supposed to do. I can tell that 81 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: this is where I'm supposed to be at because things 82 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: just keep happening in that direction. I mean know, as 83 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 2: of now I'm full time into this. Now it's been 84 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: about a few months now me doing it like this, 85 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 2: but it's it's it's definitely been wild. Do I regret it? 86 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: I don't know. I miss this simple life also that. 87 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: Much, this anonymity, you know, not getting. 88 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: Swatted, yeah, not getting swatted, not having you know, death 89 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: threats right like every single day. You know, those things 90 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: are not a great part of this world. But but 91 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 2: at the same time, it's just you know, I missed 92 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: the more or thing I missed is working in the 93 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: shop with the guys. I love doing, you know, I 94 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 2: was I was a good mechanic, I was master mechanics, 95 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: so I love doing that. So yeah, it was That's 96 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: what I definitely say i'd miss But at the same time, 97 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,119 Speaker 2: it's just this is just NonStop, go go, go, go, 98 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: go now, so I just don't know, there's no there's 99 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: no real time to think about that for me. 100 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: I guess what's your favorite part about it? 101 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 2: Probably that aspect of it. You know, it's probably the constant. 102 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 2: No matter what I think I'm doing, I've always got 103 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 2: twenty five other things that I'm supposed to be doing. 104 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: It's never ending, which you know is to me. That's 105 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 2: just kind of how my attitude's always been. I'm always 106 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 2: someone that likes to work constantly anyway, So I kind 107 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 2: of like that. 108 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: What's your favorite kind of beat? Do you have something 109 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: specific you love to chase down? 110 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? I really like financial crimes and stuff like that, so, 111 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: you know, fraud stories or government corruption stories. The biggest 112 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,720 Speaker 2: story I had this past year was the two the 113 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 2: two girls in Fairfax County, the abortion scandal. That was 114 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 2: the largest story I had last year. But that's just 115 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 2: that's another corruption scandal, and tell us about. 116 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: It, because I feel like Fairfax County could any number 117 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: of stories. 118 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: So in the middle of the summer around I think 119 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: it was late July and summer, there was a teacher 120 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: there that's got me a story said that there was 121 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 2: two young girls that were they the school facilitated getting 122 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: them abortions and didn't tell their parents about it. And 123 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 2: further remember this, Yeah, and the allegation further than that 124 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: was that that they had used school funding to pay 125 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: for it. Wow, And that's you know, they've got it 126 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: all written down and had a lot of sourcing behind it. 127 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 2: But you know, there was a state police investigation opened. 128 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 2: But I assume that now that spam Burger's in there, 129 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 2: that's not that's probably dead. That's that's my guess. 130 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I guess that kind of thing should be bipartisan, 131 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: Like who wouldn't want to know the school is overstepping 132 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: in that way even if you are a liberal, right, 133 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: even if you're liberally your pro choice, if the school 134 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: is stepping in and taking your kid to get an abortion, like, 135 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: who could possibly support that? 136 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: That's what I do here. We are Yeah, I mean, 137 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 2: to me, the biggest question I asked everybody. I mean, 138 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 2: these girls were not like these girls were fifteen sixteen 139 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: years old at when this happened. I said, do you 140 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: want I mean one of them most apparently when they 141 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 2: wanted to give their boor she she didn't go through 142 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: with it. One of them didn't, but she was in 143 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 2: like second trimester trimester, like five months pregnant. And I 144 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: was like, I said, that would have been anesthesia. You know, 145 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 2: that wouldn't have been as simple. Certain, So do you 146 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: want your your daughter on getting anesthesia on a surgical 147 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 2: table without you knowing about it? I mean, for any 148 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 2: reason exactly? That is what my thought was. 149 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: Do you think we're in an era where people are 150 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: taking financial crimes more seriously? Like it feels like that, 151 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: But it's always hard to tell if it's just in 152 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: our conservative world people are having their eyes open to 153 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: just how bad financial crimes have become, or if it's 154 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: kind of the normis have gotten the message too. 155 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 2: Maybe. I mean, I think the I definitely think that 156 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 2: normal people are angry about especially when tax dollars. People 157 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: expect there to be financial. 158 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: Crimes they expect that. 159 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 2: But not they don't expect it to be so bad 160 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: that there's you know, a quality leering center. Let's just 161 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 2: put it down. I mean, that's the kind of things 162 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 2: they don't expect. 163 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's I think that's probably right. And something like 164 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: that really jars people a week and says to them like, 165 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: there's much worse going on that you don't even. 166 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: Know about exactly exactly. I mean, that's what that's what 167 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: my comment isn't mean these are the stupid ones? What 168 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: about the smart ones? That's what my thought is. 169 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: Right, if you weren't doing this, or if it hadn't 170 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: worked out, would plan be go be a mechanic again, 171 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: or did you have something else in mind? 172 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: No, I'd probably go back and just be a mechanic again. 173 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 2: I mean I still have you know, I've got more 174 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 2: tools than you can possibly imagine. I've got a toolbox 175 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: the size of my garage, So if I needed to. 176 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: I mean, the great thing about this is that if 177 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: this doesn't work out, I can always go do that. 178 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 2: You know, It's an easy fallback, and there will always 179 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: be work for those people. Because while AI takes over 180 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 2: the world, it's not going to be able to fix 181 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: your radiator in your car? 182 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, So what about that district court job? 183 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 2: No? 184 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: Not not thinking about it. So are your parents happy 185 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: with what you're doing or do they still dream of 186 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: you being a judge someday? 187 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 2: No? No, they they definitely like my path now. They 188 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 2: were okay with what I was doing before, but the 189 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 2: moment I stepped into this, they were like, finally he 190 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: finally he came back. And that's what I think their 191 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 2: comment really is. 192 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: So do you feel like you found your kind of purpose? 193 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Yeah, I definitely feel like that. I mean, to me, 194 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 2: what I was doing before, I was good at it. 195 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 2: But you know, there's there's always a little nagging feeling 196 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 2: that says that you're supposed to be doing something more, 197 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: especially if you are supposed to be doing something more 198 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 2: and you know it mm hmm. And that definitely happened 199 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 2: over the It was really the birth of my daughter 200 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: that pushed me in this direction, to be honest with you, So. 201 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: It brings me to a question I ask all of 202 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: my guests, what are you most proud of in your life? 203 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: Definitely my kids? Definitely my kids. My daughter is my 204 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: whole world. How old she is two and a half. 205 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: I thought, that's a good age. 206 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, So what is it. 207 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: What is it about having children that fills you with pride? 208 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 2: Well, it's the next generation is important, but watch them 209 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 2: grow is something amazing to me, you know. And it's 210 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 2: not been easy. I mean, the strange thing about all 211 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 2: this is that when I got into this world, the 212 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 2: family life that I had was much simpler and my 213 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 2: wife and she did not get along with what I've 214 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: been doing and since I got into this, but I 215 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 2: did this because I felt like I needed to make 216 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 2: a better world for my daughter. I was walking away 217 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 2: from it and she did not like what I'm doing. 218 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 2: So it's been difficult and getting around that and getting 219 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 2: through that, but you know, I mean, it even resulted 220 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: in enough separating. But at the end of the day, 221 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 2: it's been rough. But at the same time, I would 222 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 2: never trade any of it because to me, the only 223 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: thing that matters is the future prospects. And I don't 224 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 2: want my daughter to grow up in a world that 225 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: is falling apart. I mean, I want her to grow 226 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 2: up in the same world that I grew up in. 227 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: And my thought is it seemed to me that if 228 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: I didn't do something to try and fix it that 229 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: it would. 230 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: Are you optimistic do you think that the future looks. 231 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 2: Brighter or absolutely no? I definitely think that. I don't 232 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 2: like the people that go full negative black pill. There's 233 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: no hope whatsoever, because the reality is that as long 234 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 2: as there's somebody doing something, and there's a number, there's 235 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 2: more people doing things now than I've ever seen before. 236 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: It's amazing to see. Really, I mean, everywhere I go, 237 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 2: I've got twenty five people that are all interested in 238 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 2: doing things, and that didn't happen before normally was I 239 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: mean for the first few years that I was doing this, 240 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 2: it was just me. I mean, there's no one else 241 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 2: helping me. There's no one else talking to you about it. 242 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 2: And it's not because I wasn't trying to get involved 243 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 2: with people, but it was mostly people that wanted to 244 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 2: talk about problems instead of actually do anything about it, 245 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 2: which is, you know that doesn't help you. 246 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, what do you think the next frontier is in 247 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: exposing fraud? Do you think you continue down the financial path? 248 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 2: Well? I think the real part about it to me, 249 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 2: which is I've got a big presentation I'm supposed to 250 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: do on a couple on the eleventh I'm supposed to 251 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 2: be in Florida to talk about this. The big thing 252 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 2: to me that everyone's kind of missing is that the 253 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 2: fraud seems to follow where these giant riots are, which 254 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 2: are some locations of all of the Torch network, which 255 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 2: is Antifa. So to me, I don't know what it is, 256 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: but something about it tells me that it's all related. 257 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: And I haven't been able to prove it yet, but 258 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 2: that's what I think. I think this story is going 259 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 2: to eventually end up in fraudulent networks are supplying the 260 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 2: activists that are riding in the streets, and it's all 261 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 2: paid for by the top, and that's what I. 262 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: Think so interesting. Yeah, even if, like let's say, giving 263 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: them the benefit of the doubt that it's not fraud, 264 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: which I totally think it is, don't get me wrong, 265 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,079 Speaker 1: but like it seems like it's been a works program, 266 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, that's been exposed over the last year, where 267 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: everybody's getting paid, everybody's collecting a chuck from the government, 268 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: and the fact that that's bigot has been somewhat turned off. 269 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: I think that also leads to people rioting in the 270 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: street and the encouragement of that kind of thing. Because 271 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: this money fountain has been essentially shown. 272 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I mean, if you really look at the 273 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 2: numbers on it, and this is kind of shocking stuff 274 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: when you realize it is that ten percent of the workforce, right, 275 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 2: ten percent of the workforce works for NGOs. Now that's 276 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: a large number, twelve point million. It's a huge number, 277 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 2: but it gets a little bit more refined if you 278 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: go through it. So you know, you can't say that 279 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: all of those people are the people out in the sits. 280 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 2: That's not true, because a lot of them are, you know, 281 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 2: like hospitals and places like that that are considered nonprofit organizations. 282 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 2: But if you really refine the numbers down on the 283 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 2: bottom of it, there's still about a million to two 284 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 2: million people that work for activist specific inngos, right, I mean, 285 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 2: and that means you've got a million people and you 286 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 2: can take that number and they become force multipliers in 287 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 2: every city they're in. They can work with all their 288 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 2: little local NGOs and everything else is so everywhere they go. 289 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: So if they send twenty thousand people to city B, 290 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 2: and City B immediately starts doing huge protests everywhere. Well, 291 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 2: the twenty thousand people just helped it and they're all paid, 292 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 2: you know, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year. 293 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: How do you expose a network like that? It seems impossible. 294 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 2: Well, the deal is the network is already really exposed. 295 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 2: What you need to do, and this is something that 296 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 2: I've been telling everybody recently, is you know a lot 297 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: of the people on the political right, what they do 298 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 2: is they say, oh, it's all Soros cool. I mean, 299 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: like Ypie, everyone knows that. But that doesn't help you. 300 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: What you need is to prove what's happening on the ground, 301 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: which I think is starting to happen. It's starting to 302 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 2: happen now. The journalists are independent journalists are starting to 303 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 2: figure this out. And that's why they're all over the place. 304 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 2: I mean they're in Minneapolis, they're in California, they're you know, 305 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 2: they're in Texas. They're all over the place. Now, go 306 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 2: into looking for this stuff, because the big key is 307 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 2: going to be figuring out how do the people on 308 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 2: the ground get there. I mean they show up there, 309 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 2: they're there that we know that, we see them in 310 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: multiple cities. But how do they get paid? Someone pays them, 311 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: Someone pays them for something, And that's stuff that no 312 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 2: one knows yet. So I think the problem is we've 313 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 2: been trying to go from the top down and we 314 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: should be going from the bottom up and trying to 315 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 2: figure it out. 316 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break and be right 317 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: back on the Carol Marcowitch Show. How do people on 318 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: the right support independent investigative journalists like you? 319 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 2: The best way you can is if you find somebody 320 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 2: that you trust is to subscribe to them and help 321 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: them buy you know, you can also, I tell everybody 322 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 2: you can be in researcher. Send stuff. I mean I 323 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 2: get tons of stuff sent to me all the time. 324 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 2: Not all it's useful, but I try to read it anyway. 325 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 2: I mean I try to read every message that people 326 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 2: send me. Now it's nearly impossible, you know. I remember 327 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 2: hearing that Charlie Kirk read every email I ever got, 328 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 2: and I'm like, wow, I don't know how on earth 329 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 2: he ever did that. I mean to me, you know, 330 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 2: I get fifty thousand DMS in a week and I'm like, 331 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: I don't. I try. I try to keep up with people, 332 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 2: but there's no way I can do it. But in 333 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: terms of supporting people like us, if you go to 334 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 2: go to our platforms, I mean, all of a sudden 335 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: are some form of independent platform that you can operate 336 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: on or subscribe on. I've got subscriptions on X, I've 337 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 2: got I've got the substack. The substack's best, and there's 338 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 2: even tip jars, I mean financial support. Doing this stuff 339 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 2: is dangerous, but more it's not just the dangerous part, 340 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 2: but if everyone forgets the travel aspect is probably the 341 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 2: most expensive, right, being able to move between city to 342 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: city to city. That's the expensive part. I don't have 343 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 2: the point where I need security or whatnot yet, but 344 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 2: you know, some of these guys do need security too. 345 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 2: I mean, if you're well known, people like Nextsorder and 346 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 2: surely both of them, they probably have to have security 347 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 2: anywhere they go now, which is just you know, that's 348 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 2: the unfortunate thing, really, isn't it. When you finally make it, 349 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 2: what do you look forward to all of your earnings 350 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 2: that you would get, Yeah, you have to pay for security, 351 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: which is just terrible. 352 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: It's so wrong, and it doesn't It just doesn't happen 353 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: on the other side. In the same way as somebody 354 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: rises through the ranks of kind of reporting on the left, 355 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: they don't suddenly become targets for people on the right. No, 356 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: it doesn't happen that way. 357 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 2: No, I've never I've said this all the time on 358 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 2: my show. I've I don't think I have ever heard 359 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: of a riot at a left wing commentator's. 360 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: Speech, right or home or anything like that. 361 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 2: Seriously, I mean, like, I mean, just when's the last 362 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 2: time Jake Tapper had a riot outside of the stage, right, Yeah, 363 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 2: that doesn't happen. 364 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: Happen. Do you think you have a book in. 365 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 2: You Yeah, at some point. You know, I wrote something 366 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 2: last year. I was trying to refine it down, but 367 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 2: you know, I'm going to run out of time. My 368 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 2: intention was to try and have it published before this summer. 369 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 2: It was going to be a you know, a handbook 370 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 2: type thing. Was going to be a short book that 371 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 2: was designed for ground activists, and it was going to 372 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: be there's the old Book, the Alenski Book, the Rules 373 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 2: for Radicals. It was going to be Rules for Radical Patriotism. 374 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: It was the name of the book, so. 375 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: You should definitely do that. 376 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was trying to get it done. I was 377 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 2: trying to get it to the point whereas ninety pages. 378 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 2: I wanted it to be small enough people could carry 379 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: it with them. That was the intention. But yeah, I 380 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: just getting the amount of things that I'm working on now, 381 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: it's impossible to keep up. So that'll be done eventually. 382 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 2: Maybe I'll get it done for twenty eight. That'll be 383 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 2: the hope. 384 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a really good idea. I think you should 385 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: absolutely do that. Give us a five year out prediction, 386 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: and it could be about anything at all. 387 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,359 Speaker 2: Five year out prediction. 388 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: Anything, politics, music, whatever. 389 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 2: Politics is probably the only thing I think about enough 390 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 2: to be able to give some sort of five year prediction. 391 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 2: Five year prediction would be m'd say that we possibly 392 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 2: lose the House in twenty six, hold the Senate. Twenty 393 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 2: eight is actually going to probably be okay because the 394 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: Democrats still don't have a platform to run nationally on. 395 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 2: They may be able to flip independent districts, but I 396 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 2: don't know how they're going to be able to do 397 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 2: a national campaign especially, And this is just a theory, 398 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,360 Speaker 2: so I can't truly make the allegation, but I'll say, 399 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 2: if we prove that there are politicians that exist out 400 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 2: here that accept large amounts of money from government sources, 401 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 2: essentially that you know, goes washed out one way, washed 402 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 2: back in the other way and we clean the voter 403 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 2: rolls up. I think twenty eight we win again. I 404 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 2: think Vance or Rubio, I don't necessarily believe that, you know, 405 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 2: Vance is going to just walk right into it. I 406 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 2: know he's popular currently, but I think personally that it 407 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 2: would be better if President Trump didn't step into the 408 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 2: primary at all and said, you two are the candidates. 409 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 2: The people pick who can do that, and that does 410 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 2: a few things. That proves who can build the best 411 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 2: actual coalition to win on a smaller scale before you 412 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 2: do it on the national scale. And I think that's 413 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 2: much more important. So I'm hoping that's what happens, and 414 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: then if we win in twenty eight again, then I 415 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 2: believe we actually might have a chance to fix a 416 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 2: lot of the problem that we have right now. 417 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: That would be definitely four more years would be very important. 418 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: I agree with you though. Primaries are not a bad thing, 419 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 1: and they kind of reiterate what the party stands for, 420 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: and they get a lot of the negative approaches that 421 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 1: the candidate's going to face in the general they're going 422 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: to get to see it in the primary. I mean, 423 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 1: if you don't have a primary, you sometimes end up 424 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: with like a Kamala Harris candidate, and that's a real problem. 425 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: Well, I mean it's more than that. The deal is 426 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,479 Speaker 2: the primary is important for us for a number of reasons. 427 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: Because the primary we need a candidate that can stand 428 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 2: up to the screw because unlike the left, the left 429 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 2: they don't care who they run. It means nothing to them. 430 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: They can put a dead guy, they can put Kamala Harris, 431 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 2: they could run a goldfish. I mean they really could. 432 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter to them who the candidate is. That's 433 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: irrelevant to them. They spin up the machine and then 434 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 2: it fires along all the way and that's just what 435 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 2: they do. But on the right, everyone likes to complain 436 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 2: about the candidate. But to me, not complaining about the candidate. 437 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 2: More important to that is the can the candidate actually 438 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 2: handle the pressure because the pressure is significantly and it's 439 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 2: much worse than it is on the. 440 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 1: Other side, so much worse. Yeah, it's not even comparable. Basically, 441 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: the Democrats don't get to try out their arguments and 442 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: they often are surprised to hear the argument from the 443 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: right when they get to the general because their primaries 444 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: are just so not like ours at all. Well, I 445 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: have loved this conversation, Walter. I've loved learning more about you. 446 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: Leave us here with your best tip for my listeners 447 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: on how they can improve their lives. 448 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,400 Speaker 2: Best tip to improve your lives would be never give 449 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 2: up on a goal of yours. If it's worth doing, 450 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 2: you should pursue it no matter what. 451 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 1: I love that. Thank you so much. He is Walter Kirk. 452 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: Check out his amazing investigative work and support his journalism. 453 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Walter, Thanks for having me on, 454 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: Carol