CSPAN2 — Public Affairs Events
20260806 111600 UTC
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[00:00:03] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH MY
[00:00:05] GOSH. AND YOU'RE SO GOOD AT IT.
[00:00:10] THANK
[00:00:22] >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:00:40] >> HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR LIVE COVERAGE TODAY ON THE
[00:00:42] C-SPAN NETWORKS ON C-SPAN AT
[00:00:46] 8:30 A.M. EASTERN. THE SENATE, HOMELAND SECURITY AND
[00:00:50] GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE VOTES ON A RESOLUTION TO HOLD
[00:00:53] DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS AFTER HE INVOKED THE
[00:00:56] FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES DURING LAST WEEK'S
[00:01:00] QUESTIONING ABOUT HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. NEXT,
[00:01:04] AT 11 A.M., THE SENATE FOREIGN
[00:01:06] RELATIONS COMMITTEE EXAMINES THE
[00:01:08] U.S. RESPONSE TO GLOBAL SCAM
[00:01:11] OPERATIONS TARGETING AMERICANS AS INTERNATIONAL FRAUD NETWORKS
[00:01:15] REPORTED MORE THAN $1 TRILLION
[00:01:17] IN LOSSES WORLDWIDE LAST YEAR.
[00:01:20] OVER ON C-SPAN, TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE GATHER AT 10 A.M. TO
[00:01:23] VOTE ON 74 OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE
[00:01:27] NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING KEY ROLES AT FEMA, TSA, THE WHITE HOUSE
[00:01:30] BUDGET OFFICE, AND THE NATIONAL
[00:01:34] ARCHIVES. THEN, C-SPAN 3 AT 8
[00:01:35] A.M. HAS NASA ASTRONAUTS JESSICA
[00:01:38] MEIR AND ANIL MENON STEPPING
[00:01:40] OUTSIDE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
[00:01:44] STATION FOR A SPACEWALK TO PREPARE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF
[00:01:47] A NEW ROLL-OUT SOLAR ARRAY, A MAJOR UPGRADE THAT WILL INCREASE
[00:01:51] THE STATION'S POWER CAPACITY AND SUPPORT FUTURE SCIENTIFIC
[00:01:55] MISSIONS. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH LIVE COVERAGE OF THESE EVENTS ON
[00:01:58] C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE APP,
[00:02:02] AND ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG
[00:02:07] >> AND NOW, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE, FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL, AND A
[00:02:11] NUMBER OF OTHER FEDERAL OFFICIALS HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE
[00:02:13] ANNOUNCING NEW ENFORCEMENT
[00:02:16] ACTIONS AGAINST THE JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL. IT'S A
[00:02:19] MEXICAN CRIMINAL SYNDICATE.
[00:02:53] >> GOOD MORNING. TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, IN
[00:02:56] COORDINATION WITH THE HOMELAND
[00:02:59] SECURITY TASK FORCE, ANNOUNCED
[00:03:04] THE UNSEALING OF FIVE SEPARATE INDICTMENTS AGAINST HIGH RANKING CJNG LEADERS. WE'RE ALSO
[00:03:08] ANNOUNCING TODAY, WITH THE STATE
[00:03:10] DEPARTMENT, MORE THAN $100
[00:03:12] MILLION IN REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE
[00:03:16] ARREST OF NOT ONLY THE FIVE THAT
[00:03:17] WERE JUST UNSEALED TODAY, BUT
[00:03:24] THREE INDICTED, PREVIOUSLY UNSEALED CASES AGAINST ADDITIONAL CJNG LEADERSHIP. THIS, AGAIN, IS A CONTINUATION
[00:03:27] OF OUR EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE
[00:03:30] CARTELS THAT HAVE PLAGUED THIS
[00:03:32] COUNTRY FOR FAR TOO LONG. NARCO
[00:03:37] TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
[00:03:38] CARTEL, ELISEO NUEVA GENERATION,
[00:03:41] ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COUNTLESS
[00:03:44] DEATHS TO AMERICANS. THESE SOPHISTICATED ORGANIZATIONS USE
[00:03:47] VIOLENCE AND FEAR TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER THE IMPORTATION OF
[00:03:51] DEADLY NARCOTICS INTO THE UNITED
[00:03:53] STATES, INCLUDING FENTANYL,
[00:03:55] COCAINE, METH, AND OTHER ILLEGAL
[00:04:00] DRUGS. THEIR ACTIONS SPREAD
[00:04:02] VIOLENCE AND DEATH TO OUR
[00:04:04] COMMUNITIES, AS ALLEGED IN TODAY'S INDICTMENTS AND THE
[00:04:07] PREVIOUS INDICTMENTS THAT WERE UNSEALED, THESE CARTEL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A RANGE
[00:04:11] OF CRIMES, INCLUDING RUNNING
[00:04:13] DRUG NETWORKS, ORGANIZING HIGHLY
[00:04:17] TRAINED HITMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MURDERS, AND ATTEMPTED
[00:04:20] ASSASSINATIONS, PROCURING WEAPONS AND MONEY LAUNDERING,
[00:04:23] AND DEADLY DRUG MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION. THREE OF THE
[00:04:28] ALLEGED CARTEL MEMBERS WERE ALSO ALLEGEDLY COMMITTING A
[00:04:31] SOPHISTICATED FRAUD, TARGETING
[00:04:36] ELDERLY AMERICANS. IN AN ALLEGED
[00:04:39] TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEME. SINCE
[00:04:42] JANUARY 20th, 2025, WE HAVE
[00:04:44] EXTRADITED, TRANSFERRED AND SECURED CONVICTIONS AGAINST
[00:04:48] HUNDREDS OF THE WORLD'S MOST
[00:04:50] DANGEROUS DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN FEDERAL COURTROOMS ACROSS THE
[00:04:54] UNITED STATES. JUST LAST MONTH,
[00:04:56] THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE NOTORIOUS
[00:05:00] SINALOA CARTEL, EL MAYO, ISMAEL
[00:05:02] ZAMBADA GARCIA, WAS SENTENCED TO
[00:05:06] LIFE IN PRISON IN FEDERAL COURT
[00:05:08] IN THIS COUNTRY. THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. WE'VE
[00:05:12] TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT LATELY, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING HERE. IN
[00:05:15] ADDITION TO THE HISTORIC DECLINE OF VIOLENT CRIME, JUST LAST
[00:05:19] YEAR, WE SAW A 22% DECLINE IN
[00:05:24] FENTANYL DEATHS IN THE UNITED
[00:05:26] STATES OVER THE YEAR PRIOR. OUR
[00:05:29] EFFORTS HAVE SAVED THOUSANDS OF
[00:05:31] LIVES, AND BRINGING BACK LAW AND
[00:05:35] ORDER TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS
[00:05:38] MISSION OBVIOUSLY REQUIRES BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, TALENTED
[00:05:42] PROSECUTORS, AND STEADFAST PARTNERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL
[00:05:45] LEVEL, AND OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK THE
[00:05:49] HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE,
[00:05:54] DEA, FBIHS, CBP, IRS. SID, THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE NATIONAL
[00:05:57] COORDINATION CENTER. ALL OF
[00:05:58] THESE PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER
[00:06:01] WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[00:06:03] IN AN ALL GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO
[00:06:08] COMBATING TERRORISM. WITH THESE CHARGES NOW MADE PUBLIC. AND
[00:06:12] AGAIN, THESE CASES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN TWO DISTRICTS IN THE
[00:06:15] EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, IN BROOKLYN, AND HERE IN
[00:06:19] WASHINGTON, D.C., AND MORE THAN
[00:06:22] $100 MILLION IN REWARDS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY THE STATE
[00:06:26] DEPARTMENT. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WILL USE ALL TOOLS TO BRING
[00:06:29] THESE DEFENDANTS TO JUSTICE, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE. WE WILL
[00:06:33] NEVER ALLOW FOREIGN TERRORIST
[00:06:37] ORGANIZATIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT JOB TO DO, AND
[00:06:41] TOGETHER, WE WILL FINISH IT. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS THAT ARE
[00:06:45] GOING TO ADDRESS YOU GUYS TODAY, STARTING WITH OUR DEA
[00:06:48] ADMINISTRATOR, TERRY COLE.
[00:06:55] >> GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU,
[00:07:00] MR. ATTORNEY GENERAL. SINCE THE INCEPTION NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO, CJNG HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF
[00:07:04] THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS AND
[00:07:06] RUTHLESS FOREIGN TERRORIST
[00:07:10] ORGANIZATIONS. CJNG WAS BUILT ON
[00:07:11] VAST CRIMINAL NETWORK THAT
[00:07:14] PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES DEADLY
[00:07:16] DRUGS WHILE SUSTAINING ITS
[00:07:19] POWERFUL INFLUENCE VIA VIOLENCE
[00:07:22] AND CORRUPTION. IN MEXICO. THIS INCLUDES MEMBERS WITHIN THE
[00:07:25] MEXICAN GOVERNMENT WHO SHIELD
[00:07:28] CJNG LEADERSHIP FROM JUSTICE AND
[00:07:32] FACILITATE DRUG TRAFFICKING,
[00:07:34] MONEY LAUNDERING AND VIOLENCE.
[00:07:37] CJNG'S ACTIONS HAVE RESULTED IN
[00:07:40] THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF
[00:07:44] AMERICANS, AMERICANS THAT WERE
[00:07:46] LOST WAY TOO SOON. THEY DID THIS
[00:07:51] THROUGH THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FENTANYL, A
[00:07:54] WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. DEA
[00:07:56] IS AGGRESSIVELY TARGETING BOTH
[00:07:59] THE CARTELS AND THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO ARE
[00:08:03] RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF
[00:08:06] OUR CITIZENS. TODAY'S COORDINATED ACTIONS AGAINST CJNG
[00:08:09] LEADERSHIP AND INFRASTRUCTURE,
[00:08:12] INCLUDING SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT AND REWARDS TOTALING MORE THAN
[00:08:16] $100 MILLION AND ARREST, WILL
[00:08:19] NOT END. IT SENDS A VERY CLEAR
[00:08:21] MESSAGE THIS IS JUST THE
[00:08:24] BEGINNING. UNDER THE PRESIDENT
[00:08:26] TRUMP AND ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE, THIS ADMINISTRATION
[00:08:30] WILL USE EVERY RESOURCE, EVERY
[00:08:33] TOOL TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN
[00:08:36] CITIZENS. YOU SEE, THIS IS ABOUT
[00:08:38] AMERICA FIRST. THIS IS ABOUT
[00:08:41] AMERICANS FIRST. THIS IS A FIGHT AGAINST CJNG. THAT WE ARE JUST
[00:08:45] BEGINNING. AND WE WILL NOT BACK
[00:08:50] DOWN. DEA INVESTIGATIONS HAVE.
[00:08:51] CASES HAVE GENERATED MORE THAN 100 FEDERAL INDICTMENTS AGAINST
[00:08:55] CJNG LEADERS AND MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES. WE ARE WORKING WITH
[00:08:58] OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS TO
[00:09:01] ARREST, EXTRADITE, AND PROSECUTE
[00:09:03] THESE DEFENDANTS IN THE UNITED
[00:09:06] STATES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE
[00:09:09] SAW THE LEADER, EL MENCHO, FALL
[00:09:12] TO HIS DEATH DURING A MEXICAN
[00:09:17] MILITARY OPERATION FOR HIS
[00:09:18] CAPTURE. EL MENCHO S DEMISE DID
[00:09:22] NOT END CJNG. IT UNDERSCORES THE
[00:09:25] ORGANIZATION'S RESILIENCE AND
[00:09:27] THE CONTINUED THREAT IT POSES.
[00:09:30] BASED ON DEA INTELLIGENCE. THE NEW LEADER, JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA
[00:09:33] GONZALEZ, EL MENCHO STEPSON, HAS
[00:09:36] TAKEN CONTROL OF THE CARTEL. IN
[00:09:38] OUR WORLD. EL PELÓN IS THE
[00:09:42] NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF DEA. DEA
[00:09:46] IS MORE FOCUSED THAN IT'S EVER
[00:09:49] BEEN, AND DISMANTLING CJNG AND
[00:09:51] BRINGING ITS LEADERS AND MEMBERS
[00:09:54] AND FACILITATORS AND CORRUPT
[00:09:57] ENABLERS TO JUSTICE. LET ME BE
[00:09:59] CLEAR. IF YOU. TRAFFIC, DEADLY
[00:10:04] DRUGS PROFIT FROM THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS, OR USE PUBLIC OFFICE
[00:10:07] TO PROTECT THE CARTELS, THIS IS
[00:10:11] YOUR WARNING. DEA IS COMING FOR
[00:10:13] YOU. NO TITLE, NO POSITION OR
[00:10:17] POLITICAL CONNECTION WILL SHIELD YOU. THIS INCLUDES CARTEL
[00:10:20] MEMBERS LIKE DEI-NAOERO, WHO WAS
[00:10:22] RECENTLY CAPTURED IN MEXICO.
[00:10:27] THIS INCLUDES SAPO, HUGO, MÉNDEZ, GAITAN, A SICARIO WHO
[00:10:31] RUNS SICARIO TRAINING CAMPS DEEP
[00:10:33] IN MEXICO. THIS INCLUDES PINZON.
[00:10:38] THIS IS THE SAME SUBJECT WHO
[00:10:40] ATTEMPTED TO KILL THE CURRENT
[00:10:42] SECURITY DIRECTOR, OMAR GARCIA
[00:10:44] HARFUCH, IN 2020. THEY ARE
[00:10:47] RELENTLESS, BUT SO IS DEA, AND
[00:10:50] SO IS THIS TEAM. STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU. THESE INDIVIDUALS
[00:10:54] REPRESENT DIFFERENT PARTS OF CJNG AND THEIR CRIMINAL
[00:10:57] ENTERPRISE, BUT TOGETHER THEY DEMONSTRATE WHY THE U.S.
[00:10:59] RESPONSE MUST BE COORDINATED,
[00:11:01] MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE, AND MUST
[00:11:05] BE AGGRESSIVE. CARTELS DEPEND ON LEADERSHIP, MONEY, LOGISTICS,
[00:11:09] CORRUPTION, COERCION, AND NETWORKS THAT CROSS BORDERS. AND
[00:11:13] DEA AND OUR PARTNERS HERE ARE
[00:11:14] TARGETING EVERY SUCH NETWORK.
[00:11:17] OUR WORK IS FAR FROM OVER. OVER.
[00:11:19] WE WILL DISRUPT YOUR NETWORKS. WE WILL CUT OFF YOUR FINANCIAL
[00:11:23] LIFELINES. WE WILL SEIZE YOUR ILLICIT PROFITS. AND WE WILL
[00:11:27] WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SAVE AMERICAN LIVES. I WANT TO
[00:11:30] STRESS, THIS IS ABOUT AMERICA
[00:11:32] FIRST. THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS FIRST. I WANT TO THANK THE
[00:11:36] ATTORNEY GENERAL. I WANT TO THANK THE HOMELAND SECURITY TASK
[00:11:39] FORCE, THE NCC, AND OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE STANDING HERE TODAY.
[00:11:43] BECAUSE PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW US TO
[00:11:46] SUCCEED. AND SUCCESS IS OUR
[00:11:48] GOAL, TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE
[00:11:50] NATIONAL SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY
[00:11:52] AND OUR CITIZENS. DEA IS ON THE
[00:11:56] HUNT WITH OUR PARTNERS. GOD
[00:12:00] BLESS US, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES. I'D LIKE TO TURN
[00:12:03] THIS OVER TO THE FBI DIRECTOR.
[00:12:08] KASH PATEL. >> THANK YOU. ADMINISTRATOR.
[00:12:10] THANK YOU, ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE
[00:12:14] DYNAMIC THREAT LANDSCAPE OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING WORLD,
[00:12:17] UNFORTUNATELY, HAS PERMEATED INTO NOT JUST DEPLOYING THESE
[00:12:21] LETHAL DOSES OF FENTANYL AND OTHER NARCOTICS THAT ARE KILLING AMERICANS AT A RECORD RATE.
[00:12:24] YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE DEA ADMINISTRATOR, AND YOU'LL HEAR
[00:12:28] FROM OUR TEAM THE RECORD SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD FROM GETTING
[00:12:32] THE CHINESE TO DELIST THE PRECURSORS THAT WERE DUMPING
[00:12:34] THIS POISON TO THE MEXICAN CARTELS AND MANUFACTURING IT
[00:12:37] DOWN SOUTH OF THE BORDER AND PUMPING IT HERE. YOU'VE HEARD
[00:12:40] THAT THERE'S BEEN AN OVER 20% REDUCTION IN OPIOID OVERDOSE
[00:12:44] DEATHS. 22% SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FENTANYL. THAT IS A
[00:12:47] MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT. THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INITIATIVE
[00:12:50] AND DIRECTION AND PUSH TO
[00:12:52] MANHUNT, FEDERAL FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS,
[00:12:55] WHEREVER THEY EXIST, AND WHATEVER UMBRELLA THEY CHOOSE TO
[00:12:59] OPERATE UNDER THE FBI. HERE IS TODAY, IS HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE
[00:13:03] THREE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
[00:13:05] BEING ELEVATED TO OUR MOST
[00:13:09] WANTED PERPETRATORS AROUND THE
[00:13:11] WORLD, NOT FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING,
[00:13:15] BUT FOR FRAUD. YOU'VE SEEN WHAT THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE
[00:13:17] PRESIDENT HAVE DONE UNDER THEIR ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE. AND THANKS TO THE GREAT LEADERSHIP
[00:13:21] OF ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE, WE ARE NOT JUST ATTACKING HEALTH
[00:13:24] CARE FRAUD HERE IN THE UNITED
[00:13:25] STATES OF AMERICA. OUR ADVERSARIES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE
[00:13:29] OF THE LOOPHOLES AND THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT BY THE PRIOR
[00:13:32] ADMINISTRATION TO FLEECE OUR SENIOR CITIZENS OF THEIR
[00:13:34] VALUABLE LIFE SAVINGS, AND THEY ARE DOING IT IN A SOPHISTICATED
[00:13:38] MANNER. AND IT TAKES A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH, WHICH YOU SEE HERE REPRESENTED TODAY, LED
[00:13:42] BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TO EXECUTE ON THAT MISSION, TO
[00:13:45] SAFEGUARD OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. THESE INDIVIDUALS, PURSUANT TO
[00:13:48] THE NEW YORK FIELD OFFICES INVESTIGATION THAT WAS BEGAN A
[00:13:51] FEW YEARS AGO, STARTED CALL
[00:13:54] CENTERS, UM, DOWN SOUTH AND
[00:13:57] ACROSS THE WORLD. THE FUNDS THEY
[00:13:59] UTILIZED AND THEY SCAMMED OUT OF
[00:14:02] THESE CALL CENTERS FROM SENIOR
[00:14:03] CITIZENS FROM ACROSS AMERICA,
[00:14:06] TOTALED OVER $400 MILLION. THEY
[00:14:09] DUPED OUR SENIORS USING EMAIL,
[00:14:12] TELEPHONE, TEXT MESSAGES, AND
[00:14:14] PHISHING CAMPAIGNS INTO
[00:14:18] SUBSCRIBING TO A TIMESHARE PROJECT THAT THEY FALSELY STOOD
[00:14:21] UP AND FALSELY DELIVERED. PROMISES THAT OUR SENIORS WOULD
[00:14:24] BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR LIVES AND
[00:14:29] VACATIONS, ONLY TO HAVE THAT MONEY SEIZED FROM THEM. AND THAT VACATION AND THEIR RETIREMENTS
[00:14:33] DEPRIVED FROM THEM. THIS FBI IS
[00:14:36] LASER FOCUSED WITH OUR INTERAGENCY PARTNERS, NOT JUST
[00:14:39] ON THESE FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, FOR DUMPING THESE ILLICIT NARCOTICS INTO OUR
[00:14:43] COUNTRY, BUT KEEPING UP WITH THE DYNAMIC THREAT THAT THEY POSE ON
[00:14:46] THE FRAUD THAT THEY HAVE NOW
[00:14:48] UNLEASHED ON OUR COUNTRY. BUT THANKS TO THIS TEAM, AND THANKS
[00:14:52] TO ATTORNEY GENERAL BRANCH, AND THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
[00:14:54] UNITED STATES, WE ARE NOW CHASING THEM DOWN AROUND THE
[00:14:58] WORLD. AS ADMINISTRATOR COLE POINTED OUT, THIS IS TRULY
[00:15:02] REMARKABLE WORK. THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP EFFORT. IT TAKES
[00:15:05] EVERY SINGLE AGENCY. YOU STAY UP HERE TODAY. AND MOST
[00:15:09] IMPORTANTLY, IT TAKES A PRESIDENT WHO IS WILLING TO
[00:15:12] SAFEGUARD AMERICANS AND PUT AMERICA FIRST. AND PRESIDENT
[00:15:14] TRUMP HAS DONE JUST THAT. ONE OF
[00:15:17] THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THESE PERPETRATORS TO KNOW IS
[00:15:20] THAT THERE IS NO SAFE HAVEN. WE
[00:15:22] WILL GIVE YOU NO SANCTUARY. IN
[00:15:25] THE MONTH OF JULY, THE FBI
[00:15:28] EXECUTED ALMOST 30 FOREIGN
[00:15:30] TRANSFERS OF CUSTODY IN OVER 15
[00:15:33] SEPARATE COUNTRIES FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, TERRORISTS,
[00:15:36] MURDERERS AND RAPISTS. SO WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY, FOR
[00:15:39] ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THE RUN RIGHT NOW, YOU WILL
[00:15:42] NOT BE ON THE RUN FOR LONG. WE
[00:15:44] WILL HUNT YOU DOWN IN EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET, AND WE
[00:15:47] WILL RETURN YOU HERE TO FACE AMERICAN JUSTICE. THE NUMBERS
[00:15:50] THAT WE AT THE FBI AND OUR PARTNERS ARE RETURNING TO
[00:15:54] AMERICA TO FACE JUSTICE FROM OVERSEAS IS A RECORD BREAKING
[00:15:57] NUMBER. IT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF
[00:16:01] PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS THAT ALLOW US TO WORK IN SPACES WE
[00:16:04] WERE NEVER PERMITTED TO WORK
[00:16:05] BEFORE, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE DELIVERING THESE HISTORIC
[00:16:09] RESULTS, RETURNING THESE
[00:16:12] INDIVIDUALS TO AMERICA FOR JUSTICE, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
[00:16:15] ONCE THEY ARE IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, WE HAVE SEIZED THESE
[00:16:19] FUNDS AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THEM BACK TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS
[00:16:22] THAT WERE FLEECED OF THEIR LIFE SAVINGS AND THEIR RETIREMENTS.
[00:16:26] THAT IS THE MISSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT IS THE
[00:16:28] COLLECTIVE MISSION OF THE INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS YOU SEE
[00:16:31] HERE TODAY. I'M THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO STAND SHOULDER TO
[00:16:35] SHOULDER WITH THESE AGENCIES, OUR PROSECUTORS, THE DEPARTMENT
[00:16:37] OF JUSTICE, AND THIS WHITE HOUSE LASER FOCUSED ON PRIMARY
[00:16:41] IMPORTANCE, ON PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE, OUR KIDS AND
[00:16:43] OUR ELDERLY. AND YOU'RE SEEING
[00:16:46] THAT DONE HERE TODAY. AND THIS FBI, ALONG WITH OUR INTERAGENCY
[00:16:49] PARTNERS, WILL NOT REST. IF ANYONE IN THE WORLD HAS INFORMATION ON THESE
[00:16:53] PERPETRATORS. ONE 800 CALL FBI. ONE 800, CALL FBI. OUR BEST
[00:16:56] PARTNERS ARE THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT AS I'VE ALWAYS
[00:16:59] SAID, OUR TRULY BEST PARTNERS ARE THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AROUND
[00:17:03] THE WORLD WHO'VE GOT EYES AND EARS EVERYWHERE. WE WANT TO HEAR
[00:17:05] FROM YOU. THANK YOU.
[00:17:15] >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PATEL. MY NAME IS TYSON DUVA. I'M THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL IN CHARGE OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISION
[00:17:18] HERE AT MAIN JUSTICE. AND THE CRIMINAL DIVISION IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE WITH OUR LAW
[00:17:23] ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS HERE, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OUR ACTING ATTORNEY
[00:17:26] GENERAL, BLANCHE, SOME NEW CASES
[00:17:28] AND REWARDS HERE, BASED ON
[00:17:33] RECENT EVENTS UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE LEADERSHIP, THE
[00:17:37] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S MAIN GOAL IS TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE
[00:17:39] CARTELS LIKE CJNG, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION, OUR PARTNERS, AND
[00:17:43] THOSE WHO YOU SEE HERE ON THE STAGE, CARRY OUT THAT FIGHT
[00:17:46] EVERY DAY. WE HAVE HAD
[00:17:51] TREMENDOUS RECENT SUCCESS AGAINST THE TWO LARGEST DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO, THE SINALOA CARTEL, AND
[00:17:54] CJNG. SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK
[00:18:00] OFFICE, HIGH VALUE REMOVALS VIA EXTRADITIONS AND EXPULSIONS HAVE NUMBERED OVER 200, PUTTING SOME
[00:18:04] OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CARTEL
[00:18:07] FIGURES IN U.S. CUSTODY. IN
[00:18:10] AMERICAN COURTROOMS. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, SOME OF US ON THIS
[00:18:12] STAGE, INCLUDING MR. COLE AND I,
[00:18:15] SAT IN THE STORIED FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN BROOKLYN AND DID
[00:18:19] SOME PRESS AFTER AND WATCHED OUR PROSECUTORS AND AGENTS SECURE A
[00:18:22] LIFE SENTENCE FOR EL MAYO, THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE SINALOA
[00:18:26] CARTEL, AND PERHAPS THE MOST HEINOUS AND VIOLENT NARCO
[00:18:29] TERRORIST IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. DURING PRESIDENT
[00:18:32] TRUMP'S FIRST TERM, OUR PROSECUTORS CONVICTED HIS
[00:18:35] CO-FOUNDER, EL CHAPO GUZMAN. AND
[00:18:37] LAST YEAR, WE CONVICTED CHAPO'S
[00:18:39] SONS OF VIDEO AND JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ, WHO ALSO FACE LIFE IN
[00:18:43] PRISON. WE ARE DISMANTLING THE
[00:18:46] SINALOA CARTEL. THE SAME
[00:18:48] PRESSURE IS NOW ON. CJNG. LAST
[00:18:51] FRIDAY, ANTONIO OSEGUERA
[00:18:53] CERVANTES, BROTHER OF THE LATE CJNG BOSS EL MENCHO, PLEADED
[00:18:57] GUILTY IN AN APRIL. THE CJNG
[00:19:00] CO-FOUNDER, ERICK VALENCIA SALAZAR, PLEADED GUILTY. THEY
[00:19:03] BOTH FACE LIFE IN PRISON. WE ARE
[00:19:05] PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE
[00:19:08] INCREASED MONETARY AWARDS ARE BEING OFFERED FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OR
[00:19:11] CONVICTION OF TWO CJNG LEADERS
[00:19:14] CHARGED BY THE CRIMINAL DIVISION. AS MR. COLE EXPLAINED,
[00:19:17] THOSE ARE JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA,
[00:19:19] GONZALEZ PELÓN AND ORTIZ FLORES,
[00:19:24] SILVA, JARDINERO MENCHO STEPSON, PELÓN, IS, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE
[00:19:28] NEW CJ. CJNG LEADER. JARDINERO
[00:19:31] IS THE REGIONAL COMMANDER WHO RUNS A VAST LOGISTICS NETWORK
[00:19:35] FOR CJNG, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION
[00:19:39] CHARGED BOTH DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST TERM AND IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. WE BROUGHT NEW DRUG TRAFFICKING, WEAPONS AND
[00:19:43] MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES AGAINST
[00:19:46] JARDINERO. THERE ARE NEW CHARGES AND REWARDS THAT WE ARE
[00:19:48] ANNOUNCING TODAY. WE ARE ANNOUNCING FEDERAL CHARGES
[00:19:52] BROUGHT BY THE CRIMINAL DIVISION PROSECUTORS AGAINST FIVE SENIOR
[00:19:56] MEMBERS OF CJNG IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE DISTRICT OF
[00:19:59] COLUMBIA, WHICH WERE UNSEALED YESTERDAY. ALL FIVE ARE CHARGED
[00:20:03] WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS OFFENSES. THE FIVE
[00:20:05] DEFENDANTS ARE AS FOLLOWS. JULIO
[00:20:10] ALBERTO CASTILLO RODRIGUEZ OR CHORRO. THIS IS MENCHO'S FORMER
[00:20:12] SON IN LAW AND A SENIOR CJNG
[00:20:15] LEADER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKED TONNAGE. QUANTITIES OF
[00:20:18] METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE AND CONTROLLED TERRITORIES BY FORCE
[00:20:21] AND VIOLENCE. HUGO, GONZALO
[00:20:23] MENDOZA, GAITAN, OR SAPO, IS
[00:20:26] MENCHO'S GODSON AND SENIOR CJNG LEADER WHO, IN ADDITION TO
[00:20:30] TRAFFICKING METH AND COCAINE
[00:20:32] INTO THE UNITED STATES, PROCURED
[00:20:35] MOST OF CJNG'S WEAPONS, TRAINED
[00:20:37] SICARIOS OR HITMEN, AND OVERSAW
[00:20:40] OPERATIONS. RICARDO RUIZ
[00:20:42] VELASCO, OR TRIPA, IS A SENIOR
[00:20:44] CJNG LIEUTENANT WHO OVERSAW
[00:20:47] CJNG'S CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND SEVERAL MEXICAN TERRITORIES.
[00:20:51] TRIPA IS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING
[00:20:52] TO IMPORT HEROIN AND FENTANYL.
[00:20:55] LASTLY, JULIO CESAR MONTERO, PINZON, OR TARJETAS, AND CARLOS
[00:20:59] ANDRES RIVERA VARELA, LA FIRMA
[00:21:01] FOUNDED AND LED CJNG'S GRUPO
[00:21:04] ELITE, A UNIT OF HEAVILY ARMED
[00:21:06] SICARIOS THAT CONTROLLED COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENT
[00:21:09] OFFICIALS ALIKE, WITH VIOLENCE. THEY TRAFFICKED TONNAGE OF
[00:21:12] QUANTITIES OF METH AND COCAINE INTO THE UNITED STATES. TARJETAS
[00:21:16] AND LA FIRMA ARE ALSO CHARGED IN
[00:21:19] SEPARATE FRAUD INDICTMENTS IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW
[00:21:21] YORK. AND A WORD ON THE FRAUD
[00:21:25] INDICTMENTS ON OCTOBER 27th, 2025, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION AND
[00:21:27] THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
[00:21:31] PROSECUTORS OBTAINED A SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT ON
[00:21:33] TARJETAS LA FIRMA AND GRISELDA
[00:21:36] MARGARITA ARREDONDO, PINZON
[00:21:38] TARJETAS HALF SISTER AND A CJNG
[00:21:41] ACCOUNTANT, CHARGING THEM FOR PARTICIPATING IN A TIMESHARE
[00:21:43] FRAUD SCHEME. AND HERE'S HOW IT
[00:21:48] WORKED. CJNG TARGETED AMERICANS WHO WERE ASPIRING TO OWN OR ALREADY OWN TIMESHARES IN
[00:21:52] MEXICO, MANY OF THEM ELDERLY, AND PROMISED THEM PROFITS FOR
[00:21:55] SELLING OR RENTING THEM. BUT FIRST, THE VICTIMS HAD TO PAY
[00:21:58] TAXES AND ADVANCE FEES. OF
[00:22:01] COURSE, THE PROFITS NEVER CAME.
[00:22:03] ONCE SOMEONE PAID, THE FRAUDSTERS CONTACTED THEM AGAIN,
[00:22:07] POSING AS LAWYERS OR OFFICIALS WHO COULD RECOVER THE MONEY FOR
[00:22:10] ANOTHER FEE. OF COURSE, IT WAS FAKE. THE SCHEME MORPHED AND
[00:22:13] CONTINUED, WITH THE FRAUDSTERS EVEN CLAIMING THAT THE VICTIMS
[00:22:17] ACTUALLY PAID A CARTEL AND WOULD BE ARRESTED IF THEY DID NOT PAY
[00:22:19] MORE, WHICH THEY DID. ONE
[00:22:23] PARTICULAR VICTIM, AN 83 YEAR OLD INDIVIDUAL, AN AMERICAN WHO
[00:22:26] BOUGHT A TIMESHARE MANY YEARS
[00:22:29] AGO FOR $179,000, WAS DUPED AT
[00:22:31] EACH LEVEL OF THIS PHASE, HE
[00:22:34] PAID ADVANCE SCHEMES. TO BEGIN WITH, HE FELL FOR FAKE REAL
[00:22:38] ESTATE WEBSITES AND TITLE COMPANIES. HE WAS VICTIMIZED
[00:22:41] AGAIN BY ATTORNEYS WHO SENT THEIR BAR INFORMATION AND FAKE WEBSITES, WHO CLAIMED THAT THEY
[00:22:45] COULD GET HIS MONEY BACK. OF COURSE, THEY WERE IMPERSONATORS,
[00:22:48] AND THEY COULD NOT. GOVERNMENT
[00:22:51] AGENCIES THEN CONTACTED HIM FOR ADDITIONAL FEES ON USING
[00:22:54] GOVERNMENT LETTERHEAD AND SPOOFED GOVERNMENT WEBSITES. AND
[00:22:58] THEN AGAIN, MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACTED HIM AND
[00:23:00] DEMANDED HE PAY CRIMINAL AND CIVIL FINES BECAUSE HE HAD
[00:23:03] APPARENTLY PAID A CARTEL. IT
[00:23:07] WENT ON AND ON. IT VICTIMIZED
[00:23:08] THIS MAN FOR HUNDREDS OF
[00:23:13] THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER EIGHT YEARS, BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023. THE SCHEME HAS DEFRAUDED OVER
[00:23:15] 6000 AMERICANS OF OVER $400
[00:23:18] MILLION, AND CJNG, OF COURSE,
[00:23:20] USE THIS MONEY TO FUND ITS
[00:23:23] OPERATION. TRAFFIC, POISON, BUYING GUNS AND PAYING BRIBES.
[00:23:26] WITH THE LIFE SAVINGS OF
[00:23:27] AMERICANS TOGETHER, THE DOJ, THE
[00:23:30] DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT ARE
[00:23:33] ANNOUNCING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REWARDS FOR THE ARREST AND
[00:23:36] CAPTURE OF THOSE AT LARGE. YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ANY OF US. WE
[00:23:39] WILL FIND YOU, AND WE'RE COMING FOR YOU. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO
[00:23:42] TURN IT OVER TO MATT MULHOLLAND
[00:23:47] WITH H. S I.
[00:23:52] >> GOOD MORNING. >> I'M MATTHEW MULHOLLAND, THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE
[00:23:56] DIRECTOR FOR HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS. THANK YOU TO OUR
[00:23:59] PARTNERS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, THE FBI, THE
[00:24:03] STATE DEPARTMENT, IRS, CBP, ATF,
[00:24:07] AND MANY STATE, LOCAL AND
[00:24:10] INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT REFLECTS THE FULL
[00:24:13] FORCE OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
[00:24:17] BEING BROUGHT TO BEAR AGAINST CJNG, ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC
[00:24:19] AND DANGEROUS CRIMINAL
[00:24:22] ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD. AS A
[00:24:24] DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, CJNG THREATENS THE UNITED STATES THROUGH DRUG
[00:24:28] TRAFFICKING, WEAPONS TRAFFICKING, MONEY LAUNDERING,
[00:24:32] FRAUD, INTIMIDATION, AND EXTREME
[00:24:34] VIOLENCE, ITS LEADERS AND FACILITATORS OPERATE ACROSS BORDERS. THEY EXPLOIT OUR
[00:24:38] FINANCIAL SYSTEM. THEY TRAFFIC DEADLY NARCOTICS INTO AMERICAN
[00:24:42] COMMUNITIES, AND THEY USE THEIR VIOLENCE TO PROTECT THEIR
[00:24:45] CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE. THESE ARE THESE CASES ARE PART OF THE
[00:24:48] HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE
[00:24:50] INITIATIVE, A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH FOCUSED ON
[00:24:53] ELIMINATING CRIMINAL CARTELS, FOREIGN GANGS, TRANSNATIONAL
[00:24:57] CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS, HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING NETWORKS THAT ARE OPERATING IN
[00:25:01] THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. XAI IS PROUD TO PLAY A CENTRAL
[00:25:05] ROLE IN THAT EFFORT. THE CASES HIGHLIGHTED TODAY DEMONSTRATE
[00:25:08] HOW XAI, WORKING THROUGH THE STF AND WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
[00:25:12] PARTNERS, ATTACKS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AT MULTIPLE POINTS
[00:25:15] THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP, THROUGH THEIR MONEY, WE ATTACK
[00:25:18] THEIR WEAPONS, THEIR FACILITATORS, AND THE
[00:25:21] INFRASTRUCTURE THEY RELY ON TO
[00:25:24] OPERATE. ONE AGENCY LED INITIATIVE, INITIATED BY HSI
[00:25:27] DOUGLAS, ARIZONA, TARGETED A WEAPONS TRAFFICKING NETWORK,
[00:25:30] MOVING FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION
[00:25:31] FROM THE UNITED STATES TO CJNG
[00:25:35] MEMBERS IN MEXICO. THROUGH COORDINATED EFFORTS WITH CBP,
[00:25:37] ATF, AND XAI OFFICES IN MEXICO AND MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT
[00:25:41] PARTNERS. HSI HELP TO IDENTIFY AND DISRUPT THE NETWORK,
[00:25:44] ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTING SAPO, AS
[00:25:48] ALLEGED IN COURT FILINGS, SAPO PROCURED WEAPONS FOR CJNG
[00:25:52] TRAINED SICARIOS AT CARTEL TRAINING CAMPS AND OVERSAW
[00:25:54] VIOLENT OPERATIONS ACROSS
[00:25:57] MULTIPLE STRATEGIC LOCATIONS. A SECOND, HPSCI LED INVESTIGATION,
[00:26:01] CONDUCTED BY HSI CAROLINA'S FINANCIAL CRIMES TASK FORCE,
[00:26:05] TARGETED DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATIONS
[00:26:07] LINKED TO DIAZ-FLORES SILVA, AN
[00:26:09] ALLEGED HIGH LEVEL KJAER LEADER WHO WAS ARRESTED BY MEXICAN
[00:26:13] AUTHORITIES IN APRIL OF 2026. TO DATE, THOSE EFFORTS HAVE
[00:26:17] RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF MORE THAN 6 MILLION IN BULK U.S.
[00:26:20] CURRENCY, 1100KG OF COCAINE,
[00:26:23] 94KG OF METH, AIRCRAFT,
[00:26:26] FIREARMS, AND THE REST OF 19
[00:26:28] INDIVIDUALS. THOSE SEIZURES MATTER. EVERY DOLLAR SEIZED IS
[00:26:32] MONEY THAT CANNOT BE USED TO BUY
[00:26:36] WEAPONS, TO CORRUPT OFFICIALS, OR TO FURTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
[00:26:38] EVERY FIREARM TAKEN OUT OF CIRCULATION IS ONE LESS TOOL FOR
[00:26:42] INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE. EVERY KILOGRAM OF NARCOTICS
[00:26:46] INTERCEPTED REPRESENTS POISON
[00:26:47] THAT WILL NOT REACH AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THE
[00:26:51] HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE INITIATIVE, AND IN PARTNERSHIP
[00:26:53] WITH DOJ, PROSECUTORS, WE ARE ALIGNING OUR EFFORTS AGAINST
[00:26:57] CARTELS AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT
[00:27:00] THREATEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
[00:27:02] OUR MESSAGE TO CJNG LEADERS IS
[00:27:05] CLEAR. IF YOU TARGET THE UNITED
[00:27:07] STATES, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR
[00:27:10] CITIZENS, HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS WILL PURSUE YOU.
[00:27:13] WE WILL FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE. WE WILL FOLLOW THE MONEY, AND WE
[00:27:17] WILL WORK INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OUR
[00:27:19] BORDERS TO FIND YOU. I WANT TO
[00:27:22] THANK THE INVESTIGATORS, THE ANALYSTS, THE PROSECUTORS, OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WHO
[00:27:26] CONTRIBUTED TO THESE CASES.
[00:27:28] THEIR WORK IS DIFFICULT. IT'S
[00:27:30] COMPLEX. IT'S OFTEN DANGEROUS,
[00:27:34] BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
[00:27:37] >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:27:41] >> NEXT UP IS MY COLLEAGUE FROM
[00:27:44] THE IRS.
[00:27:50] >> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS GARY SHAPLEY. I'M THE
[00:27:52] DEPUTY CHIEF OF IRS CRIMINAL
[00:27:57] INVESTIGATION. TODAY MARKS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN OUR FIGHT
[00:27:59] AGAINST THE CJNG THE COORDINATED
[00:28:02] ACTIONS ANNOUNCED TODAY REFLECT THE FULL FORCE OF THE U.S. LAW
[00:28:06] ENFORCEMENT, AND I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH
[00:28:08] THESE FOLKS NEXT TO ME. IRS
[00:28:12] CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN
[00:28:15] EXPOSING AND DISRUPTING CJNG'S
[00:28:18] FINANCIAL NETWORKS. OUR
[00:28:20] EXPERTISE IN TRACING ILLICIT
[00:28:23] PROCEEDS, UNRAVELING COMPLEX FRAUD SCHEMES, AND TARGETING
[00:28:25] MONEY LAUNDERING ORGANIZATIONS
[00:28:27] IS CENTRAL TO TODAY'S ACTIONS.
[00:28:30] WHETHER LAUNDERING FUNDS THROUGH
[00:28:33] INTERMEDIARIES OR LEGITIMATE
[00:28:36] FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OR
[00:28:38] ATTEMPTING TO CONCEAL THE INCOME EARNED THROUGH CRYPTOCURRENCIES,
[00:28:42] IRS CI ENHANCES THE CAPABILITIES
[00:28:45] TO ENSURE THE PROCEEDS OF THESE CRIMINAL CONDUCT ARE NOT
[00:28:48] AVAILABLE. TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THEIR SCHEMES, OR TO
[00:28:52] ENRICH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TARGETS THAT WERE INDICTED
[00:28:56] TODAY. UNSEALED TODAY. CJNG'S
[00:29:02] FRAUD OPERATIONS TARGETED AMERICANS WHO OWN TIMESHARE PROPERTIES IN MEXICO. VICTIMS
[00:29:06] WERE COLD, CALLED, MANIPULATED WITH FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS, AND
[00:29:09] PRESSURED INTO SENDING MONEY.
[00:29:12] OFTENTIMES, U.S. VICTIMS LOST THEIR ENTIRE LIFE SAVINGS TO
[00:29:15] THESE SCHEMES. AFTER CJNG'S
[00:29:18] DESIGNATION AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, IT
[00:29:22] BECAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO PURSUE PROSECUTIONS AGAINST
[00:29:26] THESE PERPETRATORS AND ERCIYES WORK RESULTED IN OBTAINING
[00:29:29] DIRECT EVIDENCE CRITICAL FOR
[00:29:34] PROSECUTION. OPERATION BORROWED
[00:29:36] TIME WAS A CRYPTOCURRENCY MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATION LED BY IRS
[00:29:39] CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. IN CLOSE
[00:29:42] COORDINATION WITH FBI AND DEA. OUR NEW YORK TEAM UNCOVERED
[00:29:46] DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH CJNG LEADERS, INCLUDING THOSE
[00:29:49] INDIVIDUALS INDICTED TODAY. IRS,
[00:29:53] CI. WHEN WE'RE ON THE STAGE, YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE COMING AFTER
[00:29:56] EVERYTHING. WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR FUNDS, WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR MONEY, AND THERE'S GOING TO
[00:30:00] BE NO BORDER THAT WE CAN'T CROSS TO FIND. AND TO TAKE THAT MONEY
[00:30:03] BACK, TO MAKE THE AMERICANS
[00:30:05] WHOLE, THAT WERE DEFRAUDED.
[00:30:09] TODAY'S COORDINATED ACTIONS SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE. NO
[00:30:12] CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION IS BEYOND THE REACH OF U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND WE WILL USE
[00:30:16] EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL,
[00:30:18] WHETHER IT'S FINANCIAL TRACING, UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS, ASSET
[00:30:22] FORFEITURE, OR AND PROSECUTION
[00:30:25] TO DISMANTLE THE CJNG AND DEFEND OUR COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO THANK
[00:30:28] OUR NEW YORK TEAM AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS UP HERE ON STAGE. AND
[00:30:32] IT JUST SHOWS THE RESOLVE OF
[00:30:37] THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES
[00:30:40] CITIZENS. THANK YOU.
[00:30:41] >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:30:48] >> GOOD MORNING. I'M AMBASSADOR MICHAEL GONZALEZ, DEPUTY
[00:30:50] ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW
[00:30:53] ENFORCEMENT. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR
[00:30:57] HOSTING THIS UNPRECEDENTED ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. AS PRESIDENT
[00:30:59] TRUMP HAS SAID, IT'S TIME FOR
[00:31:01] AMERICA TO WAGE WAR ON CARTELS.
[00:31:04] WELL, C, J, AND G, WE'RE COMING
[00:31:07] AFTER YOU TODAY IN THIS HISTORIC ACTION SUPPORTING PRESIDENT
[00:31:10] TRUMP'S DIRECTIVE TO ELIMINATE NARCO TERRORIST CARTELS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ANNOUNCING
[00:31:14] MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN REWARD
[00:31:19] MONEY FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND OR CONVICTIONS OF
[00:31:23] EIGHT LEADERS AND ASSOCIATES OF CARTEL DE JALISCO, NUEVA
[00:31:26] GENERACION. THIS INCLUDES A $25
[00:31:30] MILLION REWARD OFFER FOR JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA GONZALEZ, ALSO KNOWN AS PELÓN, THE LEADER OF
[00:31:33] CJNG, WHO ROSE TO POWER FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE
[00:31:37] CARTEL'S FORMER BOSS, EL MENCHO
[00:31:39] PELÓN, AND HIS VICIOUS
[00:31:41] ORGANIZATION ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR POISONING MANY
[00:31:45] AMERICAN COMMUNITIES WITH
[00:31:46] ILLICIT FENTANYL, HEROIN,
[00:31:50] COCAINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE, AND FUELING MASSIVE VIOLENCE. THEY
[00:31:53] ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDERS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS,
[00:31:56] INCLUDING COUNTLESS AMERICAN
[00:31:59] CITIZENS. SEVEN ADDITIONAL
[00:32:01] REWARDS TODAY, RANGING FROM $2 MILLION TO $15 MILLION EACH,
[00:32:05] TARGETS OTHERS. AMONG THE HIGH
[00:32:08] RANKING OFFICIALS OF CJNG, THESE
[00:32:10] REWARDS ARE OFFERED UNDER THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S NARCOTICS
[00:32:14] REWARDS PROGRAM AND ARE TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME
[00:32:17] REWARDS PROGRAM. THESE HAVE BEEN PROVEN, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TOOLS
[00:32:21] IN ASSISTING U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN IDENTIFYING AND
[00:32:24] BRINGING TO JUSTICE OVER 90
[00:32:28] MAJOR VIOLATORS OF U.S. LAWS, AND THEY'VE PAID MORE THAN $200
[00:32:32] MILLION IN REWARD MONEY TO DATE.
[00:32:35] WE WILL USE EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO HUNT DOWN, TO
[00:32:38] DISMANTLE, AND TO DESTROY THESE
[00:32:41] RUTHLESS FOREIGN TERRORIST
[00:32:44] ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO DEFEND AMERICA AND AMERICAN CITIZENS
[00:32:48] FROM THE VIOLENCE AND DRUGS THAT HAVE TORN APART OUR FAMILIES,
[00:32:51] OUR COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO THESE REWARDS, THE STATE
[00:32:55] DEPARTMENT IS IMPOSING VISA
[00:32:58] RESTRICTIONS ON 65 INDIVIDUALS
[00:33:00] WHO ARE FAMILY MEMBERS OR CLOSE
[00:33:03] ASSOCIATES TO PERSONS LINKED TO
[00:33:05] CJNG. TO PREVENT THEIR ENTRY
[00:33:08] INTO OUR COUNTRY. 26 OF THOSE
[00:33:13] INDIVIDUALS ALREADY HAD AMERICAN VISAS. THOSE HAVE NOW BEEN
[00:33:15] REVOKED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SECRETARY RUBIO, THE DEPARTMENT
[00:33:19] OF STATE, TOGETHER WITH OUR U.S.
[00:33:22] LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLEAGUES, WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR NATION,
[00:33:26] THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND OUR
[00:33:28] HEMISPHERE FROM THE VIOLENCE AND
[00:33:30] TERROR INFLICTED BY CJNG. BUT WE
[00:33:32] NEED YOUR HELP. IF YOU HAVE
[00:33:35] INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT.
[00:33:37] DEA, FBI, OR HOMELAND SECURITY
[00:33:40] INVESTIGATIONS AT THE RESPECTIVE TIP LINES. AS WE HEARD FROM
[00:33:43] DIRECTOR PATEL, IF YOU'RE NOT
[00:33:45] SURE HOW ONE 800, CALL FBI, HELP
[00:33:48] US FIND AND CONVICT THESE CRIMINALS AND PROTECT THE
[00:33:51] AMERICAN PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MR.
[00:33:53] BLANCHE. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO THANK
[00:33:56] EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, WE'LL TAKE A COUPLE OF
[00:34:00] QUESTIONS >> UM, THE PRESIDENT.
[00:34:01] >> HAS PUBLICLY CRITICIZED U.S.
[00:34:05] ATTORNEY JEANINE PIRRO FOR HER DECISION TO DROP THE REFLECTING POOL CASE. DO YOU AGREE WITH THE
[00:34:09] MOVE TO DROP THE TO DISMISS THE CHARGES AGAINST DAVID HEARN?
[00:34:12] >> SO I LOOK, I THINK THAT, UM,
[00:34:15] U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO, OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF YEAR AND A
[00:34:19] HALF, THAT SHE'S BEEN THERE A
[00:34:21] YEAR PLUS HAS LED AN
[00:34:24] UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO, TO
[00:34:27] LITERALLY OVER JUST TURN THIS CITY ON ITS HEAD TO BE A SAFE
[00:34:30] PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE AND
[00:34:33] EAT. AND, AND SO I, I WATCHED
[00:34:37] THE, THE COMMUNICATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO HAS EVERY
[00:34:40] RIGHT TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY FRUSTRATED WITH DAMAGE DONE TO,
[00:34:43] TO OUR NATIONAL MONUMENTS AND IN THIS CITY AND ELSEWHERE. UM,
[00:34:47] BUT, BUT JUDGE PIRRO IS DOING, IS DOING A GREAT JOB. AND, AND
[00:34:50] OUR CITY, WASHINGTON, D.C., IS A
[00:34:54] LOT SAFER, IN NO SMALL PART TO, TO HER EFFORT AND THE
[00:34:57] PROSECUTOR'S EFFORTS THAT SHE WORKS WITH.
[00:35:00] >> UM, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION, WERE YOU AWARE THAT
[00:35:03] PIRRO WAS GOING TO DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST DAVID HEARN? AND
[00:35:06] IF SO, DID YOU APPROVE OF THAT DECISION
[00:35:09] >> SO I, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS. I
[00:35:12] DON'T I DON'T APPROVE OR
[00:35:14] DISAPPROVE, UM, DECISIONS THAT
[00:35:16] OUR U.S. ATTORNEYS MAKE ON IN A GENERAL MATTER. BUT I'M NOT
[00:35:19] GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, UH, WHAT WE KNEW ABOUT THE CASE OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE CASE. I
[00:35:23] MEAN, WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BY WE, I MEAN,
[00:35:25] MAINE JUSTICE. AND U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT
[00:35:29] CASES THAT WE WORK ON. SO,
[00:35:30] AGAIN, I DON'T WANT THE, THE
[00:35:33] MESSAGE TO BE BECAUSE PRESIDENT
[00:35:36] TRUMP EXPRESSED APPROPRIATE FRUSTRATION AT THE DAMAGE DONE
[00:35:39] TO THE REFLECTING POOL. UM, THAT, THAT JUDGE PIRRO IS NOT
[00:35:42] AND NOT ONLY JUDGE PIRRO, HER PROSECUTORS ARE NOT WORKING
[00:35:45] EVERY DAY TO, TO COMBAT VIOLENT
[00:35:48] CRIME AND TO MAKE THE CITY SAFE. SO, YEAH >> GOOD ONE ON TOPIC, ONE.
[00:35:52] >> OFF TOPIC. IS THAT OKAY? >> OFF THE TOP QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN OFF TOPIC.
[00:35:56] >> OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK
[00:35:58] ABOUT THE CURRENT CASE THAT YOU, THE CURRENT CASE, YOU GUYS ARE
[00:36:01] TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE DEA DIRECTOR BRIEFLY MENTIONED, I'M
[00:36:05] PARAPHRASING, UH, SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, UH, POLITICIANS,
[00:36:08] ELECTED LEADERS, UH, THE U.S.
[00:36:09] WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GO AFTER
[00:36:13] THESE SUSPECTS. UH, YOU ALSO MENTIONED ELECTED LEADERS
[00:36:15] POTENTIALLY PROTECTING, UH,
[00:36:17] PEOPLE, UH, NAMED IN THIS
[00:36:20] INDICTMENT. DOES THE U.S., AT THIS POINT HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR CONSIDERATIONS THAT THERE COULD
[00:36:24] BE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, FOREIGN ELECTED LEADERS, WHO ARE PROTECTING ANY OF THE NAMED
[00:36:27] SUSPECTS THAT WERE JUST BROUGHT UP TODAY, UH, POTENTIALLY AT
[00:36:30] ALL? AND DOES THE U.S. BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY,
[00:36:34] POTENTIALLY, TO CHARGE ANY FOREIGN ELECTED LEADERS IF THAT
[00:36:38] WAS HAPPENING IN THIS CASE? >> DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER INITIALLY? THEN I CAN FOLLOW UP.
[00:36:41] SURE. GO AHEAD.
[00:36:44] >> SO I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE, YOU KNOW, IN MY REMARKS,
[00:36:47] THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS FIRST
[00:36:49] AND AMERICA FIRST. THERE ARE FAR
[00:36:53] TOO MANY AMERICANS THAT ARE DYING AT THE HANDS OF THE
[00:36:56] CARTELS, WHO HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED A FOREIGN TERRORIST. ON A SIDE NOTE, YOU KNOW, EACH
[00:37:00] DAY WHEN I WALK INTO DEA HEADQUARTERS, I WALK PAST THE
[00:37:04] FACES OF FENTANYL. THERE ARE
[00:37:09] 7000 KIDS THERE. PITCHERS ARE ON
[00:37:12] OUR WALL. THERE'S ANOTHER 25,000 PARENTS THAT ARE
[00:37:15] PETITIONED TO HAVE THEIR KIDS ON
[00:37:17] THE WALL, WHO HAVE DIED AT THE
[00:37:21] HANDS OF THE CARTELS IN FENTANYL. THEY WERE POISONED.
[00:37:24] THAT'S A FRACTION OF THE DAMAGE
[00:37:26] THAT THE CARTELS ARE DOING. AND
[00:37:29] WE'VE ALL SEEN WITH THE RECENT
[00:37:31] INDICTMENT THAT WAS UNSEALED IN
[00:37:33] THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW
[00:37:35] YORK, THERE IS CORRUPTION, AND
[00:37:38] WE WERE GOING TO PURSUE THAT BECAUSE WE SEE THE CORRUPTION AS
[00:37:41] ONE CARTEL ACTIVITY. CORRUPTION
[00:37:44] IS CARTEL ACTIVITY. THEY ARE
[00:37:47] ENABLERS, AND WE WILL PURSUE IT
[00:37:49] TO THE ENDS TO PROTECT OUR
[00:37:52] CITIZENS IN OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU.
[00:37:56] >> YEAH. I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP. I'LL TAKE ONE MORE. ALEX.
[00:37:59] >> YEAH. I MEAN, SO YOU'VE
[00:38:05] DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER YOU STAND BY JEANINE PIRRO DECISION TO DROP THAT CASE. I'M JUST. WHAT MESSAGE DOES IT SEND,
[00:38:09] THOUGH, IF PRESIDENT TRUMP FIRES A U.S. ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE
[00:38:11] DETERMINED THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CHARGE
[00:38:15] FOR PEOPLE WITH A CRIME. >> DID HE FIRE HER? >> WHAT MESSAGE WOULD IT SEND? I SAID, IF.
[00:38:19] >> HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THE PRESIDENT CHOSE TO FIRE A UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, IT TURNS OUT
[00:38:22] HE'S ALLOWED TO DO THAT. UM, BECAUSE HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF
[00:38:25] UNITED STATES, SO I DON'T. AND BY THE WAY, HE IF THE PRESIDENT
[00:38:28] WANTED, IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTED TO FIRE ANYBODY WRIGHT
[00:38:32] WITHIN HIS ADMINISTRATION, HE VERY HE UNDERSTANDS HE HAS THE
[00:38:36] POWER TO DO THAT. SO WHEN, WHEN HE MAKES A DECISION ABOUT
[00:38:40] WHETHER TO FIRE A U.S. ATTORNEY OR ANYBODY ELSE, THAT'S HIS. AS
[00:38:43] FAR AS ANY MESSAGE I. WHAT I
[00:38:46] SAID EARLIER, ALEX, IS TRUE, WHICH IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT
[00:38:50] THE D.C., U.S. ATTORNEY'S
[00:38:53] OFFICE, BODY OF WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND WHERE
[00:38:56] WE ARE IN THIS CITY, COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE, UM, THEY ARE
[00:38:59] DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT EVERY CASE
[00:39:02] GOES EXACTLY THE WAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP OR I WANT, OR
[00:39:06] U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO WANTS? I MEAN, OF COURSE NOT. IT DOESN'T.
[00:39:09] SO I THINK THAT THAT WHAT YOU'VE
[00:39:10] SEEN PLAY OUT IN THE PRESS WITH
[00:39:13] RESPECT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO, IS IT'S ALL
[00:39:17] OUT THERE ALREADY. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT CHANGES THE FACT
[00:39:20] THAT HER PROSECUTORS, HER
[00:39:21] OFFICE, UM, WHAT THEY'VE DONE
[00:39:24] OVER THE PAST YEAR TO, TO TRANSFORM THIS CITY INTO A PLACE
[00:39:28] THAT WE CAN ALL NOW WALK AROUND IN AFTER SUNSET IS SOMETHING
[00:39:32] THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLE. SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
[00:39:36] INCONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER. ALL RIGHT. I'LL TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION, SIR.
[00:39:39] >> AS YOU STEP INTO THE NEXT PHASE, PRESUMING YOU'RE CONFIRMED IN THIS JOB, THE PRESIDENT WILL CERTAINLY HOLD
[00:39:43] YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR MOVING
[00:39:47] FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE CASES THAT ARE IN HIS SORT OF COLLECTION OF DESIRED OUTCOMES,
[00:39:50] WHETHER IT'S COMEY, WHETHER IT
[00:39:53] IS, UH, ANYTHING RELATED TO THE
[00:39:55] REFLECTING POOL, HOW DO YOU ADVISE THE PRESIDENT ON THE
[00:39:59] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT HE MAY WANT TO SEE AND THE RULES OF EVIDENCE AND THE CONFINES OF LAW
[00:40:02] THAT YOU HAVE TO ADHERE TO? IT
[00:40:05] SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING JUDGE PIRRO GOT IT RIGHT. AND HOW
[00:40:08] WOULD YOU ADVISE THE PRESIDENT
[00:40:10] ON THESE MATTERS GOING FORWARD? >> WELL, A COUPLE OF REACTIONS
[00:40:14] TO THAT. ONE, MY CURRENT JOB IS
[00:40:17] THE SAME AS WHAT MY JOB WILL BE. SO I TO THE EXTENT THAT
[00:40:21] PRESIDENT AND AS THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, I WAS IN
[00:40:23] CHARGE OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S.
[00:40:27] SO IT'S NOT AS IF I REMAIN BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF WHAT WILL
[00:40:29] HAPPEN IF I'M CONFIRMED. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
[00:40:33] EXTRAORDINARILY FOCUSED ON MAKING THIS COUNTRY SAFE. AND DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GOING TO
[00:40:36] PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS GOVERNMENT, NOT JUST DOJ, BUT
[00:40:40] EVERYBODY IN THIS GOVERNMENT, IS DOING THAT? YES. AND I DON'T
[00:40:43] HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH, UM, I'M
[00:40:45] NOT GOING TO TALK EVER, ABOUT MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH PRESIDENT
[00:40:48] TRUMP, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHEN
[00:40:51] HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT HE EXPECTS THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO TO MAKE
[00:40:55] THIS COUNTRY SAFE, I DON'T THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK
[00:40:57] AT THAT AS SOME SORT OF THREAT
[00:40:59] TO ME OR WARNING TO ME. HE WANTS
[00:41:02] THIS COUNTRY TO BE SAFE. AND SO I AND I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH HIM
[00:41:05] ON THAT. SO IF WE HAVE
[00:41:08] DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT A CASE AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE A CASE OR
[00:41:12] WHETHER WE HAVE CHARGED A CASE,
[00:41:15] THAT'S THAT'S OKAY. BUT NO, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT, UM,
[00:41:17] ANYTHING NEW WITH MY
[00:41:20] RESPONSIBILITY. YOU KNOW, IF I'M CONFIRMED IN THE NEXT
[00:41:22] COUPLE OF DAYS, COMPARED TO WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN
[00:41:26] REALLY, SINCE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, BUT OBVIOUSLY SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR AS WELL. SO. ALL
[00:41:30] RIGHT. THANKS A LOT, GUYS. I APPRECIATE IT. >> YOUR CONFIRMATION, GIVEN
[00:41:33] SUSAN COLLINS CAME OUT YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT SHE'S A NO. ARE
[00:41:36] YOU WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIALLY OTHER REPUBLICANS DEFECTING IN
[00:41:39] THE NEXT FEW DAYS? AND WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM IF THEY DO?
[00:41:42] >> NO. WELL, MY MESSAGE I'VE
[00:41:44] BEEN TALKING TO REPUBLICANS AND
[00:41:46] DEMOCRATS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO
[00:41:49] SO. AND MY TEAM HAS BEEN AS
[00:41:53] WELL. SO, NO, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE WORK, LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY,
[00:41:57] THE BODY OF WORK THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE OVER THE PAST, UM, YEAR
[00:42:01] AND A HALF OF WHICH I'M A VERY
[00:42:04] SMALL PART OF, IS SOMETHING
[00:42:06] THAT, THAT THE SENATE RECOGNIZES. AND, AND, BUT LOOK, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO, I'M
[00:42:09] NOT GOING TO, UM, DO, DO
[00:42:13] ANYTHING EXCEPT CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS
[00:42:15] QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING INVOLVING THE DEPARTMENT THAT I
[00:42:19] CAN ANSWER OR ME PERSONALLY, THAT I CAN ANSWER. SO WE'LL SEE.
[00:42:21] BUT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, GUYS.
[00:42:23] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
[00:42:26] >> MR. COLE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> SENATOR DURBIN, DIRECTLY
[00:42:30] RESPOND TO THAT. HEY, DAVID.
[00:42:32] >> WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP IN
[00:42:36] THE COMMUNICATION LEVEL WITH YOUR COUNTERPARTS IN THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT? I KNOW YOU HAVE TO
[00:42:38] , BUT IS THAT IMPROVING? IS IT JUST KIND OF
[00:42:42] PLATEAUED? UM, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HELP OUT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE, RIGHT?
[00:42:45] >> YEAH. SO, SO THE COMMUNICATION IS CONSTANT. AND
[00:42:48] HAVING WORKED IN MEXICO PREVIOUSLY WITH MATT. WHERE'S
[00:42:53] MATT? PREVIOUSLY, WE WORKED ON THE GROUND TOGETHER AND WE
[00:42:55] CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE GROUND
[00:42:57] TOGETHER. BOTH COUNTRIES WORKING
[00:43:00] TOGETHER. DO I STILL COMMUNICATE
[00:43:02] WITH THE OMAR GARCIA HARFUCH? I
[00:43:06] DO WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP. HE WANTS THE BEST FOR HIS COUNTRY.
[00:43:09] I WANT THE BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THE AMERICANS AND OUR
[00:43:11] NATIONAL SECURITY. AND WE STAND
[00:43:15] FIRM NOT ONLY ON THE CURRENT CASES, THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN
[00:43:18] UNSEALED, AND WHAT'S ABOUT TO
[00:43:22] HAPPEN. >> RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. >> YOU GUYS I APPRECIATE IT.
[00:43:26] >> DIRECTOR PATEL, ANY UPDATE ON THE GUTHRIE CASE SINCE THE
[00:43:28] RANSOM NOTES WERE MADE? PUBLIC?
[00:43:31] >> SERVANT
[00:43:42] >> [MUSIC] >> FRIDAY ON C-SPAN CEASE FIRE. A BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION ON THE
[00:43:46] U.S. WAR WITH IRAN, FEATURING ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
[00:43:50] RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI AND TEXAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS, JOINED BY OUR HOST,
[00:43:53] DASHA BURNS. THEY'LL ALSO DISCUSS THE ECONOMY AND THE
[00:43:57] BATTLE FOR THE CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERM ELECTIONS. WATCH CEASE FIRE
[00:44:01] FRIDAY AT 7 P.M. AND 10 P.M.
[00:44:02] EASTERN AND PACIFIC ONLY ON
[00:44:06] C-SPAN. WHO'S YOUR
[00:44:10] REPRESENTATIVE? WHO SITS ON WHICH COMMITTEE? WHERE DO YOU
[00:44:13] EVEN START? C-SPAN'S OFFICIAL
[00:44:16] CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY. GET ESSENTIAL CONTACT INFORMATION
[00:44:18] FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ALL IN
[00:44:21] ONE PLACE. THE CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY COSTS 32.95, PLUS
[00:44:23] SHIPPING AND HANDLING, AND EVERY
[00:44:25] PURCHASE HELPS SUPPORT C-SPAN'S
[00:44:28] NONPROFIT OPERATIONS. GET YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY BY
[00:44:30] SCANNING THE QR CODE, OR AT
[00:44:33] C-SPAN .ORG. STAY INFORMED, STAY
[00:44:39] ENGAGED. >> SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE SPOKE ABOUT THIS YEAR'S
[00:44:42] FARM BILL, HIGHLIGHTING THE
[00:44:44] POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR
[00:44:46] THE NATION'S RURAL SECTORS
[00:44:52] >> MR. PRESIDENT, AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS GOT SOME GOOD NEWS AT THE END OF LAST WEEK. AFTER A LOT OF HARD WORK
[00:44:56] FROM MEMBERS OF THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN BOOZMAN
[00:44:59] RELEASED THE TEXT OF A FIVE YEAR FARM BILL, WHICH IS SLATED FOR A
[00:45:02] MARKUP TOMORROW, AND WILL, I
[00:45:04] HOPE, BE HEADED SOON. TO THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, AS SOMEONE
[00:45:08] WHO HAILS FROM AN AG STATE AND
[00:45:10] HAS BEEN PART OF THE DRAFTING OF
[00:45:13] NOW FIVE FARM BILLS, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE FARM BILL IS AND
[00:45:16] HOW MUCH WORK GOES IN TO GETTING IT RIGHT. AS I MADE CLEAR AT THE
[00:45:20] START OF THIS CONGRESS, AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS
[00:45:22] ARE A PRIORITY FOR THIS SENATE MAJORITY. THAT STARTED LAST YEAR
[00:45:26] WITH THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS, WHICH STRENGTHENED THE
[00:45:30] FARM SAFETY NET, BOLSTERED CRITICAL FARM PROGRAMS, AND
[00:45:33] DELIVERED TAX RELIEF TO AMERICA'S AGRICULTURAL
[00:45:37] PRODUCERS, INCLUDING RELIEF FROM
[00:45:38] THE UNFAIR DEATH TAX AND MAKING
[00:45:43] THE 199 A DEDUCTION PERMANENT. AND IT CONTINUES THIS YEAR WITH THIS FARM BILL, WHICH BUILDS ON THE IMPORTANT MEASURES IN THE
[00:45:47] WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS TO GIVE FARMERS AND RANCHERS
[00:45:50] CERTAINTY INTO THE FUTURE. AFTER THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS
[00:45:54] RAISED, REFERENCE PRICES LAST YEAR, THIS FARM BILL MAKES
[00:45:58] FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO COMMODITY PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS
[00:46:02] CROP INSURANCE CORNERSTONES OF
[00:46:04] THE FARM SAFETY NET. IT
[00:46:07] MODERNIZES FARM LOAN PROGRAMS TO GET AMERICA'S NEXT GENERATION OF
[00:46:09] FARMERS AND RANCHERS OFF TO A STRONG START, AND IT STRENGTHENS
[00:46:13] OTHER PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCERS DEPEND ON. IT IMPROVES THE
[00:46:17] EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK PROGRAMS SO THAT IT
[00:46:19] COVERS THE COST OF HAULING FEED
[00:46:22] OR WATER, AND OPENS THE PROGRAM TO PRODUCERS DEALING WITH
[00:46:26] DROUGHT OR OTHER ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. AND IT INCLUDES MY
[00:46:29] CRP FLEXIBILITY AND IMPROVEMENT ACT, WHICH WILL MAKE THE
[00:46:33] CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM A
[00:46:34] MORE WORKING, LANDS ORIENTED OPTION FOR PRODUCERS. MR.
[00:46:38] PRESIDENT, CRP. CRP PLAYS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SOUTH
[00:46:42] DAKOTA'S ECONOMY BY HELPING TO PROVIDE HABITAT FOR PHEASANTS.
[00:46:46] BUT PRODUCERS IN MY STATE HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED FOR YEARS WITH HOW THE PROGRAM IS MANAGED, IN
[00:46:50] PARTICULAR BY THE FACT THAT IT'S RESTRICTED ITS
[00:46:53] RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE CAN BE
[00:46:56] EXCESSIVE. AND THAT'S WHY I INTRODUCED THE CRP FLEXIBILITY
[00:46:59] AND IMPROVEMENT ACT. MY BILL ALLOWS GRAZING OPTIONS,
[00:47:03] INCLUDING FENCING AND WATER DISTRIBUTION ON ALL CRP ACRES.
[00:47:06] AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT INCREASES THE ANNUAL CRP PAYMENT LIMITS.
[00:47:10] FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE PROGRAM'S 40 YEAR HISTORY. THIS
[00:47:14] BILL WILL MAKE CRP AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR MORE PRODUCERS AND
[00:47:18] OPEN UP ACCESS FOR LIVESTOCK, FORAGE, AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
[00:47:22] MR. PRESIDENT, THE FARM BILL ALSO INCLUDES A NUMBER OF BILLS. I'VE WORKED ON THAT MAKE IT
[00:47:26] EASIER FOR PRODUCERS TO DO BUSINESS AND TO GET THEIR
[00:47:28] PRODUCTS TO MARKET. IT INCLUDES
[00:47:30] A BILL I WORKED ON WITH SENATORS GRASSLEY, KLOBUCHAR AND BALDWIN
[00:47:34] THAT ESTABLISHES REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON FERTILIZER
[00:47:38] PRICES, WHICH WILL BRING MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE FERTILIZER
[00:47:42] MARKETPLACE BY HELPING PRODUCERS
[00:47:43] MAKE MORE INFORMED AND COST EFFECTIVE CHOICES FOR THEIR
[00:47:47] OPERATIONS. ANOTHER BILL OF MINE, THE PROMOTING PRECISION
[00:47:50] AGRICULTURE ACT, WILL FACILITATE THE CREATION OF INDUSTRY LED
[00:47:53] VOLUNTARY STANDARDS FOR PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY THAT
[00:47:57] WILL HELP MORE FARMERS FARMERS
[00:47:59] ADOPT THIS PROMISING TOOL. AND BY STRENGTHENING LOCAL
[00:48:03] PROCESSING. ACT GIVES SMALLER PROCESSORS ACCESS TO CRITICAL
[00:48:06] INFORMATION AND ALLOWS MORE MEAT PRODUCTS APPROVED BY A STATE
[00:48:08] INSPECTOR TO BE SOLD ACROSS
[00:48:11] STATE LINES. MR. PRESIDENT, THE
[00:48:13] FARM BILL IS ABOUT MORE THAN
[00:48:15] JUST WHAT HAPPENS ON A FARM OR
[00:48:18] RANCH. IT ALSO SUPPORTS AMERICA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES.
[00:48:21] THAT INCLUDES WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, RURAL
[00:48:24] DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTH CARE, AMONG OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES.
[00:48:28] IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR CONTINUED
[00:48:31] EFFORTS TO PROVIDE BROADBAND IN UNSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND I'M
[00:48:33] PLEASED THAT THIS BILL WILL HELP ENSURE THAT BROADBAND DOLLARS ARE GOING TO COMMUNITIES THAT
[00:48:38] NEED IT. I SHOULD SAY, PLACES WHERE 90% OR MORE OF THE
[00:48:41] RESIDENTS LACK ACCESS TO BASIC
[00:48:44] INTERNET SERVICES. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S A LOT MORE I
[00:48:48] COULD TALK ABOUT WITH THIS BILL.
[00:48:50] A LOT MORE. THIS IS A BILL THAT WILL PROVIDE REAL SUPPORT AND
[00:48:54] CERTAINTY FOR AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS. AND THAT'S GOOD
[00:48:57] NEWS FOR ALL AMERICANS WHO DEPEND ON OUR HARD WORKING
[00:49:00] PRODUCERS FOR FOOD, FUEL, AND
[00:49:02] FIBER FUEL. MR. PRESIDENT, IS
[00:49:05] THE FINAL THING I WANT TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING. MR.
[00:49:08] PRESIDENT, FOR DECADES, THE
[00:49:10] SEASONAL SALE OF E15 HAS BEEN A
[00:49:14] WIN-WIN FOR AMERICA'S FARMERS AND FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT HAS STRENGTHENED THE
[00:49:17] AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY WHILE PROVIDING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
[00:49:20] WITH AN AFFORDABLE SOURCE OF HOMEGROWN ENERGY. AND FOR MANY
[00:49:24] YEARS, MR. PRESIDENT, IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR ME AND FOR MANY
[00:49:27] OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO ALLOW
[00:49:29] E15 TO BE SOLD ALL YEAR. THIS PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF
[00:49:33] WORK TO GET HERE. BUT I'M VERY PROUD THAT THIS FARM BILL
[00:49:37] DELIVERS PERMANENT, PERMANENT,
[00:49:40] YEAR ROUND E15. THIS IS
[00:49:41] SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO FURTHER HELP PRODUCERS AND HELP
[00:49:45] BRING DOWN FUEL COSTS FOR ALL
[00:49:48] AMERICANS. AND I WANT TO THANK
[00:49:50] CHAIRMAN BOOZMAN, AS WELL AS
[00:49:53] SENATORS DAINES CAPITO, AND FISCHER FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD
[00:49:55] WORK ON THIS ISSUE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING IT ACROSS THE
[00:49:59] FINISH LINE. MR. PRESIDENT, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH FARMERS
[00:50:02] AND RANCHERS BACK HOME IN SOUTH
[00:50:04] DAKOTA. THEY TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE UNCERTAINTY AND THE
[00:50:07] HEADWINDS THAT THEY FACE. AND
[00:50:09] I'VE LISTENED TO THEIR
[00:50:12] PRIORITIES AND MADE THEM MY OWN.
[00:50:14] AS I SAID, AMERICA'S FARMERS AND
[00:50:16] RANCHERS ARE A PRIORITY FOR THIS
[00:50:19] SENATE MAJORITY. AND WITH THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS AND NOW THIS FARM BILL, WE'RE MAKING
[00:50:23] REAL PROGRESS ON THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR PRODUCERS. BUT, OF
[00:50:27] COURSE, OUR WORK IS NEVER FINISHED. THERE WILL BE MORE TO
[00:50:30] DO IN THE FUTURE TO SUPPORT AND
[00:50:33] STRENGTHEN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE,
[00:50:35] AND AMERICA'S PRODUCERS CAN BE
[00:50:38] CONFIDENT THAT THEIR NEEDS WILL
[00:50:40] ALWAYS BE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. >> SEVERAL SENATORS ALSO SPOKE
[00:50:43] ON THE FLOOR OF THE UPPER CHAMBER, HIGHLIGHTING TOPICS
[00:50:46] FROM THE COST OF LIVING TO
[00:50:48] TRACKING TAX DOLLARS. SENATE MAJORITY WHIP JOHN BARRASSO OF
[00:50:52] WYOMING TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
[00:50:55] AMID A SPATE OF WINS BY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN
[00:51:00] DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND, LATER, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
[00:51:03] ALEX PADILLA ALSO TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
[00:51:06] IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE
[00:51:10] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I BEGIN WITH A
[00:51:14] QUOTE. I'M HIS LAWYER. I'M HIS
[00:51:19] LAWYER, IS WHAT TODD BLANCHE
[00:51:22] SAID IN THE COURSE OF HIS
[00:51:25] CONFIRMATION HEARING BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE OF THE
[00:51:28] UNITED STATES SENATE. I'M HIS
[00:51:30] LAWYER MEANING I'M DONALD
[00:51:35] TRUMP'S LAWYER. NOW ADMITTEDLY,
[00:51:39] HE HAD NO INTENTION OF SAYING IT
[00:51:43] THAT WAY. HE HAD NO INTENTION OF
[00:51:46] ALLOWING THAT REVELATION TO
[00:51:50] SLIP. BUT IT WAS A GLARING
[00:51:54] ILLUSTRATION OF HIS MINDSET. HE
[00:51:59] WAS HE IS NOW. AND HE WILL BE
[00:52:04] DONALD TRUMP'S LAWYER, HIS
[00:52:07] PERSONAL LAWYER, AS HE WAS DURING CRIMINAL AND CIVIL
[00:52:11] TRIALS. A TRUSTED, LOYAL
[00:52:17] CONSIGLIERI. HE'S NOT AN
[00:52:19] INDEPENDENT LAWYER WITH A LAW
[00:52:23] FIRM. HE IS IN-HOUSE. HE IS
[00:52:26] LITERALLY KEPT BY THE PRESIDENT.
[00:52:31] ON HIS PERSONAL LEASH YOU MAY
[00:52:38] THINK I'M OVERSTATING IT, BUT
[00:52:40] IN FACT, HE DEMONSTRATED
[00:52:44] THROUGHOUT THAT HEARING. AND THE THROUGH LINE WAS, HE WILL BE
[00:52:48] GUIDED BY BLIND LOYALTY TO THE
[00:52:51] PRESIDENT AND CONTEMPT FOR THE
[00:52:53] LAW ENABLING THE PRESIDENT, AND
[00:52:58] CONTINUED CORRUPT CRYPTO SCHEMES
[00:53:03] AS WELL AS CONDONING AND
[00:53:07] EMPOWERING THE PRESIDENT TO
[00:53:10] ESTABLISH A SLUSH FUND FOR
[00:53:13] JANUARY 6th. RIOTERS, AS WELL AS
[00:53:18] TAX IMMUNITY. EVEN THOUGH,
[00:53:20] PURPORTEDLY, THOSE AGREEMENTS
[00:53:22] WERE LIMITED. HE WILL ENABLE THE
[00:53:24] PRESIDENT TO CIRCUMVENT THESE
[00:53:27] SO-CALLED AGREEMENTS, WHICH ARE
[00:53:30] A SHAM. THEY ARE A FRAUD ON THE
[00:53:34] UNITED STATES SENATE, JUST AS
[00:53:37] TODD BLANCHE COMMITTED A FRAUD
[00:53:40] ON THE FLORIDA UNITED STATES
[00:53:42] DISTRICT COURT THAT REFERRED HIM
[00:53:45] TO THE NEW YORK BAR FOR
[00:53:47] INVESTIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH
[00:53:51] THAT WRONGDOING MAYA ANGELOU
[00:53:56] FAMOUSLY SAID, QUOTE, WHEN
[00:53:57] SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE,
[00:54:00] BELIEVE THEM. THE FIRST TIME,
[00:54:03] END QUOTE. AND TODD BLANCHE HAS
[00:54:04] SHOWN US REPEATEDLY WHO HE IS,
[00:54:08] WHO HIS BOSS IS, AND WHO'S
[00:54:14] LOYALTY HE WILL HOLD UPPERMOST
[00:54:18] YOU KNOW, I WAS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY IN CONNECTICUT FOR FOUR
[00:54:22] AND A HALF YEARS. PART OF THE
[00:54:24] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHICH I REVERED MORE THAN JUST
[00:54:28] RESPECTED. IN FACT, REVERED
[00:54:31] BECAUSE IT EPITOMIZED WHAT
[00:54:35] LAWYERS SHOULD BE IN UPHOLDING
[00:54:37] THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICS
[00:54:40] AND MORALITY, EVEN WHEN WE MADE
[00:54:42] AN ERROR, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO
[00:54:47] IT, IN EFFECT, ACKNOWLEDGE IT
[00:54:48] BEFORE THE COURT. I WILL NEVER
[00:54:53] FORGET THE FIRST TIME I APPEARED
[00:54:55] BEFORE A UNITED STATES DISTRICT
[00:54:58] COURT JUDGE IN CONNECTICUT, A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
[00:55:01] HIMSELF, AND HE ASKED ME WHO DO
[00:55:05] YOU WORK FOR? AND I SAID NO, YOU
[00:55:13] WORK FOR AND YOU REPRESENT THE
[00:55:18] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THINK
[00:55:20] OF IT FOR A MOMENT. WALKING INTO
[00:55:24] A COURTROOM REPRESENTING THE
[00:55:27] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SWORN
[00:55:30] TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION, NOT
[00:55:33] ANY PRESIDENT, NOT A
[00:55:36] LEGISLATURE. THE UNITED STATES
[00:55:38] OF AMERICA. THAT IS NOT WHAT
[00:55:43] TODD BLANCHE HAS DONE. AS A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL UNDER DONALD TRUMP. IT IS NOT
[00:55:47] WHAT HE WILL DO. AS HE SHOWED
[00:55:52] CLEARLY, NOTHING EPITOMIZES IT
[00:55:54] BETTER THAN THE ANSWER HE GAVE
[00:55:56] AT ONE POINT, WHEN HE REFERRED
[00:55:59] TO THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL
[00:56:01] THAT OCCURRED ON JANUARY 6th,
[00:56:04] 2021. WE ALL REMEMBER IT. WE
[00:56:06] WENT THROUGH IT. WE SAW IT. THE
[00:56:09] ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL, WHICH
[00:56:13] INJURED AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE
[00:56:18] DEATHS OF OUR CAPITOL POLICE. HE
[00:56:20] REFERRED TO IT AS, QUOTE,
[00:56:22] UNQUOTE, EVENTS. HE COULDN'T
[00:56:26] BRING HIMSELF TO REFER TO IT AS
[00:56:27] AN ATTACK, AS IT CLEARLY WAS,
[00:56:32] BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP WILL NOT
[00:56:35] ALLOW ANY OF HIS NOMINEES TO
[00:56:39] REFER TO THE JANUARY 6th RIOT AND INSURRECTION AS AN ATTACK ON
[00:56:43] THE CAPITOL. IT WAS AN ATTACK
[00:56:46] DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LAWFUL
[00:56:49] AND PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER
[00:56:55] AND TO CALL IT ANYTHING ELSE IS
[00:56:58] DISRESPECTFUL TO THE BRAVE.
[00:57:02] CAPITOL POLICE, WHO DEFENDED US THAT DAY. AND DISQUALIFYING FOR
[00:57:05] A JUDICIAL NOMINEE AND FOR ANY
[00:57:11] POSITION OF TRUST IN THE UNITED
[00:57:14] STATES GOVERNMENT. EARLIER
[00:57:16] TODAY, I PARTICIPATED IN A PRESS
[00:57:18] CONFERENCE WITH SOME OF THE PROSECUTORS. THE CAREER
[00:57:22] PROSECUTORS WHO PURSUED
[00:57:27] CONVICTIONS OF THOSE RIOTERS FOR
[00:57:33] THE SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF
[00:57:36] FEDERAL LAW THAT THEY INCURRED.
[00:57:39] THEY MADE THE POINT THE FAILURE
[00:57:45] TO ACKNOWLEDGE AN ATTACK ON THE
[00:57:46] CAPITOL, OR THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN
[00:57:51] WON THE 2020 ELECTION, SHOWS A
[00:57:54] LACK OF INDEPENDENCE THAT SHOULD
[00:57:57] BE DISQUALIFYING. THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A LETTER TO ALL OF US
[00:58:00] HERE. I ASK THAT IT BE MADE A
[00:58:03] PART OF THE RECORD
[00:58:07] >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE POINT
[00:58:10] THAT THESE STATEMENTS BY
[00:58:16] NOMINEES FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE OR
[00:58:20] FOR JUDGESHIPS IN EFFECT,
[00:58:23] PERPETUATE THE BIG LIE. ELECTION
[00:58:25] DENIERS HAVE NO PLACE ON THE
[00:58:28] BENCH OR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
[00:58:30] JUSTICE, AND IN FACT, IN RESPONSE TO MY SUBMITTED
[00:58:33] QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE 2020
[00:58:35] ELECTION, TODD BLANCHE REFUSED
[00:58:38] TO STATE THAT JOE BIDEN WON THE
[00:58:41] 2020 ELECTION, AND HE STOOD BY
[00:58:43] HIS PRIOR STATEMENTS
[00:58:46] PERPETUATING THE BIG LIE. THE
[00:58:48] THROUGH LINE HERE IS WHATEVER
[00:58:52] DONALD TRUMP SAYS TODD BLANCHE
[00:58:53] DOES. HE WILL DO ANYTHING, SAY
[00:58:56] ANYTHING, CONCEAL ANYTHING THAT
[00:59:01] SERVES DONALD TRUMP'S INTERESTS
[00:59:05] NOW, IN SOME WAYS, THE MOST
[00:59:08] TRAGIC ILLUSTRATION OF THIS
[00:59:11] THROUGH LINE IS TODD BLANCHE
[00:59:16] TREATMENT OF THE EPSTEIN
[00:59:19] SURVIVORS. LET'S REMEMBER, HE
[00:59:21] SHOWED US AGAIN WHO HE WAS WHEN
[00:59:26] HE REVICTIMIZED THOSE SURVIVORS
[00:59:29] BY COMPLETELY BOTCHING THE
[00:59:30] RELEASE OF THE EPSTEIN FILE. HE
[00:59:34] FAILED TO REDACT THE SURVIVORS
[00:59:37] PERSONAL INFORMATION AND DEFIED
[00:59:40] THE EPSTEIN FILE'S TRANSPARENCY ACT BY REDACTING UNNECESSARY
[00:59:43] INFORMATION. WHY? TO SHIELD
[00:59:47] DONALD TRUMP. THAT WAS THE
[00:59:49] PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IN THE
[00:59:53] SITUATION ROOM. WHEN THE THREAT
[00:59:57] TO RELEASE OF ADDITIONAL FILES WAS TO DONALD TRUMP, BECAUSE HE
[01:00:00] WAS MENTIONED IN THOSE FILES AND THE SITUATION ROOM MEETING,
[01:00:03] WHICH IS RECOUNTED IN REGIME
[01:00:09] CHANGE. A RECENT BOOK BY
[01:00:12] JONATHAN SWAN AND MAGGIE
[01:00:14] HAMMERMAN SHOWED CLEARLY THE
[01:00:16] EFFORT WAS NOT TO DO JUSTICE FOR
[01:00:19] THE SURVIVORS, BUT TO PROTECT
[01:00:22] DONALD TRUMP. HE REFUSED TO MEET WITH THE SURVIVORS. HE SPENT TWO
[01:00:26] WHOLE DAYS WITH GHISLAINE
[01:00:30] MAXWELL. WHY WELL, WE DON'T
[01:00:33] REALLY KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS
[01:00:37] CERTAINLY NO INFORMATION USEFUL TO ANY INVESTIGATION THAT
[01:00:40] EMERGED FROM IT. WHAT DID HAPPEN
[01:00:43] WAS THAT SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO
[01:00:45] A CUSHY PRISON CAMP AND HAS
[01:00:52] REMAINED SILENT. HE FINALLY AGREED TO MEET WITH THE
[01:00:55] SURVIVORS, THEY DESCRIBED IT AS
[01:00:57] DEMORALIZING AND DEGRADING. IN
[01:01:00] FACT, THEY CALLED IT
[01:01:03] GASLIGHTING. HE PROTECTED DONALD
[01:01:04] TRUMP AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE
[01:01:07] SURVIVORS. AND ONE OF THE MOST
[01:01:14] HEINOUS SEXUAL ABUSE AND
[01:01:14] TRAFFICKING RINGS IN AMERICAN
[01:01:18] HISTORY HAS YET TO PRODUCE THE KINDS OF CONVICTIONS NECESSARY.
[01:01:22] THE CONVICTIONS IN COURTS, THE
[01:01:26] PROSECUTIONS OF THE
[01:01:30] COCONSPIRATORS, AND OTHERS
[01:01:34] COMPLICIT AND LEGALLY
[01:01:35] RESPONSIBLE THAT IS NOT THE
[01:01:39] CONDUCT OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL.
[01:01:45] IT'S THE CONDUCT OF DONALD
[01:01:50] TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER. I'M
[01:01:53] HIS LAWYER. THAT IS THE THROUGH
[01:01:58] LINE. HE CERTAINLY WAS ACTING AS
[01:02:00] DONALD TRUMP'S LAWYER WHEN HE
[01:02:04] ISSUED TWO. DOCUMENTS RECENTLY,
[01:02:10] SUPPOSEDLY ENDING THE CONTRACT
[01:02:17] THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE AGREEMENT ON DONALD TRUMP'S
[01:02:21] PURPORTED SO-CALLED LAWSUIT
[01:02:24] SEEKING DAMAGES FROM THE
[01:02:29] REVELATION OF HIS PERSONAL TAX
[01:02:32] INFORMATION. WE KNOW THAT TWO OF
[01:02:35] OUR COLLEAGUES, SENATOR CORNYN
[01:02:39] AND TILLIS, SAID THAT THEY
[01:02:41] NEEDED SOMETHING IN WRITING. BUT
[01:02:45] WHAT THEY GOT IN WRITING WAS
[01:02:49] VIRTUALLY MEANINGLESS IN SHOWING
[01:02:52] THAT EITHER THE SLUSH FUND, THE
[01:02:55] SO-CALLED ANTI WEAPONIZATION
[01:03:00] FUND, OR TAX IMMUNITY, WAS IN
[01:03:00] ANY WAY MATERIALLY CHANGED. IN
[01:03:08] DOCUMENT THAT PURPORTED TO SAY
[01:03:13] THAT THE TRUST FUND WAS DEAD, IN
[01:03:17] REALITY, IS A SHAM. IT IS A
[01:03:20] FRAUD ON THE UNITED STATES
[01:03:22] SENATE, JUST AS HE ALLEGEDLY
[01:03:24] COMMITTED A FRAUD ON THE COURT
[01:03:28] IN FLORIDA. THE REASON IS, QUITE
[01:03:32] SIMPLY, THAT THERE WAS A CONTRACT HERE. THE AGREEMENT
[01:03:35] PRODUCED THAT CONTRACT. THE
[01:03:38] AGREEMENT WAS BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND THE UNITED STATES.
[01:03:41] DONALD TRUMP DID NOT IN ANY WAY
[01:03:45] FOREGO OR RENOUNCE ANY RIGHTS UNDER THAT CONTRACT. IT IS STILL
[01:03:48] BINDING. HE COULD GO INTO COURT
[01:03:50] TOMORROW AND ENFORCE IT TO
[01:03:55] ESTABLISH THE $1.8 BILLION THUG
[01:03:58] FUND, AND LIKEWISE, THE IMMUNITY AGREEMENT, WHICH IS
[01:04:02] UNPRECEDENTED, WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DONALD
[01:04:06] TRUMP, TAX IMMUNITY FROM AUDITS,
[01:04:09] IN EFFECT, GIVING HIM A FREE PASS FOR EVERYTHING THAT
[01:04:12] OCCURRED BEFORE THIS IMMUNITY,
[01:04:16] NEGOTIATED BY TODD BLANCHE WITH
[01:04:19] ONLY TODD BLANCHE'S SIGNATURE ON
[01:04:23] IT, THE LIMITING OF THAT
[01:04:26] IMMUNITY FROM TAX AUDITS TO DONALD TRUMP, HIS SONS, HIS
[01:04:30] ORGANIZATION WORTH HUNDREDS OF
[01:04:33] MILLIONS, UNPRECEDENTED UNDER
[01:04:37] UNCONSCIONABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE
[01:04:41] FROM AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
[01:04:42] UNITED STATES DEALING WITH
[01:04:46] POTENTIAL TAX VIOLATIONS OF LAW,
[01:04:48] SIGNING AWAY TAX LIABILITY, NO
[01:04:52] MATTER HOW SERIOUS IT MIGHT BE
[01:04:58] IT IS UNPRECEDENTED, AND NO ONE
[01:05:01] ELSE BUT THE PRESIDENT WOULD
[01:05:05] EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO GET IT
[01:05:07] IN THIS WAY. UNDER THESE
[01:05:10] CIRCUMSTANCES. AND HE WAS ABLE
[01:05:12] TO GET IT ONLY BECAUSE TODD
[01:05:15] BLANCHE ACTED AS HIS PERSONAL
[01:05:18] LAWYER, NOT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:05:20] OF THE UNITED STATES. SENATOR
[01:05:23] CORNYN HIMSELF PUT IT WELL, AT
[01:05:28] THE HEARING ABOUT THIS CONTRACT FOR THE SLUSH FUND. QUOTE, JUST
[01:05:30] TO BE CLEAR, THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES, WHO WAS A
[01:05:34] PLAINTIFF IN THIS LAWSUIT, HAS NOT AGREED IN WRITING TO DELETE
[01:05:38] THE WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT HE OR
[01:05:41] ONE OF THE OTHER PLAINTIFFS MIGHT RAISE THAT ISSUE BY WAY OF
[01:05:45] A LAWSUIT IN THE FUTURE TODD
[01:05:50] BLANCHE ANSWERED IN THE
[01:05:51] AFFIRMATIVE. HE. WELL KNOWS THAT
[01:06:00] PREPARED AND RELEASED DOES NOTHING TO CHANGE THAT
[01:06:03] CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION. THE
[01:06:09] CONVERSATION THAT TODD BLANCHE
[01:06:14] HAD RECENTLY, TALKING TO
[01:06:18] INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, I THINK, IS
[01:06:20] EXTREMELY REVEALING AND
[01:06:22] IMPORTANT IN A PRIVATE CALL JUST
[01:06:24] LAST WEEK, HE SAID THE QUIET
[01:06:27] PART OUT LOUD THAT HE WOULD WORK
[01:06:32] TO RESTRICT ABORTION IN EVERY SINGLE STATE, ALL ACROSS THE
[01:06:35] COUNTRY. HE WANTS TO BLOCK STATES ENACTING THEIR OWN
[01:06:39] POLICIES AND LAWS. HE WANTS TO
[01:06:43] MAKE ABORTION ACCESS. STATES
[01:06:46] FOLLOW THE LAW OF ABORTION, BAN,
[01:06:49] STATES. IN SHORT, HE WANTS TO STRIP AMERICANS OF THEIR RIGHT
[01:06:52] TO CHOOSE AND STRIP STATES OF
[01:06:54] THEIR RIGHT TO GOVERN. THAT IS
[01:06:58] NOT THE CONDUCT OR STATEMENT OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
[01:07:01] UNITED STATES CARRYING OUT AND
[01:07:06] RESPECTING THE CONSTITUTION. IT
[01:07:08] IS FIDELITY TO AN IDEOLOGUE. THE
[01:07:13] PRESIDENT, WHO WANTS TO IMPRESS
[01:07:17] HIS BASE, NOT REPRESENT THE
[01:07:19] AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND TOP BLANCHE
[01:07:22] SHOWED US WHO HE WAS WHEN HE
[01:07:25] DUCKED AND DODGED. MY QUESTION
[01:07:28] ABOUT DEEP SIXING AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE PAY
[01:07:31] TO PLAY COMMUTATION OF A
[01:07:35] FEDERALLY CONVICTED FELONY
[01:07:38] FELON, DAVID GENTILE. DAD
[01:07:40] GENTILE REPORTEDLY PAID $2.5
[01:07:44] MILLION TO A BROKER TO OBTAIN
[01:07:46] CLEMENCY THAT CLEMENCY ROBBED
[01:07:50] HIS VICTIMS OF NEARLY $16
[01:07:53] MILLION IN RESTITUTION. WHEN A
[01:07:55] U.S. ATTORNEY TRIED TO INVESTIGATE THE EASTERN DISTRICT
[01:07:57] OF NEW YORK, U.S. ATTORNEY MR.
[01:08:02] BLANCHE REPORTEDLY KILLED THE PROBE. THAT IS NOT THE BEHAVIOR
[01:08:05] OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL. THAT'S
[01:08:08] DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER.
[01:08:12] SO THERE IS A POWERFUL CASE
[01:08:19] AGAINST THIS NOMINEE. I'M UNDER
[01:08:24] NO ILLUSIONS. WE'VE SEEN THIS
[01:08:26] MOVIE BEFORE. WE SAW IT AGAIN
[01:08:30] WHEN MY TWO COLLEAGUES, IN EFFECT, CAVED, VOTED FOR HIS
[01:08:34] NOMINATION YESTERDAY I'M NOT
[01:08:37] HERE WITH ROSE COLORED GLASSES.
[01:08:40] I KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP WILL
[01:08:45] COME DOWN HARD ON ANY REPUBLICAN
[01:08:48] COLLEAGUE WHO HAS THE TEMERITY
[01:08:50] TO SAY, WE WANT A LAWYER WHO REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE, THE
[01:08:54] LAWYER, A LAWYER WHO HAS
[01:08:56] FIDELITY TO THE CONSTITUTION,
[01:08:59] AND TO THE UNITED STATES OF
[01:09:02] A.AN ATTORNEY
[01:09:06] GENERAL WHO IS TRUE TO THE
[01:09:10] TRUST. THAT WE EXPECT HIM TO
[01:09:17] RESPECT. TODD BLANCHE MIGHT BE
[01:09:19] THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER, BUT WE
[01:09:21] DON'T HAVE TO BE. THE
[01:09:24] PRESIDENT'S SENATE. I URGE MY
[01:09:27] COLLEAGUES TO VOTE AGAINST THIS
[01:09:29] CONFIRMATION AND REMAIN TRUE TO
[01:09:31] WHAT WE SHOULD BE IN UPHOLDING
[01:09:34] THE TRUST AND THE CONSTITUTION
[01:09:37] OF THE UNITED STATES. >> SENATOR FROM MARYLAND.
[01:09:41] >> MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TODAY
[01:09:43] TO OPPOSE THE NOMINATION OF TODD
[01:09:45] BLANCHE TO SERVE AS ATTORNEY
[01:09:47] GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
[01:09:49] THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS SUPPOSED
[01:09:52] TO BE THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER,
[01:09:55] SOMEONE WHOSE LOYALTY IS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND TO THE RULE OF
[01:09:58] LAW, NOT TO ANY ONE PERSON, EVEN
[01:10:01] THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT IN THIS
[01:10:05] ADMINISTRATION, THE ATTORNEY
[01:10:07] GENERAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
[01:10:10] JUSTICE ARE FOCUSED SOLELY ON
[01:10:12] PLEASING ONE PERSON, ONE MAN, NO
[01:10:15] MATTER THE COST TO OUR COUNTRY.
[01:10:18] LEST ANYBODY FORGET, HUGE
[01:10:23] BANNERS LIKE THE ONE DISPLAYED
[01:10:25] HERE. HANG OUTSIDE THE
[01:10:28] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE FRONT
[01:10:31] DOOR, AS PICTURED HERE, AND THE
[01:10:35] OTHER ENTRANCE TO THE DEPARTMENT
[01:10:36] OF JUSTICE. EVERY SINGLE DAY,
[01:10:40] THE FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO UPHOLD OUR CONSTITUTION AND THE
[01:10:42] RULE OF LAW WALK BENEATH THESE
[01:10:48] BANNERS, REMINDING THEM THAT IN
[01:10:52] THIS ADMINISTRATION, THEIR LOYALTY IS TO DONALD TRUMP, NOT
[01:10:55] TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
[01:10:58] STATES. AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE
[01:11:00] WHO DOES THAT EVERY DAY, AND WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED LOYALTY TO THE
[01:11:04] PRESIDENT OVER THE CONSTITUTION, IS THE PERSON WHOSE NOMINATION
[01:11:08] IS PENDING ON THIS FLOOR TODAY
[01:11:11] TO BE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. IT
[01:11:14] IS CRYSTAL CLEAR FROM MR. BLANCHE'S RECORD AS ACTING
[01:11:17] ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND BEFORE THAT, AS DEPUTY ATTORNEY
[01:11:20] GENERAL, THAT HE IS STILL ACTING
[01:11:23] LIKE DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL
[01:11:25] LAWYER, A POSITION HE HELD
[01:11:28] BEFORE GOING TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. AND HIS RECORD HAS
[01:11:32] SHOWN US VERY CLEARLY THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THE
[01:11:36] PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL INTERESTS
[01:11:38] ABOVE THE INTERESTS OF THE
[01:11:41] AMERICAN PEOPLE. THAT WHEN HE
[01:11:44] WALKS THROUGH THAT DOOR TO THE
[01:11:46] GREAT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE JUSTICE FOR
[01:11:50] THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HE LOOKS UP
[01:11:53] AND HE SEES DONALD TRUMP. HE WAS
[01:11:59] FORMERLY THE PERSONAL LAWYER TO DONALD TRUMP. AND EVEN NOW AT
[01:12:02] THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, HE
[01:12:05] CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE PUTS THE PRESIDENT'S INTERESTS
[01:12:09] ABOVE THOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RULE OF LAW. THE
[01:12:12] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS USED
[01:12:15] TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PUNISH THE PRESIDENT'S ADVERSARIES, TO
[01:12:19] REWARD HIS FRIENDS, AND TO PURSUE THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL
[01:12:23] VENDETTAS IN A CASE THAT I'M
[01:12:26] VERY FAMILIAR WITH, THE FEDERAL
[01:12:29] JUDGE FOUND THAT MR. BLANCHE'S STATEMENTS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S CASE AGAINST
[01:12:32] KILMER, ABREGO, GARCIA SHOWED
[01:12:35] CLEAR EVIDENCE OF A VINDICTIVE
[01:12:39] PROSECUTION. IN OTHER WORDS, THE JUDGE FOUND THAT TODD BLANCHE
[01:12:42] AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[01:12:43] BROUGHT A CASE AGAINST KILMER.
[01:12:47] ABREGO GARCIA IN A FEDERAL COURT
[01:12:49] BECAUSE HE HAD EXERCISED HIS DUE
[01:12:52] PROCESS RIGHTS TO PUNISH HIM FOR
[01:12:54] EXERCISING HIS RIGHT. SO THAT
[01:12:57] JUDGE THREW OUT THOSE CHARGES
[01:12:59] UNDER MR. BLANCHE'S LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT LAWYERS HAVE
[01:13:02] RESIGNED. RATHER THAN
[01:13:04] PARTICIPATE IN BLATANT PROSECUTIONS LIKE THE
[01:13:08] PROSECUTIONS OF JAMES COMEY AND
[01:13:10] OTHERS CAREER PROFESSIONAL
[01:13:13] LAWYERS HAVE RESIGNED. RATHER
[01:13:16] THAN PARTICIPATE IN ABUSES OF
[01:13:19] POWER LIKE THE DEPARTMENT'S
[01:13:22] CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AGAINST
[01:13:25] RENEE GOODE'S PARTNER. AFTER
[01:13:27] THE SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS. INSTEAD OF HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE
[01:13:30] OR PURSUING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
[01:13:34] THOSE WHO KILLED RENEE GOOD, THINK ABOUT THAT. THIS
[01:13:38] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE
[01:13:41] PARTNER OF RENEE GOOD, WHO WAS
[01:13:47] SHOT AND KILLED BY DHS AGENTS.
[01:13:50] INSTEAD OF INVESTIGATING THE
[01:13:54] SHOOTING ITSELF AGAIN, TO PLEASE
[01:13:58] THE DEAR LEADER IN THE WHITE HOUSE, NOT TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF
[01:14:01] LAW. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE
[01:14:04] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS LOST
[01:14:07] 10,000 EMPLOYEES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR 2025,
[01:14:10] AND NEARLY ONE QUARTER OF ITS
[01:14:16] LAWYERS, LAWYERS WHO SIGNED UP
[01:14:17] TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW AND
[01:14:21] THE CONSTITUTION NOT SERVE THE
[01:14:23] DEAR LEADER. ACTING THROUGH THE
[01:14:26] DEAR LEADER'S FORMER ATTORNEY. PERSONAL ATTORNEY TODD BLANCHE.
[01:14:29] AND NOW THEY'RE HIRING
[01:14:32] PROSECUTORS WITH NO PRIOR LEGAL EXPERIENCE AND ASKING MANY OF
[01:14:36] THEM TO SIGN A PLEDGE SUPPORTING
[01:14:40] NOT THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THE
[01:14:43] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
[01:14:47] AND WE'VE SEEN HOW MR. BLANCHE HAS ACTED AS THE PRESIDENT'S
[01:14:51] PERSONAL LAWYER SINCE HE'S BEEN AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. WE
[01:14:53] KNOW, OF COURSE, OF THE
[01:14:55] OUTRAGEOUS $1.8 BILLION SLUSH
[01:14:59] FUND THAT WAS CREATED TO MAKE
[01:15:02] PAYMENTS TO THE PRESIDENT'S
[01:15:05] POLITICAL ALLIES. WHEN I ASKED
[01:15:07] MR. BLANCHE AT A HEARING IF THOSE WHO ASSAULTED POLICE
[01:15:11] OFFICERS HERE ON CAPITOL HILL ON JANUARY 6th WOULD BE ELIGIBLE
[01:15:15] FOR THOSE PAYOUTS, TAXPAYER
[01:15:18] FUNDED PAYOUTS, HE WOULDN'T RULE
[01:15:21] IT OUT. HE WOULDN'T RULE THAT
[01:15:24] OUT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE AND THE DEPARTMENT ENTERED INTO
[01:15:28] A SWEETHEART SETTLEMENT, PROVIDING EXTRAORDINARY TAX
[01:15:32] LIABILITY PROTECTIONS TO THE
[01:15:34] PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY AND HIS
[01:15:36] BUSINESSES. ESSENTIALLY, A GET
[01:15:39] OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR NONPAYMENT OF TAXES DUE. IF THAT
[01:15:42] WAS WHAT HAD BEEN ULTIMATELY
[01:15:47] FOUND. AND NOW, AFTER REPUBLICAN SENATORS, AND ONLY AFTER
[01:15:51] REPUBLICAN SENATORS THREATENED TO BLOCK HIS NOMINATION, DID MR.
[01:15:55] BLANCHE ISSUE AN ORDER SUPPOSEDLY RESCINDING THE SLUSH
[01:15:58] FUND AND NARROWING THE SCOPE OF
[01:16:03] THOSE TAX PROTECTIONS? BY THE WAY, EVEN IF YOU NARROWED THE
[01:16:05] SCOPE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, THERE, THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
[01:16:09] FAMILY GET ESSENTIALLY GET OUT
[01:16:12] OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR PAST TAX
[01:16:16] LIABILITIES THAT MAY BE DUE. SO THIS DEAL'S A SHAM. IT'S NOT
[01:16:19] WORTH THE WRITTEN. IT'S NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S WRITTEN ON.
[01:16:21] IT'S NOT WRITTEN INTO THE LAW. AND NOTHING PREVENTS THE
[01:16:25] DEPARTMENT FROM RESTARTING THE SLUSH FUND. ONCE MR. BLANCHE IS
[01:16:29] CONFIRMED. NOW, THAT'S NOT THE
[01:16:33] ONLY EXAMPLE OF MR. BLANCHE
[01:16:36] CONTINUING TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY.
[01:16:40] WHILE HAVING THE TITLE OF ACTING
[01:16:42] ATTORNEY GENERAL. WE ALSO SEE THAT IN HIS HANDLING OF THE
[01:16:46] EPSTEIN FILES DURING HIS TIME AT
[01:16:52] THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, MR. BLANCHE HAS WITHHELD CRITICAL
[01:16:55] INFORMATION REGARDING THOSE
[01:16:57] FILES. RATHER THAN SEEK JUSTICE
[01:16:59] FOR THE BRAVE SURVIVORS WHO HAVE
[01:17:01] SHARED THEIR STORIES OF ABUSE BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND HIS
[01:17:05] ASSOCIATES. WHEN MR. BLANCHE
[01:17:07] APPEARED BEFORE THE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
[01:17:11] OVERSEEING THE DEPARTMENT OF
[01:17:13] JUSTICE, SENATOR MURRAY AND I
[01:17:17] BOTH ASKED HIM THAT IF WE
[01:17:19] CONNECTED HIM WITH THE EPSTEIN SURVIVORS, WOULD HE MEET WITH
[01:17:23] THEM AND HEAR THEM OUT? HIS
[01:17:27] ANSWER? ABSOLUTELY. HE PROMISED
[01:17:29] HE WOULD DO SO IF WE CONNECTED
[01:17:34] THE SURVIVORS TO HIM. WELL, WE
[01:17:35] FOLLOWED UP MULTIPLE TIMES.
[01:17:38] NEARLY TWO MONTHS LATER, HE HAD
[01:17:40] NOT FULFILLED THE PROMISE HE MADE IN THAT SENATE COMMITTEE
[01:17:45] HEARING. HE HAD STILL NOT MET
[01:17:46] WITH THE SURVIVORS. SO SENATOR
[01:17:49] MURRAY AND I WROTE HIM A LETTER DEMANDING THAT HE FULFILL THE
[01:17:53] PROMISE HE MADE, BECAUSE THAT
[01:17:56] SHOULD BE A BARE MINIMUM FOR
[01:17:59] SOMEONE SEEKING THIS POST. AND
[01:18:01] IT'S PRETTY CLEAR HE HAD ZERO
[01:18:04] INTENT OF KEEPING THE PROMISE MADE IN PUBLIC AT THAT COMMITTEE
[01:18:08] HEARING, UNTIL SENATOR TILLIS SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT VOTE TO MOVE HIS NOMINATION OUT OF THE
[01:18:12] COMMITTEE UNTIL MR. BLANCHE MET
[01:18:15] WITH THE SURVIVORS. AFTER THAT
[01:18:19] THREAT WAS MADE, THE MEETING
[01:18:21] HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS CLEAR FROM
[01:18:24] REPORTS ABOUT THE MEETING BY THE SURVIVORS THAT MR. BLANCHE DID
[01:18:28] NOT DO SO. OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEM AND OUT OF A GENUINE
[01:18:32] INTEREST TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAD
[01:18:33] TO SAY, BUT SIMPLY TO PRESERVE
[01:18:39] CHANCES OF HIS CONFIRMATION, BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE
[01:18:43] SURVIVORS, IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHECK. THE BOX EXERCISE.
[01:18:46] IN FACT, THEY SAID, MR. BLANCHE WAS CONDESCENDING, THAT HE WAS
[01:18:50] RUDE, AND THAT HE WAS DISMISSIVE. THEY WERE
[01:18:53] INTERRUPTED AND TOLD TO, QUOTE,
[01:18:56] GET TO THE POINT, UNQUOTE. WELL,
[01:18:58] MR. PRESIDENT, SOMEONE WHO CAN
[01:19:01] TELL THE SURVIVORS OF JEFFREY
[01:19:04] EPSTEIN'S HORRIFIC CRIMES, TO,
[01:19:06] QUOTE, GET TO THE POINT, IS NOT
[01:19:09] A PERSON WE WANT DEFENDING THE
[01:19:12] AMERICAN PEOPLE, BECAUSE A
[01:19:15] NOMINEE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR
[01:19:18] LOYALTY WILL BE TO THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RULE OF
[01:19:21] LAW, AND GETTING JUSTICE FOR
[01:19:23] EVERYBODY IN AMERICA, INCLUDING
[01:19:26] THE SURVIVORS OF JEFFREY
[01:19:28] EPSTEIN'S CRIMES. NOT TO THE
[01:19:32] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
[01:19:36] SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I HOPE WE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT IF WE LOOK
[01:19:39] AT THE CONDUCT AND ACTIONS AND
[01:19:42] RECORDS OF THE ACTING ATTORNEY
[01:19:45] GENERAL, THAT WE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT HE IS NOT SUITED FOR THIS
[01:19:49] POSITION, BECAUSE HIS RECORD SHOWS HE HAS NOT BEEN UPHOLDING
[01:19:52] THE RULE OF LAW AND THE
[01:19:55] CONSTITUTION. INSTEAD, HE'S BEEN
[01:19:58] DOING THE BUSINESS OF THIS ONE MAN. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN TODAY.
[01:20:02] IT'S TAKEN TODAY THESE BIG
[01:20:07] BANNERS OF DONALD TRUMP HAD BEEN HANGING OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT
[01:20:09] OF JUSTICE FOR A LONG TIME, AND
[01:20:12] THEY SENT AN UNMISTAKABLE
[01:20:15] MESSAGE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK
[01:20:17] INSIDE THAT THEY BETTER SERVE
[01:20:19] THE INTERESTS OF THIS ONE PERSON
[01:20:22] AND IF INSTEAD, THERE'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE INTERESTS
[01:20:25] OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THIS PERSON, THIS TELLS THEM, SERVE THE INTERESTS
[01:20:29] OF THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED
[01:20:30] STATES. THAT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND
[01:20:34] IT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. I URGE MY
[01:20:38] COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE THE
[01:20:40] NOMINATION OF TODD BLANCHE TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED
[01:20:43] STATES, AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
[01:21:00] >> SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
[01:21:01] >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I
[01:21:05] LISTENED TO THE PRESENTATION BY MY COLLEAGUE FROM MARYLAND AND
[01:21:08] AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE SAID IN
[01:21:10] THE HEART OF THE QUESTION IS
[01:21:13] WHETHER THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN NOMINATED TO SERVE AS ATTORNEY
[01:21:16] GENERAL WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE OF
[01:21:19] THE UNITED STATES, OR WILL HE
[01:21:22] SERVE THE PRESIDENT TO WHOM HE
[01:21:25] HAS INDICATED BLIND, COMPLETE, SERVILE LOYALTY AND THE
[01:21:28] RECITATION OF FACTS ABOUT WHAT
[01:21:31] MR. BLANCHE HAS DONE IN THIS
[01:21:33] INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT JOB? AS AN
[01:21:36] ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, HAS
[01:21:38] MADE CLEAR WHAT HIS CLIENT IS,
[01:21:42] WHO THAT CLIENT IS. THERE'S NO
[01:21:46] PLACE AT THE TOP OF THE JUSTICE
[01:21:47] DEPARTMENT FOR A PERSON WHO PLEDGES PERSONAL LOYALTY TO
[01:21:51] ANYONE OTHER THAN THE AMERICAN
[01:21:54] PEOPLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE
[01:21:56] REALITY HERE IS THE PRESIDENT
[01:21:59] WON'T APPOINT ANYBODY TO THE
[01:22:01] ATTORNEY GENERAL'S POSITION WHO
[01:22:03] WON'T ACT AS HIS PERSONAL ATTORNEY. AND THERE'S A SADNESS
[01:22:07] THAT I HAVE ABOUT THIS WHOLE
[01:22:08] STORY THAT IS BEFORE US. IT'S
[01:22:12] THE STORY OF A PERSON WHO, WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, YOUNG
[01:22:15] ATTORNEY TODD BLANCHE, WAS
[01:22:17] EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED, WAS VERY IDEALISTIC, WAS A
[01:22:20] PROSECUTOR'S PROSECUTOR, AND
[01:22:22] WHO DID ABIDE IN UPHOLD BY THE
[01:22:25] RULE OF LAW. HE BECAME A NEW
[01:22:28] PERSON IN SERVICE OF A PRESIDENT
[01:22:36] THAT I BELIEVE IS CORRUPT. $2 BILLION OF INCOME TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
[01:22:38] IN HIS FIRST YEAR, RAISES MORE
[01:22:41] THAN A MILD QUESTION. AND THIS
[01:22:44] PERSON NOW TO BE ATTORNEY
[01:22:46] GENERAL IN HIS ACTING ATTORNEY
[01:22:49] GENERAL ROLE, ESSENTIALLY PROVIDED TAX IMMUNITY TO THE
[01:22:52] PRESIDENT AND TO ALL OF HIS
[01:22:55] CHILDREN, FAMILIES IN AFFILIATES. IT'S TOTALLY
[01:22:58] OUTRAGEOUS WHEN YOU SAY IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THE WORDS ARE
[01:23:00] COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNPRECEDENTED. IT HAS
[01:23:03] NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WAY THE
[01:23:06] PUBLIC BUSINESS SHOULD BE
[01:23:08] CONDUCTED. BUT MR. BLANCHE, WHO
[01:23:10] HAS CONSIDERABLE TALENTS, HE'S
[01:23:13] USED THOSE TALENTS TO ENABLE AND
[01:23:18] TO FACILITATE AND TO COVER UP
[01:23:21] AND TO REVISE IN, ACCOMMODATE THE CORRUPT GOALS OF A PRESIDENT
[01:23:25] I BELIEVE IS CORRUPT. AND BY THE
[01:23:27] WAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, AS I
[01:23:30] MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S WHO THE PRESIDENT WANTS. HE WANTS
[01:23:33] SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO DO HIS WORK FOR HIM ON QUESTION, NO
[01:23:36] MATTER WHAT. BUT, YOU KNOW,
[01:23:40] THERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT BELONGS RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED
[01:23:42] STATES SENATE. IS THERE NO LINE
[01:23:48] THAT THE U.S. SENATE WILL NOT
[01:23:50] ALLOW THIS PRESIDENT TO CROSS
[01:23:53] THE SENATE? CONFIRMED BONDI. IT CONFIRMED HEGSETH. IT CONFIRMED.
[01:23:56] PATEL. IT CONFIRMED. NOEM. AND
[01:23:58] WE'RE ABOUT TO CONFIRM.
[01:24:00] BLANCHE. THE PRESIDENT IS
[01:24:04] ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY. IN MY
[01:24:05] VIEW. AND EVERY DAY IN IN EVERY
[01:24:08] WAY. AND THAT'S SHAME BUT THE
[01:24:12] UNITED STATES SENATE IS FAILING
[01:24:14] TO USE ITS AUTHORITY, ITS POWER,
[01:24:17] ON ANY DAY OR IN ANY WAY. SHAME
[01:24:21] ON THE UNITED STATES SENATE. MR.
[01:24:28] PRESIDENT, SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE ITS ADVICE AND
[01:24:31] CONSENT AUTHORITY TO DEMAND
[01:24:32] COMPETENCE AND INTEGRITY? DID
[01:24:35] THE SENATE DO THAT WITH BONDI, WITH NOEM, WITH HEGSETH, WITH
[01:24:38] PATEL, AND NOW WITH BLANCHE?
[01:24:41] SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE
[01:24:46] ITS TAXING AUTHORITY TO STOP
[01:24:49] TARIFFS THAT. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS BODY BELIEVE ARE HURTING
[01:24:53] THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND ARE NOT THE RIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE TO
[01:24:56] IMPOSE SHOULD NOT THE U.S.
[01:24:59] SENATE USE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL POWER OF THE PURSE TO STOP THE
[01:25:02] INVASION BY PRESIDENT TRUMP INTO
[01:25:06] THE POWER OF THE PURSE? AND
[01:25:10] SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE
[01:25:13] ITS CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY
[01:25:15] OVER THE AWESOME POWER TO
[01:25:18] DECLARE WAR AND STOP THIS
[01:25:20] ILLEGAL WAR IN IRAN THAT, IN
[01:25:22] FACT, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS LOSING?
[01:25:28] MR. PRESIDENT, THE PRESIDENT IS ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY. WE ARE
[01:25:32] FAILING TO USE OURS. STOP
[01:25:38] CAPITULATING TODAY BY REJECTING
[01:25:39] THIS NOMINATION. I YIELD BACK.
[01:25:59] >> SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I AM.
[01:26:03] >> HERE TODAY TO JOIN THE CHORUS
[01:26:06] OF OPPOSITION TO TODD BLANCHE'S
[01:26:10] NOMINATION AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:26:12] OF THE UNITED STATES THINGS THAT
[01:26:18] REPUBLICANS HAVE PURPORTED TO
[01:26:24] CARE ABOUT ARE DISASTERS WITH THIS GUY. PAM BONDI PUT THE
[01:26:27] BLAME DIRECTLY ON TODD BLANCHE
[01:26:31] FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S
[01:26:33] FOUL UP WITH THE EPSTEIN FILES.
[01:26:38] THAT FOUL UP WAS PRETTY DEADLY
[01:26:40] SERIOUS FOR THE WOMEN WHO WERE
[01:26:43] VICTIMS, WHO HAD MANAGED TO KEEP
[01:26:46] THAT FACT PRIVATE UNTIL TODD
[01:26:48] BLANCHE AND THE DOJ FOULED THAT
[01:26:51] UP AND PUT OUT THEIR NAMES, PUT OUT THEIR ADDRESSES, PUT OUT
[01:26:54] THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS, IN SOME CASES, PUT OUT PHOTOGRAPHS WITH
[01:26:58] VERY LITTLE CLOTHING ON COMPLETE
[01:27:03] DISRUPTION OF THE LIVES OF THE
[01:27:04] VICTIMS OF EPSTEIN'S DEPRAVITY,
[01:27:08] COMPLETE INCOMPETENCE FROM A
[01:27:13] DOCUMENT PRODUCTION POINT OF
[01:27:15] VIEW. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE,
[01:27:18] THIS GUY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED
[01:27:22] IN THE EPSTEIN COVER UP REMEMBER
[01:27:26] THAT THERE WAS A WITNESS WHO
[01:27:30] SPOKE TO FBI AGENTS ABOUT HAVING BEEN ASSAULTED BY DONALD TRUMP
[01:27:34] WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD,
[01:27:37] PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. SHE SPOKE TO
[01:27:41] THE FBI AT LEAST FOUR TIMES.
[01:27:44] THOSE FOUR TIMES WERE RECORDED
[01:27:53] IN FBI 302, A 302 IS THE FBI
[01:27:57] NAME FOR THE WITNESS STATEMENT THAT THE AGENTS WRITE UP AFTER
[01:28:00] AN INTERVIEW. SO FOUR TIMES, THIS WOMAN HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED
[01:28:03] ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER
[01:28:04] AS A GIRL. THREE OF THOSE 302,
[01:28:09] SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED DONALD
[01:28:12] TRUMP IN THE DISCLOSURE THAT
[01:28:17] TODD BLANCHE MADE UNDER THE
[01:28:19] EPSTEIN FILES LAW. THE ONLY ONE
[01:28:21] OF THE FOUR THAT GOT DISCLOSED
[01:28:25] WAS THE ONE THAT DIDN'T MENTION
[01:28:29] DONALD TRUMP. THAT OUGHT TO BE
[01:28:33] DISQUALIFYING RIGHT THERE. LUCKILY, SOME VERY SHARP
[01:28:36] INVESTIGATORS REALIZED THROUGH,
[01:28:39] LIKE, GAPS IN BAIT STAMP NUMBERS
[01:28:41] THAT DOCUMENTS WERE MISSING AND
[01:28:45] THAT THE THREE 300 TWOS HAD NOT
[01:28:47] BEEN DISCLOSED. AND SO BLANCHE
[01:28:49] WAS FORCED TO COUGH THOSE UP.
[01:28:54] BUT BEHIND A 302, COME, THE
[01:29:00] AGENT NOTES, AND THERE'S STILL
[01:29:03] 37 PAGES OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO
[01:29:06] THAT, THAT ARE STILL SUPPRESSED,
[01:29:08] THAT ARE STILL COVERED UP, THAT
[01:29:11] LOOK TO BE THE AGENT'S NOTES,
[01:29:13] WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED. SO THE COVER UP
[01:29:17] CONTINUED WITH RESPECT TO ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP. WHERE ELSE DID THE COVER
[01:29:21] UP CONTINUE? WELL, THE TREASURY
[01:29:23] DEPARTMENT SENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHAT ARE
[01:29:26] CALLED SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
[01:29:29] REPORTS. A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
[01:29:31] REPORT IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN
[01:29:34] INTERNATIONAL BANKING
[01:29:36] TRANSACTIONS LOOK LIKE SOMETHING FUNNY IS AFOOT. LOOK LIKE THERE
[01:29:40] IS, FOR INSTANCE, MONEY LAUNDERING GOING ON. IN THIS
[01:29:43] CASE, IT WAS MONEY LAUNDERING
[01:29:45] AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCERNS
[01:29:48] THAT PROVOKED THE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, REPORTS. WELL, YOU
[01:29:51] DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS
[01:29:54] INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK AT A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORT AND
[01:29:58] DEDUCE THAT IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SOME
[01:30:01] SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. IT'S THE
[01:30:03] TITLE OF THE REPORT, FOR PETE'S
[01:30:07] SAKE. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
[01:30:09] TRANSACTIONS WERE BEHIND THOSE
[01:30:12] SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS. HOW MANY WERE INVESTIGATED BY THE
[01:30:16] BLANCHE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE?
[01:30:20] ZERO TURNED A COMPLETE BLIND EYE
[01:30:22] TO THAT WHOLE ASPECT OF THE
[01:30:24] EPSTEIN FILES, EVEN THOUGH THE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS WERE
[01:30:28] RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. AND THEN HE GOES RUNNING DOWN TO
[01:30:32] TALLAHASSEE TO INTERVIEW
[01:30:37] EPSTEIN'S COMRADE IN CRIME,
[01:30:40] GHISLAINE MAXWELL DID HE USE
[01:30:42] THAT INTERVIEW TO DEVELOP ANY
[01:30:45] NEW INFORMATION TO GO AFTER PEOPLE WHO WERE CULPABLE IN THE
[01:30:48] EPSTEIN FILES? NO, HE USED THAT
[01:30:53] INTERVIEW TO EXTRACT EXCULPATORY COMMENTS FROM HER ABOUT DONALD
[01:30:56] TRUMP. OH, THAT. HE WAS A
[01:30:58] PERFECT GENTLEMAN. AND THE NEXT
[01:31:02] THING YOU KNOW, SHE'S REWARDED
[01:31:04] WITH A TRANSFER TO A CLUB FED
[01:31:07] TYPE PRISON. WHAT'S THE EXCUSE
[01:31:10] FOR THAT? OH, SHE WAS AT RISK.
[01:31:15] WE FELT SHE WAS IN DANGER. WELL, LOOK, I'VE BEEN AROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
[01:31:18] THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER
[01:31:21] SEEN A PRISONER ALLEGEDLY
[01:31:25] ENDANGER. BE TRANSFERRED TO A
[01:31:30] LESS SECURE SETTING TO SOLVE THE
[01:31:32] PROBLEM OF DANGER RIGHT. YOU
[01:31:36] MOVE THE PRISONER TO A MORE
[01:31:38] SECURE SETTING, NOT TO A LESS SECURE SETTING. IT MAKES NO
[01:31:42] SENSE. SO, IN THE EPSTEIN FILES,
[01:31:46] TODD BLANCHE'S FINGERPRINTS ARE
[01:31:48] ALL OVER THE SCREW UP AND THE
[01:31:52] COVER UP THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE
[01:31:55] SLUSH FUND, AND THAT TRUMP
[01:32:01] FAMILY TAX FRAUD, AMNESTY, WHICH
[01:32:03] WAS COOKED UP IN A DEAL
[01:32:08] SURROUNDING A FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING, WHICH WAS SUCH A
[01:32:12] MESS THAT THE JUDGE IN THAT
[01:32:14] FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING HAS
[01:32:18] GONE BACK TO LOOK AT WHAT THE
[01:32:23] HECK HAPPENED. SHE WAS LOOKING AT WHETHER SOMETHING HAPPENED
[01:32:27] CALLED FRAUD UPON THE COURT YOU
[01:32:31] PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD OF FRAUD
[01:32:34] UPON THE COURT. IT'S UNUSUALLY
[01:32:37] RARE. IT IS A THERMONUCLEAR
[01:32:39] ETHICS ACCUSATION. WE'VE LOOKED
[01:32:43] IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
[01:32:44] OF JUSTICE, FRAUD ON THE COURT
[01:32:48] HAS NOT EVEN BEEN ALLEGED
[01:32:52] AGAINST ANY SENIOR DOJ OFFICIAL
[01:32:54] EVER, EVER. AND HERE YOU HAVE A
[01:32:59] COURT THAT OPENED A PROCEEDING, AN INQUIRY, INTO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS FRAUD ON THE COURT.
[01:33:02] AND THAT'S STILL PENDING. THERE
[01:33:05] IS STILL EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE
[01:33:08] THAT. BLANCHE MAY BE FOUND
[01:33:14] CULPABLE FOR PUTTING A FRAUD ON THE COURT TOGETHER TO COOK UP
[01:33:17] THE SLUSH FUND, TAX AMNESTY
[01:33:21] SCHEME. THAT IS PRETTY UNHEARD
[01:33:23] OF. UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT
[01:33:28] UNCOMMON IN THIS BLANCHE
[01:33:32] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THERE IS A CASCADE OF CRITICISM FROM
[01:33:36] FEDERAL COURTS ABOUT MISCONDUCT
[01:33:40] BY THIS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MISCONDUCT. THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED. I WILL TELL YOU, I WAS THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE
[01:33:43] DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND. IF
[01:33:45] JUDGES HAD USED WORDS LIKE THIS
[01:33:49] ABOUT MY ATTORNEY'S CONDUCT IN THEIR COURTROOMS, THERE WOULD
[01:33:52] HAVE BEEN CONSEQUENCES. AT A MINIMUM, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
[01:33:56] STAFF MEETINGS. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN REFERRALS TO THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
[01:33:59] THERE COULD HAVE BEEN APOLOGIES REQUIRED TO THE COURT. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A REBOOT,
[01:34:03] INTERNAL OFFICE DISCIPLINE OF WHAT'S GONE ON WITH THIS CASE.
[01:34:06] BUT WHEN A JUDGE SAYS THAT THE
[01:34:11] GOVERNMENT'S ARGUMENT IS DISINGENUOUS, WHEN THE
[01:34:14] GOVERNMENT WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ARGUMENT
[01:34:17] IS A PRETEXT FOR SOMETHING ELSE, WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS THAT THE
[01:34:21] GOVERNMENT HAS ENGAGED IN BAD
[01:34:25] FAITH, EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A
[01:34:27] FOUR ALARM FIRE WORD. IN
[01:34:31] MEDICINE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY CALL NEVER EVENTS, THINGS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN A
[01:34:34] HOSPITAL THAT YOU PROTECT AGAINST. THESE ARE NEVER EVENT
[01:34:38] WORDS COMING FROM FEDERAL
[01:34:40] JUDGES, AND YET THEY ARE
[01:34:42] COMMONPLACE IN THE CORRUPTED
[01:34:45] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, RUN BY
[01:34:47] TODD BLANCHE AS TO HIS
[01:34:51] COMPLICITY IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.
[01:34:53] COVER UP, I OFFER A LETTER FROM
[01:34:59] EPSTEIN SURVIVORS. TWO SENATORS, TILLIS AND CORNYN, AND ASKED
[01:35:03] THAT THAT BE INCORPORATED AT THE
[01:35:04] END OF MY REMARKS. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[01:35:08] >> WITH RESPECT TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
[01:35:12] JUSTICE THAT HE HAS WROUGHT, I
[01:35:14] WOULD ALSO ASK THAT WE ADD
[01:35:18] GEORGE WILL'S COLUMN CALLED
[01:35:20] AGAINST TODD BLANCHE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[01:35:24] >> AND WITH RESPECT TO THIS
[01:35:28] LITANY OF CRITICISM OF THE
[01:35:31] HONESTY OF THE BLANCHE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, I WOULD
[01:35:34] LIKE TO ADD A PROPUBLICA ARTICLE
[01:35:37] ENTITLED FEDERAL JUDGES CHASTISE TRUMP'S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR,
[01:35:41] QUOTE, UNLAWFUL, QUOTE,
[01:35:42] UNETHICAL, AND, QUOTE, UNSEEMLY
[01:35:45] CONDUCT WHOSE FIRST SENTENCE BEGINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FEDERAL JUDGES ARE CALLING OUT
[01:35:49] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAWYERS
[01:35:52] QUESTIONING IN UNPRECEDENTED
[01:35:54] WAYS WHETHER THEY CAN BE TRUSTED
[01:35:57] TO TELL THE TRUTH OR UPHOLD
[01:36:01] CENTURIES OLD LEGAL NORMS. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT FOR THAT.
[01:36:03] >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[01:36:07] >> AND THEN THIS ISN'T JUST A PROBLEM IN AMERICAN LEGAL
[01:36:10] COMMUNITIES. THERE'S A GLOBAL MAGAZINE CALLED THE ECONOMIST
[01:36:12] MAGAZINE, WHICH, BY THE WAY,
[01:36:15] DOES NOT RUN LIBERAL. IT'S A
[01:36:18] FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE PUBLICATION.
[01:36:19] THE COVER STORY IN THE JULY
[01:36:22] 18th, ECONOMIST, IS A PICTURE OF
[01:36:27] THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOGO
[01:36:31] AND THE TITLE DEGRADATION IN
[01:36:33] PROCESS. I ASKED THAT THE.
[01:36:38] ECONOMIST MAGAZINE ARTICLE. THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO. ONE IS
[01:36:42] THE OPENING ARTICLE THAT THEY LEAD WITH. BEFORE THEY GET TO THE MAIN ARTICLE. AND THE SECOND
[01:36:45] IS THE MAIN ARTICLE THAT THE TWO
[01:36:47] ARTICLES ABOUT THE DEGRADATION
[01:36:50] OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE UNDER TODD BLANCHE BE ADDED TO
[01:36:54] THE RECORD AS WELL.
[01:36:58] >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> LAST. UM, THERE'S A GROUP CALLED JUST SECURITY, WHICH
[01:37:02] KEEPS TRACK OF WHAT GOES ON IN
[01:37:05] FEDERAL COURTS. THIS IS A BINDER
[01:37:08] OF THE CASES THAT THEY HAVE PUT
[01:37:12] TOGETHER, IN WHICH A FEDERAL
[01:37:15] JUDGE IS HARSHLY CRITICIZING THE INTEGRITY OR THE COMPETENCE OF
[01:37:19] THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THIS
[01:37:21] BINDER, FRANKLY, SHOULD NOT
[01:37:23] EXIST. THIS IS TWO SIDED, BY THE
[01:37:26] WAY. THESE MANY CASES, IT IS
[01:37:31] JUST ASTOUNDING. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THAT THIS ALL BE PUT INTO
[01:37:34] THE RECORD, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT
[01:37:36] IF YOU LOOK AT JUST
[01:37:39] SECURITY.ORG, YOU CAN LOOK AT
[01:37:41] THEIR REPORT PUBLISHED ON MARCH
[01:37:43] 19th, 2026. IT GETS REGULARLY
[01:37:47] UPDATED. AND IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH IT, YOU CAN SEE TRULY
[01:37:51] APPALLING CRITICISMS BY FEDERAL
[01:37:55] JUDGES OF EVERY APPOINTMENT,
[01:37:58] BACKGROUND AGAINST INCOMPETENCE
[01:38:01] AND DISHONESTY BY THE BLANCHE
[01:38:05] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHERE THAT REALLY HITS THE ROAD IS
[01:38:08] WITH SOMETHING CALLED THE PRESUMPTION OF REGULARITY. YOU ALL MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THE
[01:38:11] PRESUMPTION OF REGULARITY IS, BUT IT'S A BENEFIT THAT THE
[01:38:14] GOVERNMENT ENJOYS THAT AS A
[01:38:18] MATTER OF POLICY, THE FEDERAL
[01:38:22] JUDICIARY HAS DETERMINED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
[01:38:25] GENERALLY SO HONEST AND
[01:38:28] COMPETENT THAT ITS PROCEEDINGS WILL BE GIVEN THE PRESUMPTION OF
[01:38:32] REGULARITY, THAT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT WILL GO TO THE
[01:38:34] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. LAWYERS
[01:38:37] AND TO THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
[01:38:40] INVOLVED. UNLESS THE ADVERSARY
[01:38:44] CAN PROVE OTHERWISE, COURTS WILL PRESUME THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS
[01:38:48] DONE THE RIGHT THING. AND OVER
[01:38:49] AND OVER AGAIN, WE HAVE SEEN
[01:38:52] JUDGES SAY THAT PRESUMPTION OF
[01:38:55] REGULARITY IS NOW SHOT, BECAUSE
[01:38:59] THERE IS SO MUCH DISHONESTY AND INCOMPETENCE COMING OUT OF THE
[01:39:02] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THAT IS
[01:39:05] UNPRECEDENTED. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER REASONS TO
[01:39:08] VOTE AGAINST THIS MOST REPREHENSIBLE ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:39:12] NOMINEE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BUT
[01:39:16] THE VERY SPECIFIC ONES ABOUT HIS COMPLICITY IN THE EPSTEIN FILES
[01:39:20] SCREW UP AND COVER UP
[01:39:23] >> HIS BEING THE FIRST SENIOR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICIAL
[01:39:26] IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO FACE A FRAUD ON THE
[01:39:29] COURT IN COURT, WHERE THE JUDGE
[01:39:33] ALREADY DECIDED THAT THE PROCEEDING WAS A SHAM AND THAT THE PARTIES WERE IN COLLUSION
[01:39:37] WITH EACH OTHER, AND THAT THE
[01:39:38] WHOLE THING WAS DONE IN BAD, AND
[01:39:42] THAT THAT'S NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THAT IS PART OF A
[01:39:44] PATTERN OF INCOMPETENCE,
[01:39:47] DISHONESTY OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT HAS NEVER BEFORE
[01:39:51] HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES OF
[01:39:53] AMERICA. IF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WANT TO GET BEHIND
[01:39:56] THAT, IF THEY'RE COOL WITH AN
[01:39:59] ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO HAS THAT RECORD, THAT'S ON YOU. I YIELD
[01:40:02] THE FLOOR. >> I'M NEARING THE END OF MY
[01:40:04] SENATE TERM, AND I'M REFLECTING
[01:40:08] ON SOME HISTORIC EVENTS, WHICH I'VE WITNESSED AT THIS TABLE,
[01:40:12] AT THIS DESK ONE OF THE MOST
[01:40:18] HISTORIC I REMEMBER, AND
[01:40:22] SPECIFICALLY, THE DATE, JANUARY
[01:40:25] 6th, 2021. THE REASON WHY THAT
[01:40:28] DAY WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT THE
[01:40:32] VOTES ALL ACROSS AMERICA HAD BEEN COUNTED TO SEE WHO WAS
[01:40:34] ELECTED PRESIDENT IN THE 2020
[01:40:36] ELECTION, AND THE PROCESS
[01:40:40] INVOLVED CERTIFICATION BY THE HOUSE AND THE VOTES THAT WERE TO
[01:40:44] BE COUNTED. IN THE PAST, IT HAS
[01:40:49] BEEN ALMOST A PRO FORMA EVENT,
[01:40:52] HARDLY NOTICED BY ANYONE. BUT ON
[01:40:55] JANUARY 6th, 2021, IT WAS MUCH
[01:40:58] DIFFERENT. MUCH DIFFERENT. THE
[01:41:01] PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE SENATE FOR THAT ELECTORAL VOTE COUNT IS
[01:41:04] THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
[01:41:06] STATES. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
[01:41:09] VICE PRESIDENT PENCE. THERE WAS
[01:41:12] MORE SECURITY THAN USUAL IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING TO THOSE WHO
[01:41:16] ARE HERE TODAY, WITNESSING THIS
[01:41:20] SESSION AND VISITING THE CAPITOL. YOU'RE LUCKY. YOU'RE
[01:41:24] PROTECTED BY ONE OF THE BEST
[01:41:28] SECURITY FORCES POLICE FORCES IN THE NATION, THE CAPITOL HILL
[01:41:31] POLICE, MOST AMERICANS DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THEM. THOSE OF
[01:41:35] US IN CONGRESS KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM. THESE ARE MEN AND WOMEN
[01:41:39] WHO KEEP YOU SAFE AND ME SAFE.
[01:41:40] IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING. AND MAKE SURE THAT THE VISITORS HAVE
[01:41:44] PEACE OF MIND WHEN THEY COME AND
[01:41:46] GO. WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE
[01:41:50] AVAILABILITY OF THIS BUILDING TO
[01:41:53] VISITORS FROM, CERTAINLY, THE UNITED STATES, BUT FROM ALL
[01:41:56] AROUND THE WORLD. AND THESE MEN
[01:41:59] AND WOMEN, SOME IN UNIFORM, SOME IN ORDINARY DRESS, MAKE SURE
[01:42:02] THAT HAPPENS. WELL, ON JANUARY
[01:42:07] 6th, 2021. THERE WAS A SPECIAL
[01:42:09] EMPHASIS ON SECURITY. THE REASON? IT WAS NOT ONLY AN
[01:42:12] HISTORIC EVENT WITH MEMBERS OF
[01:42:16] CONGRESS AND THEIR CHAIRS, AND THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
[01:42:19] STATES PRESIDING OVER THE SENATE, THERE WAS ALSO A RALLY
[01:42:22] GOING ON DOWNTOWN BY THE
[01:42:26] PRESIDENT, THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, AT THE END OF HIS
[01:42:30] FIRST TERM. HE HAD SUMMONED HIS
[01:42:32] SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS TO COME
[01:42:34] FOR A RALLY DOWN BY THE WHITE
[01:42:37] HOUSE, THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT,
[01:42:40] THAT DAY. NO COINCIDENCE. IT WAS
[01:42:44] AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON CONGRESS NOT TO COUNT THE
[01:42:45] ELECTORAL VOTES. YOU SEE, THE
[01:42:49] PRESIDENT THEN AND NOW HAD THIS
[01:42:51] FICTION IN HIS MIND THAT HE
[01:42:53] ACTUALLY WON THE ELECTION. HE
[01:42:56] WAS ONLY OFF BY 7 MILLION VOTES.
[01:42:58] THAT'S HOW MUCH HE LOST IT BY
[01:43:01] KEPT FILING LAWSUITS AND MAKING PROTESTS AND ARGUING THAT HE
[01:43:04] SHOULD BE PRESIDENT AGAIN. AT
[01:43:07] ONE POINT, HE DISPATCHED THE
[01:43:10] THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HE HAD SUMMONED TO
[01:43:13] WASHINGTON TO LEAVE THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AREA AND TO
[01:43:16] MARCH ON THE CAPITOL. AND THEY
[01:43:19] DID. SO WE WERE SITTING INSIDE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE
[01:43:23] THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE COMING UP TO OUR BUILDING HERE,
[01:43:26] THE CAPITOL BUILDING, WHERE WE DID BUSINESS ON THIS HISTORIC
[01:43:30] DAY. WE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT
[01:43:32] THEY WOULD DO WHEN THEY ARRIVED.
[01:43:36] BUT IF YOU WITNESSED THE VIDEOTAPES FROM THAT DAY, DRAW
[01:43:40] YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. THEY TRIED
[01:43:42] TO STORM THE CAPITOL. THEY BROKE THROUGH LOCKED DOORS, CRASHED
[01:43:45] THROUGH WINDOWS TO COME TO THE
[01:43:48] BUILDING AT APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AFTER 2:00 IN THE
[01:43:52] AFTERNOON ON JANUARY 6th, 2021.
[01:43:55] I WAS SEATED IN THIS DESK. VICE PRESIDENT PENCE WAS PRESIDING,
[01:43:59] AND I NOTICED SOMETHING CURIOUS.
[01:44:01] THOSE DOORS OPENED, AND MEMBERS
[01:44:04] OF THE SECRET SERVICE CAME IN
[01:44:07] AND GRABBED, LITERALLY GRABBED THE VICE PRESIDENT AND PULLED
[01:44:09] HIM OUT OF THAT CHAIR, TOOK HIM
[01:44:12] OUT THAT DOOR. AND HERE WE SAT
[01:44:14] WITH NO ANNOUNCEMENT, NOTHING. BUT WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING
[01:44:18] ON OUTSIDE WITH THIS RALLY THAT
[01:44:21] HAD BEEN DIRECTED UP THIS WAY IN
[01:44:25] A FEW MINUTES, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CAPITOL POLICE SPOKE TO
[01:44:27] US, SITTING IN THE CHAMBER, AND SAID, STAY CALM. STAY WHERE YOU
[01:44:31] ARE. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS CHAMBER, THE SENATE CHAMBER, A
[01:44:35] SAFE PLACE FOR YOU TO STAY, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REST
[01:44:38] OF THE BUILDING. SO SOME OF US
[01:44:41] RELAXED IN OUR CHAIRS AND LOOKED
[01:44:43] AROUND AND WAITED FOR THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT. THE NEXT
[01:44:47] DEVELOPMENT TOOK ABOUT TEN MINUTES. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE
[01:44:50] CAPITOL POLICE CAME AND SAID, DISREGARD THAT EARLIER ALERT.
[01:44:54] LEAVE IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, FILE THROUGH THOSE DOORS AND
[01:44:56] FOLLOW US TO A SAFE LOCATION. SO WE ABANDONED THE SENATE CHAMBER
[01:45:00] AND THE CAPITOL AND LEFT TO GO
[01:45:02] TO A BUILDING NEARBY AND WAIT
[01:45:06] OUT THIS ORDEAL, WHICH WAS GOING
[01:45:07] ON IN THE SENATE. WHAT HAPPENED? YOU CAN WITNESS YOURSELF ON
[01:45:12] VIDEOTAPE. IT'S ALL THERE.
[01:45:14] ABOUT 150 OF OUR CAPITOL POLICE WERE ASSAULTED BY THESE
[01:45:18] DEMONSTRATORS. SOME SERIOUSLY
[01:45:22] INJURED, OTHERS PUSHED TO THE
[01:45:25] BRINK PSYCHOLOGICALLY, WHICH LED TO THEIR DEATHS. A DAY OR TWO
[01:45:28] LATER. IT WAS A HORRIBLE SCENE.
[01:45:33] IT WASN'T UNTIL LATE IN THE
[01:45:35] AFTERNOON THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE SENATE TO COMPLETE
[01:45:39] OUR BUSINESS WITH THE ELECTORAL
[01:45:42] VOTE. THAT WITH THE NEW
[01:45:45] PRESIDENT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED THAT
[01:45:48] DAY AND WHO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THERE WAS NOTHING
[01:45:50] EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THAT.
[01:45:54] >> ANYONE WHO DID DAMAGE TO THIS GREAT BUILDING OR THE PEOPLE IN
[01:45:58] IT, OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE HELD
[01:46:01] ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO THE LARGEST
[01:46:04] INVESTIGATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
[01:46:08] THE FBI STARTED AT THE END OF
[01:46:11] THE DAY, ALMOST 1500 INDIVIDUALS
[01:46:14] WERE CHARGED WITH A CRIME. AND
[01:46:17] THEY WERE CONVICTED. SOME OF
[01:46:18] THEM PAID A FINE, SOME SERVED
[01:46:21] BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME, AND OTHERS MORE SERIOUS OFFENSES,
[01:46:25] DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DID. THAT
[01:46:28] WAS THE REALITY OF WHAT
[01:46:31] HAPPENED. FAST FORWARD FOUR YEARS AND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
[01:46:35] PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS REELECTED, AND WITH THE POWER UNDER THE
[01:46:38] CONSTITUTION, TO PARDON THOSE WHO COMMIT A CRIME. ON HIS FIRST
[01:46:41] DAY IN OFFICE, IN HIS SECOND
[01:46:44] TERM, PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE A
[01:46:47] FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON TO
[01:46:50] EVERY ONE OF THE CONVICTED DEMONSTRATORS WHO STORMED THIS
[01:46:54] BUILDING. IF YOU REMEMBER THE
[01:46:56] SCENES AFTERWARDS, IT WASN'T JUST AN ORDERLY PROCESSION OF
[01:47:00] PEOPLE VISITING THIS BUILDING. THEY CRASHED THROUGH DOORS. THEY
[01:47:04] BROKE WINDOWS, THEY DID THEIR
[01:47:07] DARNDEST TO CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE
[01:47:09] AS POSSIBLE C-SPAN, WHICH
[01:47:11] TELEVISES. WHAT HAPPENED HERE KEPT THE CAMERAS RUNNING, AND WE
[01:47:14] WERE ABLE TO SEE THEM SCRAMBLE INTO THE SENATE CHAMBER, POSE
[01:47:18] FOR PICTURES. SITTING IN THE CHAIR. THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND
[01:47:22] RIFLE THROUGH OUR DESKS. I WATCHED AS SOME PERSON. I STILL
[01:47:24] DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS, WENT THROUGH MY DESK TO LOOK AND SEE
[01:47:27] IF THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HE COULD TAKE THAT DAY. I DON'T
[01:47:31] KNOW WHETHER HE DID OR NOT, BUT THAT'S THE SORT OF THING THAT
[01:47:35] WENT ON FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS. WHILE
[01:47:36] AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO MOBILIZE
[01:47:39] POLICE AND STATE TROOPERS AND
[01:47:41] OTHERS TO RECLAIM THE CAPITOL
[01:47:45] BUILDING FROM THE DEMONSTRATORS.
[01:47:47] THE REASON I BRING UP THIS EVENT
[01:47:49] YEARS LATER IS BECAUSE THERE'S
[01:47:52] AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO BE VOTED ON THIS WEEK BY THE UNITED
[01:47:55] STATES THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:47:59] OF THE UNITED STATES. THE ACTING
[01:48:03] ATTORNEY GENERAL IS TODD BLANCHE, WHO IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER. WHEN
[01:48:06] HE WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMES AND
[01:48:08] WHO HAS BEEN DEPUTY ATTORNEY
[01:48:11] GENERAL FOR MONTHS NOW. HE'S SEEKING THE FULL TIME POSITION.
[01:48:15] ONE OF THE ITEMS OF CONTROVERSY
[01:48:18] IS PRETTY EASY TO EXPLAIN.
[01:48:20] PRESIDENT TRUMP BELIEVES, AND TODD BLANCHE BELIEVED AT ONE
[01:48:23] POINT, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
[01:48:25] ATTACKED THE CAPITOL, THE PEOPLE
[01:48:29] WHO BREACHED THE CAPITOL, CRASHED THROUGH THE DOORS, BROKE
[01:48:30] DOWN THE WINDOWS, THREATENED
[01:48:33] INDIVIDUALS INSIDE, SHOULD
[01:48:36] RECEIVE FINANCIAL COMPENSATION
[01:48:41] FOR DOING IT YOURSELF, THEY GOT
[01:48:45] A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON BY PRESIDENT TRUMP. NOW THEY
[01:48:48] WANT MONEY, TOO. AND THE ANSWER
[01:48:51] IS NOT ONLY YES, BUT
[01:48:54] UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'VE DONE IT
[01:48:56] WITH SOME PRIDE. THE TRUMP
[01:48:59] ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED AN ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND JUST TO
[01:49:02] GIVE IT A CUTE LITTLE TWIST, THE
[01:49:05] APPROPRIATED $1,776,000,000 FOR
[01:49:11] THAT PURPOSE. WELL, IT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL WITH CONGRESS,
[01:49:14] BECAUSE AS WE READ THIS DECREE
[01:49:17] BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, PEOPLE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE,
[01:49:21] WE'RE GIVING MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO
[01:49:23] WERE CONVICTED OF A CRIME OF
[01:49:26] ATTACKING THE CAPITOL, DISRUPTING THE BUSINESS OF THE
[01:49:28] SENATE, INJURING 149 CAPITOL
[01:49:31] POLICEMEN. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM NOT ONLY A PARDON, BUT SOME
[01:49:35] SORT OF FINANCIAL COMPENSATION.
[01:49:38] THAT WAS THE PLAN. THE ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND WHO WAS
[01:49:42] THE PERSON WHO EXECUTED THAT
[01:49:45] PLAN? TODD BLANCHE, THE PERSON WHO IS SEEKING TO BECOME THE
[01:49:48] NEXT FULL TIME ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:49:50] OF THE UNITED STATES THE CONTROVERSY INVOLVING THAT
[01:49:54] PARTICULAR PROPOSAL IS WELL
[01:49:56] KNOWN. NOT ONLY WAS THERE A BAD
[01:50:00] REACTION AMONG DEMOCRATS TO THIS IDEA, BUT MANY REPUBLICANS AS
[01:50:04] WELL. SOME OF THEM KEPT THEIR
[01:50:07] OPPOSITION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
[01:50:08] I UNDERSTAND, BUT OTHERS WERE VERY VOCAL ABOUT IT. IN FACT,
[01:50:12] TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
[01:50:15] JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SAID THEY WANTED, IN WRITING FROM TODD
[01:50:19] BLANCHE, A PROMISE THAT HE WOULD
[01:50:21] NEVER CREATE THIS FUND TO REWARD
[01:50:23] COP BEATERS AND DEMONSTRATORS IN
[01:50:26] THE CAPITOL. ON JANUARY 6th,
[01:50:29] 2021. IT WENT FORWARD IN THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. THE
[01:50:33] NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN TWO REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND TODD
[01:50:36] BLANCHE CONTINUED UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, WHEN IT
[01:50:39] WAS ANNOUNCED THEY'D REACHED AN AGREEMENT. SADLY, THAT
[01:50:43] AGREEMENT, THE SO-CALLED AGREEMENT NOT TO CREATE THE
[01:50:46] WEAPONIZATION FUND, IS WRITTEN
[01:50:48] IN A WAY IT WOULDN'T PASS LAW
[01:50:51] SCHOOL CONTRACTS, 101. THERE'S
[01:50:54] NO SIGNATURE ON ANY OF THESE
[01:50:56] PAGES OF PROMISES WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE ACTIVITY. THEY SAY
[01:51:00] WE'RE RESCINDING THE PREVIOUS ORDER, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO
[01:51:04] STOP A NEW ORDER FROM TAKING
[01:51:08] PLACE. THAT IS A GAPING HOLE IN THE LOGIC AND THE EFFECTIVENESS
[01:51:11] OF ANY OF THESE DOCUMENTS. WE
[01:51:17] SHOULD HAVE CLEAR INDICATIONS FROM THE PARTIES TO THAT LAWSUIT
[01:51:21] THAT THEY BOTH SIDES AGREE. THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO WAS A
[01:51:25] PARTY TO THE LAWSUIT THAT LED UP
[01:51:26] TO THIS, BUT THEY CAN'T BRING IT
[01:51:30] TOGETHER BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THE ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND SHOULD GO
[01:51:34] AWAY, HE SAID PUBLICLY, OVER AND
[01:51:37] OVER AGAIN. HE BELIEVES IN IT, WANTS TO DO IT, WANTS TO GIVE
[01:51:40] THE DEMONSTRATORS MONEY. TODD BLANCHE THINKS HE'S TAKING CARE
[01:51:44] OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT HE HAS NOT PRODUCED ANY DOCUMENTATION TO
[01:51:47] MAKE THAT POINT CLEAR. SECONDLY,
[01:51:50] THERE WAS A PROVISION IN A LAWSUIT. NOW, HERE'S WHAT THE
[01:51:53] LAWSUIT IS ALL ABOUT. THE
[01:51:57] PRESIDENT SUED THE IRS AND
[01:51:58] TREASURY, ARGUING THAT THEY
[01:52:02] DISCLOSED HIS INCOME TAX RETURNS WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. THEY
[01:52:06] ARRESTED THE MAN WHO ACTUALLY DID IT. THEY CAUGHT HIM, AND HE
[01:52:09] WAS PROSECUTED, AS SHOULD BE. HE
[01:52:11] BROKE THE LAW. HE KNEW HE WAS BREAKING THE LAW WHEN HE
[01:52:14] DISCLOSED THE PRESIDENT'S INCOME TAX RETURNS, THE PRESIDENT SUED
[01:52:19] THE IRS AND TREASURY FOR
[01:52:20] BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BILLIONS
[01:52:23] BECAUSE THEY DISCLOSED HIS INCOME TAX RETURN. I'M
[01:52:27] COMPLETING QUITE A FEW YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. I'VE DISCLOSED
[01:52:30] MY INCOME TAX RETURN EVERY YEAR
[01:52:33] WITHOUT FAIL. AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN THE SENATE. I'M NOT
[01:52:37] POSING FOR HOLY PICTURES. I'M JUST TRYING TO TELL YOU IT
[01:52:40] ISN'T THAT BIG A DEAL. IF YOU
[01:52:42] FOLLOW THE LAW. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TRUMP
[01:52:46] LAWSUIT WAS FOR DISCLOSING HIS INCOME TAX RETURNS? PART OF THE
[01:52:50] SETTLEMENT SAID, GET THIS NOW. AND TODD BLANCHE IS THE
[01:52:53] DRAFTSMAN OF THIS AS WELL. PART
[01:52:55] OF IT SAID NEITHER THE
[01:52:58] PRESIDENT, HIS FAMILY, OR ANY OF
[01:53:03] THE COMPANIES IN HIS TRUMP
[01:53:03] EMPIRE BUSINESS CAN BE HELD FOR
[01:53:08] COMMITTING FOR VIOLATING ANY TAX CRIMES IN THE UNITED STATES. HOW
[01:53:11] WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? GET OUT OF
[01:53:13] JAIL FREE CARD AND THAT WAS PART
[01:53:16] OF THE AGREEMENT. AND IT SHOULD
[01:53:20] BE CONTESTED. IF WE SAY NO ONE
[01:53:21] IN AMERICA IS ABOVE THE LAW, HOW
[01:53:25] IN THE WORLD CAN YOU JUSTIFY DOING THIS FOR THE TRUMP FAMILY
[01:53:27] AND THEIR BUSINESSES? AND WE
[01:53:29] KNOW THIS PRESIDENT DEALS IN BIG
[01:53:31] NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO INCOME.
[01:53:35] HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE
[01:53:36] ESTIMATES BETWEEN 1.4 AND $2
[01:53:40] BILLION IN PRESIDENT'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. IN HIS SECOND
[01:53:42] TERM, $2 BILLION. HOW DID HE DO
[01:53:47] IT? WELL, YOU WON'T BE
[01:53:49] SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CRYPTOCURRENCY FINGERPRINTS ALL
[01:53:53] OVER THIS DEAL. THE PRESIDENT MADE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
[01:53:57] DOLLARS OFF OF A MEME COIN OR SOME CONTRAPTION THAT COMES OUT
[01:54:00] OF THE CRYPTOCURRENCY WORLD.
[01:54:05] THAT'S THE REALITY. AND WHO WAS OVERSEEING THIS OPERATION? TODD
[01:54:08] BLANCHE, A MAN WHO WANTS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT
[01:54:11] OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU,
[01:54:15] I'M NOT GOING TO GO MUCH LONGER, BECAUSE I SEE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE GATHERING, AND
[01:54:18] THEY WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE
[01:54:20] AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS
[01:54:23] MISTAKE FOR THE SENATE TO APPROVE. TODD BLANCHE AS THE
[01:54:27] NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL. IF THERE IS EVER A MOMENT IN HISTORY WHEN
[01:54:31] WE NEED AN ATTORNEY GENERAL
[01:54:32] ABOVE REPROACH, WHO IS CLEARLY
[01:54:35] DEDICATED TO ENDING CORRUPTION, EVEN AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR
[01:54:39] GOVERNMENT, IT'S RIGHT NOW. THE HISTORY OF THIS ERA WILL BE
[01:54:43] WRITTEN, AND IT WILL BE A
[01:54:44] SHAMEFUL HISTORY FOR THOSE WHO
[01:54:47] ARE EMPOWERING THIS MAN, TODD BLANCHE, TO TAKE HIS PERSONAL
[01:54:51] REPRESENTATION OF THIS PRESIDENT TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL AS
[01:54:54] HE BECOMES THE NEXT I BEG MY
[01:54:58] COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
[01:54:59] THE AISLE, I KNOW, I THINK I
[01:55:02] KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU FEEL PRIVATELY, AND I KNOW YOU'RE AFRAID TO CROSS THIS PRESIDENT.
[01:55:06] HE'S BEEN GUILTY OF RETRIBUTION MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND HE
[01:55:09] WOULD BE ON THIS SIDE. BUT
[01:55:11] DON'T BE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS ON THE WRONG SIDE WHEN IT COMES
[01:55:15] TO THIS ISSUE. COME OUT AGAINST
[01:55:18] CORRUPTION. COME OUT FOR THE
[01:55:21] PROSECUTION OF CORPORATE FRAUD, COME OUT FOR CHANGING THE
[01:55:24] CURRENT SITUATION IN THE UNITED
[01:55:26] STATES TO ONE THAT IS MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE LAW AND MORE
[01:55:29] RESPECTFUL OF THE FAMILIES AND VOTERS WHO CREATE THIS
[01:55:33] DEMOCRACY. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES
[01:55:34] TO JOIN ME IN OPPOSING THE NOMINATION OF TODD BLANCHE AS
[01:55:38] THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
[01:55:40] UNITED STATES. MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
[01:55:44] >> SEVERAL SENATORS ALSO SPOKE ON THE FLOOR OF THE UPPER
[01:55:46] CHAMBER, HIGHLIGHTING TOPICS FROM THE COST OF LIVING TO
[01:55:50] TRACKING TAX DOLLARS. SENATE
[01:55:54] MAJORITY WHIP JOHN BARRASSO OF WYOMING TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
[01:55:57] AMID A SPATE OF WINS BY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN
[01:56:01] DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND, LATER,
[01:56:02] CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
[01:56:05] ALEX PADILLA ALSO TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
[01:56:07] IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE
[01:56:11] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR.
[01:56:13] PRESIDENT, TODAY'S DEMOCRAT
[01:56:15] PARTY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY
[01:56:18] EXTREMISTS. IT'S HAPPENING ALL
[01:56:20] ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EXTREMISTS
[01:56:23] ARE WINNING DEMOCRAT PRIMARIES
[01:56:26] ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM EAST TO WEST. THE MINORITY
[01:56:30] LEADER, WHO SPOKE A LITTLE EARLIER TODAY, HE SEEMS TO BE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT. JUST
[01:56:33] YESTERDAY, WHEN TALKING TO THE PRESS, THE MINORITY LEADER SAID
[01:56:37] THIS. HE SAID, THESE EXTREME
[01:56:39] CANDIDATES, HE SAID, MAKE THEIR
[01:56:43] PARTY STRONGER. WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, SENATOR SCHUMER MAY
[01:56:46] BE THRILLED WITH THE DIRECTION
[01:56:47] THAT HIS PARTY IS TAKING. AND
[01:56:50] NOW LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS LAST
[01:56:52] NIGHT IN MICHIGAN. THE DEMOCRAT
[01:56:56] CANDIDATE FOR SENATE WINNING THE
[01:56:59] PRIMARY YESTERDAY IN MICHIGAN,
[01:57:01] IS TRULY AN EXTREMIST RADICAL, EXTREME, DANGEROUS, AND IN MY
[01:57:05] OPINION, SCARY. HE'S BEEN
[01:57:07] ENDORSED BY SENATOR BERNIE
[01:57:10] SANDERS. AND JUST RECENTLY, HE HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH A
[01:57:13] LEFT WING ACTIVIST, A POLITICAL
[01:57:19] ACTIVIST WHO BLAMED 9/11. AND WE'RE ALMOST NEAR THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACKS ON
[01:57:23] 9/11 IN THE UNITED STATES OF
[01:57:26] AMERICA, BLAMED THOSE ATTACKS ON
[01:57:30] AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
[01:57:33] PRESIDENT, THIS IS A DEMOCRATIC
[01:57:35] PARTY THAT HAS A MANIFESTO AND A
[01:57:39] MANTRA. THEY HAVE A RADICAL SET
[01:57:41] OF BELIEFS, AND THEY ARE CLEARLY
[01:57:44] THOSE OF THE DEMOCRAT NOMINEE IN
[01:57:48] MICHIGAN. THE DRIVING FORCES IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY TODAY WANT TO
[01:57:52] ABOLISH PRISONS. THE DRIVING
[01:57:54] FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY
[01:57:57] TODAY HAS ENDORSED ANY AND ALL
[01:57:59] EFFORTS TO RELEASE DANGEROUS
[01:58:01] PRISONERS FROM THE JAILS ONTO THE STREETS OF COMMUNITIES ALL
[01:58:05] ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE DRIVING
[01:58:09] FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS
[01:58:13] CALLING TO DEFUND THE POLICE THE
[01:58:16] DRIVING FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT
[01:58:18] PARTY IS CALLING TO ELIMINATE IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS
[01:58:22] ENFORCEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY DON'T WANT BORDERS. DON'T
[01:58:24] THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE BORDERS
[01:58:28] THEY WANT ICE COMPLETELY
[01:58:31] ELIMINATED. DEMOCRATS WANT TO GO
[01:58:33] BACK TO THE DANGEROUS BIDEN
[01:58:35] YEARS. WHEN IT CAME TO PROTECTING OUR BORDERS. AND 10
[01:58:39] MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
[01:58:43] FLOODED INTO THIS COUNTRY. THE DEMOCRATS WANT MILLIONS AND
[01:58:46] MILLIONS MORE TO COME INTO
[01:58:49] AMERICA AND WHAT DO THEY WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR SOME
[01:58:53] OF THESE THINGS? WELL, THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO HAVE HARD
[01:58:57] WORKING TAXPAYERS PAY FOR HEALTH
[01:58:58] CARE FOR ALL THE ILLEGAL
[01:59:01] IMMIGRANTS WHO COME HERE. YOU KNOW, RADICAL IDEAS LIKE THAT WERE ONCE THE FRINGE OF THE
[01:59:04] DEMOCRAT PARTY. NO LONGER. NO,
[01:59:07] NO, THAT FRINGE NOW CONTROLS THE
[01:59:11] DEMOCRAT PARTY. AS A SENIOR SENATOR WHO'S A DEMOCRAT, SAID,
[01:59:15] WHO SITS RIGHT OVER THERE, SAID IT'S A SIGN THAT THE DEMOCRAT
[01:59:17] PARTY IS ALIVE AND WELL SENATOR
[01:59:21] SCHUMER SAID YESTERDAY IT MAKES
[01:59:22] THEIR PARTY STRONGER, DOESN'T
[01:59:25] MAKE AMERICA STRONGER, MAKES AMERICA WEAKER. IT MAKES AMERICA
[01:59:29] MORE VULNERABLE. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY, MR. PRESIDENT,
[01:59:33] DEMOCRATS SEEM WILLING TO TEAR
[01:59:36] UP THE CONSTITUTION AND TEAR DOWN AMERICA. LISTEN TO SOME OF
[01:59:39] THESE CANDIDATES. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HATE AMERICA. THEY WANT
[01:59:43] AMERICA TO FAIL. THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT THEY'RE AIMING FOR. BUT
[01:59:46] REPUBLICANS ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE GOING TO
[01:59:50] CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE EXTREMISTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
[01:59:54] FOR LIBERTY, AND CONTINUED
[01:59:55] AMERICAN GREATNESS.
[02:00:01] >> MR. PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUES THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE
[02:00:04] COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY, A
[02:00:05] LOT GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD.
[02:00:11] AND I RISE TODAY NOT TO ADDRESS
[02:00:14] SPECIFICALLY THE COST OF LIVING CHALLENGES THAT SO MANY WORKING
[02:00:18] FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH. THAT'S CERTAINLY A TOPIC OF
[02:00:21] NEWS THESE DAYS, RIGHTFULLY SO.
[02:00:24] UH, NOT HERE TO FOCUS ON WHAT
[02:00:27] FAMILIES OF DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBERS MUST BE FEELING RIGHT
[02:00:31] NOW. UH, ALTHOUGH THAT IS
[02:00:33] CERTAINLY WORTHY OF OUR THOUGHTS
[02:00:36] AND CONSIDERATION AND EMPATHY, PARTICULARLY THE FAMILY MEMBERS
[02:00:39] AND THE LOVED ONES OF 18 SERVICE MEMBERS THAT HAVE LOST THEIR
[02:00:43] LIVES IN THIS UNAUTHORIZED WAR
[02:00:45] WITH IRAN, THAT THE PRESIDENT
[02:00:49] HAS BROUGHT US INTO. THAT, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WAS REALLY
[02:00:53] DOMINATING THE EVENING NEWS. AND
[02:00:55] A LOT OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS,
[02:00:59] IMMIGRATION, AND SPECIFICALLY
[02:01:02] THIS ADMINISTRATION'S CRUEL,
[02:01:05] OFTEN VIOLENT TACTICS AS PART OF
[02:01:10] THEIR MASS DEPORTATION. AND THE
[02:01:13] DEPORTATION AGENDA FAMILIES ARE
[02:01:16] STILL BEING TORN APART. TENS OF
[02:01:20] THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS
[02:01:23] CURRENTLY BEING DETAINED IN DETENTION CENTERS AROUND THE
[02:01:27] COUNTRY LOVED ONES OF THOSE
[02:01:30] KILLED BY FEDERAL AGENTS IN
[02:01:32] BROAD DAYLIGHT. ARE ALSO STILL
[02:01:37] HURTING, INCLUDING THE FAMILY OF
[02:01:39] SEBASTIAN SEBASTIAN GUERRERO, A
[02:01:43] 25 YEAR OLD FATHER, AN IMMIGRANT FROM COLOMBIA WHO HAD WORK
[02:01:47] AUTHORIZATION HE WAS DRIVING IN
[02:01:50] HIS CAR LAST MONTH WHEN A FEDERAL AGENT OPENED FIRE,
[02:01:52] SHOOTING HIM IN THE HEAD, AND
[02:01:56] KILLING HIM. I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THE STORY WASN'T THAT LONG AGO.
[02:02:00] IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS STORY, YOU'LL KNOW THAT HIS PARTNER
[02:02:03] AND HIS THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER
[02:02:06] STILL DRESSED IN HER BLUE PAJAMAS THAT MORNING, WERE THERE
[02:02:10] AT THE SCENE BECAUSE IT WAS SO
[02:02:12] CLOSE TO THEIR HOME AND
[02:02:15] ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, JOHN'S LAST WORDS WERE, I TRIED TO
[02:02:19] STOP. I RAISED THIS BECAUSE
[02:02:24] WHENEVER THERE'S A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS THAT HAPPENS UNDER THIS
[02:02:28] ADMINISTRATION WE QUICKLY HEAR
[02:02:30] FROM DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS FROM
[02:02:33] THE WHITE HOUSE AND MAGA SUPPORTERS THAT ALL THESE
[02:02:37] VICTIMS HAD TO DO WERE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AS IF IT WAS THEIR FAULT THAT THEY'RE BEING SHOT.
[02:02:41] AND IN SOME INSTANCES, KILLED.
[02:02:43] WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JOHN
[02:02:45] WAS ATTEMPTING TO DO. YET HE WAS
[02:02:49] KILLED ANYWAY. NOW, I KNOW WE
[02:02:52] DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF
[02:02:54] EXACTLY HOW THIS TRAGEDY UNFOLDED. IN LARGE PART, WE
[02:02:58] DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, JUST LET'S GO TO THE VIDEO.
[02:03:02] LET'S GO TO THE BODY CAM
[02:03:03] FOOTAGE AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT
[02:03:06] HAPPENED. DESPITE RECEIVING
[02:03:10] BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF
[02:03:12] TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDED
[02:03:14] FUNDING FOR BODY CAMERAS, THESE
[02:03:18] OFFICERS WEREN'T WEARING ANY
[02:03:23] COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW
[02:03:24] FOR CERTAIN. FIRST OF ALL, JOHN
[02:03:28] SEBASTIAN GUERRERO'S DAUGHTER
[02:03:28] SHOULD STILL HAVE HER FATHER.
[02:03:33] SECOND, AND THIS IS PUBLICLY
[02:03:35] REPORTED, THE MAN WHO TOOK HIS
[02:03:39] LIFE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
[02:03:41] GIVEN A BADGE AND A GUN AND
[02:03:45] THAT'S NOT JUST COMING FROM ME.
[02:03:47] THAT'S COMING FROM TOM HOMAN.
[02:03:49] THAT'S RIGHT. PRESIDENT
[02:03:53] TRUMP'S QUOTE, BORDER CZAR, WHO RECENTLY SAID IN A TV INTERVIEW
[02:03:56] THAT I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD
[02:03:58] HAVE EVER CLEARED VETTING FROM
[02:04:03] WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, THIS IS A
[02:04:05] MAN WHO VERBALLY, EMOTIONALLY,
[02:04:08] AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED, NOT JUST
[02:04:10] ONE, BUT TWO EX-WIVES. AND ONCE,
[02:04:15] THROUGH HIS 13 YEAR OLD
[02:04:17] DAUGHTER, THROUGH A GLASS COFFEE
[02:04:21] TABLE. SO MR. HOMAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WHEN HE SAYS
[02:04:25] THAT THIS MAN'S HIRING WAS THE
[02:04:27] FAILURE OF THE AGENCY'S VETTING
[02:04:32] PROCESS. BUT IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF
[02:04:35] A MUCH LARGER FAILURE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
[02:04:38] AS ICE HAS RUSHED THIS LAST YEAR
[02:04:41] TO PUT AS MANY OFFICERS AS THEY
[02:04:44] COULD INTO COMMUNITIES AS
[02:04:46] QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, SOMETHING
[02:04:48] PRETTY HYPOCRITICAL, BY THE WAY, FROM AN ADMINISTRATION CALLING
[02:04:52] FOR THE REVETTING OF PREVIOUSLY
[02:04:57] VETTED REFUGEES AND OTHER
[02:04:58] IMMIGRANTS. BUT I DIGRESS. IN
[02:05:01] LESS THAN A YEAR, ICE HAS HIRED
[02:05:03] MORE THAN 12,000 OFFICERS, A
[02:05:08] 120% INCREASE IN STAFFING, HUGE
[02:05:10] INCREASE IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF
[02:05:14] TIME. PART, THEY. THEY WERE SO
[02:05:17] EAGER TO HIRE UP THAT THEY WERE
[02:05:19] OFFERING $50,000 BONUSES FOR
[02:05:22] PEOPLE WHO SIGNED ON TO THE
[02:05:24] AGENCY. ALONG THE WAY. THEY ALSO
[02:05:26] LOWERED RECRUITMENT STANDARDS TO
[02:05:29] TRY TO HIRE AS MANY PEOPLE AS
[02:05:31] POSSIBLE, AND THEY SHORTENED
[02:05:34] TRAINING, SHORTENED TRAINING FOR
[02:05:39] LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BEFORE DEPLOYING THEM INTO THE STREETS
[02:05:41] ANYBODY WITH HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL
[02:05:45] LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THIS. IT'S A
[02:05:48] BAD COMBINATION, A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. WHEN YOU HIRE TOO
[02:05:51] QUICKLY. SHORTEN TRAINING AND LOWER RECRUITMENT STANDARDS. AND
[02:05:55] NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
[02:05:57] SEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE
[02:06:00] BAD DECISIONS. HOW MANY MORE
[02:06:03] UNQUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY VETTED OR
[02:06:07] TRAINED ARE NOW IN OUR
[02:06:11] COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST ARMED, BUT ARMED AND DRESSED AS IF THEY'RE
[02:06:15] GOING TO WAR? THAT'S NOT THE JOB
[02:06:17] THEY'RE DOING ALONG THE WAY.
[02:06:21] VIOLATING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS,
[02:06:24] USING EXCESSIVE FORCE, RISKING
[02:06:28] INNOCENT LIVES, AND, WORST OF
[02:06:30] ALL, FACING NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
[02:06:34] COLLEAGUES, ACCOUNTABILITY
[02:06:37] ISN'T AN INCONVENIENCE FOR LAW
[02:06:39] ENFORCEMENT. IT'S IMPERATIVE IN
[02:06:41] A SOCIETY WHERE WE ENTRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH THE
[02:06:45] POWER TO TAKE LIVES, OUR LIBERTY
[02:06:47] OR OUR PROPERTY. WHEN WARRANTED,
[02:06:54] ACCOUNTABILITY IS WHAT GIVES LAW
[02:06:59] ENFORCEMENT THE LEGITIMACY IN A DEMOCRACY BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S
[02:07:02] GOING ON TODAY. JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, IT WAS REPORTED THAT
[02:07:05] THE FBI WILL NO LONGER
[02:07:09] INVESTIGATE CONFRONTATIONS WITH
[02:07:11] IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INSTEAD, HOMELAND SECURITY WILL
[02:07:14] DO THE INVESTIGATING TO
[02:07:16] DETERMINE WHETHER OFFICERS OR
[02:07:19] AGENTS HAVE BROKEN THE LAW. IF
[02:07:25] TRUE, HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE OR
[02:07:29] LEGITIMACY? AFTER ALL, IT'S BEEN
[02:07:32] SIX MONTHS SINCE THE KILLING OF
[02:07:34] ALEX PRETTI AND RENE NICOLE.
[02:07:37] GOOD, AND STILL, NOBODY'S BEEN
[02:07:40] ACCOUNTABLE, HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE DEATHS. LET ME REPEAT
[02:07:44] THEIR NAMES. ALEX PRETTI. RENE.
[02:07:51] NICOLE. GOOD. RUBEN. RAY.
[02:07:54] MARTINEZ
[02:08:05] PRAY THERE'S NOT MORE TO COME.
[02:08:08] HOW MANY MORE NEED TO DIE BEFORE
[02:08:11] THIS ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZES,
[02:08:14] ACKNOWLEDGES, AND ADMITS THAT
[02:08:19] SOMETHING IS DEEPLY WRONG. ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT I WANT
[02:08:21] TO MAKE TODAY IS THAT THESE
[02:08:26] FAILURES DON'T END ON THE STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
[02:08:29] THEY'RE ALSO HAPPENING INSIDE THE WALLS OF DETENTION
[02:08:33] FACILITIES, WHERE, AS OF
[02:08:34] YESTERDAY, AT LEAST 54 PEOPLE
[02:08:39] HAVE DIED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
[02:08:42] THIS ADMINISTRATION. THE YEAR
[02:08:45] 2025 WAS A RECORD YEAR, NOT A
[02:08:47] GOOD RECORD. THE MOST DEATHS IN ICE CUSTODY IN A CALENDAR YEAR,
[02:08:50] AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO EXCEED
[02:08:51] THAT IN 2026. AT THIS MOMENT,
[02:08:56] MORE THAN 67,000 PEOPLE ARE
[02:08:57] BEING HELD IN OVERCROWDED AND
[02:09:01] UNDERSTAFFED FACILITIES, WHERE
[02:09:04] MANY ARE DENIED ACCESS TO
[02:09:07] HEALTHY FOOD, CLEAN WATER, EVEN
[02:09:10] BASIC MEDICAL CARE. FORGET ABOUT
[02:09:12] LIFE SAVING CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH EXTREME CONDITIONS. FOLKS THAT
[02:09:16] I'VE SEEN AND TALKED TO PERSONALLY, SUFFERING FROM
[02:09:20] INJURIES THEY SUSTAINED WHEN BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BECAUSE
[02:09:23] OF THE CRUELTY AND THE VIOLENCE OF HOW IT'S BEING DONE, AND
[02:09:26] REPORTING. JUST THIS MORNING
[02:09:28] FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, SHOWS
[02:09:30] US THAT MORE THAN 50 PARENTS AND
[02:09:34] SPOUSES OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE
[02:09:36] MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DETAINED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND
[02:09:40] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND AT
[02:09:42] LEAST SIX HAVE BEEN DEPORTED.
[02:09:45] THINK ABOUT SONS AND DAUGHTERS,
[02:09:49] HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARE WILLING
[02:09:50] TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE
[02:09:54] FOR THIS COUNTRY. DURING
[02:09:56] WARTIME, NO LESS. AND THE TRUMP
[02:09:59] ADMINISTRATION IS REWARDING THEIR SERVICE BY DETAINING AND
[02:10:02] DEPORTING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
[02:10:06] YET, DESPITE ALL THIS, DONALD
[02:10:10] TRUMP AND THOSE AROUND HIM KEEP
[02:10:12] REPEATING THE LIE THAT THEY'RE
[02:10:15] ONLY GOING AFTER THE WORST OF
[02:10:18] THE WORST. IT'S NOT TRUE. EVEN
[02:10:22] FEDERAL COURTS HAVE FOUND THAT THE CONDITIONS IN THESE DETENTION FACILITIES, BY THE
[02:10:25] WAY, ARE UNACCEPTABLE. A FEDERAL
[02:10:29] DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA JUST ORDERED IMPROVEMENTS TO BASIC NEEDS,
[02:10:33] LIKE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER,
[02:10:36] NUTRITIOUS FOOD, AND MEDICAL AND
[02:10:39] DISABILITY CARE IN THE ADELANTO
[02:10:41] ICE PROCESSING CENTER BASIC
[02:10:44] STANDARDS FOR HUMANITY THAT ARE BOTH FEDERAL LAW AND
[02:10:48] INTERNATIONAL LAW. IN FEBRUARY,
[02:10:52] A SIMILAR ORDER TO PROVIDE
[02:10:53] ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE WAS ISSUED REGARDING THE LARGEST
[02:10:57] DETENTION CENTER IN CALIFORNIA. THE ONE LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA
[02:11:00] CITY. BUT JUST LAST WEEK, WE
[02:11:03] LEARNED FROM A NEUTRAL COURT APPOINTED MONITOR THAT ISIS
[02:11:06] FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THAT
[02:11:10] ORDER. THIS ADMINISTRATION JUST
[02:11:13] DOESN'T CARE. DESPITE THESE DEATHS, DESPITE THESE CONDITIONS, AND DESPITE THE
[02:11:17] ENORMOUS HUMAN TOLL, THE
[02:11:21] ADMINISTRATION IS ACTUALLY DOUBLING DOWN ICE ARRESTED 51000
[02:11:25] PEOPLE IN THE MONTH OF JULY, THE
[02:11:28] LARGEST IN A SINGLE MONTH IN DHS
[02:11:33] HISTORY. AND AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE NOT DANGEROUS,
[02:11:36] VIOLENT CRIMINALS. SO WE HAVE A
[02:11:40] HISTORIC NUMBER OF ARRESTS, COUPLED WITH A HISTORIC NUMBER
[02:11:44] OF DEATHS IN ICE CUSTODY. AND
[02:11:46] THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS THE AUDACITY TO IGNORE COURT ORDERS
[02:11:50] TO PROVIDE BASIC CARE AND
[02:11:55] DIGNITY TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT'S
[02:11:57] CRAMMING INTO THESE DETENTION
[02:11:59] FACILITIES. AND ON TOP OF ALL
[02:12:02] THAT, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN
[02:12:05] THIS CONGRESS HAS GIVEN ICE AND
[02:12:07] BORDER PATROL $150 BILLION, WITH
[02:12:11] NO ACCOUNTABILITY, NO SAFEGUARDS REQUIRED. SO THEY DON'T EVEN
[02:12:15] HAVE TO COME BACK TO CONGRESS TO
[02:12:17] JUSTIFY THEIR FUNDING REQUEST AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOR THE
[02:12:20] NEXT THREE YEARS. ICE IS NOW
[02:12:26] EXPANDING DETENTION FACILITIES WHILE CONTINUING TO CARRY OUT THESE MASS ENFORCEMENT
[02:12:30] OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[02:12:33] THEY'RE FAILING. THEY'RE
[02:12:35] FAILING. THE HUMANITY TESTS THAT
[02:12:38] ARE BEING ORDERED BY FEDERAL COURTS TO DO THE JOB RIGHT.
[02:12:42] THEY'RE DOUBLING DOWN AND
[02:12:45] GROWING THEIR OPERATION, AND WE NOW KNOW THAT OVER 300,000
[02:12:49] HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW
[02:12:51] FACING ARREST AND DEPORTATION AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
[02:12:54] HAS RIPPED AWAY THEIR TEMPORARY
[02:12:56] PROTECTED STATUS. COLLEAGUES,
[02:13:00] HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF ILL TRAINED,
[02:13:04] UNQUALIFIED, AND UNACCOUNTABLE
[02:13:07] FEDERAL AGENTS AND INSIDE
[02:13:09] INHUMANE DETENTION CENTERS? BEFORE WE, AS A CONGRESS, OR AT
[02:13:12] LEAST THE SENATE, SAY, BEFORE WE
[02:13:19] CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEMAND COMMON SENSE REFORMS,
[02:13:22] WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE? BECAUSE OUR PROPOSALS ARE OUT
[02:13:26] THERE, LIKE MY VISIBLE ACT,
[02:13:28] WHICH SAYS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE TO
[02:13:31] HAVE VERY CLEAR, VERY VISIBLE
[02:13:35] IDENTIFICATION, SOMETHING THAT'S STANDARD FOR LAW
[02:13:38] ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NATIONWIDE
[02:13:40] IF A GROUP OF MASKED INDIVIDUALS
[02:13:42] AND UNMARKED CARS RUNS YOU OFF
[02:13:44] THE ROAD, JUMPS OUT OF THEIR
[02:13:46] CARS WITH GUNS DRAWN AND STARTS
[02:13:50] SCREAMING IN YOUR FACE WITHOUT ANY WAY TO EASILY AND QUICKLY
[02:13:53] KNOW THAT THEY'RE FEDERAL
[02:13:55] AGENTS. OF COURSE, SOMEBODY'S
[02:13:58] GOING TO PANIC. WE JUST SAW THAT
[02:14:01] EXACT SCENARIO PLAY OUT IN HOUSTON A FEW WEEKS AGO. SALGADO
[02:14:05] ARAUJO WAS DRIVING IN HIS VAN ON
[02:14:07] HIS WAY TO WORK WHEN TWO
[02:14:12] UNMARKED CARS WITHOUT SIRENS OR
[02:14:14] LIGHTS BEGAN CHASING HIM, EVENTUALLY BLOCKING HIS CAR ON A
[02:14:18] SMALL SIDE STREET. AS HE WAS
[02:14:20] TRYING TO TURN AROUND, THEY SHOT
[02:14:23] HIM AND KILLED HIM. WITHOUT ANY
[02:14:29] CLEAR IDENTIFICATION, HOW COULD LORENZO KNOW THAT THESE CARS
[02:14:33] CHASING HIM BELONGED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT? AS ONE EXPERT
[02:14:37] REVIEWING THE FOOTAGE OF THIS CHASE FROM PUBLIC CAMERAS SAID,
[02:14:40] QUOTE, IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A
[02:14:42] CARJACKING ATTEMPT THAN IT IS A
[02:14:48] POLICE STOP. AND WE WONDER WHY SOME PEOPLE PANIC. THAT'S
[02:14:52] EXACTLY WHY WE NEED THE BASIC STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL LAW
[02:14:56] ENFORCEMENT, LIKE THOSE CALLED FOR IN SENATOR BOOKER'S FEDERAL
[02:14:58] LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS AND
[02:15:00] ACCOUNTABILITY ACT AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF AGENTS AND
[02:15:04] CIVILIANS ALIKE. LAW ENFORCEMENT
[02:15:06] NEEDS TO HAVE THE BODY CAMERAS
[02:15:09] AND TO HAVE THEM TURNED ON,
[02:15:11] WHICH THE FOCUS ACT WOULD
[02:15:13] REQUIRE. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF BASIC SAFEGUARDS THAT DEMOCRATS
[02:15:18] HAVE BEEN PROPOSING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT THE
[02:15:21] ADMINISTRATION AND THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY DOESN'T WANT
[02:15:24] TO ACT ON IT. NOW, WE HAVE A LOT
[02:15:27] OF POLICY DEBATES HERE IN
[02:15:29] CONGRESS BUT TOO OFTEN WE LOSE
[02:15:31] SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE
[02:15:33] HEADLINES AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND
[02:15:35] THE STATISTICS THAT ARE IMPACTED
[02:15:40] BY THESE POLICIES PEOPLE, AS ARE
[02:15:43] THOUSANDS OF OTHERS LIVING IN
[02:15:45] FEAR TODAY. MOTHERS, FATHERS,
[02:15:49] SONS, DAUGHTERS, BROTHERS,
[02:15:52] SISTERS. THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR
[02:15:54] COWORKERS AND NEIGHBORS, ALL
[02:15:57] HUMAN BEINGS DESERVING OF BASIC
[02:16:01] DIGNITY AND HUMANITY. LAST GOT
[02:16:04] INTO HIS CAR, EXPECTING JUST A
[02:16:07] NORMAL REGULAR DAY, AND NOW HIS
[02:16:10] DAUGHTER WILL GROW UP IN A WORLD
[02:16:13] WITHOUT HIM IN IT. AND SHE CARRIES HIS MEMORY WITH HER FOR
[02:16:17] THE REST OF HER LIFE, NOT ONLY
[02:16:21] OF HIM, BUT HOW HE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. SHE'LL REMEMBER THAT
[02:16:25] FOREVER. AND COLLEAGUES, I
[02:16:26] IMPLORE THAT WE REMEMBER AS WELL, AND LET'S LEARN FROM IT
[02:16:30] AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
[02:16:33] KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN,
[02:16:36] BECAUSE WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS
[02:16:38] THAT NEED TO BE ENFORCED. BUT A
[02:16:42] NATION OF LAWS INCLUDES BEING A NATION OF DUE PROCESS OF
[02:16:46] ACCOUNTABILITY, AND, ABOVE ALL,
[02:16:50] HUMAN DIGNITY. AND WE SHOULD NEVER ACCEPT AN AMERICA WHERE
[02:16:53] FEDERAL AGENTS HIDE THEIR FACES,
[02:16:55] ABUSE THEIR AUTHORITY, OR TAKE
[02:17:00] LIFE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT AND
[02:17:05] ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S A CHOICE,
[02:17:10] FOLKS, THAT WE'RE MAKING. WHAT
[02:17:13] KIND OF COUNTRY ARE WE WORKING
[02:17:15] TOWARDS? IT'S A CHOICE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESSIONAL
[02:17:19] REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE STREETS.
[02:17:22] AMERICA DESERVES BETTER. AMERICA
[02:17:24] DESERVES BETTER.
[02:17:27] >> I RISE TODAY TO ASK THIS
[02:17:31] SENATE BODY TO JOIN ME IN THE
[02:17:34] STOPPING OF THE FUNDING OF VIRAL
[02:17:36] GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH VIA GAIN OF FUNCTION. RESEARCH IS
[02:17:40] WHAT LED, OF COURSE, TO THE COVID VIRUS BEING DEVELOPED.
[02:17:43] AND, OF COURSE, THE COVID
[02:17:46] EPIDEMIC. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO PAUSE AND STOP
[02:17:50] AND THINK WHY THIS IS STILL IMPORTANT, THIS WHAT IS WE NOW,
[02:17:53] FIVE, SIX YEARS LATER, WE ALL
[02:17:55] KNOW WE LOST A MILLION AMERICANS
[02:17:58] TO THIS COVID VIRUS. 20 MILLION
[02:18:02] AMERICANS STILL SUFFER FROM LONG
[02:18:05] COVID. MANY, MANY AMERICANS DIED
[02:18:09] ALONE, MAYBE AT A NURSING HOME,
[02:18:11] MAYBE IN IN THEIR OWN HOME, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE
[02:18:14] THEIR OWN CHILDREN, THEIR, THEIR
[02:18:16] SPOUSES COME VISIT THEM IN THOSE
[02:18:19] LAST MOMENTS OF THEIR LIFE. WE
[02:18:20] HAD TENS OF MILLIONS OF STUDENTS
[02:18:24] MISS THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF
[02:18:27] COLLEGE. MAYBE IT WAS THE STATE TRACK MEET. MAYBE IT WAS THE SOFTBALL STATE SOFTBALL TEAM.
[02:18:31] THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THEIR
[02:18:33] WHOLE LIFE. WE HAD KIDS THAT
[02:18:36] STILL HAVE LEARNING DISABILITY
[02:18:38] OR LAGGING IN THEIR LEARNING,
[02:18:41] SPECIFICALLY READING, NOT TO MENTION THEIR SOCIAL
[02:18:45] INTERACTIONS AND THEIR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS COVID
[02:18:47] VIRUS LEFT A HUGE PHYSICAL,
[02:18:52] ECONOMIC, AND EMOTIONAL SCAR ON
[02:18:55] AMERICA. AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT WE STOP THIS VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH. AND
[02:18:59] I'M SO PROUD THAT THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY HAS AGREED TO STOP THE
[02:19:03] FUNDING. I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR THE STOPPING OF THIS SINCE 2021,
[02:19:07] AS WELL. AND I THINK IT'S
[02:19:11] IMPORTANT TO REALIZE HOW ANTHONY
[02:19:13] FAUCI EVADED THE INTENTIONS OF
[02:19:16] CONGRESS AND THE RULES FROM HIS OWN WHITE HOUSE. EVEN PRESIDENT
[02:19:20] OBAMA ASKED HIM TO STOP DOING
[02:19:23] VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH. BUT, OF COURSE, ANTHONY FAUCI
[02:19:26] HAD MORE, MORE, MORE ATTORNEYS
[02:19:27] THAN THERE. THERE ARE THAN CARTER HAS PILLS. AND THEY
[02:19:31] ALWAYS FOUND SOME LOOPHOLE. AND THEN WHEN THEY COULDN'T DO IT HERE, THEN HE FUNDED, HE
[02:19:35] OFFSHORED THE FUNDING OF THIS.
[02:19:37] BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, THE UNITED STATES WAS FUNDING
[02:19:41] VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH
[02:19:43] FOR DECADES. THIS WAS ANTHONY FAUCI'S BABY. HE THOUGHT THAT
[02:19:48] THIS WAS HIS TICKET TO A NOBEL
[02:19:51] PRIZE. YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE
[02:19:53] A PHYSICIAN LIKE MYSELF OR A MOM
[02:19:55] OR DAD OR A BUSINESS PERSON, A
[02:19:58] MILITARY OFFICER, YOU ALWAYS GOT TO SIT THERE AND WEIGH THE
[02:20:00] BENEFITS AND THE RISK OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I MEAN,
[02:20:05] WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE, I'M NOT SURE OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH,
[02:20:07] YOU KNOW, THEY SAID IT WAS SO
[02:20:09] THAT IF ANOTHER, IF SOME UNKNOWN
[02:20:12] ORGANISM APPEARED, THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A VACCINE. BUT
[02:20:16] OF COURSE, THE DOWNSIDE WAS ALWAYS THE FEAR OF RISK OF A
[02:20:20] VIRUS THEY MADE IN A LABORATORY, OF IT ESCAPING. AND, OF COURSE,
[02:20:23] WHY WOULDN'T THERE BE MULTIPLE
[02:20:25] TIMES IN HISTORY, VIRUSES,
[02:20:29] MICROORGANISMS HAVE ESCAPED FROM
[02:20:30] LABORATORY. IT'S PRACTICALLY
[02:20:33] IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THEM. 1978
[02:20:36] A SMALLPOX VIRUS ESCAPED FROM A LAB IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. 2007
[02:20:40] FOOT AND MOUTH VIRUS RELEASED, ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM
[02:20:44] UNITED KINGDOM LAB, 2014. THE
[02:20:47] CDC HAD AN AN ANTHRAX ISSUE. UH,
[02:20:51] AGAIN IN 2014, NIH KEFFE D.
[02:20:52] THERE WAS UNSECURED SMALLPOX
[02:20:55] VIALS SEEN, UH, THESE MICE THAT WERE DOING EXPERIMENTS ON
[02:20:59] INFECTING THEM WITH THESE MONSTER VIRUSES FROM TIME TO
[02:21:03] TIME. ESCAPE. SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE WERE SET UP FOR FAILURE.
[02:21:06] AND AGAIN, DESPITE SCIENTISTS,
[02:21:10] AFTER SCIENTISTS, PRESIDENTS AFTER PRESIDENTS WARNING ANTHONY FAUCI TO STOP DOING THIS
[02:21:14] RESEARCH, HE PERSISTED AND HE
[02:21:16] PERSISTED. AND HE PERSISTED
[02:21:19] UNTIL FINALLY, COVID 19 WAS ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM A LAB
[02:21:23] IN WUHAN, CHINA. AND THE REST IS
[02:21:26] HISTORY. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK
[02:21:28] IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE STOP
[02:21:31] THE FUNDING FOR THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL. LET'S CODIFY WHAT THE
[02:21:35] PRESIDENT HAS DONE HERE, AND MAKE SURE, AT LEAST UNTIL
[02:21:38] SOMEONE CAN COME TO THIS
[02:21:39] CONGRESS AND SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE
[02:21:43] A FOOLPROOF SYSTEM, UH, FOR, FOR KEEPING THIS IN CONTROL. BUT
[02:21:45] WHEN YOU'RE MAKING MONSTER
[02:21:48] VIRUSES, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS PROBABLY SOME TYPE OF
[02:21:50] TERRORISM THAT IT WOULD BE SO
[02:21:52] EASY ONCE THESE ARE MADE TO BE REPLICATED AND TURNED INTO A
[02:21:56] TERRORIST WEAPON, MUCH MORE OF
[02:21:57] A, OF A SERIOUS, CONSEQUENTIAL
[02:22:00] THREAT TO AMERICA THAN NUCLEAR
[02:22:02] WARHEADS ARE. AND THINK ABOUT
[02:22:04] THIS, THAT THIS VIRUS ALONE IS
[02:22:07] EXPONENTIALLY MORE LETHAL THAN
[02:22:09] ALL THE YEARS OF NUCLEAR
[02:22:12] WEAPONS. THIS BILL DOES ONE SIMPLE THING. IT STOPS FEDERAL
[02:22:15] TAX DOLLARS FROM FUNDING THE KIND OF RESEARCH THAT CAN TURN A
[02:22:18] VIRUS INTO A WEAPON. NO MORE
[02:22:23] OFFSHORING RISK TO AVOID OVERSIGHT. NO MORE ASKING PERMISSION FROM THE VERY
[02:22:27] AGENCIES THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM.
[02:22:30] >> DURING MY 12 YEARS IN THE
[02:22:31] SENATE, I HAVE EXPOSED MANY
[02:22:34] OUTLANDISH EXAMPLES OF GOVERNMENT WASTE. FOR EXAMPLE, I
[02:22:39] UNCOVERED THAT WASHINGTON SENT
[02:22:43] NEARLY $500 MILLION TO CHINA TO
[02:22:46] PAY FOR EVERYTHING FROM POETRY
[02:22:49] PROJECTS TO DANGEROUS RESEARCH
[02:22:52] ON BATS ANOTHER $870 MILLION OF
[02:22:58] U.S. TAXPAYER MONEY WENT TO
[02:23:02] RUSSIA. THIS INCLUDES MORE THAN
[02:23:06] $770,000 FROM THE NATIONAL
[02:23:08] INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, SENT TO A
[02:23:11] STATE RUN LAB IN RUSSIA TO PUT
[02:23:17] CATS ON TREADMILLS. HOW DID I
[02:23:20] UNCOVER THESE CRAZY TRAILS OF
[02:23:22] MONEY TO OUR FOREIGN
[02:23:26] ADVERSARIES? IT'S QUITE SIMPLE.
[02:23:28] FOR 20 YEARS NOW, THE FEDERAL
[02:23:30] FUNDING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
[02:23:33] TRANSPARENCY ACT HAS REQUIRED
[02:23:36] UNCLASSIFIED GOVERNMENT SPENDING
[02:23:38] TO BE PUT ONLINE IN A SEARCHABLE
[02:23:43] PUBLIC WEBSITE. U.S.
[02:23:46] SPENDING.GOV. THIS ALLOWS
[02:23:49] TAXPAYERS TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES
[02:23:51] HOW THE MONEY THEY ARE SENDING
[02:23:53] TO WASHINGTON IS SPENT.
[02:23:56] BUREAUCRATS, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN HIDING TENS OF BILLIONS OF
[02:24:00] DOLLARS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH
[02:24:04] SECRET SPENDING ARRANGEMENTS
[02:24:07] KNOWN AS OTHER TRANSACTION
[02:24:11] AGREEMENTS, OR OTAS. BY NOT
[02:24:14] PUBLICLY DISCLOSING THESE
[02:24:16] EXPENDITURES ON USA
[02:24:18] SPENDING.GOV, THE PENTAGON ALONE
[02:24:21] HAS OBLIGATED $77.7 BILLION FOR
[02:24:28] THOUSANDS OF OTAS OVER JUST THE
[02:24:31] PAST FIVE YEARS. THROUGH OVER
[02:24:36] 30,000. HARD TO TRACK CONTRACTS.
[02:24:40] THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH
[02:24:42] OTAS IS HAVING A REAL IMPACT.
[02:24:46] ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, THE
[02:24:49] PENTAGON QUOTE, CANNOT ASSESS
[02:24:54] THE EXTENT TO WHICH OTAS ARE
[02:24:58] DELIVERING CAPABILITIES TO THE WARFIGHTER, END QUOTE. THE
[02:25:01] OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
[02:25:04] ALSO FOUND THE PENTAGON DOESN'T
[02:25:05] EVEN HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF
[02:25:08] OTAS OR THEIR DOLLAR VALUES OTAS
[02:25:14] ARE ALSO BEING USED BY THE
[02:25:16] DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
[02:25:20] SERVICES, HOMELAND SECURITY
[02:25:23] TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AS WELL
[02:25:25] AS NASA. WE RECENTLY LEARNED
[02:25:28] THAT NIH IS NEW ARPA-H
[02:25:31] BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CONTRACTS
[02:25:34] ARE BEING PROCESSED AS OTAS
[02:25:37] THROUGH THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
[02:25:40] THIS MEANS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW
[02:25:42] THE DETAILS BEHIND NIH
[02:25:45] BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CONTRACTS,
[02:25:50] YOU PRACTICALLY HAVE TO BE A DATA WIZARD AND KNOW WHERE TO
[02:25:54] LOOK. DEEP IN THE DEPARTMENT OF.
[02:25:58] WHERE DID I SAY DEPARTMENT OF
[02:26:02] INTERIOR'S DATABASES? I KNOW IT
[02:26:06] MAKES NO SENSE. AS WE WITNESSED
[02:26:10] LAST WEEK, WE CAN'T GET ANSWERS
[02:26:13] FROM DR. FAUCI ABOUT WHAT NIH
[02:26:15] HAS BEEN FUNDING BECAUSE HE IS
[02:26:17] HIDING BEHIND THE FIFTH
[02:26:21] AMENDMENT. TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO
[02:26:24] KNOW HOW THEIR DOLLARS ARE BEING
[02:26:26] SPENT IN WASHINGTON. AND WE HAVE
[02:26:31] AN OBLIGATION HERE TO SHOW THEM.
[02:26:33] IN JUNE, THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY
[02:26:39] PASSED MY BIPARTISAN STOP SECRET
[02:26:41] SPENDING ACT TO REQUIRE OTAS TO
[02:26:44] BE PUBLICLY DISCLOSED ON USA
[02:26:47] SPENDING.GOV. JUST LIKE ALL
[02:26:52] OTHER GOVERNMENT SPENDING. I
[02:26:56] VERY MUCH APPRECIATE SENATORS PETERS AND HASSAN, WHOSE SUPPORT
[02:26:59] WAS CRITICAL FOR MAKING THIS
[02:27:01] HAPPEN. I WAS ALSO DELIGHTED
[02:27:04] LAST MONTH WHEN THE HOUSE APPROVED THE BIPARTISAN
[02:27:07] COMPANION BILL, INTRODUCED BY
[02:27:09] REPRESENTATIVES MOORE AND
[02:27:11] PANETTA, WHICH IS NOW AT THE
[02:27:16] DESK HERE IN THE SENATE. WE ALL KNOW CONGRESS CAN AGREE ON VERY
[02:27:19] MUCH THESE DAYS, SO IT MAKES A
[02:27:21] VERY POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN
[02:27:26] FOLKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
[02:27:28] AISLE, AND FROM BOTH CHAMBERS
[02:27:33] COME TOGETHER BY PASSING THIS TRANSPARENCY BILL TO HOLD
[02:27:34] WASHINGTON ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW
[02:27:38] AMERICANS TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING
[02:27:41] SPENT WITH FRAUDSTERS STEALING
[02:27:47] $1.4 BILLION EVERY SINGLE DAY WE
[02:27:53] NEED THIS INFORMATION NOW SO WE
[02:27:55] CAN ACCOUNT FOR WHO IS TAKING
[02:27:58] TAX DOLLARS AND WHY THEY ARE
[02:28:03] TAKING THEM. EARLIER TODAY, I ATTENDED THE MEETING OF THE VICE
[02:28:07] PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE TO ELIMINATE FRAUD AT THE WHITE
[02:28:11] HOUSE AND THE SUCCESS OF THIS
[02:28:15] EFFORT DEPENDS ON BEING ABLE TO
[02:28:17] TRACK HOW DOLLARS ARE BEING
[02:28:24] SPENT. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME GOVERNORS ARE IMPEDING ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS BY BLOCKING
[02:28:27] ACCESS TO SPENDING. INFORMATION
[02:28:29] ABOUT HOW TAX DOLLARS FROM
[02:28:32] WASHINGTON ARE BEING SPENT IN
[02:28:34] THEIR OWN STATES. WE CAN'T STOP
[02:28:38] WHAT WE CAN'T SEE, BUT WE CAN
[02:28:41] DO OUR PART BY PASSING THE STOP
[02:28:46] SECRET SPENDING ACT TODAY. THIS
[02:28:48] BILL WILL END THE SECRECY ABOUT
[02:28:52] HOW TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
[02:28:54] ARE BEING SPENT EVERY SINGLE
[02:28:56] YEAR. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR
[02:28:58] DELAYING SENDING THIS BILL TO
[02:29:01] THE PRESIDENT TODAY TO BECOME
[02:29:03] LAW. IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON TO
[02:29:07] OPPOSE THE STOP SECRET SPENDING
[02:29:09] ACT IS IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
[02:29:14] HIDE, AS IF IN LEGISLATIVE
[02:29:16] SESSION. AND NOTWITHSTANDING
[02:29:18] RULE 22, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED TO THE
[02:29:22] IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF H.R.
[02:29:25] 2069, WHICH WAS RECEIVED FROM THE HOUSE. I FURTHER ASK THAT
[02:29:29] THE BILL BE CONSIDERED. READ A
[02:29:31] THIRD TIME, AND PASSED, AND THAT
[02:29:34] THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BE
[02:29:36] CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID
[02:29:40] >> AN OBJECTION? MR. PRESIDENT? SENATOR FROM TEXAS. >> RESERVING THE RIGHT TO
[02:29:44] OBJECT, I UNDERSTAND THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM IOWA IS DEEPLY
[02:29:48] INTERESTED IN GETTING THIS LEGISLATION PASSED, AND I
[02:29:51] APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE AND EFFORT SHE HAS DEVOTED TO THIS LEGISLATION. THIS IS A GOOD
[02:29:55] BILL. I SUPPORT HER BILL.
[02:29:58] INDEED, I VOTED FOR HER BILL, AS
[02:29:59] DID EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS
[02:30:03] BODY. BUT THE SENATE ALSO HAS A
[02:30:05] GREAT MANY OTHER BILLS THAT WE
[02:30:08] ARE WORKING ON, THAT WE HAVE
[02:30:11] PASSED, AND THAT HAVE RUN INTO A ROADBLOCK IN THE HOUSE OF
[02:30:15] REPRESENTATIVES, THE HOUSE OF
[02:30:18] REPRESENTATIVES CURRENTLY IS
[02:30:21] REFUSING TO TAKE UP SENATE
[02:30:23] PASSED BILLS, AND RATHER IS
[02:30:27] PASSING ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY HOUSE BILLS. THIS IS AN UNREASONABLE
[02:30:31] POSITION FOR THE HOUSE TO TAKE
[02:30:34] AND INDEED, IT IS NOT A THEORETICAL POSITION. IT IS WHAT
[02:30:38] THE HOUSE HAS DONE ON THIS VERY.
[02:30:43] BILL. ON THIS BILL, SENATOR
[02:30:46] ERNST INTRODUCED IT. THE SENATE PASSED IT UNANIMOUSLY. IT WAS
[02:30:50] SENT TO THE HOUSE. AND WHAT DID THE HOUSE DO? THEY DID NOT PASS.
[02:30:52] THE SENATE PASSED BILL. INSTEAD,
[02:30:54] THEY PASSED ESSENTIALLY THE
[02:30:57] IDENTICAL BILL. BUT AS A HOUSE
[02:30:58] MEASURE. NOW, MIND YOU, THAT WAS
[02:31:01] NOT BECAUSE THEY HAD ANY
[02:31:04] SUBSTANTIVE OBJECTIONS TO SENATOR ERNST BILL, BUT RATHER,
[02:31:08] IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE REFUSING TO DO THEIR JOB AS
[02:31:12] ANOTHER CHAMBER IN THIS
[02:31:16] CONGRESS. AMONG THE BILLS THAT
[02:31:18] THE SENATE HAS PASSED THAT ARE SITTING LANGUISHING AT THE HOUSE
[02:31:22] RIGHT NOW IS A BILL THAT I HAVE
[02:31:25] WORKED VERY HARD TO PASS, CALLED
[02:31:29] TREY'S LAW. TREY'S LAW IS NAMED FOR TREY CARLOCK, A
[02:31:32] BELOVED CITIZEN OF DALLAS, WHO,
[02:31:35] TRAGICALLY, AS A YOUNG BOY, WAS
[02:31:39] A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AT A
[02:31:43] SUMMER CAMP. LITIGATION ENSUED,
[02:31:46] AND TREY ENDED UP SIGNING AN NDA
[02:31:54] WHERE HE WAS BLOCKED BY LAW FROM
[02:31:57] SHARING THE DETAILS OF THE
[02:32:00] HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE HE ENDURED
[02:32:05] THAT SILENCE. WEIGHED ON TREY
[02:32:10] POWERFULLY, AND HE ULTIMATELY
[02:32:11] TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AT AGE 28,
[02:32:14] TREY'S LAW IS AN INITIATIVE
[02:32:16] THAT HAS BEEN CHAMPIONED BY
[02:32:19] TREY'S SISTER, ELIZABETH. NUMEROUS STATES, INCLUDING MY
[02:32:22] HOME STATE OF TEXAS, INCLUDING, MR. PRESIDENT, YOUR HOME STATE
[02:32:26] OF MISSOURI HAVE PASSED TREY'S
[02:32:29] LAW. AND IN THE SENATE, I INTRODUCED TREY'S LAWS,
[02:32:32] BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION, AND THE SENATE PASSED IT 100 TO NOTHING.
[02:32:36] AND IT IS SITTING AT THE HOUSE
[02:32:39] LANGUISHING. NOT BECAUSE ANYONE
[02:32:41] OBJECTS TO IT, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE HOUSE HAS DECIDED
[02:32:45] NOT TO PROCESS SENATE BILLS. SO,
[02:32:49] AS MY FRIEND SENATOR ERNST KNOWS, I HAVE PLACED A HOLD ON
[02:32:52] HOUSE BILLS UNTIL THE HOUSE
[02:32:54] STARTS TAKING UP AND PASSING
[02:32:57] SENATE BILLS. I HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY IN NEGOTIATION WITH
[02:33:00] HOUSE LEADERSHIP, AND I'M
[02:33:05] CONFIDENT THIS ISSUE WILL GET RESOLVED. THE HOUSE IS GOING TO TAKE UP AND DO THEIR JOB AND
[02:33:10] PASS SENATE BILLS, AND THE SENATE WILL LIKEWISE TAKE UP AND
[02:33:14] PASS HOUSE BILLS AND I AM
[02:33:16] CONFIDENT, IN PARTICULAR, THAT
[02:33:18] SENATOR ERNST WILL SUCCEED IN
[02:33:21] PASSING THIS BILL INTO LAW THIS
[02:33:23] YEAR. WITH MY ENTHUSIASTIC
[02:33:27] SUPPORT, BUT OFTEN IN CONGRESS,
[02:33:29] THE ONLY WAY TO GET A CHANGE OF
[02:33:33] ACTION IS TO EXERCISE LEVERAGE.
[02:33:35] AND THAT IS WHAT I AM DOING NOW,
[02:33:40] TO GET THE HOUSE TO TAKE UP AND PASS IMPORTANT BILLS. AND SO,
[02:33:44] THEREFORE, AT THIS TIME, AT
[02:33:46] LEAST, I OBJECT.
[02:33:49] >> THE OBJECTION IS HEARD.
[02:33:52] SENATOR FROM IOWA. >> NOW, I.
[02:33:56] >> I CAN APPRECIATE THE DILEMMA THAT MANY OF US ARE IN AS WE
[02:33:59] DEBATE THESE VERY IMPORTANT BILLS, AND. THEY ARE VERY
[02:34:03] IMPORTANT BILLS. AND SO WHAT I
[02:34:06] HAVE IN FRONT OF ME HERE AT AT
[02:34:09] MY DESK IS A LIST OF 59 HOUSE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED.
[02:34:12] THIS CONGRESS. THEY ARE H.R.
[02:34:15] BILLS. THERE. H.J. RESOLUTION
[02:34:22] 140, HR 7147. 59. HOUSE BILLS
[02:34:26] THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED THROUGH
[02:34:28] THE SENATE. IN THIS CONGRESS.
[02:34:31] NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL
[02:34:33] HAVE WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO USE
[02:34:36] LEVERAGE. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT. MATTER OF FACT,
[02:34:40] THE BILL THAT I HAD PASSED THROUGH THIS CHAMBER, YOU KNOW,
[02:34:44] I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT AS AN S
[02:34:46] BILL, A SENATE BILL, AND I WOULD
[02:34:49] LOVE TO SEE MY NAME AT THE TOP
[02:34:53] OF THE BILL, RATHER THAN A HOUSE BILL. THE COMPANION BILL WAS
[02:34:57] PASSED BY THE HOUSE. SO, AGAIN,
[02:35:01] I'D LOVE TO SEE MY NAME AT THE TOP OF THE BILL, AND IT LISTED
[02:35:03] AS A SENATE BILL. I DISCUSSED IT
[02:35:09] WITH MY STAFF. I'M IN THE LAST
[02:35:11] SIX MONTHS OF MY FINAL TERM IN
[02:35:14] THE UNITED STATES SENATE. I'D
[02:35:16] LOVE TO HAVE MORE OF MY LEGACY
[02:35:19] ITEMS WITH MY NAME ON THEM, BUT I TOLD MY STAFF, IT'S MORE
[02:35:23] IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THESE
[02:35:25] BILLS DONE. I DON'T CARE IF
[02:35:28] IT'S A HOUSE BILL. I DON'T CARE
[02:35:30] IF THIS HAS MY NAME ALL OVER IT.
[02:35:33] THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WHEN
[02:35:36] WE HAVE GOOD PIECES OF
[02:35:39] LEGISLATION PUT IN FRONT OF US,
[02:35:44] AND THAT WE WORKED HARD IN A
[02:35:46] BIPARTISAN MANNER, AND A
[02:35:49] BICAMERAL MANNER, AND IT'S GOOD
[02:35:51] FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT WE
[02:35:55] MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE BILLS.
[02:35:57] SO I AM DISAPPOINTED TODAY THAT
[02:36:01] MY PIECE OF LEGISLATION, UNDER THE TITLE OF A HOUSE BILL, WILL
[02:36:04] NOT BE MOVING. AND I KNOW THAT
[02:36:08] MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. I DO HOPE
[02:36:12] IN THE FUTURE THAT BETWEEN THE
[02:36:14] SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP AND
[02:36:18] SENATE OR HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, THAT WE CAN COME
[02:36:19] TOGETHER ON THESE ISSUES,
[02:36:22] BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHEN WE HAVE
[02:36:25] THIS INFIGHTING ON GOOD, SOLID
[02:36:30] PIECES OF LEGISLATION, WE CAN DO
[02:36:33] BETTER. THANK YOU, MR.
[02:36:37] PRESIDENT. >> MR. PRESIDENT, THE PRICE OF
[02:36:41] EVERYTHING IS UP, AND THAT'S ON
[02:36:43] PURPOSE. IT'S ON PURPOSE BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP MADE IT.
[02:36:47] SO. WE ARE NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF
[02:36:50] A PANDEMIC OR A RECESSION OR A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. BUT THE
[02:36:52] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
[02:36:56] HAS DECIDED THAT AMERICANS SHOULD PAY MORE FOR EVERYTHING
[02:36:59] FOOD, GAS, ELECTRICITY, HEALTH
[02:37:01] CARE, HOUSING, CLOTHES,
[02:37:05] EVERYTHING. AND SO, WHILE HE'S BUSY LINING HIS POCKETS WITH
[02:37:08] CRYPTO SCHEMES AND INSIDER INFORMATION SUBSCRIPTION
[02:37:11] PROGRAMS, REGULAR PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THEIR LIVES. NOW, I SAY
[02:37:15] HE'S DOING THIS ON PURPOSE
[02:37:17] BECAUSE THESE ARE DELIBERATE
[02:37:20] POLICY CHOICES THAT HE'S MADE. FIRST, IT WAS THE TARIFFS THAT JACKED UP THE PRICES OF GOODS
[02:37:24] ACROSS THE BOARD. TOMATOES.
[02:37:26] TOMATOES WENT UP 40%, COFFEE
[02:37:29] WENT UP BY 20%, CLOTHES AND CAR
[02:37:31] SEATS WERE UP BY 20%, ELECTRONICS SHOT UP BY HUNDREDS
[02:37:35] OF DOLLARS. AND SO IF THAT. SO IF IT WASN'T AS IF YOU COULD
[02:37:38] AVOID THE HIT BY NOT SHOPPING AT
[02:37:41] A PARTICULAR STORE FOR A PARTICULAR THING. AND PEOPLE IN
[02:37:44] HAWAII ARE VERY EXPERT AT FIGURING OUT, OKAY, TURKEY'S
[02:37:47] HIGH, LET'S GET CHICKEN. OKAY,
[02:37:49] PORK IS HIGH. LET'S GET BEEF.
[02:37:51] THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS THERE'S NO
[02:37:54] ESCAPE. LITERALLY EVERYTHING IS UP. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE
[02:37:57] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS DECIDED THROUGH THIS IRAN
[02:38:01] WAR, THROUGH THE TARIFFS,
[02:38:04] THROUGH THE ENERGY BANDS, THROUGH THE MEDICAID AND
[02:38:07] MEDICARE, CUTS THROUGH THE ACA, CUTS THROUGH THE NUTRITION CUTS
[02:38:11] TO MAKE LITERALLY EVERY ASPECT
[02:38:13] OF YOUR LIFE MORE EXPENSIVE.
[02:38:16] THEN CAME THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL WHERE IN ORDER TO CUT TAXES
[02:38:20] FOR BILLIONAIRES, TRUMP AND THE
[02:38:22] REPUBLICANS SLASHED SUBSIDIES FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE AND
[02:38:25] FOOD ASSISTANCE. AND I WANT YOU
[02:38:26] TO UNDERSTAND, THIS SOUNDS LIKE
[02:38:29] THE KIND OF THING A PARTISAN
[02:38:31] WOULD SAY. AND IT IS, BUT IT'S
[02:38:34] ALSO TRUE THAT THE WAY THEY PAID
[02:38:37] FOR TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST
[02:38:40] PEOPLE AND THE WEALTHIEST CORPORATIONS ON THIS PLANET, THE
[02:38:43] WAY THEY LITERALLY PAID FOR IT,
[02:38:46] IS TO TAKE AWAY PEOPLE'S HEALTH
[02:38:49] CARE. WITHOUT THE ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS, ACA
[02:38:52] PREMIUMS WENT UP BY CLOSE TO
[02:38:55] 60%, AND AS A RESULT, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITHOUT
[02:38:58] HEALTH CARE. THIS YEAR, MILLIONS
[02:39:01] OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITHOUT HEALTH CARE THIS YEAR, NOT BY
[02:39:04] CHOICE, BUT BY FORCE. AND I WANT TO READ SOME OF WHAT THOSE
[02:39:07] PEOPLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT. A MAN IN TEXAS SAID, QUOTE, THE
[02:39:11] PRICES ARE SIMPLY TOO HIGH. I DON'T THINK WE CAN AFFORD OUR MORTGAGE. IF I HAD TO PAY FOR
[02:39:15] HEALTH INSURANCE, IF I HAD
[02:39:16] CATASTROPHIC HEALTH, IF I HAD A CATASTROPHIC HEALTH EVENT, IT
[02:39:20] MAKES MORE SENSE FOR ME TO JUST DECLARE BANKRUPTCY THAN IT WOULD
[02:39:23] FOR ME TO BE DELINQUENT ON OUR OTHER PAYMENTS. HERE'S ANOTHER
[02:39:28] 138 YEAR OLD FROM ALABAMA. I CAN'T AFFORD INSURANCE. I
[02:39:31] CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTH CARE WITHOUT INSURANCE.
[02:39:34] SO BASICALLY, JUST HOPING AND
[02:39:37] PRAYING I DON'T GET SICK. PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GAMBLE ON
[02:39:40] THEIR HEALTH SO THAT THE RICHEST
[02:39:42] PEOPLE EVER TO LIVE CAN PAY EVEN LESS IN TAXES. AND THE PRICE
[02:39:46] HIKES AREN'T OVER YET, BECAUSE PREMIUMS ARE SET TO RISE BY
[02:39:49] DOUBLE DIGITS AGAIN NEXT YEAR,
[02:39:53] ACCORDING TO PROPOSALS FROM INSURERS. ASIDE FROM HEALTH CARE, THE REPUBLICAN TAX BILL
[02:39:57] BILL ALSO COMPOUNDED TRUMP'S BAN
[02:40:00] ON WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY. THEY
[02:40:04] ARE BANNING WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY, WHICH IS NOT ONLY CLEAN
[02:40:08] AND HELPS US TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS. IT'S JUST THE
[02:40:11] QUICKEST AND CHEAPEST ENERGY THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY GET ON THE
[02:40:15] GRID. AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE
[02:40:17] WE'RE IN 1970 AND WE'RE
[02:40:20] ARGUING ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS VERSUS THE PRICE THAT PEOPLE PAY
[02:40:23] ON THEIR UTILITY BILLS. NOW, THE
[02:40:28] WAY TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE
[02:40:31] CRISIS IS TO DO A LOT MORE WIND AND SOLAR. AND THE BENEFIT IS
[02:40:35] THAT IT'S THE CHEAPEST FORM OF ENERGY. AND YET, THIS PRESIDENT
[02:40:39] HAS BANNED WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY THROUGH THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE
[02:40:42] ACTIONS. AND THAT IS SPIKING THE
[02:40:44] PRICE OF UTILITIES ACROSS THE
[02:40:47] COUNTRY AND THAT'S ALL BEFORE
[02:40:52] YOU FACTOR IN THE WAR IN IRAN,
[02:40:55] WHICH, IN ADDITION TO BEING A
[02:40:58] SPECTACULAR FAILURE THAT HAS ACHIEVED VERY LITTLE OF TRUMP'S
[02:41:00] OWN STATED GOALS, HAS ALSO
[02:41:03] CAUSED GAS AND ENERGY AND FOOD PRICES TO SPIKE EVERYWHERE. GAS
[02:41:07] IS OVER FOUR BUCKS RIGHT NOW, NATIONALLY, AND IT'S EVEN HIGHER
[02:41:10] IN HAWAII. AT 545, DIESEL IS
[02:41:14] $1.60 MORE THAN IT WAS A YEAR AGO, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE ALL PAYING MORE AT STORES FOR
[02:41:18] DELIVERIES AND TRANSPORTATION IN
[02:41:22] HAWAII. ELECTRICITY BILLS WENT
[02:41:26] UP 20% IN ONE MONTH, 20% IN ONE
[02:41:30] MONTH, BECAUSE OF SKYROCKETING OIL PRICES, AND FOOD PRICES
[02:41:33] CONTINUE TO CLIMB EVERYWHERE AS THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT OF
[02:41:36] HORMUZ EXTENDS A GLOBAL
[02:41:39] FERTILIZER SHORTAGE, IT IS COMMON FOR PRESIDENTS HAVE TO TO
[02:41:43] HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS
[02:41:45] RELATED TO THE ECONOMY, AND
[02:41:48] SPECIFICALLY, WHAT CAN BE A REAL POLITICAL KILLER IS THE QUESTION
[02:41:51] OF INFLATION. BUT THIS IS VERY
[02:41:55] UNUSUAL AND MAYBE UNPRECEDENTED
[02:41:58] IN AMERICAN HISTORY. YOU HAVE A
[02:42:02] PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
[02:42:04] WHOSE STATED POLICY ON TARIFFS,
[02:42:07] ON ENERGY, ON IRAN, ON HEALTH
[02:42:09] CARE, ON FOOD, IS TO RAISE THE
[02:42:12] PRICE OF EVERYTHING. THAT IS NOT
[02:42:15] A SORT OF ACCIDENTAL OUTCOME OF
[02:42:17] HIS ECONOMIC POLICY. IT IS HIS
[02:42:20] ECONOMIC POLICY TO RAISE THE
[02:42:22] PRICE OF EVERYTHING. PEOPLE ARE
[02:42:25] GOING BROKE, AND THEY ARE DOING
[02:42:29] IT TO YOU ON PURPOSE.
[02:42:33] >> WELL, MY MOM NEVER SHE I
[02:42:35] MEAN, UP UNTIL HER DYING DAYS, WAS REALLY CONCERNED THAT I WAS
[02:42:38] GONNA RUN FOR MAYOR AND WANTED ME OUT OF POLITICS. SHE WAS A
[02:42:41] LITTLE DISAPPOINTED. I WAS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR, AND I NEVER
[02:42:44] UNDERSTOOD IT. SHE NEVER I NEVER GOT THE WHY. I'M LIKE, WHY
[02:42:47] DIDN'T SHE? REALLY VEHEMENT UP
[02:42:51] UNTIL LITERALLY HOURS BEFORE HER DEATH, I WAS THERE FOR HER LAST BREATH. THIS ASSISTED SUICIDE,
[02:42:55] AND SHE JUST WARNED ME AGAINST
[02:42:56] IT. BY THE WAY, WHEN MY RECALL
[02:42:59] PETITION, UH, FINALLY, UH, UM,
[02:43:03] OFFICIALLY WAS ANNOUNCED, UH, I THOUGHT ABOUT HER. I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS RIGHT. UH, AND
[02:43:07] THERE WERE OTHER MOMENTS, GIVEN ANY GIVEN DAY IN THIS RACKET
[02:43:11] WHERE I'M LIKE, OH, GOD, MY MOM, MAYBE SHE WAS RIGHT, BUT I
[02:43:13] DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT UNTIL I LEARNED IN THIS BOOK THAT THE
[02:43:17] REASON MY DAD LEFT AGAIN WAS HE
[02:43:20] RAN FOR OFFICE TWICE AND LOST AND DISAPPEARED. AND THAT
[02:43:24] POLITICS ENDED. THE MARRIAGE. >> ALL THIS WEEK, WE'RE
[02:43:27] BRINGING YOU AN ENCORE PRESENTATION OF INTERVIEWS FROM
[02:43:29] OUR WEEKLY Q&A PROGRAM. TONIGHT,
[02:43:32] CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM TALKS ABOUT HIS UPBRINGING, HIS
[02:43:35] POLITICAL CAREER, AND HIS EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP WITH
[02:43:39] PRESIDENT TRUMP. ALL TOPICS HE WRITES ABOUT IN HIS LATEST
[02:43:43] MEMOIR, YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY.
[02:43:44] WATCH TONIGHT AT 9 P.M. EASTERN
[02:43:47] ON C-SPAN. TWO.
[02:43:52] >> THE U.S. SENATE IS ABOUT TO
[02:43:54] GAVEL IN FOR THE DAY. SENATORS WILL CONTINUE WORK ON A GROUP OF
[02:43:58] 74 JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE
[02:44:00] NOMINATIONS TOGETHER, INCLUDING TSA AND FEMA ADMINISTRATORS,
[02:44:04] U.S. ARCHIVIST AND WHITE HOUSE BUDGET DEPUTY DIRECTOR. WE MAY
[02:44:08] ALSO SEE FURTHER ACTION TODAY ON
[02:44:10] LEGISLATION FUNDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAST THE SEPTEMBER
[02:44:14] 30th DEADLINE TO DECEMBER 11th,
[02:44:17] AND A BILL TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA AND
[02:44:20] IRAN, NAMED AFTER THE LATE SOUTH
[02:44:23] CAROLINA SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM.
[02:44:25] LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SENATE NOW
[02:44:27] BEGINS HERE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
[02:44:31] >> US . FATHER IN HEAVEN, HOLY
[02:44:42] IS YOUR NAME. YOU BROUGHT LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS AND ORDER OUT OF
[02:44:45] CHAOS. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO