Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:03>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH MY
00:00:05GOSH. AND YOU'RE SO GOOD AT IT.
00:00:10THANK
00:00:22>> [APPLAUSE]
00:00:40>> HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR LIVE COVERAGE TODAY ON THE
00:00:42C-SPAN NETWORKS ON C-SPAN AT
00:00:468:30 A.M. EASTERN. THE SENATE, HOMELAND SECURITY AND
00:00:50GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE VOTES ON A RESOLUTION TO HOLD
00:00:53DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS AFTER HE INVOKED THE
00:00:56FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES DURING LAST WEEK'S
00:01:00QUESTIONING ABOUT HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. NEXT,
00:01:04AT 11 A.M., THE SENATE FOREIGN
00:01:06RELATIONS COMMITTEE EXAMINES THE
00:01:08U.S. RESPONSE TO GLOBAL SCAM
00:01:11OPERATIONS TARGETING AMERICANS AS INTERNATIONAL FRAUD NETWORKS
00:01:15REPORTED MORE THAN $1 TRILLION
00:01:17IN LOSSES WORLDWIDE LAST YEAR.
00:01:20OVER ON C-SPAN, TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE GATHER AT 10 A.M. TO
00:01:23VOTE ON 74 OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE
00:01:27NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING KEY ROLES AT FEMA, TSA, THE WHITE HOUSE
00:01:30BUDGET OFFICE, AND THE NATIONAL
00:01:34ARCHIVES. THEN, C-SPAN 3 AT 8
00:01:35A.M. HAS NASA ASTRONAUTS JESSICA
00:01:38MEIR AND ANIL MENON STEPPING
00:01:40OUTSIDE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
00:01:44STATION FOR A SPACEWALK TO PREPARE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF
00:01:47A NEW ROLL-OUT SOLAR ARRAY, A MAJOR UPGRADE THAT WILL INCREASE
00:01:51THE STATION'S POWER CAPACITY AND SUPPORT FUTURE SCIENTIFIC
00:01:55MISSIONS. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH LIVE COVERAGE OF THESE EVENTS ON
00:01:58C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE APP,
00:02:02AND ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG
00:02:07>> AND NOW, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE, FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL, AND A
00:02:11NUMBER OF OTHER FEDERAL OFFICIALS HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE
00:02:13ANNOUNCING NEW ENFORCEMENT
00:02:16ACTIONS AGAINST THE JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL. IT'S A
00:02:19MEXICAN CRIMINAL SYNDICATE.
00:02:53>> GOOD MORNING. TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, IN
00:02:56COORDINATION WITH THE HOMELAND
00:02:59SECURITY TASK FORCE, ANNOUNCED
00:03:04THE UNSEALING OF FIVE SEPARATE INDICTMENTS AGAINST HIGH RANKING CJNG LEADERS. WE'RE ALSO
00:03:08ANNOUNCING TODAY, WITH THE STATE
00:03:10DEPARTMENT, MORE THAN $100
00:03:12MILLION IN REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE
00:03:16ARREST OF NOT ONLY THE FIVE THAT
00:03:17WERE JUST UNSEALED TODAY, BUT
00:03:24THREE INDICTED, PREVIOUSLY UNSEALED CASES AGAINST ADDITIONAL CJNG LEADERSHIP. THIS, AGAIN, IS A CONTINUATION
00:03:27OF OUR EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE
00:03:30CARTELS THAT HAVE PLAGUED THIS
00:03:32COUNTRY FOR FAR TOO LONG. NARCO
00:03:37TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
00:03:38CARTEL, ELISEO NUEVA GENERATION,
00:03:41ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COUNTLESS
00:03:44DEATHS TO AMERICANS. THESE SOPHISTICATED ORGANIZATIONS USE
00:03:47VIOLENCE AND FEAR TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER THE IMPORTATION OF
00:03:51DEADLY NARCOTICS INTO THE UNITED
00:03:53STATES, INCLUDING FENTANYL,
00:03:55COCAINE, METH, AND OTHER ILLEGAL
00:04:00DRUGS. THEIR ACTIONS SPREAD
00:04:02VIOLENCE AND DEATH TO OUR
00:04:04COMMUNITIES, AS ALLEGED IN TODAY'S INDICTMENTS AND THE
00:04:07PREVIOUS INDICTMENTS THAT WERE UNSEALED, THESE CARTEL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A RANGE
00:04:11OF CRIMES, INCLUDING RUNNING
00:04:13DRUG NETWORKS, ORGANIZING HIGHLY
00:04:17TRAINED HITMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MURDERS, AND ATTEMPTED
00:04:20ASSASSINATIONS, PROCURING WEAPONS AND MONEY LAUNDERING,
00:04:23AND DEADLY DRUG MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION. THREE OF THE
00:04:28ALLEGED CARTEL MEMBERS WERE ALSO ALLEGEDLY COMMITTING A
00:04:31SOPHISTICATED FRAUD, TARGETING
00:04:36ELDERLY AMERICANS. IN AN ALLEGED
00:04:39TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEME. SINCE
00:04:42JANUARY 20th, 2025, WE HAVE
00:04:44EXTRADITED, TRANSFERRED AND SECURED CONVICTIONS AGAINST
00:04:48HUNDREDS OF THE WORLD'S MOST
00:04:50DANGEROUS DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN FEDERAL COURTROOMS ACROSS THE
00:04:54UNITED STATES. JUST LAST MONTH,
00:04:56THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE NOTORIOUS
00:05:00SINALOA CARTEL, EL MAYO, ISMAEL
00:05:02ZAMBADA GARCIA, WAS SENTENCED TO
00:05:06LIFE IN PRISON IN FEDERAL COURT
00:05:08IN THIS COUNTRY. THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. WE'VE
00:05:12TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT LATELY, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING HERE. IN
00:05:15ADDITION TO THE HISTORIC DECLINE OF VIOLENT CRIME, JUST LAST
00:05:19YEAR, WE SAW A 22% DECLINE IN
00:05:24FENTANYL DEATHS IN THE UNITED
00:05:26STATES OVER THE YEAR PRIOR. OUR
00:05:29EFFORTS HAVE SAVED THOUSANDS OF
00:05:31LIVES, AND BRINGING BACK LAW AND
00:05:35ORDER TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS
00:05:38MISSION OBVIOUSLY REQUIRES BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, TALENTED
00:05:42PROSECUTORS, AND STEADFAST PARTNERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL
00:05:45LEVEL, AND OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK THE
00:05:49HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE,
00:05:54DEA, FBIHS, CBP, IRS. SID, THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE NATIONAL
00:05:57COORDINATION CENTER. ALL OF
00:05:58THESE PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER
00:06:01WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
00:06:03IN AN ALL GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO
00:06:08COMBATING TERRORISM. WITH THESE CHARGES NOW MADE PUBLIC. AND
00:06:12AGAIN, THESE CASES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN TWO DISTRICTS IN THE
00:06:15EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, IN BROOKLYN, AND HERE IN
00:06:19WASHINGTON, D.C., AND MORE THAN
00:06:22$100 MILLION IN REWARDS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY THE STATE
00:06:26DEPARTMENT. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WILL USE ALL TOOLS TO BRING
00:06:29THESE DEFENDANTS TO JUSTICE, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE. WE WILL
00:06:33NEVER ALLOW FOREIGN TERRORIST
00:06:37ORGANIZATIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT JOB TO DO, AND
00:06:41TOGETHER, WE WILL FINISH IT. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS THAT ARE
00:06:45GOING TO ADDRESS YOU GUYS TODAY, STARTING WITH OUR DEA
00:06:48ADMINISTRATOR, TERRY COLE.
00:06:55>> GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU,
00:07:00MR. ATTORNEY GENERAL. SINCE THE INCEPTION NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO, CJNG HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF
00:07:04THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS AND
00:07:06RUTHLESS FOREIGN TERRORIST
00:07:10ORGANIZATIONS. CJNG WAS BUILT ON
00:07:11VAST CRIMINAL NETWORK THAT
00:07:14PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES DEADLY
00:07:16DRUGS WHILE SUSTAINING ITS
00:07:19POWERFUL INFLUENCE VIA VIOLENCE
00:07:22AND CORRUPTION. IN MEXICO. THIS INCLUDES MEMBERS WITHIN THE
00:07:25MEXICAN GOVERNMENT WHO SHIELD
00:07:28CJNG LEADERSHIP FROM JUSTICE AND
00:07:32FACILITATE DRUG TRAFFICKING,
00:07:34MONEY LAUNDERING AND VIOLENCE.
00:07:37CJNG'S ACTIONS HAVE RESULTED IN
00:07:40THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF
00:07:44AMERICANS, AMERICANS THAT WERE
00:07:46LOST WAY TOO SOON. THEY DID THIS
00:07:51THROUGH THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FENTANYL, A
00:07:54WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. DEA
00:07:56IS AGGRESSIVELY TARGETING BOTH
00:07:59THE CARTELS AND THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO ARE
00:08:03RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF
00:08:06OUR CITIZENS. TODAY'S COORDINATED ACTIONS AGAINST CJNG
00:08:09LEADERSHIP AND INFRASTRUCTURE,
00:08:12INCLUDING SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT AND REWARDS TOTALING MORE THAN
00:08:16$100 MILLION AND ARREST, WILL
00:08:19NOT END. IT SENDS A VERY CLEAR
00:08:21MESSAGE THIS IS JUST THE
00:08:24BEGINNING. UNDER THE PRESIDENT
00:08:26TRUMP AND ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE, THIS ADMINISTRATION
00:08:30WILL USE EVERY RESOURCE, EVERY
00:08:33TOOL TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN
00:08:36CITIZENS. YOU SEE, THIS IS ABOUT
00:08:38AMERICA FIRST. THIS IS ABOUT
00:08:41AMERICANS FIRST. THIS IS A FIGHT AGAINST CJNG. THAT WE ARE JUST
00:08:45BEGINNING. AND WE WILL NOT BACK
00:08:50DOWN. DEA INVESTIGATIONS HAVE.
00:08:51CASES HAVE GENERATED MORE THAN 100 FEDERAL INDICTMENTS AGAINST
00:08:55CJNG LEADERS AND MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES. WE ARE WORKING WITH
00:08:58OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS TO
00:09:01ARREST, EXTRADITE, AND PROSECUTE
00:09:03THESE DEFENDANTS IN THE UNITED
00:09:06STATES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE
00:09:09SAW THE LEADER, EL MENCHO, FALL
00:09:12TO HIS DEATH DURING A MEXICAN
00:09:17MILITARY OPERATION FOR HIS
00:09:18CAPTURE. EL MENCHO S DEMISE DID
00:09:22NOT END CJNG. IT UNDERSCORES THE
00:09:25ORGANIZATION'S RESILIENCE AND
00:09:27THE CONTINUED THREAT IT POSES.
00:09:30BASED ON DEA INTELLIGENCE. THE NEW LEADER, JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA
00:09:33GONZALEZ, EL MENCHO STEPSON, HAS
00:09:36TAKEN CONTROL OF THE CARTEL. IN
00:09:38OUR WORLD. EL PELÓN IS THE
00:09:42NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF DEA. DEA
00:09:46IS MORE FOCUSED THAN IT'S EVER
00:09:49BEEN, AND DISMANTLING CJNG AND
00:09:51BRINGING ITS LEADERS AND MEMBERS
00:09:54AND FACILITATORS AND CORRUPT
00:09:57ENABLERS TO JUSTICE. LET ME BE
00:09:59CLEAR. IF YOU. TRAFFIC, DEADLY
00:10:04DRUGS PROFIT FROM THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS, OR USE PUBLIC OFFICE
00:10:07TO PROTECT THE CARTELS, THIS IS
00:10:11YOUR WARNING. DEA IS COMING FOR
00:10:13YOU. NO TITLE, NO POSITION OR
00:10:17POLITICAL CONNECTION WILL SHIELD YOU. THIS INCLUDES CARTEL
00:10:20MEMBERS LIKE DEI-NAOERO, WHO WAS
00:10:22RECENTLY CAPTURED IN MEXICO.
00:10:27THIS INCLUDES SAPO, HUGO, MÉNDEZ, GAITAN, A SICARIO WHO
00:10:31RUNS SICARIO TRAINING CAMPS DEEP
00:10:33IN MEXICO. THIS INCLUDES PINZON.
00:10:38THIS IS THE SAME SUBJECT WHO
00:10:40ATTEMPTED TO KILL THE CURRENT
00:10:42SECURITY DIRECTOR, OMAR GARCIA
00:10:44HARFUCH, IN 2020. THEY ARE
00:10:47RELENTLESS, BUT SO IS DEA, AND
00:10:50SO IS THIS TEAM. STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU. THESE INDIVIDUALS
00:10:54REPRESENT DIFFERENT PARTS OF CJNG AND THEIR CRIMINAL
00:10:57ENTERPRISE, BUT TOGETHER THEY DEMONSTRATE WHY THE U.S.
00:10:59RESPONSE MUST BE COORDINATED,
00:11:01MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE, AND MUST
00:11:05BE AGGRESSIVE. CARTELS DEPEND ON LEADERSHIP, MONEY, LOGISTICS,
00:11:09CORRUPTION, COERCION, AND NETWORKS THAT CROSS BORDERS. AND
00:11:13DEA AND OUR PARTNERS HERE ARE
00:11:14TARGETING EVERY SUCH NETWORK.
00:11:17OUR WORK IS FAR FROM OVER. OVER.
00:11:19WE WILL DISRUPT YOUR NETWORKS. WE WILL CUT OFF YOUR FINANCIAL
00:11:23LIFELINES. WE WILL SEIZE YOUR ILLICIT PROFITS. AND WE WILL
00:11:27WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SAVE AMERICAN LIVES. I WANT TO
00:11:30STRESS, THIS IS ABOUT AMERICA
00:11:32FIRST. THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS FIRST. I WANT TO THANK THE
00:11:36ATTORNEY GENERAL. I WANT TO THANK THE HOMELAND SECURITY TASK
00:11:39FORCE, THE NCC, AND OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE STANDING HERE TODAY.
00:11:43BECAUSE PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW US TO
00:11:46SUCCEED. AND SUCCESS IS OUR
00:11:48GOAL, TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE
00:11:50NATIONAL SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY
00:11:52AND OUR CITIZENS. DEA IS ON THE
00:11:56HUNT WITH OUR PARTNERS. GOD
00:12:00BLESS US, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES. I'D LIKE TO TURN
00:12:03THIS OVER TO THE FBI DIRECTOR.
00:12:08KASH PATEL. >> THANK YOU. ADMINISTRATOR.
00:12:10THANK YOU, ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE
00:12:14DYNAMIC THREAT LANDSCAPE OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING WORLD,
00:12:17UNFORTUNATELY, HAS PERMEATED INTO NOT JUST DEPLOYING THESE
00:12:21LETHAL DOSES OF FENTANYL AND OTHER NARCOTICS THAT ARE KILLING AMERICANS AT A RECORD RATE.
00:12:24YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE DEA ADMINISTRATOR, AND YOU'LL HEAR
00:12:28FROM OUR TEAM THE RECORD SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD FROM GETTING
00:12:32THE CHINESE TO DELIST THE PRECURSORS THAT WERE DUMPING
00:12:34THIS POISON TO THE MEXICAN CARTELS AND MANUFACTURING IT
00:12:37DOWN SOUTH OF THE BORDER AND PUMPING IT HERE. YOU'VE HEARD
00:12:40THAT THERE'S BEEN AN OVER 20% REDUCTION IN OPIOID OVERDOSE
00:12:44DEATHS. 22% SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FENTANYL. THAT IS A
00:12:47MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT. THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INITIATIVE
00:12:50AND DIRECTION AND PUSH TO
00:12:52MANHUNT, FEDERAL FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS,
00:12:55WHEREVER THEY EXIST, AND WHATEVER UMBRELLA THEY CHOOSE TO
00:12:59OPERATE UNDER THE FBI. HERE IS TODAY, IS HERE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE
00:13:03THREE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
00:13:05BEING ELEVATED TO OUR MOST
00:13:09WANTED PERPETRATORS AROUND THE
00:13:11WORLD, NOT FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING,
00:13:15BUT FOR FRAUD. YOU'VE SEEN WHAT THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE
00:13:17PRESIDENT HAVE DONE UNDER THEIR ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE. AND THANKS TO THE GREAT LEADERSHIP
00:13:21OF ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE, WE ARE NOT JUST ATTACKING HEALTH
00:13:24CARE FRAUD HERE IN THE UNITED
00:13:25STATES OF AMERICA. OUR ADVERSARIES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE
00:13:29OF THE LOOPHOLES AND THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT BY THE PRIOR
00:13:32ADMINISTRATION TO FLEECE OUR SENIOR CITIZENS OF THEIR
00:13:34VALUABLE LIFE SAVINGS, AND THEY ARE DOING IT IN A SOPHISTICATED
00:13:38MANNER. AND IT TAKES A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH, WHICH YOU SEE HERE REPRESENTED TODAY, LED
00:13:42BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TO EXECUTE ON THAT MISSION, TO
00:13:45SAFEGUARD OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. THESE INDIVIDUALS, PURSUANT TO
00:13:48THE NEW YORK FIELD OFFICES INVESTIGATION THAT WAS BEGAN A
00:13:51FEW YEARS AGO, STARTED CALL
00:13:54CENTERS, UM, DOWN SOUTH AND
00:13:57ACROSS THE WORLD. THE FUNDS THEY
00:13:59UTILIZED AND THEY SCAMMED OUT OF
00:14:02THESE CALL CENTERS FROM SENIOR
00:14:03CITIZENS FROM ACROSS AMERICA,
00:14:06TOTALED OVER $400 MILLION. THEY
00:14:09DUPED OUR SENIORS USING EMAIL,
00:14:12TELEPHONE, TEXT MESSAGES, AND
00:14:14PHISHING CAMPAIGNS INTO
00:14:18SUBSCRIBING TO A TIMESHARE PROJECT THAT THEY FALSELY STOOD
00:14:21UP AND FALSELY DELIVERED. PROMISES THAT OUR SENIORS WOULD
00:14:24BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR LIVES AND
00:14:29VACATIONS, ONLY TO HAVE THAT MONEY SEIZED FROM THEM. AND THAT VACATION AND THEIR RETIREMENTS
00:14:33DEPRIVED FROM THEM. THIS FBI IS
00:14:36LASER FOCUSED WITH OUR INTERAGENCY PARTNERS, NOT JUST
00:14:39ON THESE FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, FOR DUMPING THESE ILLICIT NARCOTICS INTO OUR
00:14:43COUNTRY, BUT KEEPING UP WITH THE DYNAMIC THREAT THAT THEY POSE ON
00:14:46THE FRAUD THAT THEY HAVE NOW
00:14:48UNLEASHED ON OUR COUNTRY. BUT THANKS TO THIS TEAM, AND THANKS
00:14:52TO ATTORNEY GENERAL BRANCH, AND THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
00:14:54UNITED STATES, WE ARE NOW CHASING THEM DOWN AROUND THE
00:14:58WORLD. AS ADMINISTRATOR COLE POINTED OUT, THIS IS TRULY
00:15:02REMARKABLE WORK. THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP EFFORT. IT TAKES
00:15:05EVERY SINGLE AGENCY. YOU STAY UP HERE TODAY. AND MOST
00:15:09IMPORTANTLY, IT TAKES A PRESIDENT WHO IS WILLING TO
00:15:12SAFEGUARD AMERICANS AND PUT AMERICA FIRST. AND PRESIDENT
00:15:14TRUMP HAS DONE JUST THAT. ONE OF
00:15:17THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THESE PERPETRATORS TO KNOW IS
00:15:20THAT THERE IS NO SAFE HAVEN. WE
00:15:22WILL GIVE YOU NO SANCTUARY. IN
00:15:25THE MONTH OF JULY, THE FBI
00:15:28EXECUTED ALMOST 30 FOREIGN
00:15:30TRANSFERS OF CUSTODY IN OVER 15
00:15:33SEPARATE COUNTRIES FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, TERRORISTS,
00:15:36MURDERERS AND RAPISTS. SO WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY, FOR
00:15:39ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THE RUN RIGHT NOW, YOU WILL
00:15:42NOT BE ON THE RUN FOR LONG. WE
00:15:44WILL HUNT YOU DOWN IN EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET, AND WE
00:15:47WILL RETURN YOU HERE TO FACE AMERICAN JUSTICE. THE NUMBERS
00:15:50THAT WE AT THE FBI AND OUR PARTNERS ARE RETURNING TO
00:15:54AMERICA TO FACE JUSTICE FROM OVERSEAS IS A RECORD BREAKING
00:15:57NUMBER. IT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF
00:16:01PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS THAT ALLOW US TO WORK IN SPACES WE
00:16:04WERE NEVER PERMITTED TO WORK
00:16:05BEFORE, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE DELIVERING THESE HISTORIC
00:16:09RESULTS, RETURNING THESE
00:16:12INDIVIDUALS TO AMERICA FOR JUSTICE, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
00:16:15ONCE THEY ARE IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, WE HAVE SEIZED THESE
00:16:19FUNDS AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THEM BACK TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS
00:16:22THAT WERE FLEECED OF THEIR LIFE SAVINGS AND THEIR RETIREMENTS.
00:16:26THAT IS THE MISSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT IS THE
00:16:28COLLECTIVE MISSION OF THE INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS YOU SEE
00:16:31HERE TODAY. I'M THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO STAND SHOULDER TO
00:16:35SHOULDER WITH THESE AGENCIES, OUR PROSECUTORS, THE DEPARTMENT
00:16:37OF JUSTICE, AND THIS WHITE HOUSE LASER FOCUSED ON PRIMARY
00:16:41IMPORTANCE, ON PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE, OUR KIDS AND
00:16:43OUR ELDERLY. AND YOU'RE SEEING
00:16:46THAT DONE HERE TODAY. AND THIS FBI, ALONG WITH OUR INTERAGENCY
00:16:49PARTNERS, WILL NOT REST. IF ANYONE IN THE WORLD HAS INFORMATION ON THESE
00:16:53PERPETRATORS. ONE 800 CALL FBI. ONE 800, CALL FBI. OUR BEST
00:16:56PARTNERS ARE THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT AS I'VE ALWAYS
00:16:59SAID, OUR TRULY BEST PARTNERS ARE THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AROUND
00:17:03THE WORLD WHO'VE GOT EYES AND EARS EVERYWHERE. WE WANT TO HEAR
00:17:05FROM 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
00:17:18HERE AT MAIN JUSTICE. AND THE CRIMINAL DIVISION IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE WITH OUR LAW
00:17:23ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS HERE, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OUR ACTING ATTORNEY
00:17:26GENERAL, BLANCHE, SOME NEW CASES
00:17:28AND REWARDS HERE, BASED ON
00:17:33RECENT EVENTS UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE LEADERSHIP, THE
00:17:37DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S MAIN GOAL IS TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE
00:17:39CARTELS LIKE CJNG, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION, OUR PARTNERS, AND
00:17:43THOSE WHO YOU SEE HERE ON THE STAGE, CARRY OUT THAT FIGHT
00:17:46EVERY DAY. WE HAVE HAD
00:17:51TREMENDOUS RECENT SUCCESS AGAINST THE TWO LARGEST DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN MEXICO, THE SINALOA CARTEL, AND
00:17:54CJNG. SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK
00:18:00OFFICE, HIGH VALUE REMOVALS VIA EXTRADITIONS AND EXPULSIONS HAVE NUMBERED OVER 200, PUTTING SOME
00:18:04OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CARTEL
00:18:07FIGURES IN U.S. CUSTODY. IN
00:18:10AMERICAN COURTROOMS. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, SOME OF US ON THIS
00:18:12STAGE, INCLUDING MR. COLE AND I,
00:18:15SAT IN THE STORIED FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN BROOKLYN AND DID
00:18:19SOME PRESS AFTER AND WATCHED OUR PROSECUTORS AND AGENTS SECURE A
00:18:22LIFE SENTENCE FOR EL MAYO, THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE SINALOA
00:18:26CARTEL, AND PERHAPS THE MOST HEINOUS AND VIOLENT NARCO
00:18:29TERRORIST IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. DURING PRESIDENT
00:18:32TRUMP'S FIRST TERM, OUR PROSECUTORS CONVICTED HIS
00:18:35CO-FOUNDER, EL CHAPO GUZMAN. AND
00:18:37LAST YEAR, WE CONVICTED CHAPO'S
00:18:39SONS OF VIDEO AND JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ, WHO ALSO FACE LIFE IN
00:18:43PRISON. WE ARE DISMANTLING THE
00:18:46SINALOA CARTEL. THE SAME
00:18:48PRESSURE IS NOW ON. CJNG. LAST
00:18:51FRIDAY, ANTONIO OSEGUERA
00:18:53CERVANTES, BROTHER OF THE LATE CJNG BOSS EL MENCHO, PLEADED
00:18:57GUILTY IN AN APRIL. THE CJNG
00:19:00CO-FOUNDER, ERICK VALENCIA SALAZAR, PLEADED GUILTY. THEY
00:19:03BOTH FACE LIFE IN PRISON. WE ARE
00:19:05PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE
00:19:08INCREASED MONETARY AWARDS ARE BEING OFFERED FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OR
00:19:11CONVICTION OF TWO CJNG LEADERS
00:19:14CHARGED BY THE CRIMINAL DIVISION. AS MR. COLE EXPLAINED,
00:19:17THOSE ARE JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA,
00:19:19GONZALEZ PELÓN AND ORTIZ FLORES,
00:19:24SILVA, JARDINERO MENCHO STEPSON, PELÓN, IS, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE
00:19:28NEW CJ. CJNG LEADER. JARDINERO
00:19:31IS THE REGIONAL COMMANDER WHO RUNS A VAST LOGISTICS NETWORK
00:19:35FOR CJNG, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION
00:19:39CHARGED BOTH DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST TERM AND IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. WE BROUGHT NEW DRUG TRAFFICKING, WEAPONS AND
00:19:43MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES AGAINST
00:19:46JARDINERO. THERE ARE NEW CHARGES AND REWARDS THAT WE ARE
00:19:48ANNOUNCING TODAY. WE ARE ANNOUNCING FEDERAL CHARGES
00:19:52BROUGHT BY THE CRIMINAL DIVISION PROSECUTORS AGAINST FIVE SENIOR
00:19:56MEMBERS OF CJNG IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE DISTRICT OF
00:19:59COLUMBIA, WHICH WERE UNSEALED YESTERDAY. ALL FIVE ARE CHARGED
00:20:03WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS OFFENSES. THE FIVE
00:20:05DEFENDANTS ARE AS FOLLOWS. JULIO
00:20:10ALBERTO CASTILLO RODRIGUEZ OR CHORRO. THIS IS MENCHO'S FORMER
00:20:12SON IN LAW AND A SENIOR CJNG
00:20:15LEADER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRAFFICKED TONNAGE. QUANTITIES OF
00:20:18METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE AND CONTROLLED TERRITORIES BY FORCE
00:20:21AND VIOLENCE. HUGO, GONZALO
00:20:23MENDOZA, GAITAN, OR SAPO, IS
00:20:26MENCHO'S GODSON AND SENIOR CJNG LEADER WHO, IN ADDITION TO
00:20:30TRAFFICKING METH AND COCAINE
00:20:32INTO THE UNITED STATES, PROCURED
00:20:35MOST OF CJNG'S WEAPONS, TRAINED
00:20:37SICARIOS OR HITMEN, AND OVERSAW
00:20:40OPERATIONS. RICARDO RUIZ
00:20:42VELASCO, OR TRIPA, IS A SENIOR
00:20:44CJNG LIEUTENANT WHO OVERSAW
00:20:47CJNG'S CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND SEVERAL MEXICAN TERRITORIES.
00:20:51TRIPA IS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING
00:20:52TO IMPORT HEROIN AND FENTANYL.
00:20:55LASTLY, JULIO CESAR MONTERO, PINZON, OR TARJETAS, AND CARLOS
00:20:59ANDRES RIVERA VARELA, LA FIRMA
00:21:01FOUNDED AND LED CJNG'S GRUPO
00:21:04ELITE, A UNIT OF HEAVILY ARMED
00:21:06SICARIOS THAT CONTROLLED COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENT
00:21:09OFFICIALS ALIKE, WITH VIOLENCE. THEY TRAFFICKED TONNAGE OF
00:21:12QUANTITIES OF METH AND COCAINE INTO THE UNITED STATES. TARJETAS
00:21:16AND LA FIRMA ARE ALSO CHARGED IN
00:21:19SEPARATE FRAUD INDICTMENTS IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW
00:21:21YORK. AND A WORD ON THE FRAUD
00:21:25INDICTMENTS ON OCTOBER 27th, 2025, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION AND
00:21:27THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
00:21:31PROSECUTORS OBTAINED A SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT ON
00:21:33TARJETAS LA FIRMA AND GRISELDA
00:21:36MARGARITA ARREDONDO, PINZON
00:21:38TARJETAS HALF SISTER AND A CJNG
00:21:41ACCOUNTANT, CHARGING THEM FOR PARTICIPATING IN A TIMESHARE
00:21:43FRAUD SCHEME. AND HERE'S HOW IT
00:21:48WORKED. CJNG TARGETED AMERICANS WHO WERE ASPIRING TO OWN OR ALREADY OWN TIMESHARES IN
00:21:52MEXICO, MANY OF THEM ELDERLY, AND PROMISED THEM PROFITS FOR
00:21:55SELLING OR RENTING THEM. BUT FIRST, THE VICTIMS HAD TO PAY
00:21:58TAXES AND ADVANCE FEES. OF
00:22:01COURSE, THE PROFITS NEVER CAME.
00:22:03ONCE SOMEONE PAID, THE FRAUDSTERS CONTACTED THEM AGAIN,
00:22:07POSING AS LAWYERS OR OFFICIALS WHO COULD RECOVER THE MONEY FOR
00:22:10ANOTHER FEE. OF COURSE, IT WAS FAKE. THE SCHEME MORPHED AND
00:22:13CONTINUED, WITH THE FRAUDSTERS EVEN CLAIMING THAT THE VICTIMS
00:22:17ACTUALLY PAID A CARTEL AND WOULD BE ARRESTED IF THEY DID NOT PAY
00:22:19MORE, WHICH THEY DID. ONE
00:22:23PARTICULAR VICTIM, AN 83 YEAR OLD INDIVIDUAL, AN AMERICAN WHO
00:22:26BOUGHT A TIMESHARE MANY YEARS
00:22:29AGO FOR $179,000, WAS DUPED AT
00:22:31EACH LEVEL OF THIS PHASE, HE
00:22:34PAID ADVANCE SCHEMES. TO BEGIN WITH, HE FELL FOR FAKE REAL
00:22:38ESTATE WEBSITES AND TITLE COMPANIES. HE WAS VICTIMIZED
00:22:41AGAIN BY ATTORNEYS WHO SENT THEIR BAR INFORMATION AND FAKE WEBSITES, WHO CLAIMED THAT THEY
00:22:45COULD GET HIS MONEY BACK. OF COURSE, THEY WERE IMPERSONATORS,
00:22:48AND THEY COULD NOT. GOVERNMENT
00:22:51AGENCIES THEN CONTACTED HIM FOR ADDITIONAL FEES ON USING
00:22:54GOVERNMENT LETTERHEAD AND SPOOFED GOVERNMENT WEBSITES. AND
00:22:58THEN AGAIN, MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACTED HIM AND
00:23:00DEMANDED HE PAY CRIMINAL AND CIVIL FINES BECAUSE HE HAD
00:23:03APPARENTLY PAID A CARTEL. IT
00:23:07WENT ON AND ON. IT VICTIMIZED
00:23:08THIS MAN FOR HUNDREDS OF
00:23:13THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER EIGHT YEARS, BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023. THE SCHEME HAS DEFRAUDED OVER
00:23:156000 AMERICANS OF OVER $400
00:23:18MILLION, AND CJNG, OF COURSE,
00:23:20USE THIS MONEY TO FUND ITS
00:23:23OPERATION. TRAFFIC, POISON, BUYING GUNS AND PAYING BRIBES.
00:23:26WITH THE LIFE SAVINGS OF
00:23:27AMERICANS TOGETHER, THE DOJ, THE
00:23:30DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT ARE
00:23:33ANNOUNCING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REWARDS FOR THE ARREST AND
00:23:36CAPTURE OF THOSE AT LARGE. YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ANY OF US. WE
00:23:39WILL FIND YOU, AND WE'RE COMING FOR YOU. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO
00:23:42TURN IT OVER TO MATT MULHOLLAND
00:23:47WITH H. S I.
00:23:52>> GOOD MORNING. >> I'M MATTHEW MULHOLLAND, THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE
00:23:56DIRECTOR FOR HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS. THANK YOU TO OUR
00:23:59PARTNERS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, THE FBI, THE
00:24:03STATE DEPARTMENT, IRS, CBP, ATF,
00:24:07AND MANY STATE, LOCAL AND
00:24:10INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT REFLECTS THE FULL
00:24:13FORCE OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
00:24:17BEING BROUGHT TO BEAR AGAINST CJNG, ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC
00:24:19AND DANGEROUS CRIMINAL
00:24:22ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD. AS A
00:24:24DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, CJNG THREATENS THE UNITED STATES THROUGH DRUG
00:24:28TRAFFICKING, WEAPONS TRAFFICKING, MONEY LAUNDERING,
00:24:32FRAUD, INTIMIDATION, AND EXTREME
00:24:34VIOLENCE, ITS LEADERS AND FACILITATORS OPERATE ACROSS BORDERS. THEY EXPLOIT OUR
00:24:38FINANCIAL SYSTEM. THEY TRAFFIC DEADLY NARCOTICS INTO AMERICAN
00:24:42COMMUNITIES, AND THEY USE THEIR VIOLENCE TO PROTECT THEIR
00:24:45CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE. THESE ARE THESE CASES ARE PART OF THE
00:24:48HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE
00:24:50INITIATIVE, A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH FOCUSED ON
00:24:53ELIMINATING CRIMINAL CARTELS, FOREIGN GANGS, TRANSNATIONAL
00:24:57CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS, HUMAN SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING NETWORKS THAT ARE OPERATING IN
00:25:01THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. XAI IS PROUD TO PLAY A CENTRAL
00:25:05ROLE IN THAT EFFORT. THE CASES HIGHLIGHTED TODAY DEMONSTRATE
00:25:08HOW XAI, WORKING THROUGH THE STF AND WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
00:25:12PARTNERS, ATTACKS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AT MULTIPLE POINTS
00:25:15THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP, THROUGH THEIR MONEY, WE ATTACK
00:25:18THEIR WEAPONS, THEIR FACILITATORS, AND THE
00:25:21INFRASTRUCTURE THEY RELY ON TO
00:25:24OPERATE. ONE AGENCY LED INITIATIVE, INITIATED BY HSI
00:25:27DOUGLAS, ARIZONA, TARGETED A WEAPONS TRAFFICKING NETWORK,
00:25:30MOVING FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION
00:25:31FROM THE UNITED STATES TO CJNG
00:25:35MEMBERS IN MEXICO. THROUGH COORDINATED EFFORTS WITH CBP,
00:25:37ATF, AND XAI OFFICES IN MEXICO AND MEXICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT
00:25:41PARTNERS. HSI HELP TO IDENTIFY AND DISRUPT THE NETWORK,
00:25:44ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTING SAPO, AS
00:25:48ALLEGED IN COURT FILINGS, SAPO PROCURED WEAPONS FOR CJNG
00:25:52TRAINED SICARIOS AT CARTEL TRAINING CAMPS AND OVERSAW
00:25:54VIOLENT OPERATIONS ACROSS
00:25:57MULTIPLE STRATEGIC LOCATIONS. A SECOND, HPSCI LED INVESTIGATION,
00:26:01CONDUCTED BY HSI CAROLINA'S FINANCIAL CRIMES TASK FORCE,
00:26:05TARGETED DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATIONS
00:26:07LINKED TO DIAZ-FLORES SILVA, AN
00:26:09ALLEGED HIGH LEVEL KJAER LEADER WHO WAS ARRESTED BY MEXICAN
00:26:13AUTHORITIES IN APRIL OF 2026. TO DATE, THOSE EFFORTS HAVE
00:26:17RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF MORE THAN 6 MILLION IN BULK U.S.
00:26:20CURRENCY, 1100KG OF COCAINE,
00:26:2394KG OF METH, AIRCRAFT,
00:26:26FIREARMS, AND THE REST OF 19
00:26:28INDIVIDUALS. THOSE SEIZURES MATTER. EVERY DOLLAR SEIZED IS
00:26:32MONEY THAT CANNOT BE USED TO BUY
00:26:36WEAPONS, TO CORRUPT OFFICIALS, OR TO FURTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
00:26:38EVERY FIREARM TAKEN OUT OF CIRCULATION IS ONE LESS TOOL FOR
00:26:42INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE. EVERY KILOGRAM OF NARCOTICS
00:26:46INTERCEPTED REPRESENTS POISON
00:26:47THAT WILL NOT REACH AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THE
00:26:51HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE INITIATIVE, AND IN PARTNERSHIP
00:26:53WITH DOJ, PROSECUTORS, WE ARE ALIGNING OUR EFFORTS AGAINST
00:26:57CARTELS AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT
00:27:00THREATEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:27:02OUR MESSAGE TO CJNG LEADERS IS
00:27:05CLEAR. IF YOU TARGET THE UNITED
00:27:07STATES, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR
00:27:10CITIZENS, HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS WILL PURSUE YOU.
00:27:13WE WILL FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE. WE WILL FOLLOW THE MONEY, AND WE
00:27:17WILL WORK INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OUR
00:27:19BORDERS TO FIND YOU. I WANT TO
00:27:22THANK THE INVESTIGATORS, THE ANALYSTS, THE PROSECUTORS, OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WHO
00:27:26CONTRIBUTED TO THESE CASES.
00:27:28THEIR WORK IS DIFFICULT. IT'S
00:27:30COMPLEX. IT'S OFTEN DANGEROUS,
00:27:34BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
00:27:37>> [APPLAUSE]
00:27:41>> NEXT UP IS MY COLLEAGUE FROM
00:27:44THE IRS.
00:27:50>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS GARY SHAPLEY. I'M THE
00:27:52DEPUTY CHIEF OF IRS CRIMINAL
00:27:57INVESTIGATION. TODAY MARKS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN OUR FIGHT
00:27:59AGAINST THE CJNG THE COORDINATED
00:28:02ACTIONS ANNOUNCED TODAY REFLECT THE FULL FORCE OF THE U.S. LAW
00:28:06ENFORCEMENT, AND I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH
00:28:08THESE FOLKS NEXT TO ME. IRS
00:28:12CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN
00:28:15EXPOSING AND DISRUPTING CJNG'S
00:28:18FINANCIAL NETWORKS. OUR
00:28:20EXPERTISE IN TRACING ILLICIT
00:28:23PROCEEDS, UNRAVELING COMPLEX FRAUD SCHEMES, AND TARGETING
00:28:25MONEY LAUNDERING ORGANIZATIONS
00:28:27IS CENTRAL TO TODAY'S ACTIONS.
00:28:30WHETHER LAUNDERING FUNDS THROUGH
00:28:33INTERMEDIARIES OR LEGITIMATE
00:28:36FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OR
00:28:38ATTEMPTING TO CONCEAL THE INCOME EARNED THROUGH CRYPTOCURRENCIES,
00:28:42IRS CI ENHANCES THE CAPABILITIES
00:28:45TO ENSURE THE PROCEEDS OF THESE CRIMINAL CONDUCT ARE NOT
00:28:48AVAILABLE. TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THEIR SCHEMES, OR TO
00:28:52ENRICH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TARGETS THAT WERE INDICTED
00:28:56TODAY. UNSEALED TODAY. CJNG'S
00:29:02FRAUD OPERATIONS TARGETED AMERICANS WHO OWN TIMESHARE PROPERTIES IN MEXICO. VICTIMS
00:29:06WERE COLD, CALLED, MANIPULATED WITH FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS, AND
00:29:09PRESSURED INTO SENDING MONEY.
00:29:12OFTENTIMES, U.S. VICTIMS LOST THEIR ENTIRE LIFE SAVINGS TO
00:29:15THESE SCHEMES. AFTER CJNG'S
00:29:18DESIGNATION AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, IT
00:29:22BECAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO PURSUE PROSECUTIONS AGAINST
00:29:26THESE PERPETRATORS AND ERCIYES WORK RESULTED IN OBTAINING
00:29:29DIRECT EVIDENCE CRITICAL FOR
00:29:34PROSECUTION. OPERATION BORROWED
00:29:36TIME WAS A CRYPTOCURRENCY MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATION LED BY IRS
00:29:39CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. IN CLOSE
00:29:42COORDINATION WITH FBI AND DEA. OUR NEW YORK TEAM UNCOVERED
00:29:46DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH CJNG LEADERS, INCLUDING THOSE
00:29:49INDIVIDUALS INDICTED TODAY. IRS,
00:29:53CI. WHEN WE'RE ON THE STAGE, YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE COMING AFTER
00:29:56EVERYTHING. WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR FUNDS, WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR MONEY, AND THERE'S GOING TO
00:30:00BE NO BORDER THAT WE CAN'T CROSS TO FIND. AND TO TAKE THAT MONEY
00:30:03BACK, TO MAKE THE AMERICANS
00:30:05WHOLE, THAT WERE DEFRAUDED.
00:30:09TODAY'S COORDINATED ACTIONS SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE. NO
00:30:12CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION IS BEYOND THE REACH OF U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND WE WILL USE
00:30:16EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL,
00:30:18WHETHER IT'S FINANCIAL TRACING, UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS, ASSET
00:30:22FORFEITURE, OR AND PROSECUTION
00:30:25TO DISMANTLE THE CJNG AND DEFEND OUR COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO THANK
00:30:28OUR NEW YORK TEAM AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS UP HERE ON STAGE. AND
00:30:32IT JUST SHOWS THE RESOLVE OF
00:30:37THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES
00:30:40CITIZENS. THANK YOU.
00:30:41>> [APPLAUSE]
00:30:48>> GOOD MORNING. I'M AMBASSADOR MICHAEL GONZALEZ, DEPUTY
00:30:50ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW
00:30:53ENFORCEMENT. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR
00:30:57HOSTING THIS UNPRECEDENTED ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. AS PRESIDENT
00:30:59TRUMP HAS SAID, IT'S TIME FOR
00:31:01AMERICA TO WAGE WAR ON CARTELS.
00:31:04WELL, C, J, AND G, WE'RE COMING
00:31:07AFTER YOU TODAY IN THIS HISTORIC ACTION SUPPORTING PRESIDENT
00:31:10TRUMP'S DIRECTIVE TO ELIMINATE NARCO TERRORIST CARTELS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ANNOUNCING
00:31:14MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN REWARD
00:31:19MONEY FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND OR CONVICTIONS OF
00:31:23EIGHT LEADERS AND ASSOCIATES OF CARTEL DE JALISCO, NUEVA
00:31:26GENERACION. THIS INCLUDES A $25
00:31:30MILLION REWARD OFFER FOR JUAN CARLOS VALENCIA GONZALEZ, ALSO KNOWN AS PELÓN, THE LEADER OF
00:31:33CJNG, WHO ROSE TO POWER FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE
00:31:37CARTEL'S FORMER BOSS, EL MENCHO
00:31:39PELÓN, AND HIS VICIOUS
00:31:41ORGANIZATION ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR POISONING MANY
00:31:45AMERICAN COMMUNITIES WITH
00:31:46ILLICIT FENTANYL, HEROIN,
00:31:50COCAINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE, AND FUELING MASSIVE VIOLENCE. THEY
00:31:53ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDERS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS,
00:31:56INCLUDING COUNTLESS AMERICAN
00:31:59CITIZENS. SEVEN ADDITIONAL
00:32:01REWARDS TODAY, RANGING FROM $2 MILLION TO $15 MILLION EACH,
00:32:05TARGETS OTHERS. AMONG THE HIGH
00:32:08RANKING OFFICIALS OF CJNG, THESE
00:32:10REWARDS ARE OFFERED UNDER THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S NARCOTICS
00:32:14REWARDS PROGRAM AND ARE TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME
00:32:17REWARDS PROGRAM. THESE HAVE BEEN PROVEN, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TOOLS
00:32:21IN ASSISTING U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN IDENTIFYING AND
00:32:24BRINGING TO JUSTICE OVER 90
00:32:28MAJOR VIOLATORS OF U.S. LAWS, AND THEY'VE PAID MORE THAN $200
00:32:32MILLION IN REWARD MONEY TO DATE.
00:32:35WE WILL USE EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO HUNT DOWN, TO
00:32:38DISMANTLE, AND TO DESTROY THESE
00:32:41RUTHLESS FOREIGN TERRORIST
00:32:44ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO DEFEND AMERICA AND AMERICAN CITIZENS
00:32:48FROM THE VIOLENCE AND DRUGS THAT HAVE TORN APART OUR FAMILIES,
00:32:51OUR COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO THESE REWARDS, THE STATE
00:32:55DEPARTMENT IS IMPOSING VISA
00:32:58RESTRICTIONS ON 65 INDIVIDUALS
00:33:00WHO ARE FAMILY MEMBERS OR CLOSE
00:33:03ASSOCIATES TO PERSONS LINKED TO
00:33:05CJNG. TO PREVENT THEIR ENTRY
00:33:08INTO OUR COUNTRY. 26 OF THOSE
00:33:13INDIVIDUALS ALREADY HAD AMERICAN VISAS. THOSE HAVE NOW BEEN
00:33:15REVOKED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SECRETARY RUBIO, THE DEPARTMENT
00:33:19OF STATE, TOGETHER WITH OUR U.S.
00:33:22LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLEAGUES, WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR NATION,
00:33:26THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND OUR
00:33:28HEMISPHERE FROM THE VIOLENCE AND
00:33:30TERROR INFLICTED BY CJNG. BUT WE
00:33:32NEED YOUR HELP. IF YOU HAVE
00:33:35INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT.
00:33:37DEA, FBI, OR HOMELAND SECURITY
00:33:40INVESTIGATIONS AT THE RESPECTIVE TIP LINES. AS WE HEARD FROM
00:33:43DIRECTOR PATEL, IF YOU'RE NOT
00:33:45SURE HOW ONE 800, CALL FBI, HELP
00:33:48US FIND AND CONVICT THESE CRIMINALS AND PROTECT THE
00:33:51AMERICAN PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MR.
00:33:53BLANCHE. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO THANK
00:33:56EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, WE'LL TAKE A COUPLE OF
00:34:00QUESTIONS >> UM, THE PRESIDENT.
00:34:01>> HAS PUBLICLY CRITICIZED U.S.
00:34:05ATTORNEY JEANINE PIRRO FOR HER DECISION TO DROP THE REFLECTING POOL CASE. DO YOU AGREE WITH THE
00:34:09MOVE TO DROP THE TO DISMISS THE CHARGES AGAINST DAVID HEARN?
00:34:12>> SO I LOOK, I THINK THAT, UM,
00:34:15U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO, OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF YEAR AND A
00:34:19HALF, THAT SHE'S BEEN THERE A
00:34:21YEAR PLUS HAS LED AN
00:34:24UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO, TO
00:34:27LITERALLY OVER JUST TURN THIS CITY ON ITS HEAD TO BE A SAFE
00:34:30PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE AND
00:34:33EAT. AND, AND SO I, I WATCHED
00:34:37THE, THE COMMUNICATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO HAS EVERY
00:34:40RIGHT TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY FRUSTRATED WITH DAMAGE DONE TO,
00:34:43TO OUR NATIONAL MONUMENTS AND IN THIS CITY AND ELSEWHERE. UM,
00:34:47BUT, BUT JUDGE PIRRO IS DOING, IS DOING A GREAT JOB. AND, AND
00:34:50OUR CITY, WASHINGTON, D.C., IS A
00:34:54LOT SAFER, IN NO SMALL PART TO, TO HER EFFORT AND THE
00:34:57PROSECUTOR'S EFFORTS THAT SHE WORKS WITH.
00:35:00>> UM, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION, WERE YOU AWARE THAT
00:35:03PIRRO WAS GOING TO DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST DAVID HEARN? AND
00:35:06IF SO, DID YOU APPROVE OF THAT DECISION
00:35:09>> SO I, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS. I
00:35:12DON'T I DON'T APPROVE OR
00:35:14DISAPPROVE, UM, DECISIONS THAT
00:35:16OUR U.S. ATTORNEYS MAKE ON IN A GENERAL MATTER. BUT I'M NOT
00:35:19GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, UH, WHAT WE KNEW ABOUT THE CASE OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE CASE. I
00:35:23MEAN, WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BY WE, I MEAN,
00:35:25MAINE JUSTICE. AND U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT
00:35:29CASES THAT WE WORK ON. SO,
00:35:30AGAIN, I DON'T WANT THE, THE
00:35:33MESSAGE TO BE BECAUSE PRESIDENT
00:35:36TRUMP EXPRESSED APPROPRIATE FRUSTRATION AT THE DAMAGE DONE
00:35:39TO THE REFLECTING POOL. UM, THAT, THAT JUDGE PIRRO IS NOT
00:35:42AND NOT ONLY JUDGE PIRRO, HER PROSECUTORS ARE NOT WORKING
00:35:45EVERY DAY TO, TO COMBAT VIOLENT
00:35:48CRIME 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
00:35:58ABOUT THE CURRENT CASE THAT YOU, THE CURRENT CASE, YOU GUYS ARE
00:36:01TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE DEA DIRECTOR BRIEFLY MENTIONED, I'M
00:36:05PARAPHRASING, UH, SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, UH, POLITICIANS,
00:36:08ELECTED LEADERS, UH, THE U.S.
00:36:09WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GO AFTER
00:36:13THESE SUSPECTS. UH, YOU ALSO MENTIONED ELECTED LEADERS
00:36:15POTENTIALLY PROTECTING, UH,
00:36:17PEOPLE, UH, NAMED IN THIS
00:36:20INDICTMENT. DOES THE U.S., AT THIS POINT HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR CONSIDERATIONS THAT THERE COULD
00:36:24BE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, FOREIGN ELECTED LEADERS, WHO ARE PROTECTING ANY OF THE NAMED
00:36:27SUSPECTS THAT WERE JUST BROUGHT UP TODAY, UH, POTENTIALLY AT
00:36:30ALL? AND DOES THE U.S. BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY,
00:36:34POTENTIALLY, TO CHARGE ANY FOREIGN ELECTED LEADERS IF THAT
00:36:38WAS HAPPENING IN THIS CASE? >> DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER INITIALLY? THEN I CAN FOLLOW UP.
00:36:41SURE. GO AHEAD.
00:36:44>> SO I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE, YOU KNOW, IN MY REMARKS,
00:36:47THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS FIRST
00:36:49AND AMERICA FIRST. THERE ARE FAR
00:36:53TOO MANY AMERICANS THAT ARE DYING AT THE HANDS OF THE
00:36:56CARTELS, WHO HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED A FOREIGN TERRORIST. ON A SIDE NOTE, YOU KNOW, EACH
00:37:00DAY WHEN I WALK INTO DEA HEADQUARTERS, I WALK PAST THE
00:37:04FACES OF FENTANYL. THERE ARE
00:37:097000 KIDS THERE. PITCHERS ARE ON
00:37:12OUR WALL. THERE'S ANOTHER 25,000 PARENTS THAT ARE
00:37:15PETITIONED TO HAVE THEIR KIDS ON
00:37:17THE WALL, WHO HAVE DIED AT THE
00:37:21HANDS OF THE CARTELS IN FENTANYL. THEY WERE POISONED.
00:37:24THAT'S A FRACTION OF THE DAMAGE
00:37:26THAT THE CARTELS ARE DOING. AND
00:37:29WE'VE ALL SEEN WITH THE RECENT
00:37:31INDICTMENT THAT WAS UNSEALED IN
00:37:33THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW
00:37:35YORK, THERE IS CORRUPTION, AND
00:37:38WE WERE GOING TO PURSUE THAT BECAUSE WE SEE THE CORRUPTION AS
00:37:41ONE CARTEL ACTIVITY. CORRUPTION
00:37:44IS CARTEL ACTIVITY. THEY ARE
00:37:47ENABLERS, AND WE WILL PURSUE IT
00:37:49TO THE ENDS TO PROTECT OUR
00:37:52CITIZENS 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
00:38:05DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER YOU STAND BY JEANINE PIRRO DECISION TO DROP THAT CASE. I'M JUST. WHAT MESSAGE DOES IT SEND,
00:38:09THOUGH, IF PRESIDENT TRUMP FIRES A U.S. ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE
00:38:11DETERMINED THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CHARGE
00:38:15FOR 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
00:38:22HE'S ALLOWED TO DO THAT. UM, BECAUSE HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF
00:38:25UNITED STATES, SO I DON'T. AND BY THE WAY, HE IF THE PRESIDENT
00:38:28WANTED, IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTED TO FIRE ANYBODY WRIGHT
00:38:32WITHIN HIS ADMINISTRATION, HE VERY HE UNDERSTANDS HE HAS THE
00:38:36POWER TO DO THAT. SO WHEN, WHEN HE MAKES A DECISION ABOUT
00:38:40WHETHER TO FIRE A U.S. ATTORNEY OR ANYBODY ELSE, THAT'S HIS. AS
00:38:43FAR AS ANY MESSAGE I. WHAT I
00:38:46SAID EARLIER, ALEX, IS TRUE, WHICH IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT
00:38:50THE D.C., U.S. ATTORNEY'S
00:38:53OFFICE, BODY OF WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND WHERE
00:38:56WE ARE IN THIS CITY, COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE, UM, THEY ARE
00:38:59DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT EVERY CASE
00:39:02GOES EXACTLY THE WAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP OR I WANT, OR
00:39:06U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO WANTS? I MEAN, OF COURSE NOT. IT DOESN'T.
00:39:09SO I THINK THAT THAT WHAT YOU'VE
00:39:10SEEN PLAY OUT IN THE PRESS WITH
00:39:13RESPECT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND U.S. ATTORNEY PIRRO, IS IT'S ALL
00:39:17OUT THERE ALREADY. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT CHANGES THE FACT
00:39:20THAT HER PROSECUTORS, HER
00:39:21OFFICE, UM, WHAT THEY'VE DONE
00:39:24OVER THE PAST YEAR TO, TO TRANSFORM THIS CITY INTO A PLACE
00:39:28THAT WE CAN ALL NOW WALK AROUND IN AFTER SUNSET IS SOMETHING
00:39:32THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLE. SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
00:39:36INCONSISTENT 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
00:39:43YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR MOVING
00:39:47FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE CASES THAT ARE IN HIS SORT OF COLLECTION OF DESIRED OUTCOMES,
00:39:50WHETHER IT'S COMEY, WHETHER IT
00:39:53IS, UH, ANYTHING RELATED TO THE
00:39:55REFLECTING POOL, HOW DO YOU ADVISE THE PRESIDENT ON THE
00:39:59DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT HE MAY WANT TO SEE AND THE RULES OF EVIDENCE AND THE CONFINES OF LAW
00:40:02THAT YOU HAVE TO ADHERE TO? IT
00:40:05SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING JUDGE PIRRO GOT IT RIGHT. AND HOW
00:40:08WOULD YOU ADVISE THE PRESIDENT
00:40:10ON THESE MATTERS GOING FORWARD? >> WELL, A COUPLE OF REACTIONS
00:40:14TO THAT. ONE, MY CURRENT JOB IS
00:40:17THE SAME AS WHAT MY JOB WILL BE. SO I TO THE EXTENT THAT
00:40:21PRESIDENT AND AS THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, I WAS IN
00:40:23CHARGE OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S.
00:40:27SO IT'S NOT AS IF I REMAIN BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF WHAT WILL
00:40:29HAPPEN IF I'M CONFIRMED. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
00:40:33EXTRAORDINARILY FOCUSED ON MAKING THIS COUNTRY SAFE. AND DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GOING TO
00:40:36PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS GOVERNMENT, NOT JUST DOJ, BUT
00:40:40EVERYBODY IN THIS GOVERNMENT, IS DOING THAT? YES. AND I DON'T
00:40:43HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH, UM, I'M
00:40:45NOT GOING TO TALK EVER, ABOUT MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH PRESIDENT
00:40:48TRUMP, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHEN
00:40:51HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT HE EXPECTS THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO TO MAKE
00:40:55THIS COUNTRY SAFE, I DON'T THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK
00:40:57AT THAT AS SOME SORT OF THREAT
00:40:59TO ME OR WARNING TO ME. HE WANTS
00:41:02THIS COUNTRY TO BE SAFE. AND SO I AND I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH HIM
00:41:05ON THAT. SO IF WE HAVE
00:41:08DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT A CASE AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE A CASE OR
00:41:12WHETHER WE HAVE CHARGED A CASE,
00:41:15THAT'S THAT'S OKAY. BUT NO, I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT, UM,
00:41:17ANYTHING NEW WITH MY
00:41:20RESPONSIBILITY. YOU KNOW, IF I'M CONFIRMED IN THE NEXT
00:41:22COUPLE OF DAYS, COMPARED TO WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN
00:41:26REALLY, SINCE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, BUT OBVIOUSLY SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR AS WELL. SO. ALL
00:41:30RIGHT. THANKS A LOT, GUYS. I APPRECIATE IT. >> YOUR CONFIRMATION, GIVEN
00:41:33SUSAN COLLINS CAME OUT YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT SHE'S A NO. ARE
00:41:36YOU WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIALLY OTHER REPUBLICANS DEFECTING IN
00:41:39THE NEXT FEW DAYS? AND WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM IF THEY DO?
00:41:42>> NO. WELL, MY MESSAGE I'VE
00:41:44BEEN TALKING TO REPUBLICANS AND
00:41:46DEMOCRATS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO
00:41:49SO. AND MY TEAM HAS BEEN AS
00:41:53WELL. 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,
00:41:57THE BODY OF WORK THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE OVER THE PAST, UM, YEAR
00:42:01AND A HALF OF WHICH I'M A VERY
00:42:04SMALL PART OF, IS SOMETHING
00:42:06THAT, THAT THE SENATE RECOGNIZES. AND, AND, BUT LOOK, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO, I'M
00:42:09NOT GOING TO, UM, DO, DO
00:42:13ANYTHING EXCEPT CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS
00:42:15QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING INVOLVING THE DEPARTMENT THAT I
00:42:19CAN ANSWER OR ME PERSONALLY, THAT I CAN ANSWER. SO WE'LL SEE.
00:42:21BUT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, GUYS.
00:42:23>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
00:42:26>> MR. COLE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> SENATOR DURBIN, DIRECTLY
00:42:30RESPOND TO THAT. HEY, DAVID.
00:42:32>> WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP IN
00:42:36THE 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
00:42:42PLATEAUED? UM, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HELP OUT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE, RIGHT?
00:42:45>> YEAH. SO, SO THE COMMUNICATION IS CONSTANT. AND
00:42:48HAVING WORKED IN MEXICO PREVIOUSLY WITH MATT. WHERE'S
00:42:53MATT? PREVIOUSLY, WE WORKED ON THE GROUND TOGETHER AND WE
00:42:55CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE GROUND
00:42:57TOGETHER. BOTH COUNTRIES WORKING
00:43:00TOGETHER. DO I STILL COMMUNICATE
00:43:02WITH THE OMAR GARCIA HARFUCH? I
00:43:06DO WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP. HE WANTS THE BEST FOR HIS COUNTRY.
00:43:09I WANT THE BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THE AMERICANS AND OUR
00:43:11NATIONAL SECURITY. AND WE STAND
00:43:15FIRM NOT ONLY ON THE CURRENT CASES, THE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN
00:43:18UNSEALED, AND WHAT'S ABOUT TO
00:43:22HAPPEN. >> RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. >> YOU GUYS I APPRECIATE IT.
00:43:26>> DIRECTOR PATEL, ANY UPDATE ON THE GUTHRIE CASE SINCE THE
00:43:28RANSOM NOTES WERE MADE? PUBLIC?
00:43:31>> SERVANT
00:43:42>> [MUSIC] >> FRIDAY ON C-SPAN CEASE FIRE. A BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION ON THE
00:43:46U.S. WAR WITH IRAN, FEATURING ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
00:43:50RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI AND TEXAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS, JOINED BY OUR HOST,
00:43:53DASHA BURNS. THEY'LL ALSO DISCUSS THE ECONOMY AND THE
00:43:57BATTLE FOR THE CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERM ELECTIONS. WATCH CEASE FIRE
00:44:01FRIDAY AT 7 P.M. AND 10 P.M.
00:44:02EASTERN AND PACIFIC ONLY ON
00:44:06C-SPAN. WHO'S YOUR
00:44:10REPRESENTATIVE? WHO SITS ON WHICH COMMITTEE? WHERE DO YOU
00:44:13EVEN START? C-SPAN'S OFFICIAL
00:44:16CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY. GET ESSENTIAL CONTACT INFORMATION
00:44:18FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ALL IN
00:44:21ONE PLACE. THE CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY COSTS 32.95, PLUS
00:44:23SHIPPING AND HANDLING, AND EVERY
00:44:25PURCHASE HELPS SUPPORT C-SPAN'S
00:44:28NONPROFIT OPERATIONS. GET YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY BY
00:44:30SCANNING THE QR CODE, OR AT
00:44:33C-SPAN .ORG. STAY INFORMED, STAY
00:44:39ENGAGED. >> SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE SPOKE ABOUT THIS YEAR'S
00:44:42FARM BILL, HIGHLIGHTING THE
00:44:44POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR
00:44:46THE 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
00:44:56FROM MEMBERS OF THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN BOOZMAN
00:44:59RELEASED THE TEXT OF A FIVE YEAR FARM BILL, WHICH IS SLATED FOR A
00:45:02MARKUP TOMORROW, AND WILL, I
00:45:04HOPE, BE HEADED SOON. TO THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, AS SOMEONE
00:45:08WHO HAILS FROM AN AG STATE AND
00:45:10HAS BEEN PART OF THE DRAFTING OF
00:45:13NOW FIVE FARM BILLS, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE FARM BILL IS AND
00:45:16HOW MUCH WORK GOES IN TO GETTING IT RIGHT. AS I MADE CLEAR AT THE
00:45:20START OF THIS CONGRESS, AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS
00:45:22ARE A PRIORITY FOR THIS SENATE MAJORITY. THAT STARTED LAST YEAR
00:45:26WITH THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS, WHICH STRENGTHENED THE
00:45:30FARM SAFETY NET, BOLSTERED CRITICAL FARM PROGRAMS, AND
00:45:33DELIVERED TAX RELIEF TO AMERICA'S AGRICULTURAL
00:45:37PRODUCERS, INCLUDING RELIEF FROM
00:45:38THE UNFAIR DEATH TAX AND MAKING
00:45:43THE 199 A DEDUCTION PERMANENT. AND IT CONTINUES THIS YEAR WITH THIS FARM BILL, WHICH BUILDS ON THE IMPORTANT MEASURES IN THE
00:45:47WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS TO GIVE FARMERS AND RANCHERS
00:45:50CERTAINTY INTO THE FUTURE. AFTER THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS
00:45:54RAISED, REFERENCE PRICES LAST YEAR, THIS FARM BILL MAKES
00:45:58FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO COMMODITY PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS
00:46:02CROP INSURANCE CORNERSTONES OF
00:46:04THE FARM SAFETY NET. IT
00:46:07MODERNIZES FARM LOAN PROGRAMS TO GET AMERICA'S NEXT GENERATION OF
00:46:09FARMERS AND RANCHERS OFF TO A STRONG START, AND IT STRENGTHENS
00:46:13OTHER PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCERS DEPEND ON. IT IMPROVES THE
00:46:17EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK PROGRAMS SO THAT IT
00:46:19COVERS THE COST OF HAULING FEED
00:46:22OR WATER, AND OPENS THE PROGRAM TO PRODUCERS DEALING WITH
00:46:26DROUGHT OR OTHER ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. AND IT INCLUDES MY
00:46:29CRP FLEXIBILITY AND IMPROVEMENT ACT, WHICH WILL MAKE THE
00:46:33CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM A
00:46:34MORE WORKING, LANDS ORIENTED OPTION FOR PRODUCERS. MR.
00:46:38PRESIDENT, CRP. CRP PLAYS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SOUTH
00:46:42DAKOTA'S ECONOMY BY HELPING TO PROVIDE HABITAT FOR PHEASANTS.
00:46:46BUT PRODUCERS IN MY STATE HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED FOR YEARS WITH HOW THE PROGRAM IS MANAGED, IN
00:46:50PARTICULAR BY THE FACT THAT IT'S RESTRICTED ITS
00:46:53RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE CAN BE
00:46:56EXCESSIVE. AND THAT'S WHY I INTRODUCED THE CRP FLEXIBILITY
00:46:59AND IMPROVEMENT ACT. MY BILL ALLOWS GRAZING OPTIONS,
00:47:03INCLUDING FENCING AND WATER DISTRIBUTION ON ALL CRP ACRES.
00:47:06AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT INCREASES THE ANNUAL CRP PAYMENT LIMITS.
00:47:10FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE PROGRAM'S 40 YEAR HISTORY. THIS
00:47:14BILL WILL MAKE CRP AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR MORE PRODUCERS AND
00:47:18OPEN UP ACCESS FOR LIVESTOCK, FORAGE, AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
00:47:22MR. PRESIDENT, THE FARM BILL ALSO INCLUDES A NUMBER OF BILLS. I'VE WORKED ON THAT MAKE IT
00:47:26EASIER FOR PRODUCERS TO DO BUSINESS AND TO GET THEIR
00:47:28PRODUCTS TO MARKET. IT INCLUDES
00:47:30A BILL I WORKED ON WITH SENATORS GRASSLEY, KLOBUCHAR AND BALDWIN
00:47:34THAT ESTABLISHES REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON FERTILIZER
00:47:38PRICES, WHICH WILL BRING MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE FERTILIZER
00:47:42MARKETPLACE BY HELPING PRODUCERS
00:47:43MAKE MORE INFORMED AND COST EFFECTIVE CHOICES FOR THEIR
00:47:47OPERATIONS. ANOTHER BILL OF MINE, THE PROMOTING PRECISION
00:47:50AGRICULTURE ACT, WILL FACILITATE THE CREATION OF INDUSTRY LED
00:47:53VOLUNTARY STANDARDS FOR PRECISION AG TECHNOLOGY THAT
00:47:57WILL HELP MORE FARMERS FARMERS
00:47:59ADOPT THIS PROMISING TOOL. AND BY STRENGTHENING LOCAL
00:48:03PROCESSING. ACT GIVES SMALLER PROCESSORS ACCESS TO CRITICAL
00:48:06INFORMATION AND ALLOWS MORE MEAT PRODUCTS APPROVED BY A STATE
00:48:08INSPECTOR TO BE SOLD ACROSS
00:48:11STATE LINES. MR. PRESIDENT, THE
00:48:13FARM BILL IS ABOUT MORE THAN
00:48:15JUST WHAT HAPPENS ON A FARM OR
00:48:18RANCH. IT ALSO SUPPORTS AMERICA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES.
00:48:21THAT INCLUDES WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, RURAL
00:48:24DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTH CARE, AMONG OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES.
00:48:28IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR CONTINUED
00:48:31EFFORTS TO PROVIDE BROADBAND IN UNSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND I'M
00:48:33PLEASED THAT THIS BILL WILL HELP ENSURE THAT BROADBAND DOLLARS ARE GOING TO COMMUNITIES THAT
00:48:38NEED IT. I SHOULD SAY, PLACES WHERE 90% OR MORE OF THE
00:48:41RESIDENTS LACK ACCESS TO BASIC
00:48:44INTERNET SERVICES. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S A LOT MORE I
00:48:48COULD TALK ABOUT WITH THIS BILL.
00:48:50A LOT MORE. THIS IS A BILL THAT WILL PROVIDE REAL SUPPORT AND
00:48:54CERTAINTY FOR AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS. AND THAT'S GOOD
00:48:57NEWS FOR ALL AMERICANS WHO DEPEND ON OUR HARD WORKING
00:49:00PRODUCERS FOR FOOD, FUEL, AND
00:49:02FIBER FUEL. MR. PRESIDENT, IS
00:49:05THE FINAL THING I WANT TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING. MR.
00:49:08PRESIDENT, FOR DECADES, THE
00:49:10SEASONAL SALE OF E15 HAS BEEN A
00:49:14WIN-WIN FOR AMERICA'S FARMERS AND FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT HAS STRENGTHENED THE
00:49:17AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY WHILE PROVIDING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
00:49:20WITH AN AFFORDABLE SOURCE OF HOMEGROWN ENERGY. AND FOR MANY
00:49:24YEARS, MR. PRESIDENT, IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR ME AND FOR MANY
00:49:27OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO ALLOW
00:49:29E15 TO BE SOLD ALL YEAR. THIS PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF
00:49:33WORK TO GET HERE. BUT I'M VERY PROUD THAT THIS FARM BILL
00:49:37DELIVERS PERMANENT, PERMANENT,
00:49:40YEAR ROUND E15. THIS IS
00:49:41SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO FURTHER HELP PRODUCERS AND HELP
00:49:45BRING DOWN FUEL COSTS FOR ALL
00:49:48AMERICANS. AND I WANT TO THANK
00:49:50CHAIRMAN BOOZMAN, AS WELL AS
00:49:53SENATORS DAINES CAPITO, AND FISCHER FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD
00:49:55WORK ON THIS ISSUE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING IT ACROSS THE
00:49:59FINISH LINE. MR. PRESIDENT, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH FARMERS
00:50:02AND RANCHERS BACK HOME IN SOUTH
00:50:04DAKOTA. THEY TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE UNCERTAINTY AND THE
00:50:07HEADWINDS THAT THEY FACE. AND
00:50:09I'VE LISTENED TO THEIR
00:50:12PRIORITIES AND MADE THEM MY OWN.
00:50:14AS I SAID, AMERICA'S FARMERS AND
00:50:16RANCHERS ARE A PRIORITY FOR THIS
00:50:19SENATE MAJORITY. AND WITH THE WORKING FAMILIES TAX CUTS AND NOW THIS FARM BILL, WE'RE MAKING
00:50:23REAL PROGRESS ON THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR PRODUCERS. BUT, OF
00:50:27COURSE, OUR WORK IS NEVER FINISHED. THERE WILL BE MORE TO
00:50:30DO IN THE FUTURE TO SUPPORT AND
00:50:33STRENGTHEN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE,
00:50:35AND AMERICA'S PRODUCERS CAN BE
00:50:38CONFIDENT THAT THEIR NEEDS WILL
00:50:40ALWAYS BE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST. >> SEVERAL SENATORS ALSO SPOKE
00:50:43ON THE FLOOR OF THE UPPER CHAMBER, HIGHLIGHTING TOPICS
00:50:46FROM THE COST OF LIVING TO
00:50:48TRACKING TAX DOLLARS. SENATE MAJORITY WHIP JOHN BARRASSO OF
00:50:52WYOMING TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
00:50:55AMID A SPATE OF WINS BY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN
00:51:00DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND, LATER, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
00:51:03ALEX PADILLA ALSO TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
00:51:06IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE
00:51:10TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I BEGIN WITH A
00:51:14QUOTE. I'M HIS LAWYER. I'M HIS
00:51:19LAWYER, IS WHAT TODD BLANCHE
00:51:22SAID IN THE COURSE OF HIS
00:51:25CONFIRMATION HEARING BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE OF THE
00:51:28UNITED STATES SENATE. I'M HIS
00:51:30LAWYER MEANING I'M DONALD
00:51:35TRUMP'S LAWYER. NOW ADMITTEDLY,
00:51:39HE HAD NO INTENTION OF SAYING IT
00:51:43THAT WAY. HE HAD NO INTENTION OF
00:51:46ALLOWING THAT REVELATION TO
00:51:50SLIP. BUT IT WAS A GLARING
00:51:54ILLUSTRATION OF HIS MINDSET. HE
00:51:59WAS HE IS NOW. AND HE WILL BE
00:52:04DONALD TRUMP'S LAWYER, HIS
00:52:07PERSONAL LAWYER, AS HE WAS DURING CRIMINAL AND CIVIL
00:52:11TRIALS. A TRUSTED, LOYAL
00:52:17CONSIGLIERI. HE'S NOT AN
00:52:19INDEPENDENT LAWYER WITH A LAW
00:52:23FIRM. HE IS IN-HOUSE. HE IS
00:52:26LITERALLY KEPT BY THE PRESIDENT.
00:52:31ON HIS PERSONAL LEASH YOU MAY
00:52:38THINK I'M OVERSTATING IT, BUT
00:52:40IN FACT, HE DEMONSTRATED
00:52:44THROUGHOUT THAT HEARING. AND THE THROUGH LINE WAS, HE WILL BE
00:52:48GUIDED BY BLIND LOYALTY TO THE
00:52:51PRESIDENT AND CONTEMPT FOR THE
00:52:53LAW ENABLING THE PRESIDENT, AND
00:52:58CONTINUED CORRUPT CRYPTO SCHEMES
00:53:03AS WELL AS CONDONING AND
00:53:07EMPOWERING THE PRESIDENT TO
00:53:10ESTABLISH A SLUSH FUND FOR
00:53:13JANUARY 6th. RIOTERS, AS WELL AS
00:53:18TAX IMMUNITY. EVEN THOUGH,
00:53:20PURPORTEDLY, THOSE AGREEMENTS
00:53:22WERE LIMITED. HE WILL ENABLE THE
00:53:24PRESIDENT TO CIRCUMVENT THESE
00:53:27SO-CALLED AGREEMENTS, WHICH ARE
00:53:30A SHAM. THEY ARE A FRAUD ON THE
00:53:34UNITED STATES SENATE, JUST AS
00:53:37TODD BLANCHE COMMITTED A FRAUD
00:53:40ON THE FLORIDA UNITED STATES
00:53:42DISTRICT COURT THAT REFERRED HIM
00:53:45TO THE NEW YORK BAR FOR
00:53:47INVESTIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH
00:53:51THAT WRONGDOING MAYA ANGELOU
00:53:56FAMOUSLY SAID, QUOTE, WHEN
00:53:57SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE,
00:54:00BELIEVE THEM. THE FIRST TIME,
00:54:03END QUOTE. AND TODD BLANCHE HAS
00:54:04SHOWN US REPEATEDLY WHO HE IS,
00:54:08WHO HIS BOSS IS, AND WHO'S
00:54:14LOYALTY HE WILL HOLD UPPERMOST
00:54:18YOU KNOW, I WAS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY IN CONNECTICUT FOR FOUR
00:54:22AND A HALF YEARS. PART OF THE
00:54:24DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHICH I REVERED MORE THAN JUST
00:54:28RESPECTED. IN FACT, REVERED
00:54:31BECAUSE IT EPITOMIZED WHAT
00:54:35LAWYERS SHOULD BE IN UPHOLDING
00:54:37THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICS
00:54:40AND MORALITY, EVEN WHEN WE MADE
00:54:42AN ERROR, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO
00:54:47IT, IN EFFECT, ACKNOWLEDGE IT
00:54:48BEFORE THE COURT. I WILL NEVER
00:54:53FORGET THE FIRST TIME I APPEARED
00:54:55BEFORE A UNITED STATES DISTRICT
00:54:58COURT JUDGE IN CONNECTICUT, A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
00:55:01HIMSELF, AND HE ASKED ME WHO DO
00:55:05YOU WORK FOR? AND I SAID NO, YOU
00:55:13WORK FOR AND YOU REPRESENT THE
00:55:18UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THINK
00:55:20OF IT FOR A MOMENT. WALKING INTO
00:55:24A COURTROOM REPRESENTING THE
00:55:27UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SWORN
00:55:30TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION, NOT
00:55:33ANY PRESIDENT, NOT A
00:55:36LEGISLATURE. THE UNITED STATES
00:55:38OF AMERICA. THAT IS NOT WHAT
00:55:43TODD BLANCHE HAS DONE. AS A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL UNDER DONALD TRUMP. IT IS NOT
00:55:47WHAT HE WILL DO. AS HE SHOWED
00:55:52CLEARLY, NOTHING EPITOMIZES IT
00:55:54BETTER THAN THE ANSWER HE GAVE
00:55:56AT ONE POINT, WHEN HE REFERRED
00:55:59TO THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL
00:56:01THAT OCCURRED ON JANUARY 6th,
00:56:042021. WE ALL REMEMBER IT. WE
00:56:06WENT THROUGH IT. WE SAW IT. THE
00:56:09ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL, WHICH
00:56:13INJURED AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE
00:56:18DEATHS OF OUR CAPITOL POLICE. HE
00:56:20REFERRED TO IT AS, QUOTE,
00:56:22UNQUOTE, EVENTS. HE COULDN'T
00:56:26BRING HIMSELF TO REFER TO IT AS
00:56:27AN ATTACK, AS IT CLEARLY WAS,
00:56:32BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP WILL NOT
00:56:35ALLOW ANY OF HIS NOMINEES TO
00:56:39REFER TO THE JANUARY 6th RIOT AND INSURRECTION AS AN ATTACK ON
00:56:43THE CAPITOL. IT WAS AN ATTACK
00:56:46DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LAWFUL
00:56:49AND PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER
00:56:55AND TO CALL IT ANYTHING ELSE IS
00:56:58DISRESPECTFUL TO THE BRAVE.
00:57:02CAPITOL POLICE, WHO DEFENDED US THAT DAY. AND DISQUALIFYING FOR
00:57:05A JUDICIAL NOMINEE AND FOR ANY
00:57:11POSITION OF TRUST IN THE UNITED
00:57:14STATES GOVERNMENT. EARLIER
00:57:16TODAY, I PARTICIPATED IN A PRESS
00:57:18CONFERENCE WITH SOME OF THE PROSECUTORS. THE CAREER
00:57:22PROSECUTORS WHO PURSUED
00:57:27CONVICTIONS OF THOSE RIOTERS FOR
00:57:33THE SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF
00:57:36FEDERAL LAW THAT THEY INCURRED.
00:57:39THEY MADE THE POINT THE FAILURE
00:57:45TO ACKNOWLEDGE AN ATTACK ON THE
00:57:46CAPITOL, OR THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN
00:57:51WON THE 2020 ELECTION, SHOWS A
00:57:54LACK OF INDEPENDENCE THAT SHOULD
00:57:57BE DISQUALIFYING. THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A LETTER TO ALL OF US
00:58:00HERE. I ASK THAT IT BE MADE A
00:58:03PART OF THE RECORD
00:58:07>> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE POINT
00:58:10THAT THESE STATEMENTS BY
00:58:16NOMINEES FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE OR
00:58:20FOR JUDGESHIPS IN EFFECT,
00:58:23PERPETUATE THE BIG LIE. ELECTION
00:58:25DENIERS HAVE NO PLACE ON THE
00:58:28BENCH OR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
00:58:30JUSTICE, AND IN FACT, IN RESPONSE TO MY SUBMITTED
00:58:33QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE 2020
00:58:35ELECTION, TODD BLANCHE REFUSED
00:58:38TO STATE THAT JOE BIDEN WON THE
00:58:412020 ELECTION, AND HE STOOD BY
00:58:43HIS PRIOR STATEMENTS
00:58:46PERPETUATING THE BIG LIE. THE
00:58:48THROUGH LINE HERE IS WHATEVER
00:58:52DONALD TRUMP SAYS TODD BLANCHE
00:58:53DOES. HE WILL DO ANYTHING, SAY
00:58:56ANYTHING, CONCEAL ANYTHING THAT
00:59:01SERVES DONALD TRUMP'S INTERESTS
00:59:05NOW, IN SOME WAYS, THE MOST
00:59:08TRAGIC ILLUSTRATION OF THIS
00:59:11THROUGH LINE IS TODD BLANCHE
00:59:16TREATMENT OF THE EPSTEIN
00:59:19SURVIVORS. LET'S REMEMBER, HE
00:59:21SHOWED US AGAIN WHO HE WAS WHEN
00:59:26HE REVICTIMIZED THOSE SURVIVORS
00:59:29BY COMPLETELY BOTCHING THE
00:59:30RELEASE OF THE EPSTEIN FILE. HE
00:59:34FAILED TO REDACT THE SURVIVORS
00:59:37PERSONAL INFORMATION AND DEFIED
00:59:40THE EPSTEIN FILE'S TRANSPARENCY ACT BY REDACTING UNNECESSARY
00:59:43INFORMATION. WHY? TO SHIELD
00:59:47DONALD TRUMP. THAT WAS THE
00:59:49PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IN THE
00:59:53SITUATION ROOM. WHEN THE THREAT
00:59:57TO RELEASE OF ADDITIONAL FILES WAS TO DONALD TRUMP, BECAUSE HE
01:00:00WAS MENTIONED IN THOSE FILES AND THE SITUATION ROOM MEETING,
01:00:03WHICH IS RECOUNTED IN REGIME
01:00:09CHANGE. A RECENT BOOK BY
01:00:12JONATHAN SWAN AND MAGGIE
01:00:14HAMMERMAN SHOWED CLEARLY THE
01:00:16EFFORT WAS NOT TO DO JUSTICE FOR
01:00:19THE SURVIVORS, BUT TO PROTECT
01:00:22DONALD TRUMP. HE REFUSED TO MEET WITH THE SURVIVORS. HE SPENT TWO
01:00:26WHOLE DAYS WITH GHISLAINE
01:00:30MAXWELL. WHY WELL, WE DON'T
01:00:33REALLY KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS
01:00:37CERTAINLY NO INFORMATION USEFUL TO ANY INVESTIGATION THAT
01:00:40EMERGED FROM IT. WHAT DID HAPPEN
01:00:43WAS THAT SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO
01:00:45A CUSHY PRISON CAMP AND HAS
01:00:52REMAINED SILENT. HE FINALLY AGREED TO MEET WITH THE
01:00:55SURVIVORS, THEY DESCRIBED IT AS
01:00:57DEMORALIZING AND DEGRADING. IN
01:01:00FACT, THEY CALLED IT
01:01:03GASLIGHTING. HE PROTECTED DONALD
01:01:04TRUMP AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE
01:01:07SURVIVORS. AND ONE OF THE MOST
01:01:14HEINOUS SEXUAL ABUSE AND
01:01:14TRAFFICKING RINGS IN AMERICAN
01:01:18HISTORY HAS YET TO PRODUCE THE KINDS OF CONVICTIONS NECESSARY.
01:01:22THE CONVICTIONS IN COURTS, THE
01:01:26PROSECUTIONS OF THE
01:01:30COCONSPIRATORS, AND OTHERS
01:01:34COMPLICIT AND LEGALLY
01:01:35RESPONSIBLE THAT IS NOT THE
01:01:39CONDUCT OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL.
01:01:45IT'S THE CONDUCT OF DONALD
01:01:50TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER. I'M
01:01:53HIS LAWYER. THAT IS THE THROUGH
01:01:58LINE. HE CERTAINLY WAS ACTING AS
01:02:00DONALD TRUMP'S LAWYER WHEN HE
01:02:04ISSUED TWO. DOCUMENTS RECENTLY,
01:02:10SUPPOSEDLY ENDING THE CONTRACT
01:02:17THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE AGREEMENT ON DONALD TRUMP'S
01:02:21PURPORTED SO-CALLED LAWSUIT
01:02:24SEEKING DAMAGES FROM THE
01:02:29REVELATION OF HIS PERSONAL TAX
01:02:32INFORMATION. WE KNOW THAT TWO OF
01:02:35OUR COLLEAGUES, SENATOR CORNYN
01:02:39AND TILLIS, SAID THAT THEY
01:02:41NEEDED SOMETHING IN WRITING. BUT
01:02:45WHAT THEY GOT IN WRITING WAS
01:02:49VIRTUALLY MEANINGLESS IN SHOWING
01:02:52THAT EITHER THE SLUSH FUND, THE
01:02:55SO-CALLED ANTI WEAPONIZATION
01:03:00FUND, OR TAX IMMUNITY, WAS IN
01:03:00ANY WAY MATERIALLY CHANGED. IN
01:03:08DOCUMENT THAT PURPORTED TO SAY
01:03:13THAT THE TRUST FUND WAS DEAD, IN
01:03:17REALITY, IS A SHAM. IT IS A
01:03:20FRAUD ON THE UNITED STATES
01:03:22SENATE, JUST AS HE ALLEGEDLY
01:03:24COMMITTED A FRAUD ON THE COURT
01:03:28IN FLORIDA. THE REASON IS, QUITE
01:03:32SIMPLY, THAT THERE WAS A CONTRACT HERE. THE AGREEMENT
01:03:35PRODUCED THAT CONTRACT. THE
01:03:38AGREEMENT WAS BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND THE UNITED STATES.
01:03:41DONALD TRUMP DID NOT IN ANY WAY
01:03:45FOREGO OR RENOUNCE ANY RIGHTS UNDER THAT CONTRACT. IT IS STILL
01:03:48BINDING. HE COULD GO INTO COURT
01:03:50TOMORROW AND ENFORCE IT TO
01:03:55ESTABLISH THE $1.8 BILLION THUG
01:03:58FUND, AND LIKEWISE, THE IMMUNITY AGREEMENT, WHICH IS
01:04:02UNPRECEDENTED, WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DONALD
01:04:06TRUMP, TAX IMMUNITY FROM AUDITS,
01:04:09IN EFFECT, GIVING HIM A FREE PASS FOR EVERYTHING THAT
01:04:12OCCURRED BEFORE THIS IMMUNITY,
01:04:16NEGOTIATED BY TODD BLANCHE WITH
01:04:19ONLY TODD BLANCHE'S SIGNATURE ON
01:04:23IT, THE LIMITING OF THAT
01:04:26IMMUNITY FROM TAX AUDITS TO DONALD TRUMP, HIS SONS, HIS
01:04:30ORGANIZATION WORTH HUNDREDS OF
01:04:33MILLIONS, UNPRECEDENTED UNDER
01:04:37UNCONSCIONABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE
01:04:41FROM AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
01:04:42UNITED STATES DEALING WITH
01:04:46POTENTIAL TAX VIOLATIONS OF LAW,
01:04:48SIGNING AWAY TAX LIABILITY, NO
01:04:52MATTER HOW SERIOUS IT MIGHT BE
01:04:58IT IS UNPRECEDENTED, AND NO ONE
01:05:01ELSE BUT THE PRESIDENT WOULD
01:05:05EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO GET IT
01:05:07IN THIS WAY. UNDER THESE
01:05:10CIRCUMSTANCES. AND HE WAS ABLE
01:05:12TO GET IT ONLY BECAUSE TODD
01:05:15BLANCHE ACTED AS HIS PERSONAL
01:05:18LAWYER, NOT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:05:20OF THE UNITED STATES. SENATOR
01:05:23CORNYN HIMSELF PUT IT WELL, AT
01:05:28THE HEARING ABOUT THIS CONTRACT FOR THE SLUSH FUND. QUOTE, JUST
01:05:30TO BE CLEAR, THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES, WHO WAS A
01:05:34PLAINTIFF IN THIS LAWSUIT, HAS NOT AGREED IN WRITING TO DELETE
01:05:38THE WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT HE OR
01:05:41ONE OF THE OTHER PLAINTIFFS MIGHT RAISE THAT ISSUE BY WAY OF
01:05:45A LAWSUIT IN THE FUTURE TODD
01:05:50BLANCHE ANSWERED IN THE
01:05:51AFFIRMATIVE. HE. WELL KNOWS THAT
01:06:00PREPARED AND RELEASED DOES NOTHING TO CHANGE THAT
01:06:03CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION. THE
01:06:09CONVERSATION THAT TODD BLANCHE
01:06:14HAD RECENTLY, TALKING TO
01:06:18INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, I THINK, IS
01:06:20EXTREMELY REVEALING AND
01:06:22IMPORTANT IN A PRIVATE CALL JUST
01:06:24LAST WEEK, HE SAID THE QUIET
01:06:27PART OUT LOUD THAT HE WOULD WORK
01:06:32TO RESTRICT ABORTION IN EVERY SINGLE STATE, ALL ACROSS THE
01:06:35COUNTRY. HE WANTS TO BLOCK STATES ENACTING THEIR OWN
01:06:39POLICIES AND LAWS. HE WANTS TO
01:06:43MAKE ABORTION ACCESS. STATES
01:06:46FOLLOW THE LAW OF ABORTION, BAN,
01:06:49STATES. IN SHORT, HE WANTS TO STRIP AMERICANS OF THEIR RIGHT
01:06:52TO CHOOSE AND STRIP STATES OF
01:06:54THEIR RIGHT TO GOVERN. THAT IS
01:06:58NOT THE CONDUCT OR STATEMENT OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
01:07:01UNITED STATES CARRYING OUT AND
01:07:06RESPECTING THE CONSTITUTION. IT
01:07:08IS FIDELITY TO AN IDEOLOGUE. THE
01:07:13PRESIDENT, WHO WANTS TO IMPRESS
01:07:17HIS BASE, NOT REPRESENT THE
01:07:19AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND TOP BLANCHE
01:07:22SHOWED US WHO HE WAS WHEN HE
01:07:25DUCKED AND DODGED. MY QUESTION
01:07:28ABOUT DEEP SIXING AN INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE PAY
01:07:31TO PLAY COMMUTATION OF A
01:07:35FEDERALLY CONVICTED FELONY
01:07:38FELON, DAVID GENTILE. DAD
01:07:40GENTILE REPORTEDLY PAID $2.5
01:07:44MILLION TO A BROKER TO OBTAIN
01:07:46CLEMENCY THAT CLEMENCY ROBBED
01:07:50HIS VICTIMS OF NEARLY $16
01:07:53MILLION IN RESTITUTION. WHEN A
01:07:55U.S. ATTORNEY TRIED TO INVESTIGATE THE EASTERN DISTRICT
01:07:57OF NEW YORK, U.S. ATTORNEY MR.
01:08:02BLANCHE REPORTEDLY KILLED THE PROBE. THAT IS NOT THE BEHAVIOR
01:08:05OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL. THAT'S
01:08:08DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER.
01:08:12SO THERE IS A POWERFUL CASE
01:08:19AGAINST THIS NOMINEE. I'M UNDER
01:08:24NO ILLUSIONS. WE'VE SEEN THIS
01:08:26MOVIE BEFORE. WE SAW IT AGAIN
01:08:30WHEN MY TWO COLLEAGUES, IN EFFECT, CAVED, VOTED FOR HIS
01:08:34NOMINATION YESTERDAY I'M NOT
01:08:37HERE WITH ROSE COLORED GLASSES.
01:08:40I KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP WILL
01:08:45COME DOWN HARD ON ANY REPUBLICAN
01:08:48COLLEAGUE WHO HAS THE TEMERITY
01:08:50TO SAY, WE WANT A LAWYER WHO REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE, THE
01:08:54LAWYER, A LAWYER WHO HAS
01:08:56FIDELITY TO THE CONSTITUTION,
01:08:59AND TO THE UNITED STATES OF
01:09:02A.AN ATTORNEY
01:09:06GENERAL WHO IS TRUE TO THE
01:09:10TRUST. THAT WE EXPECT HIM TO
01:09:17RESPECT. TODD BLANCHE MIGHT BE
01:09:19THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER, BUT WE
01:09:21DON'T HAVE TO BE. THE
01:09:24PRESIDENT'S SENATE. I URGE MY
01:09:27COLLEAGUES TO VOTE AGAINST THIS
01:09:29CONFIRMATION AND REMAIN TRUE TO
01:09:31WHAT WE SHOULD BE IN UPHOLDING
01:09:34THE TRUST AND THE CONSTITUTION
01:09:37OF THE UNITED STATES. >> SENATOR FROM MARYLAND.
01:09:41>> MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TODAY
01:09:43TO OPPOSE THE NOMINATION OF TODD
01:09:45BLANCHE TO SERVE AS ATTORNEY
01:09:47GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
01:09:49THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS SUPPOSED
01:09:52TO BE THE PEOPLE'S LAWYER,
01:09:55SOMEONE WHOSE LOYALTY IS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND TO THE RULE OF
01:09:58LAW, NOT TO ANY ONE PERSON, EVEN
01:10:01THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT IN THIS
01:10:05ADMINISTRATION, THE ATTORNEY
01:10:07GENERAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
01:10:10JUSTICE ARE FOCUSED SOLELY ON
01:10:12PLEASING ONE PERSON, ONE MAN, NO
01:10:15MATTER THE COST TO OUR COUNTRY.
01:10:18LEST ANYBODY FORGET, HUGE
01:10:23BANNERS LIKE THE ONE DISPLAYED
01:10:25HERE. HANG OUTSIDE THE
01:10:28DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE FRONT
01:10:31DOOR, AS PICTURED HERE, AND THE
01:10:35OTHER ENTRANCE TO THE DEPARTMENT
01:10:36OF JUSTICE. EVERY SINGLE DAY,
01:10:40THE FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO UPHOLD OUR CONSTITUTION AND THE
01:10:42RULE OF LAW WALK BENEATH THESE
01:10:48BANNERS, REMINDING THEM THAT IN
01:10:52THIS ADMINISTRATION, THEIR LOYALTY IS TO DONALD TRUMP, NOT
01:10:55TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
01:10:58STATES. AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE
01:11:00WHO DOES THAT EVERY DAY, AND WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED LOYALTY TO THE
01:11:04PRESIDENT OVER THE CONSTITUTION, IS THE PERSON WHOSE NOMINATION
01:11:08IS PENDING ON THIS FLOOR TODAY
01:11:11TO BE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. IT
01:11:14IS CRYSTAL CLEAR FROM MR. BLANCHE'S RECORD AS ACTING
01:11:17ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND BEFORE THAT, AS DEPUTY ATTORNEY
01:11:20GENERAL, THAT HE IS STILL ACTING
01:11:23LIKE DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL
01:11:25LAWYER, A POSITION HE HELD
01:11:28BEFORE GOING TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. AND HIS RECORD HAS
01:11:32SHOWN US VERY CLEARLY THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO PUT THE
01:11:36PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL INTERESTS
01:11:38ABOVE THE INTERESTS OF THE
01:11:41AMERICAN PEOPLE. THAT WHEN HE
01:11:44WALKS THROUGH THAT DOOR TO THE
01:11:46GREAT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE JUSTICE FOR
01:11:50THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HE LOOKS UP
01:11:53AND HE SEES DONALD TRUMP. HE WAS
01:11:59FORMERLY THE PERSONAL LAWYER TO DONALD TRUMP. AND EVEN NOW AT
01:12:02THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, HE
01:12:05CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE PUTS THE PRESIDENT'S INTERESTS
01:12:09ABOVE THOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RULE OF LAW. THE
01:12:12DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS USED
01:12:15TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PUNISH THE PRESIDENT'S ADVERSARIES, TO
01:12:19REWARD HIS FRIENDS, AND TO PURSUE THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL
01:12:23VENDETTAS IN A CASE THAT I'M
01:12:26VERY FAMILIAR WITH, THE FEDERAL
01:12:29JUDGE FOUND THAT MR. BLANCHE'S STATEMENTS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S CASE AGAINST
01:12:32KILMER, ABREGO, GARCIA SHOWED
01:12:35CLEAR EVIDENCE OF A VINDICTIVE
01:12:39PROSECUTION. IN OTHER WORDS, THE JUDGE FOUND THAT TODD BLANCHE
01:12:42AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
01:12:43BROUGHT A CASE AGAINST KILMER.
01:12:47ABREGO GARCIA IN A FEDERAL COURT
01:12:49BECAUSE HE HAD EXERCISED HIS DUE
01:12:52PROCESS RIGHTS TO PUNISH HIM FOR
01:12:54EXERCISING HIS RIGHT. SO THAT
01:12:57JUDGE THREW OUT THOSE CHARGES
01:12:59UNDER MR. BLANCHE'S LEADERSHIP DEPARTMENT LAWYERS HAVE
01:13:02RESIGNED. RATHER THAN
01:13:04PARTICIPATE IN BLATANT PROSECUTIONS LIKE THE
01:13:08PROSECUTIONS OF JAMES COMEY AND
01:13:10OTHERS CAREER PROFESSIONAL
01:13:13LAWYERS HAVE RESIGNED. RATHER
01:13:16THAN PARTICIPATE IN ABUSES OF
01:13:19POWER LIKE THE DEPARTMENT'S
01:13:22CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AGAINST
01:13:25RENEE GOODE'S PARTNER. AFTER
01:13:27THE SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS. INSTEAD OF HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE
01:13:30OR PURSUING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
01:13:34THOSE WHO KILLED RENEE GOOD, THINK ABOUT THAT. THIS
01:13:38DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE
01:13:41PARTNER OF RENEE GOOD, WHO WAS
01:13:47SHOT AND KILLED BY DHS AGENTS.
01:13:50INSTEAD OF INVESTIGATING THE
01:13:54SHOOTING ITSELF AGAIN, TO PLEASE
01:13:58THE DEAR LEADER IN THE WHITE HOUSE, NOT TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF
01:14:01LAW. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE
01:14:04DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS LOST
01:14:0710,000 EMPLOYEES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR 2025,
01:14:10AND NEARLY ONE QUARTER OF ITS
01:14:16LAWYERS, LAWYERS WHO SIGNED UP
01:14:17TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW AND
01:14:21THE CONSTITUTION NOT SERVE THE
01:14:23DEAR LEADER. ACTING THROUGH THE
01:14:26DEAR LEADER'S FORMER ATTORNEY. PERSONAL ATTORNEY TODD BLANCHE.
01:14:29AND NOW THEY'RE HIRING
01:14:32PROSECUTORS WITH NO PRIOR LEGAL EXPERIENCE AND ASKING MANY OF
01:14:36THEM TO SIGN A PLEDGE SUPPORTING
01:14:40NOT THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THE
01:14:43PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
01:14:47AND WE'VE SEEN HOW MR. BLANCHE HAS ACTED AS THE PRESIDENT'S
01:14:51PERSONAL LAWYER SINCE HE'S BEEN AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. WE
01:14:53KNOW, OF COURSE, OF THE
01:14:55OUTRAGEOUS $1.8 BILLION SLUSH
01:14:59FUND THAT WAS CREATED TO MAKE
01:15:02PAYMENTS TO THE PRESIDENT'S
01:15:05POLITICAL ALLIES. WHEN I ASKED
01:15:07MR. BLANCHE AT A HEARING IF THOSE WHO ASSAULTED POLICE
01:15:11OFFICERS HERE ON CAPITOL HILL ON JANUARY 6th WOULD BE ELIGIBLE
01:15:15FOR THOSE PAYOUTS, TAXPAYER
01:15:18FUNDED PAYOUTS, HE WOULDN'T RULE
01:15:21IT OUT. HE WOULDN'T RULE THAT
01:15:24OUT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE AND THE DEPARTMENT ENTERED INTO
01:15:28A SWEETHEART SETTLEMENT, PROVIDING EXTRAORDINARY TAX
01:15:32LIABILITY PROTECTIONS TO THE
01:15:34PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY AND HIS
01:15:36BUSINESSES. ESSENTIALLY, A GET
01:15:39OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR NONPAYMENT OF TAXES DUE. IF THAT
01:15:42WAS WHAT HAD BEEN ULTIMATELY
01:15:47FOUND. AND NOW, AFTER REPUBLICAN SENATORS, AND ONLY AFTER
01:15:51REPUBLICAN SENATORS THREATENED TO BLOCK HIS NOMINATION, DID MR.
01:15:55BLANCHE ISSUE AN ORDER SUPPOSEDLY RESCINDING THE SLUSH
01:15:58FUND AND NARROWING THE SCOPE OF
01:16:03THOSE TAX PROTECTIONS? BY THE WAY, EVEN IF YOU NARROWED THE
01:16:05SCOPE THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, THERE, THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
01:16:09FAMILY GET ESSENTIALLY GET OUT
01:16:12OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR PAST TAX
01:16:16LIABILITIES THAT MAY BE DUE. SO THIS DEAL'S A SHAM. IT'S NOT
01:16:19WORTH THE WRITTEN. IT'S NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S WRITTEN ON.
01:16:21IT'S NOT WRITTEN INTO THE LAW. AND NOTHING PREVENTS THE
01:16:25DEPARTMENT FROM RESTARTING THE SLUSH FUND. ONCE MR. BLANCHE IS
01:16:29CONFIRMED. NOW, THAT'S NOT THE
01:16:33ONLY EXAMPLE OF MR. BLANCHE
01:16:36CONTINUING TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY.
01:16:40WHILE HAVING THE TITLE OF ACTING
01:16:42ATTORNEY GENERAL. WE ALSO SEE THAT IN HIS HANDLING OF THE
01:16:46EPSTEIN FILES DURING HIS TIME AT
01:16:52THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, MR. BLANCHE HAS WITHHELD CRITICAL
01:16:55INFORMATION REGARDING THOSE
01:16:57FILES. RATHER THAN SEEK JUSTICE
01:16:59FOR THE BRAVE SURVIVORS WHO HAVE
01:17:01SHARED THEIR STORIES OF ABUSE BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND HIS
01:17:05ASSOCIATES. WHEN MR. BLANCHE
01:17:07APPEARED BEFORE THE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
01:17:11OVERSEEING THE DEPARTMENT OF
01:17:13JUSTICE, SENATOR MURRAY AND I
01:17:17BOTH ASKED HIM THAT IF WE
01:17:19CONNECTED HIM WITH THE EPSTEIN SURVIVORS, WOULD HE MEET WITH
01:17:23THEM AND HEAR THEM OUT? HIS
01:17:27ANSWER? ABSOLUTELY. HE PROMISED
01:17:29HE WOULD DO SO IF WE CONNECTED
01:17:34THE SURVIVORS TO HIM. WELL, WE
01:17:35FOLLOWED UP MULTIPLE TIMES.
01:17:38NEARLY TWO MONTHS LATER, HE HAD
01:17:40NOT FULFILLED THE PROMISE HE MADE IN THAT SENATE COMMITTEE
01:17:45HEARING. HE HAD STILL NOT MET
01:17:46WITH THE SURVIVORS. SO SENATOR
01:17:49MURRAY AND I WROTE HIM A LETTER DEMANDING THAT HE FULFILL THE
01:17:53PROMISE HE MADE, BECAUSE THAT
01:17:56SHOULD BE A BARE MINIMUM FOR
01:17:59SOMEONE SEEKING THIS POST. AND
01:18:01IT'S PRETTY CLEAR HE HAD ZERO
01:18:04INTENT OF KEEPING THE PROMISE MADE IN PUBLIC AT THAT COMMITTEE
01:18:08HEARING, UNTIL SENATOR TILLIS SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT VOTE TO MOVE HIS NOMINATION OUT OF THE
01:18:12COMMITTEE UNTIL MR. BLANCHE MET
01:18:15WITH THE SURVIVORS. AFTER THAT
01:18:19THREAT WAS MADE, THE MEETING
01:18:21HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS CLEAR FROM
01:18:24REPORTS ABOUT THE MEETING BY THE SURVIVORS THAT MR. BLANCHE DID
01:18:28NOT DO SO. OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEM AND OUT OF A GENUINE
01:18:32INTEREST TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAD
01:18:33TO SAY, BUT SIMPLY TO PRESERVE
01:18:39CHANCES OF HIS CONFIRMATION, BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE
01:18:43SURVIVORS, IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHECK. THE BOX EXERCISE.
01:18:46IN FACT, THEY SAID, MR. BLANCHE WAS CONDESCENDING, THAT HE WAS
01:18:50RUDE, AND THAT HE WAS DISMISSIVE. THEY WERE
01:18:53INTERRUPTED AND TOLD TO, QUOTE,
01:18:56GET TO THE POINT, UNQUOTE. WELL,
01:18:58MR. PRESIDENT, SOMEONE WHO CAN
01:19:01TELL THE SURVIVORS OF JEFFREY
01:19:04EPSTEIN'S HORRIFIC CRIMES, TO,
01:19:06QUOTE, GET TO THE POINT, IS NOT
01:19:09A PERSON WE WANT DEFENDING THE
01:19:12AMERICAN PEOPLE, BECAUSE A
01:19:15NOMINEE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR
01:19:18LOYALTY WILL BE TO THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RULE OF
01:19:21LAW, AND GETTING JUSTICE FOR
01:19:23EVERYBODY IN AMERICA, INCLUDING
01:19:26THE SURVIVORS OF JEFFREY
01:19:28EPSTEIN'S CRIMES. NOT TO THE
01:19:32PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
01:19:36SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I HOPE WE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT IF WE LOOK
01:19:39AT THE CONDUCT AND ACTIONS AND
01:19:42RECORDS OF THE ACTING ATTORNEY
01:19:45GENERAL, THAT WE WILL RECOGNIZE THAT HE IS NOT SUITED FOR THIS
01:19:49POSITION, BECAUSE HIS RECORD SHOWS HE HAS NOT BEEN UPHOLDING
01:19:52THE RULE OF LAW AND THE
01:19:55CONSTITUTION. INSTEAD, HE'S BEEN
01:19:58DOING THE BUSINESS OF THIS ONE MAN. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN TODAY.
01:20:02IT'S TAKEN TODAY THESE BIG
01:20:07BANNERS OF DONALD TRUMP HAD BEEN HANGING OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT
01:20:09OF JUSTICE FOR A LONG TIME, AND
01:20:12THEY SENT AN UNMISTAKABLE
01:20:15MESSAGE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK
01:20:17INSIDE THAT THEY BETTER SERVE
01:20:19THE INTERESTS OF THIS ONE PERSON
01:20:22AND IF INSTEAD, THERE'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE INTERESTS
01:20:25OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THIS PERSON, THIS TELLS THEM, SERVE THE INTERESTS
01:20:29OF THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED
01:20:30STATES. THAT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND
01:20:34IT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. I URGE MY
01:20:38COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE THE
01:20:40NOMINATION OF TODD BLANCHE TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED
01:20:43STATES, AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
01:21:00>> SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
01:21:01>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I
01:21:05LISTENED TO THE PRESENTATION BY MY COLLEAGUE FROM MARYLAND AND
01:21:08AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE SAID IN
01:21:10THE HEART OF THE QUESTION IS
01:21:13WHETHER THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN NOMINATED TO SERVE AS ATTORNEY
01:21:16GENERAL WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE OF
01:21:19THE UNITED STATES, OR WILL HE
01:21:22SERVE THE PRESIDENT TO WHOM HE
01:21:25HAS INDICATED BLIND, COMPLETE, SERVILE LOYALTY AND THE
01:21:28RECITATION OF FACTS ABOUT WHAT
01:21:31MR. BLANCHE HAS DONE IN THIS
01:21:33INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT JOB? AS AN
01:21:36ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, HAS
01:21:38MADE CLEAR WHAT HIS CLIENT IS,
01:21:42WHO THAT CLIENT IS. THERE'S NO
01:21:46PLACE AT THE TOP OF THE JUSTICE
01:21:47DEPARTMENT FOR A PERSON WHO PLEDGES PERSONAL LOYALTY TO
01:21:51ANYONE OTHER THAN THE AMERICAN
01:21:54PEOPLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE
01:21:56REALITY HERE IS THE PRESIDENT
01:21:59WON'T APPOINT ANYBODY TO THE
01:22:01ATTORNEY GENERAL'S POSITION WHO
01:22:03WON'T ACT AS HIS PERSONAL ATTORNEY. AND THERE'S A SADNESS
01:22:07THAT I HAVE ABOUT THIS WHOLE
01:22:08STORY THAT IS BEFORE US. IT'S
01:22:12THE STORY OF A PERSON WHO, WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, YOUNG
01:22:15ATTORNEY TODD BLANCHE, WAS
01:22:17EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED, WAS VERY IDEALISTIC, WAS A
01:22:20PROSECUTOR'S PROSECUTOR, AND
01:22:22WHO DID ABIDE IN UPHOLD BY THE
01:22:25RULE OF LAW. HE BECAME A NEW
01:22:28PERSON IN SERVICE OF A PRESIDENT
01:22:36THAT I BELIEVE IS CORRUPT. $2 BILLION OF INCOME TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
01:22:38IN HIS FIRST YEAR, RAISES MORE
01:22:41THAN A MILD QUESTION. AND THIS
01:22:44PERSON NOW TO BE ATTORNEY
01:22:46GENERAL IN HIS ACTING ATTORNEY
01:22:49GENERAL ROLE, ESSENTIALLY PROVIDED TAX IMMUNITY TO THE
01:22:52PRESIDENT AND TO ALL OF HIS
01:22:55CHILDREN, FAMILIES IN AFFILIATES. IT'S TOTALLY
01:22:58OUTRAGEOUS WHEN YOU SAY IT. YOU CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THE WORDS ARE
01:23:00COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNPRECEDENTED. IT HAS
01:23:03NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WAY THE
01:23:06PUBLIC BUSINESS SHOULD BE
01:23:08CONDUCTED. BUT MR. BLANCHE, WHO
01:23:10HAS CONSIDERABLE TALENTS, HE'S
01:23:13USED THOSE TALENTS TO ENABLE AND
01:23:18TO FACILITATE AND TO COVER UP
01:23:21AND TO REVISE IN, ACCOMMODATE THE CORRUPT GOALS OF A PRESIDENT
01:23:25I BELIEVE IS CORRUPT. AND BY THE
01:23:27WAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, AS I
01:23:30MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S WHO THE PRESIDENT WANTS. HE WANTS
01:23:33SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO DO HIS WORK FOR HIM ON QUESTION, NO
01:23:36MATTER WHAT. BUT, YOU KNOW,
01:23:40THERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT BELONGS RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED
01:23:42STATES SENATE. IS THERE NO LINE
01:23:48THAT THE U.S. SENATE WILL NOT
01:23:50ALLOW THIS PRESIDENT TO CROSS
01:23:53THE SENATE? CONFIRMED BONDI. IT CONFIRMED HEGSETH. IT CONFIRMED.
01:23:56PATEL. IT CONFIRMED. NOEM. AND
01:23:58WE'RE ABOUT TO CONFIRM.
01:24:00BLANCHE. THE PRESIDENT IS
01:24:04ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY. IN MY
01:24:05VIEW. AND EVERY DAY IN IN EVERY
01:24:08WAY. AND THAT'S SHAME BUT THE
01:24:12UNITED STATES SENATE IS FAILING
01:24:14TO USE ITS AUTHORITY, ITS POWER,
01:24:17ON ANY DAY OR IN ANY WAY. SHAME
01:24:21ON THE UNITED STATES SENATE. MR.
01:24:28PRESIDENT, SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE ITS ADVICE AND
01:24:31CONSENT AUTHORITY TO DEMAND
01:24:32COMPETENCE AND INTEGRITY? DID
01:24:35THE SENATE DO THAT WITH BONDI, WITH NOEM, WITH HEGSETH, WITH
01:24:38PATEL, AND NOW WITH BLANCHE?
01:24:41SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE
01:24:46ITS TAXING AUTHORITY TO STOP
01:24:49TARIFFS THAT. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS BODY BELIEVE ARE HURTING
01:24:53THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND ARE NOT THE RIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE TO
01:24:56IMPOSE SHOULD NOT THE U.S.
01:24:59SENATE USE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL POWER OF THE PURSE TO STOP THE
01:25:02INVASION BY PRESIDENT TRUMP INTO
01:25:06THE POWER OF THE PURSE? AND
01:25:10SHOULD NOT THE U.S. SENATE USE
01:25:13ITS CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY
01:25:15OVER THE AWESOME POWER TO
01:25:18DECLARE WAR AND STOP THIS
01:25:20ILLEGAL WAR IN IRAN THAT, IN
01:25:22FACT, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS LOSING?
01:25:28MR. PRESIDENT, THE PRESIDENT IS ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY. WE ARE
01:25:32FAILING TO USE OURS. STOP
01:25:38CAPITULATING TODAY BY REJECTING
01:25:39THIS NOMINATION. I YIELD BACK.
01:25:59>> SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I AM.
01:26:03>> HERE TODAY TO JOIN THE CHORUS
01:26:06OF OPPOSITION TO TODD BLANCHE'S
01:26:10NOMINATION AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:26:12OF THE UNITED STATES THINGS THAT
01:26:18REPUBLICANS HAVE PURPORTED TO
01:26:24CARE ABOUT ARE DISASTERS WITH THIS GUY. PAM BONDI PUT THE
01:26:27BLAME DIRECTLY ON TODD BLANCHE
01:26:31FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S
01:26:33FOUL UP WITH THE EPSTEIN FILES.
01:26:38THAT FOUL UP WAS PRETTY DEADLY
01:26:40SERIOUS FOR THE WOMEN WHO WERE
01:26:43VICTIMS, WHO HAD MANAGED TO KEEP
01:26:46THAT FACT PRIVATE UNTIL TODD
01:26:48BLANCHE AND THE DOJ FOULED THAT
01:26:51UP AND PUT OUT THEIR NAMES, PUT OUT THEIR ADDRESSES, PUT OUT
01:26:54THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS, IN SOME CASES, PUT OUT PHOTOGRAPHS WITH
01:26:58VERY LITTLE CLOTHING ON COMPLETE
01:27:03DISRUPTION OF THE LIVES OF THE
01:27:04VICTIMS OF EPSTEIN'S DEPRAVITY,
01:27:08COMPLETE INCOMPETENCE FROM A
01:27:13DOCUMENT PRODUCTION POINT OF
01:27:15VIEW. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE,
01:27:18THIS GUY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED
01:27:22IN THE EPSTEIN COVER UP REMEMBER
01:27:26THAT THERE WAS A WITNESS WHO
01:27:30SPOKE TO FBI AGENTS ABOUT HAVING BEEN ASSAULTED BY DONALD TRUMP
01:27:34WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD,
01:27:37PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. SHE SPOKE TO
01:27:41THE FBI AT LEAST FOUR TIMES.
01:27:44THOSE FOUR TIMES WERE RECORDED
01:27:53IN FBI 302, A 302 IS THE FBI
01:27:57NAME FOR THE WITNESS STATEMENT THAT THE AGENTS WRITE UP AFTER
01:28:00AN INTERVIEW. SO FOUR TIMES, THIS WOMAN HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED
01:28:03ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER
01:28:04AS A GIRL. THREE OF THOSE 302,
01:28:09SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED DONALD
01:28:12TRUMP IN THE DISCLOSURE THAT
01:28:17TODD BLANCHE MADE UNDER THE
01:28:19EPSTEIN FILES LAW. THE ONLY ONE
01:28:21OF THE FOUR THAT GOT DISCLOSED
01:28:25WAS THE ONE THAT DIDN'T MENTION
01:28:29DONALD TRUMP. THAT OUGHT TO BE
01:28:33DISQUALIFYING RIGHT THERE. LUCKILY, SOME VERY SHARP
01:28:36INVESTIGATORS REALIZED THROUGH,
01:28:39LIKE, GAPS IN BAIT STAMP NUMBERS
01:28:41THAT DOCUMENTS WERE MISSING AND
01:28:45THAT THE THREE 300 TWOS HAD NOT
01:28:47BEEN DISCLOSED. AND SO BLANCHE
01:28:49WAS FORCED TO COUGH THOSE UP.
01:28:54BUT BEHIND A 302, COME, THE
01:29:00AGENT NOTES, AND THERE'S STILL
01:29:0337 PAGES OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO
01:29:06THAT, THAT ARE STILL SUPPRESSED,
01:29:08THAT ARE STILL COVERED UP, THAT
01:29:11LOOK TO BE THE AGENT'S NOTES,
01:29:13WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED. SO THE COVER UP
01:29:17CONTINUED WITH RESPECT TO ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP. WHERE ELSE DID THE COVER
01:29:21UP CONTINUE? WELL, THE TREASURY
01:29:23DEPARTMENT SENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHAT ARE
01:29:26CALLED SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
01:29:29REPORTS. A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
01:29:31REPORT IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN
01:29:34INTERNATIONAL BANKING
01:29:36TRANSACTIONS LOOK LIKE SOMETHING FUNNY IS AFOOT. LOOK LIKE THERE
01:29:40IS, FOR INSTANCE, MONEY LAUNDERING GOING ON. IN THIS
01:29:43CASE, IT WAS MONEY LAUNDERING
01:29:45AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCERNS
01:29:48THAT PROVOKED THE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, REPORTS. WELL, YOU
01:29:51DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS
01:29:54INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK AT A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORT AND
01:29:58DEDUCE THAT IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SOME
01:30:01SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. IT'S THE
01:30:03TITLE OF THE REPORT, FOR PETE'S
01:30:07SAKE. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
01:30:09TRANSACTIONS WERE BEHIND THOSE
01:30:12SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS. HOW MANY WERE INVESTIGATED BY THE
01:30:16BLANCHE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE?
01:30:20ZERO TURNED A COMPLETE BLIND EYE
01:30:22TO THAT WHOLE ASPECT OF THE
01:30:24EPSTEIN FILES, EVEN THOUGH THE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS WERE
01:30:28RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. AND THEN HE GOES RUNNING DOWN TO
01:30:32TALLAHASSEE TO INTERVIEW
01:30:37EPSTEIN'S COMRADE IN CRIME,
01:30:40GHISLAINE MAXWELL DID HE USE
01:30:42THAT INTERVIEW TO DEVELOP ANY
01:30:45NEW INFORMATION TO GO AFTER PEOPLE WHO WERE CULPABLE IN THE
01:30:48EPSTEIN FILES? NO, HE USED THAT
01:30:53INTERVIEW TO EXTRACT EXCULPATORY COMMENTS FROM HER ABOUT DONALD
01:30:56TRUMP. OH, THAT. HE WAS A
01:30:58PERFECT GENTLEMAN. AND THE NEXT
01:31:02THING YOU KNOW, SHE'S REWARDED
01:31:04WITH A TRANSFER TO A CLUB FED
01:31:07TYPE PRISON. WHAT'S THE EXCUSE
01:31:10FOR THAT? OH, SHE WAS AT RISK.
01:31:15WE FELT SHE WAS IN DANGER. WELL, LOOK, I'VE BEEN AROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
01:31:18THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER
01:31:21SEEN A PRISONER ALLEGEDLY
01:31:25ENDANGER. BE TRANSFERRED TO A
01:31:30LESS SECURE SETTING TO SOLVE THE
01:31:32PROBLEM OF DANGER RIGHT. YOU
01:31:36MOVE THE PRISONER TO A MORE
01:31:38SECURE SETTING, NOT TO A LESS SECURE SETTING. IT MAKES NO
01:31:42SENSE. SO, IN THE EPSTEIN FILES,
01:31:46TODD BLANCHE'S FINGERPRINTS ARE
01:31:48ALL OVER THE SCREW UP AND THE
01:31:52COVER UP THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE
01:31:55SLUSH FUND, AND THAT TRUMP
01:32:01FAMILY TAX FRAUD, AMNESTY, WHICH
01:32:03WAS COOKED UP IN A DEAL
01:32:08SURROUNDING A FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING, WHICH WAS SUCH A
01:32:12MESS THAT THE JUDGE IN THAT
01:32:14FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING HAS
01:32:18GONE BACK TO LOOK AT WHAT THE
01:32:23HECK HAPPENED. SHE WAS LOOKING AT WHETHER SOMETHING HAPPENED
01:32:27CALLED FRAUD UPON THE COURT YOU
01:32:31PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD OF FRAUD
01:32:34UPON THE COURT. IT'S UNUSUALLY
01:32:37RARE. IT IS A THERMONUCLEAR
01:32:39ETHICS ACCUSATION. WE'VE LOOKED
01:32:43IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
01:32:44OF JUSTICE, FRAUD ON THE COURT
01:32:48HAS NOT EVEN BEEN ALLEGED
01:32:52AGAINST ANY SENIOR DOJ OFFICIAL
01:32:54EVER, EVER. AND HERE YOU HAVE A
01:32:59COURT THAT OPENED A PROCEEDING, AN INQUIRY, INTO WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS FRAUD ON THE COURT.
01:33:02AND THAT'S STILL PENDING. THERE
01:33:05IS STILL EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE
01:33:08THAT. BLANCHE MAY BE FOUND
01:33:14CULPABLE FOR PUTTING A FRAUD ON THE COURT TOGETHER TO COOK UP
01:33:17THE SLUSH FUND, TAX AMNESTY
01:33:21SCHEME. THAT IS PRETTY UNHEARD
01:33:23OF. UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT
01:33:28UNCOMMON IN THIS BLANCHE
01:33:32DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THERE IS A CASCADE OF CRITICISM FROM
01:33:36FEDERAL COURTS ABOUT MISCONDUCT
01:33:40BY THIS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MISCONDUCT. THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED. I WILL TELL YOU, I WAS THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE
01:33:43DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND. IF
01:33:45JUDGES HAD USED WORDS LIKE THIS
01:33:49ABOUT MY ATTORNEY'S CONDUCT IN THEIR COURTROOMS, THERE WOULD
01:33:52HAVE BEEN CONSEQUENCES. AT A MINIMUM, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
01:33:56STAFF MEETINGS. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN REFERRALS TO THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
01:33:59THERE COULD HAVE BEEN APOLOGIES REQUIRED TO THE COURT. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A REBOOT,
01:34:03INTERNAL OFFICE DISCIPLINE OF WHAT'S GONE ON WITH THIS CASE.
01:34:06BUT WHEN A JUDGE SAYS THAT THE
01:34:11GOVERNMENT'S ARGUMENT IS DISINGENUOUS, WHEN THE
01:34:14GOVERNMENT WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ARGUMENT
01:34:17IS A PRETEXT FOR SOMETHING ELSE, WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS THAT THE
01:34:21GOVERNMENT HAS ENGAGED IN BAD
01:34:25FAITH, EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A
01:34:27FOUR ALARM FIRE WORD. IN
01:34:31MEDICINE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY CALL NEVER EVENTS, THINGS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN A
01:34:34HOSPITAL THAT YOU PROTECT AGAINST. THESE ARE NEVER EVENT
01:34:38WORDS COMING FROM FEDERAL
01:34:40JUDGES, AND YET THEY ARE
01:34:42COMMONPLACE IN THE CORRUPTED
01:34:45DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, RUN BY
01:34:47TODD BLANCHE AS TO HIS
01:34:51COMPLICITY IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.
01:34:53COVER UP, I OFFER A LETTER FROM
01:34:59EPSTEIN SURVIVORS. TWO SENATORS, TILLIS AND CORNYN, AND ASKED
01:35:03THAT THAT BE INCORPORATED AT THE
01:35:04END OF MY REMARKS. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
01:35:08>> WITH RESPECT TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
01:35:12JUSTICE THAT HE HAS WROUGHT, I
01:35:14WOULD ALSO ASK THAT WE ADD
01:35:18GEORGE WILL'S COLUMN CALLED
01:35:20AGAINST TODD BLANCHE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
01:35:24>> AND WITH RESPECT TO THIS
01:35:28LITANY OF CRITICISM OF THE
01:35:31HONESTY OF THE BLANCHE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, I WOULD
01:35:34LIKE TO ADD A PROPUBLICA ARTICLE
01:35:37ENTITLED FEDERAL JUDGES CHASTISE TRUMP'S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR,
01:35:41QUOTE, UNLAWFUL, QUOTE,
01:35:42UNETHICAL, AND, QUOTE, UNSEEMLY
01:35:45CONDUCT WHOSE FIRST SENTENCE BEGINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FEDERAL JUDGES ARE CALLING OUT
01:35:49DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAWYERS
01:35:52QUESTIONING IN UNPRECEDENTED
01:35:54WAYS WHETHER THEY CAN BE TRUSTED
01:35:57TO TELL THE TRUTH OR UPHOLD
01:36:01CENTURIES 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
01:36:10COMMUNITIES. THERE'S A GLOBAL MAGAZINE CALLED THE ECONOMIST
01:36:12MAGAZINE, WHICH, BY THE WAY,
01:36:15DOES NOT RUN LIBERAL. IT'S A
01:36:18FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE PUBLICATION.
01:36:19THE COVER STORY IN THE JULY
01:36:2218th, ECONOMIST, IS A PICTURE OF
01:36:27THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOGO
01:36:31AND THE TITLE DEGRADATION IN
01:36:33PROCESS. I ASKED THAT THE.
01:36:38ECONOMIST MAGAZINE ARTICLE. THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO. ONE IS
01:36:42THE OPENING ARTICLE THAT THEY LEAD WITH. BEFORE THEY GET TO THE MAIN ARTICLE. AND THE SECOND
01:36:45IS THE MAIN ARTICLE THAT THE TWO
01:36:47ARTICLES ABOUT THE DEGRADATION
01:36:50OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE UNDER TODD BLANCHE BE ADDED TO
01:36:54THE RECORD AS WELL.
01:36:58>> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> LAST. UM, THERE'S A GROUP CALLED JUST SECURITY, WHICH
01:37:02KEEPS TRACK OF WHAT GOES ON IN
01:37:05FEDERAL COURTS. THIS IS A BINDER
01:37:08OF THE CASES THAT THEY HAVE PUT
01:37:12TOGETHER, IN WHICH A FEDERAL
01:37:15JUDGE IS HARSHLY CRITICIZING THE INTEGRITY OR THE COMPETENCE OF
01:37:19THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THIS
01:37:21BINDER, FRANKLY, SHOULD NOT
01:37:23EXIST. THIS IS TWO SIDED, BY THE
01:37:26WAY. THESE MANY CASES, IT IS
01:37:31JUST ASTOUNDING. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THAT THIS ALL BE PUT INTO
01:37:34THE RECORD, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT
01:37:36IF YOU LOOK AT JUST
01:37:39SECURITY.ORG, YOU CAN LOOK AT
01:37:41THEIR REPORT PUBLISHED ON MARCH
01:37:4319th, 2026. IT GETS REGULARLY
01:37:47UPDATED. AND IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH IT, YOU CAN SEE TRULY
01:37:51APPALLING CRITICISMS BY FEDERAL
01:37:55JUDGES OF EVERY APPOINTMENT,
01:37:58BACKGROUND AGAINST INCOMPETENCE
01:38:01AND DISHONESTY BY THE BLANCHE
01:38:05DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHERE THAT REALLY HITS THE ROAD IS
01:38:08WITH SOMETHING CALLED THE PRESUMPTION OF REGULARITY. YOU ALL MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THE
01:38:11PRESUMPTION OF REGULARITY IS, BUT IT'S A BENEFIT THAT THE
01:38:14GOVERNMENT ENJOYS THAT AS A
01:38:18MATTER OF POLICY, THE FEDERAL
01:38:22JUDICIARY HAS DETERMINED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
01:38:25GENERALLY SO HONEST AND
01:38:28COMPETENT THAT ITS PROCEEDINGS WILL BE GIVEN THE PRESUMPTION OF
01:38:32REGULARITY, THAT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT WILL GO TO THE
01:38:34DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. LAWYERS
01:38:37AND TO THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
01:38:40INVOLVED. UNLESS THE ADVERSARY
01:38:44CAN PROVE OTHERWISE, COURTS WILL PRESUME THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS
01:38:48DONE THE RIGHT THING. AND OVER
01:38:49AND OVER AGAIN, WE HAVE SEEN
01:38:52JUDGES SAY THAT PRESUMPTION OF
01:38:55REGULARITY IS NOW SHOT, BECAUSE
01:38:59THERE IS SO MUCH DISHONESTY AND INCOMPETENCE COMING OUT OF THE
01:39:02DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THAT IS
01:39:05UNPRECEDENTED. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER REASONS TO
01:39:08VOTE AGAINST THIS MOST REPREHENSIBLE ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:39:12NOMINEE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BUT
01:39:16THE VERY SPECIFIC ONES ABOUT HIS COMPLICITY IN THE EPSTEIN FILES
01:39:20SCREW UP AND COVER UP
01:39:23>> HIS BEING THE FIRST SENIOR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICIAL
01:39:26IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO FACE A FRAUD ON THE
01:39:29COURT IN COURT, WHERE THE JUDGE
01:39:33ALREADY DECIDED THAT THE PROCEEDING WAS A SHAM AND THAT THE PARTIES WERE IN COLLUSION
01:39:37WITH EACH OTHER, AND THAT THE
01:39:38WHOLE THING WAS DONE IN BAD, AND
01:39:42THAT THAT'S NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THAT IS PART OF A
01:39:44PATTERN OF INCOMPETENCE,
01:39:47DISHONESTY OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT HAS NEVER BEFORE
01:39:51HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES OF
01:39:53AMERICA. IF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WANT TO GET BEHIND
01:39:56THAT, IF THEY'RE COOL WITH AN
01:39:59ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO HAS THAT RECORD, THAT'S ON YOU. I YIELD
01:40:02THE FLOOR. >> I'M NEARING THE END OF MY
01:40:04SENATE TERM, AND I'M REFLECTING
01:40:08ON SOME HISTORIC EVENTS, WHICH I'VE WITNESSED AT THIS TABLE,
01:40:12AT THIS DESK ONE OF THE MOST
01:40:18HISTORIC I REMEMBER, AND
01:40:22SPECIFICALLY, THE DATE, JANUARY
01:40:256th, 2021. THE REASON WHY THAT
01:40:28DAY WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT THE
01:40:32VOTES ALL ACROSS AMERICA HAD BEEN COUNTED TO SEE WHO WAS
01:40:34ELECTED PRESIDENT IN THE 2020
01:40:36ELECTION, AND THE PROCESS
01:40:40INVOLVED CERTIFICATION BY THE HOUSE AND THE VOTES THAT WERE TO
01:40:44BE COUNTED. IN THE PAST, IT HAS
01:40:49BEEN ALMOST A PRO FORMA EVENT,
01:40:52HARDLY NOTICED BY ANYONE. BUT ON
01:40:55JANUARY 6th, 2021, IT WAS MUCH
01:40:58DIFFERENT. MUCH DIFFERENT. THE
01:41:01PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE SENATE FOR THAT ELECTORAL VOTE COUNT IS
01:41:04THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
01:41:06STATES. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
01:41:09VICE PRESIDENT PENCE. THERE WAS
01:41:12MORE SECURITY THAN USUAL IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING TO THOSE WHO
01:41:16ARE HERE TODAY, WITNESSING THIS
01:41:20SESSION AND VISITING THE CAPITOL. YOU'RE LUCKY. YOU'RE
01:41:24PROTECTED BY ONE OF THE BEST
01:41:28SECURITY FORCES POLICE FORCES IN THE NATION, THE CAPITOL HILL
01:41:31POLICE, MOST AMERICANS DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THEM. THOSE OF
01:41:35US IN CONGRESS KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM. THESE ARE MEN AND WOMEN
01:41:39WHO KEEP YOU SAFE AND ME SAFE.
01:41:40IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING. AND MAKE SURE THAT THE VISITORS HAVE
01:41:44PEACE OF MIND WHEN THEY COME AND
01:41:46GO. WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE
01:41:50AVAILABILITY OF THIS BUILDING TO
01:41:53VISITORS FROM, CERTAINLY, THE UNITED STATES, BUT FROM ALL
01:41:56AROUND THE WORLD. AND THESE MEN
01:41:59AND WOMEN, SOME IN UNIFORM, SOME IN ORDINARY DRESS, MAKE SURE
01:42:02THAT HAPPENS. WELL, ON JANUARY
01:42:076th, 2021. THERE WAS A SPECIAL
01:42:09EMPHASIS ON SECURITY. THE REASON? IT WAS NOT ONLY AN
01:42:12HISTORIC EVENT WITH MEMBERS OF
01:42:16CONGRESS AND THEIR CHAIRS, AND THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
01:42:19STATES PRESIDING OVER THE SENATE, THERE WAS ALSO A RALLY
01:42:22GOING ON DOWNTOWN BY THE
01:42:26PRESIDENT, THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, AT THE END OF HIS
01:42:30FIRST TERM. HE HAD SUMMONED HIS
01:42:32SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS TO COME
01:42:34FOR A RALLY DOWN BY THE WHITE
01:42:37HOUSE, THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT,
01:42:40THAT DAY. NO COINCIDENCE. IT WAS
01:42:44AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON CONGRESS NOT TO COUNT THE
01:42:45ELECTORAL VOTES. YOU SEE, THE
01:42:49PRESIDENT THEN AND NOW HAD THIS
01:42:51FICTION IN HIS MIND THAT HE
01:42:53ACTUALLY WON THE ELECTION. HE
01:42:56WAS ONLY OFF BY 7 MILLION VOTES.
01:42:58THAT'S HOW MUCH HE LOST IT BY
01:43:01KEPT FILING LAWSUITS AND MAKING PROTESTS AND ARGUING THAT HE
01:43:04SHOULD BE PRESIDENT AGAIN. AT
01:43:07ONE POINT, HE DISPATCHED THE
01:43:10THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HE HAD SUMMONED TO
01:43:13WASHINGTON TO LEAVE THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AREA AND TO
01:43:16MARCH ON THE CAPITOL. AND THEY
01:43:19DID. SO WE WERE SITTING INSIDE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE
01:43:23THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE COMING UP TO OUR BUILDING HERE,
01:43:26THE CAPITOL BUILDING, WHERE WE DID BUSINESS ON THIS HISTORIC
01:43:30DAY. WE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT
01:43:32THEY WOULD DO WHEN THEY ARRIVED.
01:43:36BUT IF YOU WITNESSED THE VIDEOTAPES FROM THAT DAY, DRAW
01:43:40YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. THEY TRIED
01:43:42TO STORM THE CAPITOL. THEY BROKE THROUGH LOCKED DOORS, CRASHED
01:43:45THROUGH WINDOWS TO COME TO THE
01:43:48BUILDING AT APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AFTER 2:00 IN THE
01:43:52AFTERNOON ON JANUARY 6th, 2021.
01:43:55I WAS SEATED IN THIS DESK. VICE PRESIDENT PENCE WAS PRESIDING,
01:43:59AND I NOTICED SOMETHING CURIOUS.
01:44:01THOSE DOORS OPENED, AND MEMBERS
01:44:04OF THE SECRET SERVICE CAME IN
01:44:07AND GRABBED, LITERALLY GRABBED THE VICE PRESIDENT AND PULLED
01:44:09HIM OUT OF THAT CHAIR, TOOK HIM
01:44:12OUT THAT DOOR. AND HERE WE SAT
01:44:14WITH NO ANNOUNCEMENT, NOTHING. BUT WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING
01:44:18ON OUTSIDE WITH THIS RALLY THAT
01:44:21HAD BEEN DIRECTED UP THIS WAY IN
01:44:25A FEW MINUTES, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CAPITOL POLICE SPOKE TO
01:44:27US, SITTING IN THE CHAMBER, AND SAID, STAY CALM. STAY WHERE YOU
01:44:31ARE. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS CHAMBER, THE SENATE CHAMBER, A
01:44:35SAFE PLACE FOR YOU TO STAY, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REST
01:44:38OF THE BUILDING. SO SOME OF US
01:44:41RELAXED IN OUR CHAIRS AND LOOKED
01:44:43AROUND AND WAITED FOR THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT. THE NEXT
01:44:47DEVELOPMENT TOOK ABOUT TEN MINUTES. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE
01:44:50CAPITOL POLICE CAME AND SAID, DISREGARD THAT EARLIER ALERT.
01:44:54LEAVE IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, FILE THROUGH THOSE DOORS AND
01:44:56FOLLOW US TO A SAFE LOCATION. SO WE ABANDONED THE SENATE CHAMBER
01:45:00AND THE CAPITOL AND LEFT TO GO
01:45:02TO A BUILDING NEARBY AND WAIT
01:45:06OUT THIS ORDEAL, WHICH WAS GOING
01:45:07ON IN THE SENATE. WHAT HAPPENED? YOU CAN WITNESS YOURSELF ON
01:45:12VIDEOTAPE. IT'S ALL THERE.
01:45:14ABOUT 150 OF OUR CAPITOL POLICE WERE ASSAULTED BY THESE
01:45:18DEMONSTRATORS. SOME SERIOUSLY
01:45:22INJURED, OTHERS PUSHED TO THE
01:45:25BRINK PSYCHOLOGICALLY, WHICH LED TO THEIR DEATHS. A DAY OR TWO
01:45:28LATER. IT WAS A HORRIBLE SCENE.
01:45:33IT WASN'T UNTIL LATE IN THE
01:45:35AFTERNOON THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE SENATE TO COMPLETE
01:45:39OUR BUSINESS WITH THE ELECTORAL
01:45:42VOTE. THAT WITH THE NEW
01:45:45PRESIDENT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED THAT
01:45:48DAY AND WHO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THERE WAS NOTHING
01:45:50EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THAT.
01:45:54>> ANYONE WHO DID DAMAGE TO THIS GREAT BUILDING OR THE PEOPLE IN
01:45:58IT, OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE HELD
01:46:01ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO THE LARGEST
01:46:04INVESTIGATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
01:46:08THE FBI STARTED AT THE END OF
01:46:11THE DAY, ALMOST 1500 INDIVIDUALS
01:46:14WERE CHARGED WITH A CRIME. AND
01:46:17THEY WERE CONVICTED. SOME OF
01:46:18THEM PAID A FINE, SOME SERVED
01:46:21BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME, AND OTHERS MORE SERIOUS OFFENSES,
01:46:25DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DID. THAT
01:46:28WAS THE REALITY OF WHAT
01:46:31HAPPENED. FAST FORWARD FOUR YEARS AND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
01:46:35PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS REELECTED, AND WITH THE POWER UNDER THE
01:46:38CONSTITUTION, TO PARDON THOSE WHO COMMIT A CRIME. ON HIS FIRST
01:46:41DAY IN OFFICE, IN HIS SECOND
01:46:44TERM, PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE A
01:46:47FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON TO
01:46:50EVERY ONE OF THE CONVICTED DEMONSTRATORS WHO STORMED THIS
01:46:54BUILDING. IF YOU REMEMBER THE
01:46:56SCENES AFTERWARDS, IT WASN'T JUST AN ORDERLY PROCESSION OF
01:47:00PEOPLE VISITING THIS BUILDING. THEY CRASHED THROUGH DOORS. THEY
01:47:04BROKE WINDOWS, THEY DID THEIR
01:47:07DARNDEST TO CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE
01:47:09AS POSSIBLE C-SPAN, WHICH
01:47:11TELEVISES. WHAT HAPPENED HERE KEPT THE CAMERAS RUNNING, AND WE
01:47:14WERE ABLE TO SEE THEM SCRAMBLE INTO THE SENATE CHAMBER, POSE
01:47:18FOR PICTURES. SITTING IN THE CHAIR. THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND
01:47:22RIFLE THROUGH OUR DESKS. I WATCHED AS SOME PERSON. I STILL
01:47:24DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS, WENT THROUGH MY DESK TO LOOK AND SEE
01:47:27IF THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HE COULD TAKE THAT DAY. I DON'T
01:47:31KNOW WHETHER HE DID OR NOT, BUT THAT'S THE SORT OF THING THAT
01:47:35WENT ON FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS. WHILE
01:47:36AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO MOBILIZE
01:47:39POLICE AND STATE TROOPERS AND
01:47:41OTHERS TO RECLAIM THE CAPITOL
01:47:45BUILDING FROM THE DEMONSTRATORS.
01:47:47THE REASON I BRING UP THIS EVENT
01:47:49YEARS LATER IS BECAUSE THERE'S
01:47:52AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO BE VOTED ON THIS WEEK BY THE UNITED
01:47:55STATES THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:47:59OF THE UNITED STATES. THE ACTING
01:48:03ATTORNEY GENERAL IS TODD BLANCHE, WHO IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER. WHEN
01:48:06HE WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMES AND
01:48:08WHO HAS BEEN DEPUTY ATTORNEY
01:48:11GENERAL FOR MONTHS NOW. HE'S SEEKING THE FULL TIME POSITION.
01:48:15ONE OF THE ITEMS OF CONTROVERSY
01:48:18IS PRETTY EASY TO EXPLAIN.
01:48:20PRESIDENT TRUMP BELIEVES, AND TODD BLANCHE BELIEVED AT ONE
01:48:23POINT, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
01:48:25ATTACKED THE CAPITOL, THE PEOPLE
01:48:29WHO BREACHED THE CAPITOL, CRASHED THROUGH THE DOORS, BROKE
01:48:30DOWN THE WINDOWS, THREATENED
01:48:33INDIVIDUALS INSIDE, SHOULD
01:48:36RECEIVE FINANCIAL COMPENSATION
01:48:41FOR DOING IT YOURSELF, THEY GOT
01:48:45A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON BY PRESIDENT TRUMP. NOW THEY
01:48:48WANT MONEY, TOO. AND THE ANSWER
01:48:51IS NOT ONLY YES, BUT
01:48:54UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'VE DONE IT
01:48:56WITH SOME PRIDE. THE TRUMP
01:48:59ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED AN ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND JUST TO
01:49:02GIVE IT A CUTE LITTLE TWIST, THE
01:49:05APPROPRIATED $1,776,000,000 FOR
01:49:11THAT PURPOSE. WELL, IT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL WITH CONGRESS,
01:49:14BECAUSE AS WE READ THIS DECREE
01:49:17BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, PEOPLE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE,
01:49:21WE'RE GIVING MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO
01:49:23WERE CONVICTED OF A CRIME OF
01:49:26ATTACKING THE CAPITOL, DISRUPTING THE BUSINESS OF THE
01:49:28SENATE, INJURING 149 CAPITOL
01:49:31POLICEMEN. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM NOT ONLY A PARDON, BUT SOME
01:49:35SORT OF FINANCIAL COMPENSATION.
01:49:38THAT WAS THE PLAN. THE ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND. AND WHO WAS
01:49:42THE PERSON WHO EXECUTED THAT
01:49:45PLAN? TODD BLANCHE, THE PERSON WHO IS SEEKING TO BECOME THE
01:49:48NEXT FULL TIME ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:49:50OF THE UNITED STATES THE CONTROVERSY INVOLVING THAT
01:49:54PARTICULAR PROPOSAL IS WELL
01:49:56KNOWN. NOT ONLY WAS THERE A BAD
01:50:00REACTION AMONG DEMOCRATS TO THIS IDEA, BUT MANY REPUBLICANS AS
01:50:04WELL. SOME OF THEM KEPT THEIR
01:50:07OPPOSITION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
01:50:08I UNDERSTAND, BUT OTHERS WERE VERY VOCAL ABOUT IT. IN FACT,
01:50:12TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
01:50:15JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SAID THEY WANTED, IN WRITING FROM TODD
01:50:19BLANCHE, A PROMISE THAT HE WOULD
01:50:21NEVER CREATE THIS FUND TO REWARD
01:50:23COP BEATERS AND DEMONSTRATORS IN
01:50:26THE CAPITOL. ON JANUARY 6th,
01:50:292021. IT WENT FORWARD IN THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. THE
01:50:33NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN TWO REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND TODD
01:50:36BLANCHE CONTINUED UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, WHEN IT
01:50:39WAS ANNOUNCED THEY'D REACHED AN AGREEMENT. SADLY, THAT
01:50:43AGREEMENT, THE SO-CALLED AGREEMENT NOT TO CREATE THE
01:50:46WEAPONIZATION FUND, IS WRITTEN
01:50:48IN A WAY IT WOULDN'T PASS LAW
01:50:51SCHOOL CONTRACTS, 101. THERE'S
01:50:54NO SIGNATURE ON ANY OF THESE
01:50:56PAGES OF PROMISES WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE ACTIVITY. THEY SAY
01:51:00WE'RE RESCINDING THE PREVIOUS ORDER, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO
01:51:04STOP A NEW ORDER FROM TAKING
01:51:08PLACE. THAT IS A GAPING HOLE IN THE LOGIC AND THE EFFECTIVENESS
01:51:11OF ANY OF THESE DOCUMENTS. WE
01:51:17SHOULD HAVE CLEAR INDICATIONS FROM THE PARTIES TO THAT LAWSUIT
01:51:21THAT THEY BOTH SIDES AGREE. THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO WAS A
01:51:25PARTY TO THE LAWSUIT THAT LED UP
01:51:26TO THIS, BUT THEY CAN'T BRING IT
01:51:30TOGETHER BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THE ANTI WEAPONIZATION FUND SHOULD GO
01:51:34AWAY, HE SAID PUBLICLY, OVER AND
01:51:37OVER AGAIN. HE BELIEVES IN IT, WANTS TO DO IT, WANTS TO GIVE
01:51:40THE DEMONSTRATORS MONEY. TODD BLANCHE THINKS HE'S TAKING CARE
01:51:44OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT HE HAS NOT PRODUCED ANY DOCUMENTATION TO
01:51:47MAKE THAT POINT CLEAR. SECONDLY,
01:51:50THERE WAS A PROVISION IN A LAWSUIT. NOW, HERE'S WHAT THE
01:51:53LAWSUIT IS ALL ABOUT. THE
01:51:57PRESIDENT SUED THE IRS AND
01:51:58TREASURY, ARGUING THAT THEY
01:52:02DISCLOSED HIS INCOME TAX RETURNS WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. THEY
01:52:06ARRESTED THE MAN WHO ACTUALLY DID IT. THEY CAUGHT HIM, AND HE
01:52:09WAS PROSECUTED, AS SHOULD BE. HE
01:52:11BROKE THE LAW. HE KNEW HE WAS BREAKING THE LAW WHEN HE
01:52:14DISCLOSED THE PRESIDENT'S INCOME TAX RETURNS, THE PRESIDENT SUED
01:52:19THE IRS AND TREASURY FOR
01:52:20BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BILLIONS
01:52:23BECAUSE THEY DISCLOSED HIS INCOME TAX RETURN. I'M
01:52:27COMPLETING QUITE A FEW YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. I'VE DISCLOSED
01:52:30MY INCOME TAX RETURN EVERY YEAR
01:52:33WITHOUT FAIL. AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN THE SENATE. I'M NOT
01:52:37POSING FOR HOLY PICTURES. I'M JUST TRYING TO TELL YOU IT
01:52:40ISN'T THAT BIG A DEAL. IF YOU
01:52:42FOLLOW THE LAW. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TRUMP
01:52:46LAWSUIT WAS FOR DISCLOSING HIS INCOME TAX RETURNS? PART OF THE
01:52:50SETTLEMENT SAID, GET THIS NOW. AND TODD BLANCHE IS THE
01:52:53DRAFTSMAN OF THIS AS WELL. PART
01:52:55OF IT SAID NEITHER THE
01:52:58PRESIDENT, HIS FAMILY, OR ANY OF
01:53:03THE COMPANIES IN HIS TRUMP
01:53:03EMPIRE BUSINESS CAN BE HELD FOR
01:53:08COMMITTING FOR VIOLATING ANY TAX CRIMES IN THE UNITED STATES. HOW
01:53:11WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? GET OUT OF
01:53:13JAIL FREE CARD AND THAT WAS PART
01:53:16OF THE AGREEMENT. AND IT SHOULD
01:53:20BE CONTESTED. IF WE SAY NO ONE
01:53:21IN AMERICA IS ABOVE THE LAW, HOW
01:53:25IN THE WORLD CAN YOU JUSTIFY DOING THIS FOR THE TRUMP FAMILY
01:53:27AND THEIR BUSINESSES? AND WE
01:53:29KNOW THIS PRESIDENT DEALS IN BIG
01:53:31NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO INCOME.
01:53:35HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE
01:53:36ESTIMATES BETWEEN 1.4 AND $2
01:53:40BILLION IN PRESIDENT'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. IN HIS SECOND
01:53:42TERM, $2 BILLION. HOW DID HE DO
01:53:47IT? WELL, YOU WON'T BE
01:53:49SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CRYPTOCURRENCY FINGERPRINTS ALL
01:53:53OVER THIS DEAL. THE PRESIDENT MADE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
01:53:57DOLLARS OFF OF A MEME COIN OR SOME CONTRAPTION THAT COMES OUT
01:54:00OF THE CRYPTOCURRENCY WORLD.
01:54:05THAT'S THE REALITY. AND WHO WAS OVERSEEING THIS OPERATION? TODD
01:54:08BLANCHE, A MAN WHO WANTS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT
01:54:11OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU,
01:54:15I'M NOT GOING TO GO MUCH LONGER, BECAUSE I SEE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE GATHERING, AND
01:54:18THEY WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE
01:54:20AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS
01:54:23MISTAKE FOR THE SENATE TO APPROVE. TODD BLANCHE AS THE
01:54:27NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL. IF THERE IS EVER A MOMENT IN HISTORY WHEN
01:54:31WE NEED AN ATTORNEY GENERAL
01:54:32ABOVE REPROACH, WHO IS CLEARLY
01:54:35DEDICATED TO ENDING CORRUPTION, EVEN AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR
01:54:39GOVERNMENT, IT'S RIGHT NOW. THE HISTORY OF THIS ERA WILL BE
01:54:43WRITTEN, AND IT WILL BE A
01:54:44SHAMEFUL HISTORY FOR THOSE WHO
01:54:47ARE EMPOWERING THIS MAN, TODD BLANCHE, TO TAKE HIS PERSONAL
01:54:51REPRESENTATION OF THIS PRESIDENT TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL AS
01:54:54HE BECOMES THE NEXT I BEG MY
01:54:58COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
01:54:59THE AISLE, I KNOW, I THINK I
01:55:02KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU FEEL PRIVATELY, AND I KNOW YOU'RE AFRAID TO CROSS THIS PRESIDENT.
01:55:06HE'S BEEN GUILTY OF RETRIBUTION MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND HE
01:55:09WOULD BE ON THIS SIDE. BUT
01:55:11DON'T BE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS ON THE WRONG SIDE WHEN IT COMES
01:55:15TO THIS ISSUE. COME OUT AGAINST
01:55:18CORRUPTION. COME OUT FOR THE
01:55:21PROSECUTION OF CORPORATE FRAUD, COME OUT FOR CHANGING THE
01:55:24CURRENT SITUATION IN THE UNITED
01:55:26STATES TO ONE THAT IS MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE LAW AND MORE
01:55:29RESPECTFUL OF THE FAMILIES AND VOTERS WHO CREATE THIS
01:55:33DEMOCRACY. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES
01:55:34TO JOIN ME IN OPPOSING THE NOMINATION OF TODD BLANCHE AS
01:55:38THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE
01:55:40UNITED STATES. MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
01:55:44>> SEVERAL SENATORS ALSO SPOKE ON THE FLOOR OF THE UPPER
01:55:46CHAMBER, HIGHLIGHTING TOPICS FROM THE COST OF LIVING TO
01:55:50TRACKING TAX DOLLARS. SENATE
01:55:54MAJORITY WHIP JOHN BARRASSO OF WYOMING TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
01:55:57AMID A SPATE OF WINS BY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN
01:56:01DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES AND, LATER,
01:56:02CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
01:56:05ALEX PADILLA ALSO TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
01:56:07IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE
01:56:11TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR.
01:56:13PRESIDENT, TODAY'S DEMOCRAT
01:56:15PARTY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY
01:56:18EXTREMISTS. IT'S HAPPENING ALL
01:56:20ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EXTREMISTS
01:56:23ARE WINNING DEMOCRAT PRIMARIES
01:56:26ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM EAST TO WEST. THE MINORITY
01:56:30LEADER, WHO SPOKE A LITTLE EARLIER TODAY, HE SEEMS TO BE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT. JUST
01:56:33YESTERDAY, WHEN TALKING TO THE PRESS, THE MINORITY LEADER SAID
01:56:37THIS. HE SAID, THESE EXTREME
01:56:39CANDIDATES, HE SAID, MAKE THEIR
01:56:43PARTY STRONGER. WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, SENATOR SCHUMER MAY
01:56:46BE THRILLED WITH THE DIRECTION
01:56:47THAT HIS PARTY IS TAKING. AND
01:56:50NOW LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS LAST
01:56:52NIGHT IN MICHIGAN. THE DEMOCRAT
01:56:56CANDIDATE FOR SENATE WINNING THE
01:56:59PRIMARY YESTERDAY IN MICHIGAN,
01:57:01IS TRULY AN EXTREMIST RADICAL, EXTREME, DANGEROUS, AND IN MY
01:57:05OPINION, SCARY. HE'S BEEN
01:57:07ENDORSED BY SENATOR BERNIE
01:57:10SANDERS. AND JUST RECENTLY, HE HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH A
01:57:13LEFT WING ACTIVIST, A POLITICAL
01:57:19ACTIVIST WHO BLAMED 9/11. AND WE'RE ALMOST NEAR THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACKS ON
01:57:239/11 IN THE UNITED STATES OF
01:57:26AMERICA, BLAMED THOSE ATTACKS ON
01:57:30AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
01:57:33PRESIDENT, THIS IS A DEMOCRATIC
01:57:35PARTY THAT HAS A MANIFESTO AND A
01:57:39MANTRA. THEY HAVE A RADICAL SET
01:57:41OF BELIEFS, AND THEY ARE CLEARLY
01:57:44THOSE OF THE DEMOCRAT NOMINEE IN
01:57:48MICHIGAN. THE DRIVING FORCES IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY TODAY WANT TO
01:57:52ABOLISH PRISONS. THE DRIVING
01:57:54FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY
01:57:57TODAY HAS ENDORSED ANY AND ALL
01:57:59EFFORTS TO RELEASE DANGEROUS
01:58:01PRISONERS FROM THE JAILS ONTO THE STREETS OF COMMUNITIES ALL
01:58:05ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE DRIVING
01:58:09FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS
01:58:13CALLING TO DEFUND THE POLICE THE
01:58:16DRIVING FORCE IN THE DEMOCRAT
01:58:18PARTY IS CALLING TO ELIMINATE IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS
01:58:22ENFORCEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY DON'T WANT BORDERS. DON'T
01:58:24THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE BORDERS
01:58:28THEY WANT ICE COMPLETELY
01:58:31ELIMINATED. DEMOCRATS WANT TO GO
01:58:33BACK TO THE DANGEROUS BIDEN
01:58:35YEARS. WHEN IT CAME TO PROTECTING OUR BORDERS. AND 10
01:58:39MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
01:58:43FLOODED INTO THIS COUNTRY. THE DEMOCRATS WANT MILLIONS AND
01:58:46MILLIONS MORE TO COME INTO
01:58:49AMERICA AND WHAT DO THEY WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR SOME
01:58:53OF THESE THINGS? WELL, THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO HAVE HARD
01:58:57WORKING TAXPAYERS PAY FOR HEALTH
01:58:58CARE FOR ALL THE ILLEGAL
01:59:01IMMIGRANTS WHO COME HERE. YOU KNOW, RADICAL IDEAS LIKE THAT WERE ONCE THE FRINGE OF THE
01:59:04DEMOCRAT PARTY. NO LONGER. NO,
01:59:07NO, THAT FRINGE NOW CONTROLS THE
01:59:11DEMOCRAT PARTY. AS A SENIOR SENATOR WHO'S A DEMOCRAT, SAID,
01:59:15WHO SITS RIGHT OVER THERE, SAID IT'S A SIGN THAT THE DEMOCRAT
01:59:17PARTY IS ALIVE AND WELL SENATOR
01:59:21SCHUMER SAID YESTERDAY IT MAKES
01:59:22THEIR PARTY STRONGER, DOESN'T
01:59:25MAKE AMERICA STRONGER, MAKES AMERICA WEAKER. IT MAKES AMERICA
01:59:29MORE VULNERABLE. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY, MR. PRESIDENT,
01:59:33DEMOCRATS SEEM WILLING TO TEAR
01:59:36UP THE CONSTITUTION AND TEAR DOWN AMERICA. LISTEN TO SOME OF
01:59:39THESE CANDIDATES. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HATE AMERICA. THEY WANT
01:59:43AMERICA TO FAIL. THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT THEY'RE AIMING FOR. BUT
01:59:46REPUBLICANS ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE GOING TO
01:59:50CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE EXTREMISTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
01:59:54FOR LIBERTY, AND CONTINUED
01:59:55AMERICAN GREATNESS.
02:00:01>> MR. PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUES THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE
02:00:04COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY, A
02:00:05LOT GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD.
02:00:11AND I RISE TODAY NOT TO ADDRESS
02:00:14SPECIFICALLY THE COST OF LIVING CHALLENGES THAT SO MANY WORKING
02:00:18FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH. THAT'S CERTAINLY A TOPIC OF
02:00:21NEWS THESE DAYS, RIGHTFULLY SO.
02:00:24UH, NOT HERE TO FOCUS ON WHAT
02:00:27FAMILIES OF DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBERS MUST BE FEELING RIGHT
02:00:31NOW. UH, ALTHOUGH THAT IS
02:00:33CERTAINLY WORTHY OF OUR THOUGHTS
02:00:36AND CONSIDERATION AND EMPATHY, PARTICULARLY THE FAMILY MEMBERS
02:00:39AND THE LOVED ONES OF 18 SERVICE MEMBERS THAT HAVE LOST THEIR
02:00:43LIVES IN THIS UNAUTHORIZED WAR
02:00:45WITH IRAN, THAT THE PRESIDENT
02:00:49HAS BROUGHT US INTO. THAT, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WAS REALLY
02:00:53DOMINATING THE EVENING NEWS. AND
02:00:55A LOT OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS,
02:00:59IMMIGRATION, AND SPECIFICALLY
02:01:02THIS ADMINISTRATION'S CRUEL,
02:01:05OFTEN VIOLENT TACTICS AS PART OF
02:01:10THEIR MASS DEPORTATION. AND THE
02:01:13DEPORTATION AGENDA FAMILIES ARE
02:01:16STILL BEING TORN APART. TENS OF
02:01:20THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS
02:01:23CURRENTLY BEING DETAINED IN DETENTION CENTERS AROUND THE
02:01:27COUNTRY LOVED ONES OF THOSE
02:01:30KILLED BY FEDERAL AGENTS IN
02:01:32BROAD DAYLIGHT. ARE ALSO STILL
02:01:37HURTING, INCLUDING THE FAMILY OF
02:01:39SEBASTIAN SEBASTIAN GUERRERO, A
02:01:4325 YEAR OLD FATHER, AN IMMIGRANT FROM COLOMBIA WHO HAD WORK
02:01:47AUTHORIZATION HE WAS DRIVING IN
02:01:50HIS CAR LAST MONTH WHEN A FEDERAL AGENT OPENED FIRE,
02:01:52SHOOTING HIM IN THE HEAD, AND
02:01:56KILLING HIM. I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THE STORY WASN'T THAT LONG AGO.
02:02:00IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS STORY, YOU'LL KNOW THAT HIS PARTNER
02:02:03AND HIS THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER
02:02:06STILL DRESSED IN HER BLUE PAJAMAS THAT MORNING, WERE THERE
02:02:10AT THE SCENE BECAUSE IT WAS SO
02:02:12CLOSE TO THEIR HOME AND
02:02:15ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, JOHN'S LAST WORDS WERE, I TRIED TO
02:02:19STOP. I RAISED THIS BECAUSE
02:02:24WHENEVER THERE'S A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS THAT HAPPENS UNDER THIS
02:02:28ADMINISTRATION WE QUICKLY HEAR
02:02:30FROM DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS FROM
02:02:33THE WHITE HOUSE AND MAGA SUPPORTERS THAT ALL THESE
02:02:37VICTIMS HAD TO DO WERE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AS IF IT WAS THEIR FAULT THAT THEY'RE BEING SHOT.
02:02:41AND IN SOME INSTANCES, KILLED.
02:02:43WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JOHN
02:02:45WAS ATTEMPTING TO DO. YET HE WAS
02:02:49KILLED ANYWAY. NOW, I KNOW WE
02:02:52DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF
02:02:54EXACTLY HOW THIS TRAGEDY UNFOLDED. IN LARGE PART, WE
02:02:58DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, JUST LET'S GO TO THE VIDEO.
02:03:02LET'S GO TO THE BODY CAM
02:03:03FOOTAGE AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT
02:03:06HAPPENED. DESPITE RECEIVING
02:03:10BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF
02:03:12TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDED
02:03:14FUNDING FOR BODY CAMERAS, THESE
02:03:18OFFICERS WEREN'T WEARING ANY
02:03:23COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW
02:03:24FOR CERTAIN. FIRST OF ALL, JOHN
02:03:28SEBASTIAN GUERRERO'S DAUGHTER
02:03:28SHOULD STILL HAVE HER FATHER.
02:03:33SECOND, AND THIS IS PUBLICLY
02:03:35REPORTED, THE MAN WHO TOOK HIS
02:03:39LIFE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
02:03:41GIVEN A BADGE AND A GUN AND
02:03:45THAT'S NOT JUST COMING FROM ME.
02:03:47THAT'S COMING FROM TOM HOMAN.
02:03:49THAT'S RIGHT. PRESIDENT
02:03:53TRUMP'S QUOTE, BORDER CZAR, WHO RECENTLY SAID IN A TV INTERVIEW
02:03:56THAT I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD
02:03:58HAVE EVER CLEARED VETTING FROM
02:04:03WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, THIS IS A
02:04:05MAN WHO VERBALLY, EMOTIONALLY,
02:04:08AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED, NOT JUST
02:04:10ONE, BUT TWO EX-WIVES. AND ONCE,
02:04:15THROUGH HIS 13 YEAR OLD
02:04:17DAUGHTER, THROUGH A GLASS COFFEE
02:04:21TABLE. SO MR. HOMAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WHEN HE SAYS
02:04:25THAT THIS MAN'S HIRING WAS THE
02:04:27FAILURE OF THE AGENCY'S VETTING
02:04:32PROCESS. BUT IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF
02:04:35A MUCH LARGER FAILURE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
02:04:38AS ICE HAS RUSHED THIS LAST YEAR
02:04:41TO PUT AS MANY OFFICERS AS THEY
02:04:44COULD INTO COMMUNITIES AS
02:04:46QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, SOMETHING
02:04:48PRETTY HYPOCRITICAL, BY THE WAY, FROM AN ADMINISTRATION CALLING
02:04:52FOR THE REVETTING OF PREVIOUSLY
02:04:57VETTED REFUGEES AND OTHER
02:04:58IMMIGRANTS. BUT I DIGRESS. IN
02:05:01LESS THAN A YEAR, ICE HAS HIRED
02:05:03MORE THAN 12,000 OFFICERS, A
02:05:08120% INCREASE IN STAFFING, HUGE
02:05:10INCREASE IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF
02:05:14TIME. PART, THEY. THEY WERE SO
02:05:17EAGER TO HIRE UP THAT THEY WERE
02:05:19OFFERING $50,000 BONUSES FOR
02:05:22PEOPLE WHO SIGNED ON TO THE
02:05:24AGENCY. ALONG THE WAY. THEY ALSO
02:05:26LOWERED RECRUITMENT STANDARDS TO
02:05:29TRY TO HIRE AS MANY PEOPLE AS
02:05:31POSSIBLE, AND THEY SHORTENED
02:05:34TRAINING, SHORTENED TRAINING FOR
02:05:39LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BEFORE DEPLOYING THEM INTO THE STREETS
02:05:41ANYBODY WITH HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL
02:05:45LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THIS. IT'S A
02:05:48BAD COMBINATION, A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. WHEN YOU HIRE TOO
02:05:51QUICKLY. SHORTEN TRAINING AND LOWER RECRUITMENT STANDARDS. AND
02:05:55NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
02:05:57SEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE
02:06:00BAD DECISIONS. HOW MANY MORE
02:06:03UNQUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY VETTED OR
02:06:07TRAINED ARE NOW IN OUR
02:06:11COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST ARMED, BUT ARMED AND DRESSED AS IF THEY'RE
02:06:15GOING TO WAR? THAT'S NOT THE JOB
02:06:17THEY'RE DOING ALONG THE WAY.
02:06:21VIOLATING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS,
02:06:24USING EXCESSIVE FORCE, RISKING
02:06:28INNOCENT LIVES, AND, WORST OF
02:06:30ALL, FACING NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
02:06:34COLLEAGUES, ACCOUNTABILITY
02:06:37ISN'T AN INCONVENIENCE FOR LAW
02:06:39ENFORCEMENT. IT'S IMPERATIVE IN
02:06:41A SOCIETY WHERE WE ENTRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH THE
02:06:45POWER TO TAKE LIVES, OUR LIBERTY
02:06:47OR OUR PROPERTY. WHEN WARRANTED,
02:06:54ACCOUNTABILITY IS WHAT GIVES LAW
02:06:59ENFORCEMENT THE LEGITIMACY IN A DEMOCRACY BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S
02:07:02GOING ON TODAY. JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, IT WAS REPORTED THAT
02:07:05THE FBI WILL NO LONGER
02:07:09INVESTIGATE CONFRONTATIONS WITH
02:07:11IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INSTEAD, HOMELAND SECURITY WILL
02:07:14DO THE INVESTIGATING TO
02:07:16DETERMINE WHETHER OFFICERS OR
02:07:19AGENTS HAVE BROKEN THE LAW. IF
02:07:25TRUE, HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE OR
02:07:29LEGITIMACY? AFTER ALL, IT'S BEEN
02:07:32SIX MONTHS SINCE THE KILLING OF
02:07:34ALEX PRETTI AND RENE NICOLE.
02:07:37GOOD, AND STILL, NOBODY'S BEEN
02:07:40ACCOUNTABLE, HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE DEATHS. LET ME REPEAT
02:07:44THEIR NAMES. ALEX PRETTI. RENE.
02:07:51NICOLE. GOOD. RUBEN. RAY.
02:07:54MARTINEZ
02:08:05PRAY THERE'S NOT MORE TO COME.
02:08:08HOW MANY MORE NEED TO DIE BEFORE
02:08:11THIS ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZES,
02:08:14ACKNOWLEDGES, AND ADMITS THAT
02:08:19SOMETHING IS DEEPLY WRONG. ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT I WANT
02:08:21TO MAKE TODAY IS THAT THESE
02:08:26FAILURES DON'T END ON THE STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
02:08:29THEY'RE ALSO HAPPENING INSIDE THE WALLS OF DETENTION
02:08:33FACILITIES, WHERE, AS OF
02:08:34YESTERDAY, AT LEAST 54 PEOPLE
02:08:39HAVE DIED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
02:08:42THIS ADMINISTRATION. THE YEAR
02:08:452025 WAS A RECORD YEAR, NOT A
02:08:47GOOD RECORD. THE MOST DEATHS IN ICE CUSTODY IN A CALENDAR YEAR,
02:08:50AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO EXCEED
02:08:51THAT IN 2026. AT THIS MOMENT,
02:08:56MORE THAN 67,000 PEOPLE ARE
02:08:57BEING HELD IN OVERCROWDED AND
02:09:01UNDERSTAFFED FACILITIES, WHERE
02:09:04MANY ARE DENIED ACCESS TO
02:09:07HEALTHY FOOD, CLEAN WATER, EVEN
02:09:10BASIC MEDICAL CARE. FORGET ABOUT
02:09:12LIFE SAVING CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH EXTREME CONDITIONS. FOLKS THAT
02:09:16I'VE SEEN AND TALKED TO PERSONALLY, SUFFERING FROM
02:09:20INJURIES THEY SUSTAINED WHEN BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BECAUSE
02:09:23OF THE CRUELTY AND THE VIOLENCE OF HOW IT'S BEING DONE, AND
02:09:26REPORTING. JUST THIS MORNING
02:09:28FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, SHOWS
02:09:30US THAT MORE THAN 50 PARENTS AND
02:09:34SPOUSES OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE
02:09:36MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DETAINED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND
02:09:40TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND AT
02:09:42LEAST SIX HAVE BEEN DEPORTED.
02:09:45THINK ABOUT SONS AND DAUGHTERS,
02:09:49HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARE WILLING
02:09:50TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE
02:09:54FOR THIS COUNTRY. DURING
02:09:56WARTIME, NO LESS. AND THE TRUMP
02:09:59ADMINISTRATION IS REWARDING THEIR SERVICE BY DETAINING AND
02:10:02DEPORTING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
02:10:06YET, DESPITE ALL THIS, DONALD
02:10:10TRUMP AND THOSE AROUND HIM KEEP
02:10:12REPEATING THE LIE THAT THEY'RE
02:10:15ONLY GOING AFTER THE WORST OF
02:10:18THE WORST. IT'S NOT TRUE. EVEN
02:10:22FEDERAL COURTS HAVE FOUND THAT THE CONDITIONS IN THESE DETENTION FACILITIES, BY THE
02:10:25WAY, ARE UNACCEPTABLE. A FEDERAL
02:10:29DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA JUST ORDERED IMPROVEMENTS TO BASIC NEEDS,
02:10:33LIKE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER,
02:10:36NUTRITIOUS FOOD, AND MEDICAL AND
02:10:39DISABILITY CARE IN THE ADELANTO
02:10:41ICE PROCESSING CENTER BASIC
02:10:44STANDARDS FOR HUMANITY THAT ARE BOTH FEDERAL LAW AND
02:10:48INTERNATIONAL LAW. IN FEBRUARY,
02:10:52A SIMILAR ORDER TO PROVIDE
02:10:53ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE WAS ISSUED REGARDING THE LARGEST
02:10:57DETENTION CENTER IN CALIFORNIA. THE ONE LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA
02:11:00CITY. BUT JUST LAST WEEK, WE
02:11:03LEARNED FROM A NEUTRAL COURT APPOINTED MONITOR THAT ISIS
02:11:06FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THAT
02:11:10ORDER. THIS ADMINISTRATION JUST
02:11:13DOESN'T CARE. DESPITE THESE DEATHS, DESPITE THESE CONDITIONS, AND DESPITE THE
02:11:17ENORMOUS HUMAN TOLL, THE
02:11:21ADMINISTRATION IS ACTUALLY DOUBLING DOWN ICE ARRESTED 51000
02:11:25PEOPLE IN THE MONTH OF JULY, THE
02:11:28LARGEST IN A SINGLE MONTH IN DHS
02:11:33HISTORY. AND AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE NOT DANGEROUS,
02:11:36VIOLENT CRIMINALS. SO WE HAVE A
02:11:40HISTORIC NUMBER OF ARRESTS, COUPLED WITH A HISTORIC NUMBER
02:11:44OF DEATHS IN ICE CUSTODY. AND
02:11:46THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS THE AUDACITY TO IGNORE COURT ORDERS
02:11:50TO PROVIDE BASIC CARE AND
02:11:55DIGNITY TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT'S
02:11:57CRAMMING INTO THESE DETENTION
02:11:59FACILITIES. AND ON TOP OF ALL
02:12:02THAT, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN
02:12:05THIS CONGRESS HAS GIVEN ICE AND
02:12:07BORDER PATROL $150 BILLION, WITH
02:12:11NO ACCOUNTABILITY, NO SAFEGUARDS REQUIRED. SO THEY DON'T EVEN
02:12:15HAVE TO COME BACK TO CONGRESS TO
02:12:17JUSTIFY THEIR FUNDING REQUEST AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOR THE
02:12:20NEXT THREE YEARS. ICE IS NOW
02:12:26EXPANDING DETENTION FACILITIES WHILE CONTINUING TO CARRY OUT THESE MASS ENFORCEMENT
02:12:30OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
02:12:33THEY'RE FAILING. THEY'RE
02:12:35FAILING. THE HUMANITY TESTS THAT
02:12:38ARE BEING ORDERED BY FEDERAL COURTS TO DO THE JOB RIGHT.
02:12:42THEY'RE DOUBLING DOWN AND
02:12:45GROWING THEIR OPERATION, AND WE NOW KNOW THAT OVER 300,000
02:12:49HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS ARE NOW
02:12:51FACING ARREST AND DEPORTATION AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
02:12:54HAS RIPPED AWAY THEIR TEMPORARY
02:12:56PROTECTED STATUS. COLLEAGUES,
02:13:00HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF ILL TRAINED,
02:13:04UNQUALIFIED, AND UNACCOUNTABLE
02:13:07FEDERAL AGENTS AND INSIDE
02:13:09INHUMANE DETENTION CENTERS? BEFORE WE, AS A CONGRESS, OR AT
02:13:12LEAST THE SENATE, SAY, BEFORE WE
02:13:19CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEMAND COMMON SENSE REFORMS,
02:13:22WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE? BECAUSE OUR PROPOSALS ARE OUT
02:13:26THERE, LIKE MY VISIBLE ACT,
02:13:28WHICH SAYS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE TO
02:13:31HAVE VERY CLEAR, VERY VISIBLE
02:13:35IDENTIFICATION, SOMETHING THAT'S STANDARD FOR LAW
02:13:38ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NATIONWIDE
02:13:40IF A GROUP OF MASKED INDIVIDUALS
02:13:42AND UNMARKED CARS RUNS YOU OFF
02:13:44THE ROAD, JUMPS OUT OF THEIR
02:13:46CARS WITH GUNS DRAWN AND STARTS
02:13:50SCREAMING IN YOUR FACE WITHOUT ANY WAY TO EASILY AND QUICKLY
02:13:53KNOW THAT THEY'RE FEDERAL
02:13:55AGENTS. OF COURSE, SOMEBODY'S
02:13:58GOING TO PANIC. WE JUST SAW THAT
02:14:01EXACT SCENARIO PLAY OUT IN HOUSTON A FEW WEEKS AGO. SALGADO
02:14:05ARAUJO WAS DRIVING IN HIS VAN ON
02:14:07HIS WAY TO WORK WHEN TWO
02:14:12UNMARKED CARS WITHOUT SIRENS OR
02:14:14LIGHTS BEGAN CHASING HIM, EVENTUALLY BLOCKING HIS CAR ON A
02:14:18SMALL SIDE STREET. AS HE WAS
02:14:20TRYING TO TURN AROUND, THEY SHOT
02:14:23HIM AND KILLED HIM. WITHOUT ANY
02:14:29CLEAR IDENTIFICATION, HOW COULD LORENZO KNOW THAT THESE CARS
02:14:33CHASING HIM BELONGED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT? AS ONE EXPERT
02:14:37REVIEWING THE FOOTAGE OF THIS CHASE FROM PUBLIC CAMERAS SAID,
02:14:40QUOTE, IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A
02:14:42CARJACKING ATTEMPT THAN IT IS A
02:14:48POLICE STOP. AND WE WONDER WHY SOME PEOPLE PANIC. THAT'S
02:14:52EXACTLY WHY WE NEED THE BASIC STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL LAW
02:14:56ENFORCEMENT, LIKE THOSE CALLED FOR IN SENATOR BOOKER'S FEDERAL
02:14:58LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS AND
02:15:00ACCOUNTABILITY ACT AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF AGENTS AND
02:15:04CIVILIANS ALIKE. LAW ENFORCEMENT
02:15:06NEEDS TO HAVE THE BODY CAMERAS
02:15:09AND TO HAVE THEM TURNED ON,
02:15:11WHICH THE FOCUS ACT WOULD
02:15:13REQUIRE. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF BASIC SAFEGUARDS THAT DEMOCRATS
02:15:18HAVE BEEN PROPOSING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT THE
02:15:21ADMINISTRATION AND THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY DOESN'T WANT
02:15:24TO ACT ON IT. NOW, WE HAVE A LOT
02:15:27OF POLICY DEBATES HERE IN
02:15:29CONGRESS BUT TOO OFTEN WE LOSE
02:15:31SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE
02:15:33HEADLINES AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND
02:15:35THE STATISTICS THAT ARE IMPACTED
02:15:40BY THESE POLICIES PEOPLE, AS ARE
02:15:43THOUSANDS OF OTHERS LIVING IN
02:15:45FEAR TODAY. MOTHERS, FATHERS,
02:15:49SONS, DAUGHTERS, BROTHERS,
02:15:52SISTERS. THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR
02:15:54COWORKERS AND NEIGHBORS, ALL
02:15:57HUMAN BEINGS DESERVING OF BASIC
02:16:01DIGNITY AND HUMANITY. LAST GOT
02:16:04INTO HIS CAR, EXPECTING JUST A
02:16:07NORMAL REGULAR DAY, AND NOW HIS
02:16:10DAUGHTER WILL GROW UP IN A WORLD
02:16:13WITHOUT HIM IN IT. AND SHE CARRIES HIS MEMORY WITH HER FOR
02:16:17THE REST OF HER LIFE, NOT ONLY
02:16:21OF HIM, BUT HOW HE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. SHE'LL REMEMBER THAT
02:16:25FOREVER. AND COLLEAGUES, I
02:16:26IMPLORE THAT WE REMEMBER AS WELL, AND LET'S LEARN FROM IT
02:16:30AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO
02:16:33KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN,
02:16:36BECAUSE WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS
02:16:38THAT NEED TO BE ENFORCED. BUT A
02:16:42NATION OF LAWS INCLUDES BEING A NATION OF DUE PROCESS OF
02:16:46ACCOUNTABILITY, AND, ABOVE ALL,
02:16:50HUMAN DIGNITY. AND WE SHOULD NEVER ACCEPT AN AMERICA WHERE
02:16:53FEDERAL AGENTS HIDE THEIR FACES,
02:16:55ABUSE THEIR AUTHORITY, OR TAKE
02:17:00LIFE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT AND
02:17:05ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S A CHOICE,
02:17:10FOLKS, THAT WE'RE MAKING. WHAT
02:17:13KIND OF COUNTRY ARE WE WORKING
02:17:15TOWARDS? IT'S A CHOICE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESSIONAL
02:17:19REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE STREETS.
02:17:22AMERICA DESERVES BETTER. AMERICA
02:17:24DESERVES BETTER.
02:17:27>> I RISE TODAY TO ASK THIS
02:17:31SENATE BODY TO JOIN ME IN THE
02:17:34STOPPING OF THE FUNDING OF VIRAL
02:17:36GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH VIA GAIN OF FUNCTION. RESEARCH IS
02:17:40WHAT LED, OF COURSE, TO THE COVID VIRUS BEING DEVELOPED.
02:17:43AND, OF COURSE, THE COVID
02:17:46EPIDEMIC. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO PAUSE AND STOP
02:17:50AND THINK WHY THIS IS STILL IMPORTANT, THIS WHAT IS WE NOW,
02:17:53FIVE, SIX YEARS LATER, WE ALL
02:17:55KNOW WE LOST A MILLION AMERICANS
02:17:58TO THIS COVID VIRUS. 20 MILLION
02:18:02AMERICANS STILL SUFFER FROM LONG
02:18:05COVID. MANY, MANY AMERICANS DIED
02:18:09ALONE, MAYBE AT A NURSING HOME,
02:18:11MAYBE IN IN THEIR OWN HOME, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE
02:18:14THEIR OWN CHILDREN, THEIR, THEIR
02:18:16SPOUSES COME VISIT THEM IN THOSE
02:18:19LAST MOMENTS OF THEIR LIFE. WE
02:18:20HAD TENS OF MILLIONS OF STUDENTS
02:18:24MISS THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF
02:18:27COLLEGE. MAYBE IT WAS THE STATE TRACK MEET. MAYBE IT WAS THE SOFTBALL STATE SOFTBALL TEAM.
02:18:31THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THEIR
02:18:33WHOLE LIFE. WE HAD KIDS THAT
02:18:36STILL HAVE LEARNING DISABILITY
02:18:38OR LAGGING IN THEIR LEARNING,
02:18:41SPECIFICALLY READING, NOT TO MENTION THEIR SOCIAL
02:18:45INTERACTIONS AND THEIR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THIS COVID
02:18:47VIRUS LEFT A HUGE PHYSICAL,
02:18:52ECONOMIC, AND EMOTIONAL SCAR ON
02:18:55AMERICA. AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT WE STOP THIS VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH. AND
02:18:59I'M SO PROUD THAT THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY HAS AGREED TO STOP THE
02:19:03FUNDING. I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR THE STOPPING OF THIS SINCE 2021,
02:19:07AS WELL. AND I THINK IT'S
02:19:11IMPORTANT TO REALIZE HOW ANTHONY
02:19:13FAUCI EVADED THE INTENTIONS OF
02:19:16CONGRESS AND THE RULES FROM HIS OWN WHITE HOUSE. EVEN PRESIDENT
02:19:20OBAMA ASKED HIM TO STOP DOING
02:19:23VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH. BUT, OF COURSE, ANTHONY FAUCI
02:19:26HAD MORE, MORE, MORE ATTORNEYS
02:19:27THAN THERE. THERE ARE THAN CARTER HAS PILLS. AND THEY
02:19:31ALWAYS FOUND SOME LOOPHOLE. AND THEN WHEN THEY COULDN'T DO IT HERE, THEN HE FUNDED, HE
02:19:35OFFSHORED THE FUNDING OF THIS.
02:19:37BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, THE UNITED STATES WAS FUNDING
02:19:41VIRAL GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH
02:19:43FOR DECADES. THIS WAS ANTHONY FAUCI'S BABY. HE THOUGHT THAT
02:19:48THIS WAS HIS TICKET TO A NOBEL
02:19:51PRIZE. YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE
02:19:53A PHYSICIAN LIKE MYSELF OR A MOM
02:19:55OR DAD OR A BUSINESS PERSON, A
02:19:58MILITARY OFFICER, YOU ALWAYS GOT TO SIT THERE AND WEIGH THE
02:20:00BENEFITS AND THE RISK OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I MEAN,
02:20:05WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE, I'M NOT SURE OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH,
02:20:07YOU KNOW, THEY SAID IT WAS SO
02:20:09THAT IF ANOTHER, IF SOME UNKNOWN
02:20:12ORGANISM APPEARED, THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A VACCINE. BUT
02:20:16OF COURSE, THE DOWNSIDE WAS ALWAYS THE FEAR OF RISK OF A
02:20:20VIRUS THEY MADE IN A LABORATORY, OF IT ESCAPING. AND, OF COURSE,
02:20:23WHY WOULDN'T THERE BE MULTIPLE
02:20:25TIMES IN HISTORY, VIRUSES,
02:20:29MICROORGANISMS HAVE ESCAPED FROM
02:20:30LABORATORY. IT'S PRACTICALLY
02:20:33IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THEM. 1978
02:20:36A SMALLPOX VIRUS ESCAPED FROM A LAB IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. 2007
02:20:40FOOT AND MOUTH VIRUS RELEASED, ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM
02:20:44UNITED KINGDOM LAB, 2014. THE
02:20:47CDC HAD AN AN ANTHRAX ISSUE. UH,
02:20:51AGAIN IN 2014, NIH KEFFE D.
02:20:52THERE WAS UNSECURED SMALLPOX
02:20:55VIALS SEEN, UH, THESE MICE THAT WERE DOING EXPERIMENTS ON
02:20:59INFECTING THEM WITH THESE MONSTER VIRUSES FROM TIME TO
02:21:03TIME. ESCAPE. SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE WERE SET UP FOR FAILURE.
02:21:06AND AGAIN, DESPITE SCIENTISTS,
02:21:10AFTER SCIENTISTS, PRESIDENTS AFTER PRESIDENTS WARNING ANTHONY FAUCI TO STOP DOING THIS
02:21:14RESEARCH, HE PERSISTED AND HE
02:21:16PERSISTED. AND HE PERSISTED
02:21:19UNTIL FINALLY, COVID 19 WAS ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED FROM A LAB
02:21:23IN WUHAN, CHINA. AND THE REST IS
02:21:26HISTORY. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK
02:21:28IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE STOP
02:21:31THE FUNDING FOR THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL. LET'S CODIFY WHAT THE
02:21:35PRESIDENT HAS DONE HERE, AND MAKE SURE, AT LEAST UNTIL
02:21:38SOMEONE CAN COME TO THIS
02:21:39CONGRESS AND SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE
02:21:43A FOOLPROOF SYSTEM, UH, FOR, FOR KEEPING THIS IN CONTROL. BUT
02:21:45WHEN YOU'RE MAKING MONSTER
02:21:48VIRUSES, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS PROBABLY SOME TYPE OF
02:21:50TERRORISM THAT IT WOULD BE SO
02:21:52EASY ONCE THESE ARE MADE TO BE REPLICATED AND TURNED INTO A
02:21:56TERRORIST WEAPON, MUCH MORE OF
02:21:57A, OF A SERIOUS, CONSEQUENTIAL
02:22:00THREAT TO AMERICA THAN NUCLEAR
02:22:02WARHEADS ARE. AND THINK ABOUT
02:22:04THIS, THAT THIS VIRUS ALONE IS
02:22:07EXPONENTIALLY MORE LETHAL THAN
02:22:09ALL THE YEARS OF NUCLEAR
02:22:12WEAPONS. THIS BILL DOES ONE SIMPLE THING. IT STOPS FEDERAL
02:22:15TAX DOLLARS FROM FUNDING THE KIND OF RESEARCH THAT CAN TURN A
02:22:18VIRUS INTO A WEAPON. NO MORE
02:22:23OFFSHORING RISK TO AVOID OVERSIGHT. NO MORE ASKING PERMISSION FROM THE VERY
02:22:27AGENCIES THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM.
02:22:30>> DURING MY 12 YEARS IN THE
02:22:31SENATE, I HAVE EXPOSED MANY
02:22:34OUTLANDISH EXAMPLES OF GOVERNMENT WASTE. FOR EXAMPLE, I
02:22:39UNCOVERED THAT WASHINGTON SENT
02:22:43NEARLY $500 MILLION TO CHINA TO
02:22:46PAY FOR EVERYTHING FROM POETRY
02:22:49PROJECTS TO DANGEROUS RESEARCH
02:22:52ON BATS ANOTHER $870 MILLION OF
02:22:58U.S. TAXPAYER MONEY WENT TO
02:23:02RUSSIA. THIS INCLUDES MORE THAN
02:23:06$770,000 FROM THE NATIONAL
02:23:08INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, SENT TO A
02:23:11STATE RUN LAB IN RUSSIA TO PUT
02:23:17CATS ON TREADMILLS. HOW DID I
02:23:20UNCOVER THESE CRAZY TRAILS OF
02:23:22MONEY TO OUR FOREIGN
02:23:26ADVERSARIES? IT'S QUITE SIMPLE.
02:23:28FOR 20 YEARS NOW, THE FEDERAL
02:23:30FUNDING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
02:23:33TRANSPARENCY ACT HAS REQUIRED
02:23:36UNCLASSIFIED GOVERNMENT SPENDING
02:23:38TO BE PUT ONLINE IN A SEARCHABLE
02:23:43PUBLIC WEBSITE. U.S.
02:23:46SPENDING.GOV. THIS ALLOWS
02:23:49TAXPAYERS TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES
02:23:51HOW THE MONEY THEY ARE SENDING
02:23:53TO WASHINGTON IS SPENT.
02:23:56BUREAUCRATS, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN HIDING TENS OF BILLIONS OF
02:24:00DOLLARS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH
02:24:04SECRET SPENDING ARRANGEMENTS
02:24:07KNOWN AS OTHER TRANSACTION
02:24:11AGREEMENTS, OR OTAS. BY NOT
02:24:14PUBLICLY DISCLOSING THESE
02:24:16EXPENDITURES ON USA
02:24:18SPENDING.GOV, THE PENTAGON ALONE
02:24:21HAS OBLIGATED $77.7 BILLION FOR
02:24:28THOUSANDS OF OTAS OVER JUST THE
02:24:31PAST FIVE YEARS. THROUGH OVER
02:24:3630,000. HARD TO TRACK CONTRACTS.
02:24:40THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH
02:24:42OTAS IS HAVING A REAL IMPACT.
02:24:46ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, THE
02:24:49PENTAGON QUOTE, CANNOT ASSESS
02:24:54THE EXTENT TO WHICH OTAS ARE
02:24:58DELIVERING CAPABILITIES TO THE WARFIGHTER, END QUOTE. THE
02:25:01OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
02:25:04ALSO FOUND THE PENTAGON DOESN'T
02:25:05EVEN HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF
02:25:08OTAS OR THEIR DOLLAR VALUES OTAS
02:25:14ARE ALSO BEING USED BY THE
02:25:16DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
02:25:20SERVICES, HOMELAND SECURITY
02:25:23TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, AS WELL
02:25:25AS NASA. WE RECENTLY LEARNED
02:25:28THAT NIH IS NEW ARPA-H
02:25:31BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CONTRACTS
02:25:34ARE BEING PROCESSED AS OTAS
02:25:37THROUGH THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
02:25:40THIS MEANS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW
02:25:42THE DETAILS BEHIND NIH
02:25:45BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CONTRACTS,
02:25:50YOU PRACTICALLY HAVE TO BE A DATA WIZARD AND KNOW WHERE TO
02:25:54LOOK. DEEP IN THE DEPARTMENT OF.
02:25:58WHERE DID I SAY DEPARTMENT OF
02:26:02INTERIOR'S DATABASES? I KNOW IT
02:26:06MAKES NO SENSE. AS WE WITNESSED
02:26:10LAST WEEK, WE CAN'T GET ANSWERS
02:26:13FROM DR. FAUCI ABOUT WHAT NIH
02:26:15HAS BEEN FUNDING BECAUSE HE IS
02:26:17HIDING BEHIND THE FIFTH
02:26:21AMENDMENT. TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO
02:26:24KNOW HOW THEIR DOLLARS ARE BEING
02:26:26SPENT IN WASHINGTON. AND WE HAVE
02:26:31AN OBLIGATION HERE TO SHOW THEM.
02:26:33IN JUNE, THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY
02:26:39PASSED MY BIPARTISAN STOP SECRET
02:26:41SPENDING ACT TO REQUIRE OTAS TO
02:26:44BE PUBLICLY DISCLOSED ON USA
02:26:47SPENDING.GOV. JUST LIKE ALL
02:26:52OTHER GOVERNMENT SPENDING. I
02:26:56VERY MUCH APPRECIATE SENATORS PETERS AND HASSAN, WHOSE SUPPORT
02:26:59WAS CRITICAL FOR MAKING THIS
02:27:01HAPPEN. I WAS ALSO DELIGHTED
02:27:04LAST MONTH WHEN THE HOUSE APPROVED THE BIPARTISAN
02:27:07COMPANION BILL, INTRODUCED BY
02:27:09REPRESENTATIVES MOORE AND
02:27:11PANETTA, WHICH IS NOW AT THE
02:27:16DESK HERE IN THE SENATE. WE ALL KNOW CONGRESS CAN AGREE ON VERY
02:27:19MUCH THESE DAYS, SO IT MAKES A
02:27:21VERY POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN
02:27:26FOLKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
02:27:28AISLE, AND FROM BOTH CHAMBERS
02:27:33COME TOGETHER BY PASSING THIS TRANSPARENCY BILL TO HOLD
02:27:34WASHINGTON ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW
02:27:38AMERICANS TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING
02:27:41SPENT WITH FRAUDSTERS STEALING
02:27:47$1.4 BILLION EVERY SINGLE DAY WE
02:27:53NEED THIS INFORMATION NOW SO WE
02:27:55CAN ACCOUNT FOR WHO IS TAKING
02:27:58TAX DOLLARS AND WHY THEY ARE
02:28:03TAKING THEM. EARLIER TODAY, I ATTENDED THE MEETING OF THE VICE
02:28:07PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE TO ELIMINATE FRAUD AT THE WHITE
02:28:11HOUSE AND THE SUCCESS OF THIS
02:28:15EFFORT DEPENDS ON BEING ABLE TO
02:28:17TRACK HOW DOLLARS ARE BEING
02:28:24SPENT. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME GOVERNORS ARE IMPEDING ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS BY BLOCKING
02:28:27ACCESS TO SPENDING. INFORMATION
02:28:29ABOUT HOW TAX DOLLARS FROM
02:28:32WASHINGTON ARE BEING SPENT IN
02:28:34THEIR OWN STATES. WE CAN'T STOP
02:28:38WHAT WE CAN'T SEE, BUT WE CAN
02:28:41DO OUR PART BY PASSING THE STOP
02:28:46SECRET SPENDING ACT TODAY. THIS
02:28:48BILL WILL END THE SECRECY ABOUT
02:28:52HOW TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
02:28:54ARE BEING SPENT EVERY SINGLE
02:28:56YEAR. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR
02:28:58DELAYING SENDING THIS BILL TO
02:29:01THE PRESIDENT TODAY TO BECOME
02:29:03LAW. IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON TO
02:29:07OPPOSE THE STOP SECRET SPENDING
02:29:09ACT IS IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
02:29:14HIDE, AS IF IN LEGISLATIVE
02:29:16SESSION. AND NOTWITHSTANDING
02:29:18RULE 22, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED TO THE
02:29:22IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF H.R.
02:29:252069, WHICH WAS RECEIVED FROM THE HOUSE. I FURTHER ASK THAT
02:29:29THE BILL BE CONSIDERED. READ A
02:29:31THIRD TIME, AND PASSED, AND THAT
02:29:34THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BE
02:29:36CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID
02:29:40>> AN OBJECTION? MR. PRESIDENT? SENATOR FROM TEXAS. >> RESERVING THE RIGHT TO
02:29:44OBJECT, I UNDERSTAND THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM IOWA IS DEEPLY
02:29:48INTERESTED IN GETTING THIS LEGISLATION PASSED, AND I
02:29:51APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE AND EFFORT SHE HAS DEVOTED TO THIS LEGISLATION. THIS IS A GOOD
02:29:55BILL. I SUPPORT HER BILL.
02:29:58INDEED, I VOTED FOR HER BILL, AS
02:29:59DID EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS
02:30:03BODY. BUT THE SENATE ALSO HAS A
02:30:05GREAT MANY OTHER BILLS THAT WE
02:30:08ARE WORKING ON, THAT WE HAVE
02:30:11PASSED, AND THAT HAVE RUN INTO A ROADBLOCK IN THE HOUSE OF
02:30:15REPRESENTATIVES, THE HOUSE OF
02:30:18REPRESENTATIVES CURRENTLY IS
02:30:21REFUSING TO TAKE UP SENATE
02:30:23PASSED BILLS, AND RATHER IS
02:30:27PASSING ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY HOUSE BILLS. THIS IS AN UNREASONABLE
02:30:31POSITION FOR THE HOUSE TO TAKE
02:30:34AND INDEED, IT IS NOT A THEORETICAL POSITION. IT IS WHAT
02:30:38THE HOUSE HAS DONE ON THIS VERY.
02:30:43BILL. ON THIS BILL, SENATOR
02:30:46ERNST INTRODUCED IT. THE SENATE PASSED IT UNANIMOUSLY. IT WAS
02:30:50SENT TO THE HOUSE. AND WHAT DID THE HOUSE DO? THEY DID NOT PASS.
02:30:52THE SENATE PASSED BILL. INSTEAD,
02:30:54THEY PASSED ESSENTIALLY THE
02:30:57IDENTICAL BILL. BUT AS A HOUSE
02:30:58MEASURE. NOW, MIND YOU, THAT WAS
02:31:01NOT BECAUSE THEY HAD ANY
02:31:04SUBSTANTIVE OBJECTIONS TO SENATOR ERNST BILL, BUT RATHER,
02:31:08IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE REFUSING TO DO THEIR JOB AS
02:31:12ANOTHER CHAMBER IN THIS
02:31:16CONGRESS. AMONG THE BILLS THAT
02:31:18THE SENATE HAS PASSED THAT ARE SITTING LANGUISHING AT THE HOUSE
02:31:22RIGHT NOW IS A BILL THAT I HAVE
02:31:25WORKED VERY HARD TO PASS, CALLED
02:31:29TREY'S LAW. TREY'S LAW IS NAMED FOR TREY CARLOCK, A
02:31:32BELOVED CITIZEN OF DALLAS, WHO,
02:31:35TRAGICALLY, AS A YOUNG BOY, WAS
02:31:39A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AT A
02:31:43SUMMER CAMP. LITIGATION ENSUED,
02:31:46AND TREY ENDED UP SIGNING AN NDA
02:31:54WHERE HE WAS BLOCKED BY LAW FROM
02:31:57SHARING THE DETAILS OF THE
02:32:00HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE HE ENDURED
02:32:05THAT SILENCE. WEIGHED ON TREY
02:32:10POWERFULLY, AND HE ULTIMATELY
02:32:11TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AT AGE 28,
02:32:14TREY'S LAW IS AN INITIATIVE
02:32:16THAT HAS BEEN CHAMPIONED BY
02:32:19TREY'S SISTER, ELIZABETH. NUMEROUS STATES, INCLUDING MY
02:32:22HOME STATE OF TEXAS, INCLUDING, MR. PRESIDENT, YOUR HOME STATE
02:32:26OF MISSOURI HAVE PASSED TREY'S
02:32:29LAW. AND IN THE SENATE, I INTRODUCED TREY'S LAWS,
02:32:32BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION, AND THE SENATE PASSED IT 100 TO NOTHING.
02:32:36AND IT IS SITTING AT THE HOUSE
02:32:39LANGUISHING. NOT BECAUSE ANYONE
02:32:41OBJECTS TO IT, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE HOUSE HAS DECIDED
02:32:45NOT TO PROCESS SENATE BILLS. SO,
02:32:49AS MY FRIEND SENATOR ERNST KNOWS, I HAVE PLACED A HOLD ON
02:32:52HOUSE BILLS UNTIL THE HOUSE
02:32:54STARTS TAKING UP AND PASSING
02:32:57SENATE BILLS. I HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY IN NEGOTIATION WITH
02:33:00HOUSE LEADERSHIP, AND I'M
02:33:05CONFIDENT THIS ISSUE WILL GET RESOLVED. THE HOUSE IS GOING TO TAKE UP AND DO THEIR JOB AND
02:33:10PASS SENATE BILLS, AND THE SENATE WILL LIKEWISE TAKE UP AND
02:33:14PASS HOUSE BILLS AND I AM
02:33:16CONFIDENT, IN PARTICULAR, THAT
02:33:18SENATOR ERNST WILL SUCCEED IN
02:33:21PASSING THIS BILL INTO LAW THIS
02:33:23YEAR. WITH MY ENTHUSIASTIC
02:33:27SUPPORT, BUT OFTEN IN CONGRESS,
02:33:29THE ONLY WAY TO GET A CHANGE OF
02:33:33ACTION IS TO EXERCISE LEVERAGE.
02:33:35AND THAT IS WHAT I AM DOING NOW,
02:33:40TO GET THE HOUSE TO TAKE UP AND PASS IMPORTANT BILLS. AND SO,
02:33:44THEREFORE, AT THIS TIME, AT
02:33:46LEAST, I OBJECT.
02:33:49>> THE OBJECTION IS HEARD.
02:33:52SENATOR FROM IOWA. >> NOW, I.
02:33:56>> I CAN APPRECIATE THE DILEMMA THAT MANY OF US ARE IN AS WE
02:33:59DEBATE THESE VERY IMPORTANT BILLS, AND. THEY ARE VERY
02:34:03IMPORTANT BILLS. AND SO WHAT I
02:34:06HAVE IN FRONT OF ME HERE AT AT
02:34:09MY DESK IS A LIST OF 59 HOUSE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED.
02:34:12THIS CONGRESS. THEY ARE H.R.
02:34:15BILLS. THERE. H.J. RESOLUTION
02:34:22140, HR 7147. 59. HOUSE BILLS
02:34:26THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED THROUGH
02:34:28THE SENATE. IN THIS CONGRESS.
02:34:31NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL
02:34:33HAVE WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO USE
02:34:36LEVERAGE. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT. MATTER OF FACT,
02:34:40THE BILL THAT I HAD PASSED THROUGH THIS CHAMBER, YOU KNOW,
02:34:44I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT AS AN S
02:34:46BILL, A SENATE BILL, AND I WOULD
02:34:49LOVE TO SEE MY NAME AT THE TOP
02:34:53OF THE BILL, RATHER THAN A HOUSE BILL. THE COMPANION BILL WAS
02:34:57PASSED BY THE HOUSE. SO, AGAIN,
02:35:01I'D LOVE TO SEE MY NAME AT THE TOP OF THE BILL, AND IT LISTED
02:35:03AS A SENATE BILL. I DISCUSSED IT
02:35:09WITH MY STAFF. I'M IN THE LAST
02:35:11SIX MONTHS OF MY FINAL TERM IN
02:35:14THE UNITED STATES SENATE. I'D
02:35:16LOVE TO HAVE MORE OF MY LEGACY
02:35:19ITEMS WITH MY NAME ON THEM, BUT I TOLD MY STAFF, IT'S MORE
02:35:23IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THESE
02:35:25BILLS DONE. I DON'T CARE IF
02:35:28IT'S A HOUSE BILL. I DON'T CARE
02:35:30IF THIS HAS MY NAME ALL OVER IT.
02:35:33THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WHEN
02:35:36WE HAVE GOOD PIECES OF
02:35:39LEGISLATION PUT IN FRONT OF US,
02:35:44AND THAT WE WORKED HARD IN A
02:35:46BIPARTISAN MANNER, AND A
02:35:49BICAMERAL MANNER, AND IT'S GOOD
02:35:51FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT WE
02:35:55MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE BILLS.
02:35:57SO I AM DISAPPOINTED TODAY THAT
02:36:01MY PIECE OF LEGISLATION, UNDER THE TITLE OF A HOUSE BILL, WILL
02:36:04NOT BE MOVING. AND I KNOW THAT
02:36:08MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. I DO HOPE
02:36:12IN THE FUTURE THAT BETWEEN THE
02:36:14SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP AND
02:36:18SENATE OR HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, THAT WE CAN COME
02:36:19TOGETHER ON THESE ISSUES,
02:36:22BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHEN WE HAVE
02:36:25THIS INFIGHTING ON GOOD, SOLID
02:36:30PIECES OF LEGISLATION, WE CAN DO
02:36:33BETTER. THANK YOU, MR.
02:36:37PRESIDENT. >> MR. PRESIDENT, THE PRICE OF
02:36:41EVERYTHING IS UP, AND THAT'S ON
02:36:43PURPOSE. IT'S ON PURPOSE BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP MADE IT.
02:36:47SO. WE ARE NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF
02:36:50A PANDEMIC OR A RECESSION OR A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. BUT THE
02:36:52PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
02:36:56HAS DECIDED THAT AMERICANS SHOULD PAY MORE FOR EVERYTHING
02:36:59FOOD, GAS, ELECTRICITY, HEALTH
02:37:01CARE, HOUSING, CLOTHES,
02:37:05EVERYTHING. AND SO, WHILE HE'S BUSY LINING HIS POCKETS WITH
02:37:08CRYPTO SCHEMES AND INSIDER INFORMATION SUBSCRIPTION
02:37:11PROGRAMS, REGULAR PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THEIR LIVES. NOW, I SAY
02:37:15HE'S DOING THIS ON PURPOSE
02:37:17BECAUSE THESE ARE DELIBERATE
02:37:20POLICY CHOICES THAT HE'S MADE. FIRST, IT WAS THE TARIFFS THAT JACKED UP THE PRICES OF GOODS
02:37:24ACROSS THE BOARD. TOMATOES.
02:37:26TOMATOES WENT UP 40%, COFFEE
02:37:29WENT UP BY 20%, CLOTHES AND CAR
02:37:31SEATS WERE UP BY 20%, ELECTRONICS SHOT UP BY HUNDREDS
02:37:35OF DOLLARS. AND SO IF THAT. SO IF IT WASN'T AS IF YOU COULD
02:37:38AVOID THE HIT BY NOT SHOPPING AT
02:37:41A PARTICULAR STORE FOR A PARTICULAR THING. AND PEOPLE IN
02:37:44HAWAII ARE VERY EXPERT AT FIGURING OUT, OKAY, TURKEY'S
02:37:47HIGH, LET'S GET CHICKEN. OKAY,
02:37:49PORK IS HIGH. LET'S GET BEEF.
02:37:51THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS THERE'S NO
02:37:54ESCAPE. LITERALLY EVERYTHING IS UP. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE
02:37:57PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS DECIDED THROUGH THIS IRAN
02:38:01WAR, THROUGH THE TARIFFS,
02:38:04THROUGH THE ENERGY BANDS, THROUGH THE MEDICAID AND
02:38:07MEDICARE, CUTS THROUGH THE ACA, CUTS THROUGH THE NUTRITION CUTS
02:38:11TO MAKE LITERALLY EVERY ASPECT
02:38:13OF YOUR LIFE MORE EXPENSIVE.
02:38:16THEN CAME THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL WHERE IN ORDER TO CUT TAXES
02:38:20FOR BILLIONAIRES, TRUMP AND THE
02:38:22REPUBLICANS SLASHED SUBSIDIES FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE AND
02:38:25FOOD ASSISTANCE. AND I WANT YOU
02:38:26TO UNDERSTAND, THIS SOUNDS LIKE
02:38:29THE KIND OF THING A PARTISAN
02:38:31WOULD SAY. AND IT IS, BUT IT'S
02:38:34ALSO TRUE THAT THE WAY THEY PAID
02:38:37FOR TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST
02:38:40PEOPLE AND THE WEALTHIEST CORPORATIONS ON THIS PLANET, THE
02:38:43WAY THEY LITERALLY PAID FOR IT,
02:38:46IS TO TAKE AWAY PEOPLE'S HEALTH
02:38:49CARE. WITHOUT THE ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS, ACA
02:38:52PREMIUMS WENT UP BY CLOSE TO
02:38:5560%, AND AS A RESULT, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITHOUT
02:38:58HEALTH CARE. THIS YEAR, MILLIONS
02:39:01OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING WITHOUT HEALTH CARE THIS YEAR, NOT BY
02:39:04CHOICE, BUT BY FORCE. AND I WANT TO READ SOME OF WHAT THOSE
02:39:07PEOPLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT. A MAN IN TEXAS SAID, QUOTE, THE
02:39:11PRICES ARE SIMPLY TOO HIGH. I DON'T THINK WE CAN AFFORD OUR MORTGAGE. IF I HAD TO PAY FOR
02:39:15HEALTH INSURANCE, IF I HAD
02:39:16CATASTROPHIC HEALTH, IF I HAD A CATASTROPHIC HEALTH EVENT, IT
02:39:20MAKES MORE SENSE FOR ME TO JUST DECLARE BANKRUPTCY THAN IT WOULD
02:39:23FOR ME TO BE DELINQUENT ON OUR OTHER PAYMENTS. HERE'S ANOTHER
02:39:28138 YEAR OLD FROM ALABAMA. I CAN'T AFFORD INSURANCE. I
02:39:31CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTH CARE WITHOUT INSURANCE.
02:39:34SO BASICALLY, JUST HOPING AND
02:39:37PRAYING I DON'T GET SICK. PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GAMBLE ON
02:39:40THEIR HEALTH SO THAT THE RICHEST
02:39:42PEOPLE EVER TO LIVE CAN PAY EVEN LESS IN TAXES. AND THE PRICE
02:39:46HIKES AREN'T OVER YET, BECAUSE PREMIUMS ARE SET TO RISE BY
02:39:49DOUBLE DIGITS AGAIN NEXT YEAR,
02:39:53ACCORDING TO PROPOSALS FROM INSURERS. ASIDE FROM HEALTH CARE, THE REPUBLICAN TAX BILL
02:39:57BILL ALSO COMPOUNDED TRUMP'S BAN
02:40:00ON WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY. THEY
02:40:04ARE BANNING WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY, WHICH IS NOT ONLY CLEAN
02:40:08AND HELPS US TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS. IT'S JUST THE
02:40:11QUICKEST AND CHEAPEST ENERGY THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY GET ON THE
02:40:15GRID. AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE
02:40:17WE'RE IN 1970 AND WE'RE
02:40:20ARGUING ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS VERSUS THE PRICE THAT PEOPLE PAY
02:40:23ON THEIR UTILITY BILLS. NOW, THE
02:40:28WAY TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE
02:40:31CRISIS IS TO DO A LOT MORE WIND AND SOLAR. AND THE BENEFIT IS
02:40:35THAT IT'S THE CHEAPEST FORM OF ENERGY. AND YET, THIS PRESIDENT
02:40:39HAS BANNED WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY THROUGH THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE
02:40:42ACTIONS. AND THAT IS SPIKING THE
02:40:44PRICE OF UTILITIES ACROSS THE
02:40:47COUNTRY AND THAT'S ALL BEFORE
02:40:52YOU FACTOR IN THE WAR IN IRAN,
02:40:55WHICH, IN ADDITION TO BEING A
02:40:58SPECTACULAR FAILURE THAT HAS ACHIEVED VERY LITTLE OF TRUMP'S
02:41:00OWN STATED GOALS, HAS ALSO
02:41:03CAUSED GAS AND ENERGY AND FOOD PRICES TO SPIKE EVERYWHERE. GAS
02:41:07IS OVER FOUR BUCKS RIGHT NOW, NATIONALLY, AND IT'S EVEN HIGHER
02:41:10IN 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
02:41:18DELIVERIES AND TRANSPORTATION IN
02:41:22HAWAII. ELECTRICITY BILLS WENT
02:41:26UP 20% IN ONE MONTH, 20% IN ONE
02:41:30MONTH, BECAUSE OF SKYROCKETING OIL PRICES, AND FOOD PRICES
02:41:33CONTINUE TO CLIMB EVERYWHERE AS THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT OF
02:41:36HORMUZ EXTENDS A GLOBAL
02:41:39FERTILIZER SHORTAGE, IT IS COMMON FOR PRESIDENTS HAVE TO TO
02:41:43HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS
02:41:45RELATED TO THE ECONOMY, AND
02:41:48SPECIFICALLY, WHAT CAN BE A REAL POLITICAL KILLER IS THE QUESTION
02:41:51OF INFLATION. BUT THIS IS VERY
02:41:55UNUSUAL AND MAYBE UNPRECEDENTED
02:41:58IN AMERICAN HISTORY. YOU HAVE A
02:42:02PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
02:42:04WHOSE STATED POLICY ON TARIFFS,
02:42:07ON ENERGY, ON IRAN, ON HEALTH
02:42:09CARE, ON FOOD, IS TO RAISE THE
02:42:12PRICE OF EVERYTHING. THAT IS NOT
02:42:15A SORT OF ACCIDENTAL OUTCOME OF
02:42:17HIS ECONOMIC POLICY. IT IS HIS
02:42:20ECONOMIC POLICY TO RAISE THE
02:42:22PRICE OF EVERYTHING. PEOPLE ARE
02:42:25GOING BROKE, AND THEY ARE DOING
02:42:29IT TO YOU ON PURPOSE.
02:42:33>> WELL, MY MOM NEVER SHE I
02:42:35MEAN, UP UNTIL HER DYING DAYS, WAS REALLY CONCERNED THAT I WAS
02:42:38GONNA RUN FOR MAYOR AND WANTED ME OUT OF POLITICS. SHE WAS A
02:42:41LITTLE DISAPPOINTED. I WAS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR, AND I NEVER
02:42:44UNDERSTOOD IT. SHE NEVER I NEVER GOT THE WHY. I'M LIKE, WHY
02:42:47DIDN'T SHE? REALLY VEHEMENT UP
02:42:51UNTIL LITERALLY HOURS BEFORE HER DEATH, I WAS THERE FOR HER LAST BREATH. THIS ASSISTED SUICIDE,
02:42:55AND SHE JUST WARNED ME AGAINST
02:42:56IT. BY THE WAY, WHEN MY RECALL
02:42:59PETITION, UH, FINALLY, UH, UM,
02:43:03OFFICIALLY WAS ANNOUNCED, UH, I THOUGHT ABOUT HER. I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS RIGHT. UH, AND
02:43:07THERE WERE OTHER MOMENTS, GIVEN ANY GIVEN DAY IN THIS RACKET
02:43:11WHERE I'M LIKE, OH, GOD, MY MOM, MAYBE SHE WAS RIGHT, BUT I
02:43:13DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT UNTIL I LEARNED IN THIS BOOK THAT THE
02:43:17REASON MY DAD LEFT AGAIN WAS HE
02:43:20RAN FOR OFFICE TWICE AND LOST AND DISAPPEARED. AND THAT
02:43:24POLITICS ENDED. THE MARRIAGE. >> ALL THIS WEEK, WE'RE
02:43:27BRINGING YOU AN ENCORE PRESENTATION OF INTERVIEWS FROM
02:43:29OUR WEEKLY Q&A PROGRAM. TONIGHT,
02:43:32CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM TALKS ABOUT HIS UPBRINGING, HIS
02:43:35POLITICAL CAREER, AND HIS EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP WITH
02:43:39PRESIDENT TRUMP. ALL TOPICS HE WRITES ABOUT IN HIS LATEST
02:43:43MEMOIR, YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY.
02:43:44WATCH TONIGHT AT 9 P.M. EASTERN
02:43:47ON C-SPAN. TWO.
02:43:52>> THE U.S. SENATE IS ABOUT TO
02:43:54GAVEL IN FOR THE DAY. SENATORS WILL CONTINUE WORK ON A GROUP OF
02:43:5874 JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE
02:44:00NOMINATIONS TOGETHER, INCLUDING TSA AND FEMA ADMINISTRATORS,
02:44:04U.S. ARCHIVIST AND WHITE HOUSE BUDGET DEPUTY DIRECTOR. WE MAY
02:44:08ALSO SEE FURTHER ACTION TODAY ON
02:44:10LEGISLATION FUNDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAST THE SEPTEMBER
02:44:1430th DEADLINE TO DECEMBER 11th,
02:44:17AND A BILL TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA AND
02:44:20IRAN, NAMED AFTER THE LATE SOUTH
02:44:23CAROLINA SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM.
02:44:25LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SENATE NOW
02:44:27BEGINS HERE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
02:44:31>> US . FATHER IN HEAVEN, HOLY
02:44:42IS YOUR NAME. YOU BROUGHT LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS AND ORDER OUT OF
02:44:45CHAOS. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO