Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:02THERE GOING TO BE MANY STRANDS
00:00:04OF THE DEMOCRATIC COALITION, MORE MODERATE, SOME
00:00:07CONSERVATIVE, THE THROUGH LINE
00:00:10FOR ME IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
00:00:13AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, EQUAL
00:00:17ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S THE
00:00:20DEMOCRATIC, UH, IF YOU WILL, UH,
00:00:24AXIS FROM ROOSEVELT TO KENNEDY,
00:00:28JOHNSON, THE BIDEN
00:00:34ADMINISTRATION. IT'S BEEN THE AXIS. AND I THINK LINING UP IN A CIRCLE OF FIRING.
00:00:37>> THE SENATE HAS BEEN IN RECESS, BUT IS NOW GAVELING BACK
00:00:40INTO SESSION. WE TAKE YOU THERE
00:00:42LIVE HERE ON C-SPAN, TWO.
00:01:13>> AND.
00:02:14ALL THE
00:02:54ALL THE. THE.
00:03:14>> AND WE ARE. LIVE HERE IN THE US SENATE, WAITING FOR A LAWMAKER TO SPEAK. SENATORS HAVE BEEN VOTING THROUGHOUT THE DAY
00:03:18ON SEVERAL BILLS AND ON NOMINATIONS. ON WHAT'S
00:03:21SCHEDULED TO BE THEIR LAST DAY BEFORE SUMMER RECESS. EARLIER
00:03:24TODAY, THE SENATE, ON A 86 TO 11
00:03:28VOTE, APPROVED LEGISLATION IMPOSING ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA. THAT BILL IS
00:03:32NAMED AFTER THE LATE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO MET
00:03:36UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKY IN KYIV AND CALLED FOR THESE NEW
00:03:39SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA JUST DAYS BEFORE HIS SUDDEN DEATH ON
00:03:42JULY 11th. SENATORS ALSO VOTED
00:03:45TO CONFIRM A GROUP OF 74 OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE AND
00:03:48JUDICIAL NOMINEES, INCLUDING TSA
00:03:50AND FEMA ADMINISTRATORS, U.S.
00:03:53ARCHIVISTS AND WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY BUDGET DIRECTOR. AND
00:03:56LATER TODAY, LAWMAKERS PLAN TO VOTE ON THE CONFIRMATION OF TODD BLANCHE TO BE THE NEXT ATTORNEY
00:04:00GENERAL. BILL CASSIDY OF
00:04:03LOUISIANA WAS THE LAST
00:04:05REPUBLICAN SENATOR TO ANNOUNCE HIS DECISION THIS MORNING THAT
00:04:08HE'LL VOTE TO CONFIRM TODD BLANCHE. ALSO, A FINAL VOTE IS
00:04:12EXPECTED ON LEGISLATION FUNDING. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED
00:04:16THE SEPTEMBER 30th DEADLINE TO DECEMBER 11th. SENATORS VOTED 91
00:04:19TO 6 TO ADVANCE THAT BILL.
00:04:20EARLIER, WITH SENATOR DARLENE
00:04:23GRAHAM VOTING PRESENT. YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
00:04:25U.S. SENATE ON C-SPAN. TWO.
00:04:39>> BUT BEFORE. WE HAVE TO GIVE
00:04:42US. SOME.
00:04:57THE. >> MR. PRESIDENT, RUSSIA HAS
00:04:59BEEN CONDEMNED FOR YEARS, BUT
00:05:01WHAT IT HAS NOT YET FACED IS A
00:05:04COST HIGH ENOUGH TO CHANGE ITS
00:05:08COURSE. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BILL. HE
00:05:12LEFT US HIS FINAL LEGISLATIVE
00:05:15LEGACY DOES NOT STOP AT SYMBOLIC
00:05:17PENALTIES OR MERE GESTURES.
00:05:20IT'S A STRATEGY. IT'S A
00:05:22STRATEGY TO IMPOSE REAL COSTS ON
00:05:26THOSE SUSTAINING RUSSIA'S WAR MACHINE. LINDSEY, WHO IS A
00:05:30FRIEND OF MINE, UNDERSTOOD WHAT
00:05:33IT WOULD TAKE, NOT ANOTHER
00:05:36STATEMENT OF OUTRAGE, BUT A
00:05:38SERIOUS PLAN. A PLAN TO MAKE
00:05:44CONTINUING THIS WAR MORE COSTLY THAN ENDING IT. AND IT STARTS
00:05:47WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH WE
00:05:52CANNOT CHOKE OFF THE WAR CHEST.
00:05:54WHILE RUSSIA'S LARGEST
00:05:56CUSTOMERS KEEP REPLENISHING IT, EVEN AS THOSE SAME GOVERNMENTS
00:06:00INSIST THEY WANT THE WAR TO END
00:06:03THE UNITED STATES, HOWEVER, HAS
00:06:07LEVERAGE. ENORMOUS LEVERAGE,
00:06:09ACCESS TO OUR MARKET CARRIES
00:06:13ENORMOUS WEIGHT. OUR ALLIES KNOW
00:06:15THIS. OUR ADVERSARIES KNOW IT,
00:06:18AND THE GOVERNMENT'S BUYING
00:06:20RUSSIAN ENERGY CERTAINLY KNOW
00:06:23IT. BUT WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT TARIFF THREATS OF THIS MAGNITUDE
00:06:26DO NOT STOP AT THE DOORS OF A
00:06:29FOREIGN MINISTRY. THEY HAVE REAL
00:06:33WORLD CONSEQUENCES. THEY CAN REACH FACTORY FLOORS, FARMS,
00:06:36SMALL BUSINESSES AND FAMILY BUDGETS. HERE AT HOME. THAT
00:06:40DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T ACT.
00:06:41WE SHOULD ACT. BUT IF AMERICANS
00:06:45MIGHT ABSORB SOME OF THESE COSTS, THEY DESERVE A POLICY
00:06:49THAT IS TRANSPARENT DISCIPLINED,
00:06:52AND TIED TO WELL, OBJECTIVES
00:06:58THAT'S WHY CONGRESS HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, A RESPONSIBILITY
00:07:01TO ENSURE THAT THESE AUTHORITIES
00:07:03REMAIN FOCUSED ON THEIR INTENDED
00:07:06PURPOSE, WITH CLEAR STANDARDS GOVERNING WHEN ADDITIONAL
00:07:09PRESSURE IS WARRANTED, AND WHEN
00:07:12DEMONSTRATED PROGRESS SHOULD BE
00:07:15RECOGNIZED. THE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THIS LEGISLATION
00:07:18SENDS A CLEAR AND A VERY
00:07:23IMPORTANT MESSAGE. THE PRESSURE AUTHORIZED HERE IS DIRECTED AT
00:07:25THE COUNTRIES FINANCING
00:07:29RUSSIA'S WAR AND MUST REMAIN
00:07:31TIED TO THAT MISSION. FULL STOP.
00:07:35THE GOAL AND THE RESULT CONGRESS
00:07:37SHOULD DEMAND IS A RACE TO THE BOTTOM. AMONG RUSSIA'S LARGEST
00:07:41ENERGY BUYERS, WITH EACH COUNTRY
00:07:45COMPETING TO CUT ITS PURCHASES
00:07:50FASTER THAN THE OTHERS. A RACE ONLY WORKS WHEN EVERY
00:07:52PARTICIPANT KNOWS THE RULES WHEN
00:07:56EVERY PARTICIPANT UNDERSTANDS THE OBJECTIVE, AND IN TRUST,
00:08:00THAT MEANINGFUL ACTION WILL BE
00:08:02RECOGNIZED. IF COUNTRIES BUY
00:08:05MORE RUSSIAN ENERGY, IF THEY
00:08:07CONCEAL TRANSACTION, OR IF THEY
00:08:09HELP MOSCOW EVADE SANCTIONS,
00:08:11WELL, THE PRESIDENT HAS EVERY
00:08:14RIGHT TO INCREASE PRESSURE. AND
00:08:19MY ENCOURAGEMENT. AT THE SAME
00:08:23TIME, IF COUNTRIES CUT THOSE PURCHASES, STOP ENABLING RUSSIA AND DEMONSTRATE THAT CHANGE
00:08:26WITH, UH, WITH REAL EVIDENCE,
00:08:29OUR POLICY SHOULD RESPOND
00:08:32ACCORDINGLY. THAT THAT IS HOW
00:08:34LEVERAGE PRODUCES ACTION INSTEAD
00:08:37OF SIMPLY IMPOSING COSTS. AND AS
00:08:42THIS LEGISLATION MOVES FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS, I LOOK
00:08:44FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CHAIRMAN
00:08:47CRAPO AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO KEEP THESE TARIFF AUTHORITIES
00:08:50FOCUSED. AND ON THE THREATS
00:08:52CONGRESS INTENDS TO CONFRONT.
00:08:55THE VERY THREATS. LINDSEY GRAHAM
00:08:59WORKED SO HARD TO CONFRONT. THIS
00:09:02BILL PRESENTS A SIMPLE
00:09:06PROPOSITION COUNTRIES MAY
00:09:08FINANCE RUSSIA'S WAR, OR THEY MAY ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF ACCESS
00:09:12TO THE U.S. MARKET. BUT THEY
00:09:14SHOULDN'T EXPECT TO DO BOTH
00:09:16WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. I YIELD
00:09:20THE FLOOR.
00:09:34>> MR. PRESIDENT. >> THE SENATOR FROM GEORGIA. >> MR. PRESIDENT, I URGE
00:09:38UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ENTER THIS
00:09:40LETTER FROM U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE GREER INTO THE
00:09:43CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
00:09:47>> MR. PRESIDENT, THIS LETTER
00:09:50RESTRICTS THE PRESIDENT'S TARIFF
00:09:53AUTHORITY UNDER THE LINDSEY
00:09:54GRAHAM SANCTIONING RUSSIA AND
00:09:57IRAN ACT. THIS IS A SMALL BUT
00:10:00MEANINGFUL VICTORY FOR ALL
00:10:04AMERICANS WHO CONTINUE TO SUFFER
00:10:07UNDER THIS PRESIDENT'S RECKLESS
00:10:10TARIFFS. LET'S BE CLEAR. PUTIN
00:10:13IS A WAR CRIMINAL, AND HIS WAR
00:10:17MACHINE MUST BE STOPPED. BUT WE
00:10:20SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PUTTING A CHECK ON
00:10:24PUTIN'S AGGRESSION AND PUTTING
00:10:27A CHECK ON THIS PRESIDENT'S
00:10:31TARIFF REGIME. THAT IS A FALSE
00:10:35CHOICE, AND IT IS ONE THAT I AM
00:10:37NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT. AND SO I
00:10:42HOPE IN THE COMING HOURS, THAT
00:10:44WE GO FURTHER DURING THE
00:10:46AMENDMENT PROCESS. I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN
00:10:50STRIPPING OUT ANY NEW
00:10:53PRESIDENTIAL TARIFF AUTHORITIES. THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES. THIS
00:10:57IS NOT A NORMAL PRESIDENT. IF
00:10:59YOU GIVE HIM AN INCH, HE WILL
00:11:02TAKE A MILE. WE DON'T HAVE TO
00:11:04IMAGINE WE ARE SEEING IT IN REAL
00:11:08TIME AND EVERYDAY PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF THAT, ARE STRUGGLING,
00:11:12STRUGGLING TO BUY GROCERIES, STRUGGLING TO BUY GAS,
00:11:15STRUGGLING TO BUY THEIR KIDS
00:11:17BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THEY
00:11:19ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING
00:11:23THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS RECKLESS
00:11:25TARIFF REGIME. BUT THIS COMMITMENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
00:11:28GET FROM AMBASSADOR GREER IS
00:11:30MEANINGFUL, BECAUSE IF THE
00:11:32PRESIDENT IGNORES THE LAW, IF HE
00:11:37OVERSTEPS HIS POWER, WE WILL SEE
00:11:38HIM IN COURT. I HOPE THIS WEEK
00:11:41LONG PROCESS WAS THE FIRST STEP
00:11:44IN CONGRESS REASSERTING ITS
00:11:47ROLE, AND PLACING GUARDRAILS ON
00:11:50THIS PRESIDENT'S TARIFF REGIME.
00:11:53I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO GO BACK
00:11:58HOME AND TALK TO ORDINARY FOLKS
00:12:02OUTSIDE OF THE BELTWAY. THEY
00:12:05WILL TELL YOU THAT WHILE THEY SUPPORT ANY EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. AND
00:12:09THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, THIS
00:12:12ISN'T JUST ABOUT UKRAINE. IT IS
00:12:15ABOUT OUR OWN NATIONAL SECURITY. BUT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING TO
00:12:18PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
00:12:20BOLSTERING THE ECONOMIC SECURITY
00:12:23OF EVERYDAY AMERICANS. SO AS WE
00:12:24GO BACK HOME, ASK ANY PARENT YOU
00:12:29MEET HOW MUCH BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING COST THEM THIS YEAR. I
00:12:32CAN TELL YOU, AS THE FATHER OF
00:12:35TWO SMALL CHILDREN, THAT IT IS MUCH MORE THAN THEY WANTED TO
00:12:39SPEND. WHEN WE COME BACK TO WASHINGTON, WE CAN FIGHT FOR
00:12:41THOSE PARENTS AND BUILD ON THIS
00:12:44WORK TO CHECK THE POWER OF THIS RECKLESS PRESIDENT. BUT I'M
00:12:48GLAD THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AS FAR AS WE HAVE ON THIS ISSUE. I'D
00:12:51LIKE TO THANK MY FRIEND AND
00:12:54BROTHER, SENATOR CASSIDY, FOR
00:12:57YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THIS AMENDMENT PROCESS. AND I'D LIKE
00:13:00TO THANK SENATOR SHAHEEN AND BLUMENTHAL FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO
00:13:03FIND A SOLUTION AND A WAY FORWARD TO SUPPORT UKRAINE, TO
00:13:06PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND OUR ECONOMIC SECURITY AT THE
00:13:10SAME TIME. AND WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK.
00:13:12>> MR. PRESIDENT, SHORTLY WE
00:13:14WILL VOTE ON THE RUSSIA
00:13:17SANCTIONS BILL, AS WE HAVE COME
00:13:19TO CALL IT. AND I WANT TO BEGIN
00:13:23BY THANKING MY COLLEAGUES FOR
00:13:25THEIR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR
00:13:28THIS MEASURE. AND, IN
00:13:31PARTICULAR, TO THANK SENATOR
00:13:33SHAHEEN BRITT WICKER, RISCH..
00:13:37WHITEHOUSE. DURBIN. AND, OF
00:13:40COURSE, SENATORS SCHUMER AND
00:13:42THUNE. THEIR HELP HAS BEEN
00:13:45INVALUABLE AS WE REACH THIS
00:13:48IMPORTANT MOMENT. LAST WEEK WITH
00:13:53PRESIDENT ZELENSKY WATCHING FROM THE GALLERY, THIS BODY SENT A
00:13:56POWERFUL MESSAGE TO VLADIMIR
00:13:58PUTIN AND ALL WHO ARE SUPPORTING
00:14:05HIM WITH FUNDING FOR HIS VICIOUS, BLOODTHIRSTY, ILLEGAL
00:14:09WAR AGAINST THE BRAVE, FREE
00:14:11PEOPLE OF UKRAINE. TODAY,
00:14:14PRESIDENT ZELENSKY IS WATCHING
00:14:17FROM UKRAINE AND PUTIN IS
00:14:20WATCHING FROM MOSCOW. I WOULD
00:14:23LIKE TO THINK THAT LINDSEY
00:14:26GRAHAM IS WATCHING TWO. AND I
00:14:31KNOW HOW PROUD HE WOULD BE OF
00:14:34HIS SISTER TODAY, WHO HAS TAKEN
00:14:37HIS PLACE ON THE FLOOR AND HAS BEEN SUCH A PROFOUNDLY STRONG
00:14:40AND EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR THIS
00:14:43BILL. TODAY, WE SAY TO THE
00:14:46PEOPLE OF UKRAINE, YOU ARE NOT
00:14:51ALONE. AND WE SAY TO VLADIMIR
00:14:53PUTIN YOU WILL NOT CONQUER
00:14:59UKRAINE. YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT
00:15:03THIS FREE, BRAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE
00:15:06TURNING THE TIDE AGAINST YOUR
00:15:08BLOODTHIRSTY AGGRESSION. NEARLY
00:15:15TWO YEARS AGO, LINDSEY GRAHAM
00:15:18AND I BEGAN WORKING ON THIS
00:15:19BILL. BUT REALLY, THE JOURNEY
00:15:23BEGAN WITH OUR FIRST TRIP TO
00:15:25UKRAINE TOGETHER SOME FOUR YEARS
00:15:28AGO. ROBERT FROST ONCE SAID,
00:15:32WHEN HE WAS ASKED HOW HE BEGAN
00:15:34HIS POEMS, HE SAID, A POEM
00:15:38BEGINS WITH A LUMP IN THE THROAT. OUR JOURNEY TOWARD THIS
00:15:41BILL BEGAN WITH A LUMP IN OUR
00:15:46THROATS AND TEARS IN OUR EYES.
00:15:51WHEN WE VISITED NOT LONG AFTER,
00:15:54THE RUSSIANS WERE PUSHED OUT OF
00:15:56THAT SMALL TOWN, JUST KILOMETERS
00:16:01AWAY FROM PRESIDENT ZELENSKY'S BUNKER, WHICH WE ALSO VISITED ON
00:16:04THAT TRIP. JUST WEEKS AFTER
00:16:08UKRAINE SUCCEEDED IN PUSHING
00:16:11THEM OUT. WE SAW THE MASS GRAVE
00:16:16WHERE PUTIN'S MILITARY SHOT
00:16:21INNOCENT WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN
00:16:23THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS. WE
00:16:26TALKED TO UKRAINIAN TROOPS WHO
00:16:29LOST LIMBS, LOVED ONES WHO LOST
00:16:33SONS AND DAUGHTERS, FATHERS AND
00:16:37MOTHERS. WE TALKED TO CHILDREN
00:16:41WHO WERE KIDNAPED BY PUTIN,
00:16:46LITERALLY ABDUCTED AND PLACED IN
00:16:51EDUCATION CAMPS. AND. ON ONE OF THOSE LONG TRAIN RIDES, WE TOOK
00:16:556 OR 7 TRIPS INTO UKRAINE
00:17:00TOGETHER. WE BEGAN THINKING
00:17:02ABOUT THIS BILL TO IMPOSE
00:17:05SCORCHING SLEDGEHAMMER SANCTIONS
00:17:08AND TARIFFS ON UKRAINE, TO STOP
00:17:12THE FLOW OF MONEY FUELING
00:17:13PUTIN'S WAR MACHINE MONEY. THAT
00:17:18WAS ESSENTIAL TO HIS SLAUGHTEROUS AGGRESSION AGAINST
00:17:22UKRAINE. AND LIKE ONE OF THOSE TRAINS, THE JOURNEY TO THIS BILL
00:17:26WAS FILLED WITH A LOT OF BUMPS, A LOT OF STOPS, STOPS AND
00:17:30STARTS. AND THROUGH IT ALL, WHAT
00:17:35SUSTAINED US AS MUCH AS ANYTHING, WAS SENATOR GRAHAM'S
00:17:39OVERWHELMING SENSE OF OPTIMISM,
00:17:40HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, HIS BELIEF
00:17:43IN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY, HIS
00:17:46BELIEF IN AMERICA. AND SO THIS
00:17:53BILL IS A TRIBUTE TO HIM. WE
00:17:57DISAGREED ABOUT MANY ISSUES. HE
00:17:58AND I AND I COULD BE ON THE
00:18:04RECEIVING END OF HIS ANGER, AS
00:18:07WELL AS HIS PRAISE. BUT THE
00:18:08PARTNERSHIP THAT WE FORGED, I
00:18:13THINK, IS A LESSON WITHOUT
00:18:18EXAGGERATING IT, TO PERHAPS THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, THAT, YES, WE
00:18:21CAN WORK TOGETHER AND ACCOMPLISH
00:18:26GOOD THINGS FOR THE WORLD ONE OF
00:18:32SENATOR GRAHAM'S FINAL ACTS AS A MEMBER OF THIS BODY WAS TO
00:18:36REACH AN ACCORD WITH THE WHITE
00:18:37HOUSE ON OUR BEHALF AND SECURE
00:18:42THE PRESIDENT'S SUPPORT. HE DIED LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY. I
00:18:46SPOKE TO HIM SHORTLY BEFORE HIS
00:18:49DEATH, AND I KNOW AS WELL AS
00:18:53ANYONE THAT THIS CHAMBER, THIS
00:18:55BODY, WILL NOT BE THE SAME
00:18:58WITHOUT HIM. WE MISS HIM. AND
00:19:00THIS BILL NAMED HIM IN HIS
00:19:03HONOR, CARRIES ON THE WORK THAT
00:19:07HE BELIEVED WAS SO IMPORTANT. IT
00:19:12WILL IMPOSE SCORCHING SANCTIONS ON THE RUSSIA WAR MACHINE AND
00:19:16THE SHADOW FLEET THAT SUSTAINS IT. IT WILL PREVENT CRITICAL
00:19:19RESOURCES FROM FLOWING TO THE
00:19:22KREMLIN'S COFFERS. IT WILL
00:19:25AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT TO IMPOSE DUTIES AND PENALTIES ON
00:19:29THE LARGEST PURCHASERS OF
00:19:31RUSSIAN CRUDE OIL AND NATURAL
00:19:34GAS, PUNISHING THE PROFITEERS
00:19:38FOR BUYING DISCOUNTED ENERGY
00:19:39PRODUCTS AND PUSHING THEM TO
00:19:42DECREASE PURCHASES. IT IS A
00:19:46POWERFUL DETERRENT AGAINST
00:19:50COMPLICITY IN PUTIN'S ILLEGAL
00:19:54WAR, AND IT PROVIDES A POWERFUL PRESSURE POINT IN STOPPING
00:19:58BUYERS OF RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS
00:20:00FROM CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE
00:20:07ESSENTIAL FUEL FOR THAT WAR
00:20:08MACHINE. IT WILL GIVE THE
00:20:11ADMINISTRATION THE TOOLS IT
00:20:13NEEDS TO PUNISH ANYONE WHO AIDS
00:20:16RUSSIA AS THEY CONTINUE TO EVADE
00:20:18UNITED STATES SANCTIONS AND
00:20:22PROMOTE STRONGER, STRICTER
00:20:25ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE SANCTIONS.
00:20:26FOR YEARS, COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN
00:20:29ALLOWED TO PERMIT BAD ACTORS TO
00:20:31BROKER DEALS AND SUPPORT THE
00:20:34SHADOW FLEET'S MOVEMENT. ALL
00:20:36AROUND THE WORLD, THEY HAVE
00:20:38BECOME FABULOUSLY RICH WHILE PREACHING THE NEED FOR PEACE.
00:20:42THESE COUNTRIES WILL BE EXPOSED
00:20:45AS FACILITATING EVASION OF
00:20:49SANCTIONS, AND IT WILL HELP US
00:20:53END THE WAR. THE GOAL IS PEACE.
00:20:54WE HAVE THE POWER TO HELP END
00:20:57THIS WAR, AND WE CANNOT STAND
00:21:00IDLY AS A YOUNG, DEMOCRATIC
00:21:02NATION DESPERATELY FIGHTS FOR
00:21:05ITS SURVIVAL AGAINST A MURDEROUS
00:21:08DICTATOR. WE KNOW FROM HISTORY
00:21:11APPEASEMENT IS A FAILED HOPE,
00:21:18AND HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY. WE CANNOT APPEASE PUTIN IN THE HOPE
00:21:21THAT HE WILL ABANDON HIS
00:21:24IMPERIALIST AMBITIONS, BECAUSE
00:21:27HISTORY SHOWS THAT HE WILL NOT,
00:21:30AND HIS AMBITION DOESN'T END IN
00:21:34DONBAS OR LUHANSK. IT REACHES DEEP INTO EUROPE, AND IT
00:21:38THREATENS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND OUR ALLIES. SECURITY. YES,
00:21:42WE NEED OUR ALLIES. AND THEY
00:21:46HAVE STEPPED UP TO AID UKRAINE
00:21:51IN THIS WAR. APPEASING PUTIN IS
00:21:55A DISSERVICE TO THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR MILITARY WHO
00:21:57ARE DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM ALL AROUND THE GLOBE, BECAUSE IT
00:22:02PUTS THEM IN GREATER RISK. IF
00:22:04PUTIN THINKS HE CAN MOVE AGAINST
00:22:07OUR NATO ALLIES, AND THEN WE
00:22:09WILL BE REQUIRED TO PUT OUR SONS
00:22:12AND DAUGHTERS IN HARM'S WAY FOR
00:22:17FOUR YEARS. UKRAINE HAS REFUSED
00:22:20TO BOW TO PUTIN'S WILL. THEY
00:22:22HAVE BEATEN BACK WAVE AFTER WAVE
00:22:24AFTER WAVE OF RUSSIAN ATTACKS?
00:22:30OUR MILITARY GAVE THEM MAYBE A
00:22:33FEW WEEKS IN 2022 TO SURVIVE
00:22:37PUTIN'S ONSLAUGHT. THEY PUSHED
00:22:40THE RUSSIANS BACK. IN THOSE
00:22:42WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST WAVE OF
00:22:44ASSAULT. AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED
00:22:47A BRILLIANT CAMPAIGN OF USING
00:22:53NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS AMAZED AND ODD THE WORLD, INCLUDING OUR
00:22:56OWN MILITARY, WHICH IS LEARNING
00:23:00FROM UKRAINE ABOUT THE USE OF
00:23:03DRONES AND OTHER UNMANNED
00:23:06WEAPONS PLATFORMS. THEIR
00:23:09INGENUITY AND DETERMINATION ARE
00:23:12AWE INSPIRING, EVEN AS THEIR
00:23:15STOCKPILES OF INTERCEPTORS AND
00:23:17OTHER AIR DEFENSE RUN DRY. AND
00:23:21WE MUST PROVIDE THE KIND OF
00:23:23MILITARY DEFENSE AID THE
00:23:26INTERCEPTORS, THE PAC THREE FOR
00:23:28THE PATRIOT SYSTEM, FOR THE
00:23:32THAAD PLATFORM THAT ARE
00:23:35ESSENTIAL TO DEFEND THE
00:23:37UKRAINIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE ENDURING NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER
00:23:41NIGHT, MISSILES AND DRONES,
00:23:43KILLING CIVILIANS AIMED AT
00:23:45SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, MALLS,
00:23:49CIVILIAN TARGETS PUTIN NOT ONLY
00:23:52ABDUCTS CHILDREN, HE KILLS THEM
00:23:54IN THEIR BEDS AS THEY SLEEP WITH
00:23:58MISSILES AND DRONES THAT ARE
00:24:01AIMED PURPOSELY AT CIVILIAN TARGETS TO TERRORIZE AND
00:24:05INTIMIDATE THE PEOPLE OF
00:24:07UKRAINE. BUT THEY WILL NOT
00:24:10YIELD, AND TODAY, THEY CONTINUE
00:24:13TO STAND AS A BEACON OF HOPE AND
00:24:16LIBERTY, SHINING AGAINST THE
00:24:19DARKNESS. TODAY, WE CANNOT PROVIDE ALL THAT MILITARY AID
00:24:22THAT THEY NEED, BUT WE CAN TAKE
00:24:24THIS STEP, A STEP TO STAND WITH
00:24:28THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE AND SHOW
00:24:31THAT THEIR FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT I
00:24:37WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH SOME
00:24:40BRILLIANT RHETORICAL FLOURISH,
00:24:43BUT I'D RATHER JUST RECALL SOME
00:24:49OF SENATOR GRAHAM'S LAST WORDS.
00:24:54TO ME. HE A BIG EFFING DEAL. WE
00:25:01ALL DID GOOD DECORUM PREVENTS ME
00:25:06ON THE SENATE FLOOR FROM SAYING
00:25:07WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID, BUT I
00:25:12WOULD LIKE TO SAY, LOOKING
00:25:14ACROSS THE CHAMBER WHERE HE SAT,
00:25:16THAT HE IS WITH US TODAY, AND
00:25:20THAT HE WILL BE PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE DOING.
00:25:24>> I RISE TODAY, AND I'M HONORED
00:25:28TO REITERATE MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE LINDSEY GRAHAM SANCTIONING
00:25:31RUSSIA AND IRAN ACT OF 2026. MY
00:25:34LATE BROTHER, LINDSEY, WAS A
00:25:37FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT. HE WAS ALSO A
00:25:40PEACEMAKER WHO WAS DETERMINED TO BRING AN END TO THE CONFLICT IN
00:25:44UKRAINE. HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO
00:25:46ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. LINDSEY
00:25:49TRAVELED TO UKRAINE ON TEN SEPARATE OCCASIONS, SEEKING AN
00:25:52END TO THIS WAR, AND DESPITE THE
00:25:54UKRAINIAN PEOPLE'S UNWAVERING
00:25:57RESOLVE TO FIGHT BACK, RUSSIA
00:25:59HAS REFUSED TO STOP. ON HIS LAST
00:26:01TRIP TO UKRAINE, LINDSEY
00:26:03CONTINUED HIS WORK TO ACHIEVE
00:26:06PEACE. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT PROVIDING PRESIDENT TRUMP THE
00:26:08TOOLS CONTAINED IN THIS
00:26:10LEGISLATION WOULD HELP PUSH
00:26:13RUSSIA TO THE NEGOTIATION
00:26:15NEGOTIATING TABLE. THAT HAD BEEN HIS GOAL SINCE DAY ONE. WE ARE
00:26:19ALL AWARE OF THE TREMENDOUS BLOODSHED FOR MORE THAN FOUR
00:26:23YEARS, PUTIN HAS WREAKED HAVOC
00:26:25ON THE LIVES OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE,
00:26:28KIDNAPING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
00:26:30UKRAINIAN CHILDREN AND
00:26:33COMMITTING UNSPEAKABLE ACTS. THE
00:26:36WAR AGAINST UKRAINE IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY THE REVENUE RUSSIA
00:26:40RAKES IN FROM ENERGY SALES. WITHOUT THESE PROFITS, THE
00:26:43ABILITY TO FUND THE WAR WOULD BE
00:26:45CRIPPLED. THIS LEGISLATION HITS
00:26:48PUTIN WHERE IT HURTS. IT CONTAINS PROVISIONS THAT
00:26:51SPECIFICALLY TARGET THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTING RUSSIA'S WAR IN
00:26:55UKRAINE. THIS BILL FORCES THOSE
00:26:58PRIMARY COUNTRIES KEEPING RUSSIA'S ECONOMY AFLOAT. TO
00:27:01MAKE A SIMPLE YET CRITICAL
00:27:03CHOICE, A CHOICE BETWEEN DOING
00:27:06BUSINESS WITH AMERICA OR BUYING
00:27:08CHEAP RUSSIAN ENERGY. THIS LEGISLATION TELLS RUSSIA'S
00:27:12CUSTOMERS THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NOT SIT BY WHILE
00:27:15THEY FUND PUTIN'S ASSAULT. THE.
00:27:19LINDSEY GRAHAM SANCTIONING RUSSIA AND IRAN ACT OF 2026
00:27:22WOULD END RUSSIA'S NETWORK OF
00:27:25AGGRESSION AND CRIMINAL LEADERSHIP. HISTORY TELLS US
00:27:28THAT WHEN AN AMBITIOUS DICTATOR
00:27:32GOES AFTER ONE NATION, HE TYPICALLY DOESN'T STOP THERE. MY
00:27:35BROTHER KNEW THIS WELL, AND I'M
00:27:37HONORED TO CONTINUE HIS WORK OF
00:27:40ADVANCING THIS HISTORIC
00:27:41LEGISLATION. I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK PRESIDENT TRUMP,
00:27:45MY COLLEAGUE, SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, SENATOR BRITT,
00:27:49SENATOR, SENATOR SHAHEEN, AND SENATOR WICKER FOR THEIR
00:27:53LEADERSHIP IN MOVING THIS FORWARD WITH ME. I WOULD ALSO
00:27:56LIKE TO THANK OUR STAFF, ALL THE STAFF WHO HAVE WORKED SO VERY
00:27:59HARD. IN CLOSING OVER THE PAST
00:28:03TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES, AMERICA HAS STOOD AS A BEACON OF
00:28:06HOPE TO THE FREE WORLD, JUST AS
00:28:09THE BACKERS OF THIS WAR WILL SOON BE FORCED TO MAKE A CHOICE,
00:28:13EACH MEMBER OF THIS BODY MUST
00:28:16ALSO MAKE A CHOICE. WHETHER WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP TO
00:28:19EVIL, OR WHETHER WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THE STATUS QUO.
00:28:23IT'S TIME FOR A SHOW OF
00:28:26STRENGTH. IT'S TIME FOR ACTION.
00:28:29IT'S TIME FOR THE SENATE TO PASS THE LINDSEY GRAHAM
00:28:33SANCTIONING RUSSIA AND IRAN ACT
00:28:36OF 2026.
00:28:46>> MR. PRESIDENT, I FULLY SUPPORT TAKING TOUGHER ACTION
00:28:50AGAINST RUSSIA. THEY HAVE WAGED
00:28:52A DEADLY, YEARS LONG WAR ON UKRAINE, AND THE UNITED STATES
00:28:55MUST DO MORE TO TIGHTEN THE
00:28:57SCREWS ON THE PUTIN WAR MACHINE.
00:29:01SO I AM FULLY IN FAVOR OF STRONG
00:29:03SANCTIONS. BUT THIS BILL,
00:29:05DESPITE ITS TITLE, IS NOT JUST A
00:29:09SANCTIONS BILL. IT GIVES DONALD
00:29:12TRUMP MASSIVE NEW TARIFF AUTHORITY THAT HE CAN USE TO
00:29:15THREATEN OUR TRADING PARTNERS
00:29:18AND RAISE PRICES ON THE AMERICAN
00:29:22PEOPLE. I BELIEVE SENATORS WILL
00:29:24COME TO DEEPLY REGRET VOTING TO
00:29:26GIVE DONALD TRUMP THIS TARIFF
00:29:29AUTHORITY. THIS BILL GIVES TRUMP
00:29:31SO MUCH DISCRETION THAT HE CAN ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHAT COUNTRIES
00:29:34TO TARIFF OR WHAT COUNTRIES TO
00:29:39EXEMPT. HE CAN MODIFY TARIFFS AT HIS WILL. OVER THE LAST YEAR AND
00:29:43A HALF, AMERICANS HAVE SEEN WHAT
00:29:45DONALD TRUMP WILL DO WITH
00:29:47UNCHECKED TARIFF AUTHORITY. HE'S SEEN THEY HAVE SEEN HIS
00:29:51TARIFFS RAISE PRICES FOR
00:29:53AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES ON
00:29:56EVERYTHING FROM FOOD TO HOUSING
00:29:58TO HEALTH CARE. AMERICANS HAVE
00:30:00SEEN SMALL BUSINESSES AND FAMILY
00:30:03FARMS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD MASSIVE NEW TAXES
00:30:06ON MACHINERY AND MERCHANDISE.
00:30:10THE TRUMP TARIFFS GO ON AGAIN
00:30:12AND OFF AGAIN, DISRUPTING SUPPLY
00:30:14CHAINS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT
00:30:17FOR BUSINESSES TO PLAN, INVEST
00:30:19AND HIRE OUR ALLIES, INCLUDING
00:30:22CANADA AND THE EU, OPENLY
00:30:24QUESTIONED THE RELIABILITY OF OUR NATION AND ARE LOOKING TO
00:30:27OTHER COUNTRIES FOR MORE STABLE
00:30:29TRADE RELATIONSHIPS. AS TRUMP
00:30:32TURNS THE TARIFF DIAL UP AND
00:30:35DOWN TO PUNISH OR REWARD
00:30:37COUNTRIES AS HE LIKES, THE
00:30:39PROCESS ENDS UP BEING A CORRUPT,
00:30:42TAXING OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
00:30:44SETTLE. TRUMP PERSONAL POLITICAL
00:30:47SCORES. IF CONGRESS PASSES THIS
00:30:49BILL WITH THESE TARIFFS, MEMBERS WILL BE CONDONING THE TARIFF
00:30:53CHAOS OF THE LAST YEAR AND A
00:30:54HALF, AND INVITING, INVITING
00:30:59MORE. THIS BILL GIVES TRUMP CLEAR AUTHORITY TO PUT TARIFFS
00:31:03UP TO 100% ON THE GOODS AMERICANS BUY FROM MAJOR TRADING
00:31:06PARTNERS AROUND THE GLOBE. THAT
00:31:10INCLUDES 100% TARIFFS ON THINGS
00:31:13LIKE FOOD, MEDICINE, MACHINERY
00:31:16AND ELECTRONICS. CONGRESS WOULD EVEN BE LETTING TRUMP PUT
00:31:19TARIFFS ON ALLIES LIKE HUNGARY,
00:31:22SLOVAKIA, FRANCE, BELGIUM AND
00:31:24JAPAN. DONALD TRUMP CAN PICK AND CHOOSE EVEN MORE COUNTRIES TO
00:31:28TARIFF EVERY 180 DAYS. THAT'S
00:31:33BECAUSE THERE IS NO MECHANISM IN THIS BILL, NONE WHATSOEVER FOR
00:31:37CONGRESS TO ROLL BACK THE TRUMP
00:31:38TARIFFS. TRUMP CAN INCREASE OR
00:31:41DECREASE TARIFFS JUST BY NOTIFYING THE CONGRESS OF HIS
00:31:45DECISION. HE'S NOT GOING TO BE
00:31:48CONSTRAINED BY ANY KIND OF
00:31:52PAPERWORK OR RULES. COLLEAGUES, THIS BODY HAS BEEN FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL TO STOP TRUMP FROM ABUSING THE LAWS. ALREADY
00:31:55ON THE BOOKS, TRUMP HAS SHOWN US REPEATEDLY, HE WON'T BE LIMITED
00:31:59BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. HE'LL USE ANY LOOPHOLE TO SLAP TARIFFS
00:32:03ON OUR ALLIES AND MAKE LIFE MORE
00:32:06EXPENSIVE FOR AMERICANS. THE TRUMP TARIFFS ARE NOW RAISING
00:32:10PRICES, HURTING OUR ALLIANCES,
00:32:12AND OPENING THE DOOR TO
00:32:15CORRUPTION. THIS BILL WILL FURTHER INCREASE THE COST OF
00:32:18LIVING FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES WHEN THEY'RE STRUGGLING. SO ALL
00:32:22OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO'VE SAID, LOOK, WE WANT TO HOLD DOWN THE
00:32:25COST OF LIVING. WE WANT TO MAKE LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE. THIS IS
00:32:29NOT GOING TO DO THAT. THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE THE COST OF
00:32:33LIVING FOR AMERICANS. AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. IT'D
00:32:35BE A NIGHTMARE FOR THE AMERICANS
00:32:38WHO WANT TO SEE THEIR GOVERNMENT TACKLE THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.
00:32:41IT WOULD BE A DANGEROUS MISTAKE
00:32:44TO SIGN OUR NAMES ON A BLANK CHECK. THAT GIVES TRUMP EVEN
00:32:47MORE POWER TO INDISCRIMINATELY
00:32:50USE THESE TARIFFS. SO I URGE MY COLLEAGUES THIS MORNING TO
00:32:54SUPPORT THE PAUL WYDEN
00:32:56AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD STRIKE THIS NEW TARIFF AUTHORITY. IT
00:33:00WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT
00:33:03GIVING TRUMP POWER TO TAX OUR CONSTITUENTS FOR THE THINGS THEY
00:33:06BUY FROM TRADING PARTNERS AROUND
00:33:07THE WORLD. THERE IS NO NEED TO
00:33:10INCLUDE THIS NEW TARIFF IN THE BILL, AND THE FACT THAT THE
00:33:13WHITE HOUSE WOULD WON'T SUPPORT
00:33:16THE BILL WITHOUT NEW TARIFF POWERS SHOULD SCARE EVERY
00:33:19SENATOR IN THIS ROOM. TRUMP HAS SHOWN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A
00:33:22HALF THAT HE CAN'T BE TRUSTED
00:33:25WITH UNILATERAL POWER ON TARIFFS. EVERYTHING HE'S DONE
00:33:28SUGGESTS THAT HE'S GOING TO ABUSE THIS POWER. AND I URGE MY
00:33:32COLLEAGUES THIS MORNING TO VOTE
00:33:34YES ON THE PAUL WYDEN AMENDMENT TO PREVENT THIS BODY FROM
00:33:39HANDING DONALD TRUMP A NEW TOOL
00:33:43FOR INFLATION AND CORRUPTION. I
00:33:47YIELD THE FLOOR. >> PRESIDENT, SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY.
00:33:50>> INCREASING TAXES ON AMERICANS WILL NOT END PUTIN'S WAR IN
00:33:54UKRAINE. THE DRAFTERS OF THIS
00:33:57LEGISLATION UNDERSTANDABLY WISH TO PUNISH VLADIMIR PUTIN AND
00:34:00SEND RUSSIAN INVADERS BACK TO
00:34:02WHERE THEY CAME FROM. BUT THIS
00:34:05BILL WAS WRITTEN SUCH THAT THE DRAFTERS FAILED TO SEE THAT IT
00:34:08WILL NOT BRING PEACE TO UKRAINE,
00:34:10BUT RATHER WILL DELIBERATELY
00:34:12MAKE AMERICAN FAMILIES POORER BY INCREASING TARIFFS, WHICH ARE
00:34:16NOTHING BUT A TAX ON IMPORTED
00:34:19GOODS TO SAVE AMERICANS FROM WHAT VERY WELL COULD BE THE
00:34:22LARGEST TAX INCREASE IMPOSED BY A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS. I OFFER
00:34:26AN AMENDMENT THAT STRIKES THE
00:34:28AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE TARIFFS OF
00:34:31UP TO 100% ON AN EVER CHANGING
00:34:32LIST OF COUNTRIES. MARK MY
00:34:36WORDS, THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST
00:34:38TAX INCREASE BY A REPUBLICAN
00:34:43CONGRESS. WHY WOULD REPUBLICANS DO. I PROMISE YOU, THEY WANT TO
00:34:45LOWER YOUR TAXES, BE VOTING TO
00:34:50RAISE YOUR TAXES, $500 BILLION. IN ADDITION, CONGRESS SHOULD NOT
00:34:53DELEGATE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL
00:34:56DUTIES TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. NOW, MY AMENDMENT DOES NOT TOUCH
00:35:00THE SANCTIONS, THE BROAD SANCTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY
00:35:03THE BILL, NOR DOES IT TEST THE
00:35:07SPECIFIC TARIFFS ON RUSSIA, BECAUSE I SEE THE STRONG DESIRE
00:35:10AMONG MY AMONG MEMBERS OF THE
00:35:13SENATE TO USE ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST PUTIN. BUT I OBJECT TO
00:35:16ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST THE AMERICAN CONSUMER. ONCE UPON A
00:35:20TIME, REPUBLICANS WERE
00:35:22DISTINGUISHED FROM DEMOCRATS BY THEIR PERSISTENT CHANT THAT THE
00:35:25U.S. DEFICIT WAS THE RESULT OF A
00:35:28SPENDING PROBLEM, NOT A REVENUE
00:35:31PROBLEM. YET TODAY, MANY REPUBLICANS HAVE BECOME THE
00:35:34CHEERLEADERS FOR MORE REVENUE. THE BILL BEFORE US GRANTS THE
00:35:38EXECUTIVE BRANCH THE POWER TO
00:35:40RAISE NEARLY $500 BILLION IN
00:35:45REVENUE IN TAXES. I HOPE I AM
00:35:48NOT THE ONLY REPUBLICAN LEFT IN
00:35:51CONGRESS WHO IS HORRIFIED BY A BILL THAT PROPOSES TO RAISE
00:35:55TAXES, A HALF $1 TRILLION. IN
00:35:59ADDITION, THERE IS THE
00:36:01CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION CAN CONGRESS DELEGATE ITS ARTICLE
00:36:05ONE, SECTION EIGHT AUTHORITY TO
00:36:06LAY TAXES AND LEVIES? CAN THEY
00:36:09JUST GIVE IT AWAY TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH FOR 100 YEARS
00:36:13OR MORE? THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID, WE CAN'T GIVE AWAY OUR
00:36:17POWER. AND WHY WOULDN'T IN WHAT WORLD WOULD WE WANT TO GIVE AWAY
00:36:20OUR POWER, THE POWER TO TAX AND
00:36:25SPEND WAS GIVEN TO CONGRESS. WHY WOULD THEY GIVE THAT TO THE
00:36:27PRESIDENT? WHAT SORT OF FECKLESS
00:36:29CONGRESS GIVES AWAY THEIR
00:36:32CONSTITUTIONAL POWER, THE POWER WAS DIVIDED FOR A REASON.
00:36:36MONTESQUIEU SAID, IF YOU BRING THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS TOGETHER
00:36:39WITH THE EXECUTIVE, YOU'LL HAVE
00:36:41NO LIBERTY. THE POWERS WERE
00:36:43DIVIDED BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXECUTIVE, SO WE COULD
00:36:46FIGHT FOR LIBERTY. SO IT WOULD
00:36:48MAKE IT HARD TO RAISE TAXES. THE
00:36:54ANSWER? CAN CONGRESS GIVE AWAY
00:36:56ITS POWER IS IN UNEQUIVOCAL NO.
00:36:59EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTION IS SOMETHING CALLED THE
00:37:03NONDELEGATION PRINCIPLE, WHICH STATES THAT CONGRESS CANNOT
00:37:07DELEGATE ITS CORE LEGISLATIVE POWERS TO ANOTHER BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT OR TO PRIVATE
00:37:11ENTITIES. THE SUPREME COURT USED
00:37:14TO ENFORCE THIS NONDELEGATION
00:37:16DOCTRINE. MOST, MOST NOTABLY IN
00:37:21THE SCHECHTER POULTRY CASE. BUT
00:37:23THAT CASE WAS DECIDED IN 1935, AND FOR MUCH OF THE INTERVENING
00:37:27YEARS, THE SUPREME COURT HAS
00:37:29BEEN A RELIABLE ALLY TO LAZY
00:37:32LEGISLATORS. UP UNTIL RECENTLY, THE SUPREME COURT EFFECTIVELY RELIEVED CONGRESS FROM THE HARD
00:37:37WORK OF LEGISLATING. BUT THE
00:37:39TIDE IS TURNING. FRANKLY, WITH
00:37:41THE HELP OF SEVERAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEES, JUSTICE
00:37:45GORSUCH FORCEFULLY MADE THE CASE FOR REVIVING THE NONDELEGATION
00:37:49PRINCIPLE BY ARGUING THAT IF
00:37:51CONGRESS COULD PASS OFF ITS
00:37:53LEGISLATIVE POWER TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, LEGISLATION
00:37:57WOULD RISK BECOMING NOTHING MORE
00:37:59THAN THE WILL OF THE CURRENT
00:38:03PRESIDENT. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS
00:38:06LEGISLATION IS THAT IT DISOBEYS
00:38:08THE CLEAR COMMAND OF THE
00:38:11CONSTITUTION. TAXES AND LEVIES MUST BE DETERMINED BY CONGRESS.
00:38:15MOREOVER, TAXATION BILLS MUST
00:38:18ORIGINATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DO NOT LET.
00:38:21SYMPATHY FOR UKRAINE BLIND YOU
00:38:24TO THE REALITY OF TARIFFS. TARIFFS ARE. TAXES ON IMPORTS
00:38:27THAT ARE PAID BY AMERICANS. THEY ARE PAID BY PARENTS TRYING TO
00:38:31PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ARE PAID BY STUDENTS SAVING UP
00:38:35TO BUY THEIR FIRST CAR. TARIFFS
00:38:38ARE PAID BY ANYONE WHO SEEKS TO
00:38:40SPEND MONEY ON ANY CONCEIVABLE PRODUCT. THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO
00:38:44WILL TRY TO PULL THE WOOL OVER
00:38:46YOUR EYES AND TELL YOU THAT
00:38:48DESPITE THIS PERSISTENT STICKER
00:38:51SHOCK, DESPITE THE FEELING THAT LIFE JUST KEEPS GETTING MORE AND
00:38:54MORE EXPENSIVE, THE TARIFFS ARE ALWAYS PAID BY SOMEBODY ELSE, BY
00:38:57SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY. THE MEMBERS WHO VOTE FOR THIS TAX
00:39:00WILL TELL YOU NOT TO WORRY. THESE TARIFFS WILL ONLY BE
00:39:04LABELED. THEY'LL ONLY BE LEVIED
00:39:06ON FOREIGN COUNTRIES. THIS
00:39:09ABSURD CLAIM IS PROVABLY FALSE. FIGURING OUT WHO PAYS TARIFFS IS
00:39:13EASY. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THOSE WHO ARE GETTING
00:39:16REFUNDS. WHEN THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE TARIFFS, A WHOLE
00:39:19BUNCH OF PEOPLE LINED UP FOR REFUNDS. WHO'S NOT ON THE LIST?
00:39:23THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ON
00:39:26THE LIST. CANADA'S NOT ON THE
00:39:28LIST. MEXICO'S NOT ON THE LIST.
00:39:30AMERICAN COMPANIES ARE GETTING THE REFUNDS BECAUSE AMERICANS
00:39:34PAY TARIFFS. AND DO YOU THINK THE COMPANY PAYS THE TARIFFS?
00:39:37NO. THEY PASS IT ALONG TO THE CONSUMER. YOU'RE ALL PAYING
00:39:41HIGHER PRICES. EVERY TIME YOU GET SOMETHING THROUGH RETAIL,
00:39:44YOU'RE PAYING HIGHER PRICES. THE ENTITIES THAT LINED UP FOR
00:39:48THE REBATES AFTER THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE EMERGENCY
00:39:51TARIFFS WERE PRIMARILY AMERICAN
00:39:53RETAILERS, SUCH AS WALMART,
00:39:55TARGET, COSTCO, NIKE. LET ME
00:39:57REPEAT, CHINA IS NOT ON THE
00:40:01REFUND LIST BECAUSE CHINA
00:40:03DOESN'T PAY THE TARIFFS. AMERICAN IMPORTERS AND RETAILERS
00:40:06PAY THE TARIFFS, AND THEY PASS THE COST OF THE TARIFFS ONTO THE
00:40:10CONSUMER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. A LETTER WAS SENT TO THE SENATE
00:40:14REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT LEADERS
00:40:16BY TWO DOZEN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING THE
00:40:20CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION,
00:40:24THE NATIONAL RETAIL ASSOCIATION,
00:40:26WARNING ABOUT THE COSTS OF TARIFFS IMPOSED BY THIS BILL.
00:40:29HERE ARE SOME QUOTES FROM
00:40:33INDUSTRY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE NEW TAXES. THE POTENTIAL OF A
00:40:35NEW BROAD 100% TARIFF ON IMPORTS
00:40:40FROM SECONDARY COUNTRIES RAISES
00:40:42RISKS RAISING COSTS FOR AMERICAN BUSINESSES, WORKERS AND
00:40:45CONSUMERS THESE NEW TARIFFS,
00:40:48THAT APPROACH WOULD EFFECTIVELY
00:40:50TAX U.S. IMPORTERS AND CONSUMERS
00:40:53FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS ENERGY DECISIONS, CONDUCT THAT IS
00:40:57OUTSIDE THE CONTROL OF THE AMERICAN COMPANIES. THEY FURTHER
00:41:01SAY TARIFFS OF THIS SCALE WOULD INCREASE COSTS FOR EVERYDAY
00:41:04CONSUMER GOODS, MANUFACTURING INPUTS AND OTHER PRODUCTS, WHILE
00:41:08CREATING SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY
00:41:12FOR COMPANIES MAKING, SOURCING,
00:41:13PRICING AND INVENTORY DECISIONS
00:41:17FOR MONTHS ON END. IT COULD ALSO LEAD TO RETALIATORY TARIFFS
00:41:20AGAINST U.S. EXPORTS, SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HELP EXPORTS
00:41:24TO TAX IMPORTS, BECAUSE THE OTHER COUNTRIES THEN WILL TAX
00:41:27OUR EXPORTS. TARIFFS ARE A BLUNT
00:41:31TOOL. THEY SAY, THAT CAN
00:41:33PENALIZE LAW ABIDING U.S. COMPANIES IMPORTING LEGITIMATE
00:41:36GOODS. INVITE RETALIATION,
00:41:39COMPLICATE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS,
00:41:41AND SHIFT COSTS ONTO AMERICAN
00:41:44FAMILIES WITHOUT ENSURING THAT PRESSURE REACHES THE INTENDED
00:41:47ACTORS. THESE TWO DOZEN ASSOCIATIONS AND THEIR LETTER BY
00:41:51SAYING, WE URGE CONGRESS TO REMOVE THE TARIFF AUTHORITY FROM
00:41:54THE BILL AND INSTEAD FOCUS ON
00:41:56TARGETED SANCTIONS, STRONGER
00:41:59ENFORCEMENT AGAINST SANCTION, EVASION AND COORDINATED DIPLOMACY WITH COUNTRIES
00:42:03PURCHASING RUSSIAN ENERGY. ANYBODY CONCERNED WITH THE
00:42:07ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF AMERICAN
00:42:09FAMILIES WOULD COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION. BUT IT'S NOT EASY
00:42:13TO FIND SUCH COMMON SENSE IN
00:42:15CONGRESS IMPOSING A 100% TARIFF ON ALL GOODS IMPORTED FROM
00:42:19COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND INDIA
00:42:22IS ECONOMIC, IS THE ECONOMIC EQUIVALENT OF SHOOTING OURSELVES
00:42:26IN THE FOOT, MIDDLE AND LOW INCOME AMERICANS ENJOY A HIGHER
00:42:30QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN THEY HAVE
00:42:31MORE PURCHASING POWER FOR
00:42:35EVERYDAY NECESSITIES. RECENT TARIFFS ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE
00:42:38ALREADY COST THE AVERAGE
00:42:42AMERICAN FAMILY $1,700, SO THE
00:42:44AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY IS
00:42:46ALREADY PAYING $1,700 MORE BECAUSE OF THESE TAXES THAT ARE
00:42:49PLACED ON THE THINGS YOU BUY.
00:42:51NOW, THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESS, AFTER IT JUST GAVE THE AMERICAN
00:42:55PEOPLE TAX CUTS, GOING TO DO THE OPPOSITE, WHICH IS IT? ARE WE
00:42:58THE PARTY OF LOWER TAXES OR HIGHER TAXES? THIS WILL BE THE
00:43:02LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN RECENT
00:43:04HISTORY, PERHAPS THE LARGEST TAX
00:43:06INCREASE THAT A REPUBLICAN
00:43:08CONGRESS HAS PUT ON TO THE PEOPLE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY
00:43:12TO THE PARENTS BUYING THEIR KIDS
00:43:14NEW SHOES FOR SCHOOL YEAR? THE MINIMUM WAGE WORKER WHO NEEDS TO BUY A NEW PART TO FIX THEIR CAR,
00:43:18TO GET TO WORK, OR THE SINGLE MOTHER BUYING DIAPERS WHEN THEY
00:43:23NOTICE THAT THEIR PRICES HAVE DOUBLED, THE COSTS OF THE
00:43:26TARIFFS ARE NOT STRICTLY MONETARY. THESE TARIFFS THREATEN
00:43:29TO UNDERMINE AMERICA'S STRATEGIC
00:43:32POSITION IN THE WORLD SOME NAIVELY, NAIVELY THINK THAT THE
00:43:36TERRORISTS WILL GET CHINA TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM RUSSIA.
00:43:39BUT IT MIGHT BE THE OPPOSITE. RECENT HISTORY SUGGESTS THAT
00:43:43THEY WILL INSTEAD PUSH RUSSIA AND CHINA TOGETHER. CHINA IS NOT
00:43:47GOING TO GET THIS 100% TARIFF AND SAY, OH, WE'RE SORRY, WE'RE
00:43:51NO LONGER GOING TO COOPERATE WITH RUSSIA. WE'VE KIND OF FORCED RUSSIA TO GIVE US THIS
00:43:55GREAT DEAL ON OIL AND GAS THAT WE PIPE INTO OUR COUNTRY. BUT
00:43:59WE'RE SORRY NOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT. NO, IT'S GOING TO PUSH THEM CLOSER
00:44:03TOGETHER. THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT ARE GOING TO
00:44:06BECOME MORE ALLIED SLAPPING 100%
00:44:11TARIFF ON CHINA MAY INADVERTENTLY SOLIDIFY THE
00:44:14GEOPOLITICAL ALIGNMENT WITH RUSSIA, AS BEIJING WOULD BECOME
00:44:18MORE, NOT LESS, RELIANT ON
00:44:20MOSCOW FOR ECONOMIC AND
00:44:22DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT. RYAN YOUNG IS A SENIOR ECONOMIST WITH THE
00:44:26COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE. HE POINTS OUT THAT
00:44:30RUSSIA IS THE JUNIOR PARTNER IN THE ALLIANCE WITH CHINA. YOUNG
00:44:33REMINDS US THAT CHINA AGREED TO
00:44:35A SECOND NATURAL GAS PIPELINE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, ON
00:44:39THE CONDITION THAT RUSSIA SELL CHINA ITS GAS AT A LOWER THAN
00:44:44MARKET RATE. YOU THINK CHINA IS GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT? NO.
00:44:47CHINA WILL CONTINUE TO BUY ITS OIL AND GAS FROM RUSSIA AFTER THIS, AND THEY, IN ALL
00:44:51LIKELIHOOD, WILL RESPOND TO OUR TARIFFS WITH TARIFFS OF THEIR
00:44:54OWN. THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE
00:44:57THE SITUATION. IT'S GOING TO
00:45:01RAISE AMERICAN TAXES, DRIVE RUSSIA AND CHINA TOGETHER. AND THEN CHINA WILL ACTUALLY ADD
00:45:05TARIFFS ON OUR GOODS AS WELL.
00:45:07IT'S A HUGE MISTAKE. IMPOSING
00:45:11TARIFFS ON CHINA WILL REIGNITE THE TRADE WAR. BEIJING WILL CERTAINLY RETALIATE WITH THEIR
00:45:14OWN TARIFFS AND EXPORT CONTROLS.
00:45:18MAYA NIKOLAIDES, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC
00:45:22STATECRAFT INITIATIVE AT THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL, REMINDED US
00:45:26THAT ON LIBERATION DAY, THE
00:45:28TERRORISTS PLACED ON CHINA IN APRIL 2025 DIDN'T CHANGE.
00:45:32BEIJING'S BEHAVIOR. INSTEAD, THOSE TARIFFS PROMPTED CHINA TO
00:45:36RESTRICT EXPORTS OF CRITICAL RARE EARTH ELEMENTS. WE ALREADY
00:45:40TRIED THIS ONCE. THEY RESPONDED BY RESTRICTING THEIR EXPORTS OF
00:45:43THINGS. WE NEED TO MAKE
00:45:44BATTERIES FOR CARS, AND THEN WE
00:45:47EVENTUALLY ENDED UP NEGOTIATING
00:45:50LOWER TARIFFS. DO WE WANT TO GO
00:45:53THROUGH THE SAME WORLD OF THAT
00:45:56AGAIN? LIKEWISE, IMPOSING A 100% TARIFF ON INDIA AT A TIME WHEN
00:46:00WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO COURT THEM TO HELP US IN OUR COMPETITION WITH CHINA, IS
00:46:04COMPLETELY SELF-DEFEATING. RYAN YOUNG, WITH THE COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE, WORRIES
00:46:06THAT IMPOSING TARIFFS ON INDIA
00:46:08WILL ALIENATE ONE OF THE MOST
00:46:12IMPORTANT STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN ASIA, AND A POTENTIAL COUNTERWEIGHT TO CHINA. SO AS WE
00:46:15TRY TO GET INDIA TO BE MORE ALIGNED WITH US, INSTEAD OF WITH
00:46:19CHINA OR RUSSIA, ADMIRABLE GOALS. WE PUT TARIFFS ON INDIA.
00:46:23AND WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT PUSHES
00:46:25THEM MORE TOWARDS CHINA AND MORE
00:46:28TOWARDS RUSSIA IT IS ALSO
00:46:33UNCLEAR IF TARIFFS COULD EVEN BE IMPOSED ON INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF
00:46:36THE EUROPEAN UNION, LIKE
00:46:38SLOVAKIA AND HUNGARY, GIVEN
00:46:40EUROPE, EUROPE'S COMMON TRADE
00:46:43POLICY IN 2025. U.S., EU BILATERAL TRADE WAS OVER $1
00:46:46TRILLION. THAT IS MAKING BOTH
00:46:50PARTIES RICH. WE HAVE BECOME
00:46:54EXTRAORDINARILY RICH AS A COUNTRY, AS INTERNATIONAL TRADE HAS EXPANDED. IN FACT,
00:46:57PROSPERITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL,
00:46:59PROSPERITY OF THE COUNTRY IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE
00:47:02AMOUNT OF TRADE. THINK ABOUT
00:47:04THAT. TRYING TO TARIFF
00:47:07INDIVIDUAL EU COUNTRIES DIRECTLY
00:47:10UNDERMINES PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT U.S.. EU TRADE AGREEMENT.
00:47:14SHOULD THE EU RETALIATE AGAINST THE U.S., THE RESULT WILL BE
00:47:17DISASTROUS FOR BOTH AMERICAN
00:47:20BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS. I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
00:47:23SUPPORT MY AMENDMENT THAT STRIPS THE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TARIFFS
00:47:27FROM THE LEGISLATION. IF NOT ADOPTED, CONGRESS SHOULD REJECT
00:47:31THIS STRATEGIC BLUNDER OF A BILL THAT WILL DO NOTHING TO BRING
00:47:34PEACE TO UKRAINE, BUT RATHER RAISE AMERICAN PRICES FOR
00:47:38AMERICAN CONSUMERS, FURTHER WEAKEN THE DOLLAR, DESTROY U.S.
00:47:41RELATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE, AND
00:47:45DRIVE OUR ADVERSARIES CLOSER TOGETHER. I RECOMMEND A YES VOTE ON THE PAUL WYDEN AMENDMENT.
00:47:50>> MR. PRESIDENT. >> SENATOR FROM OREGON. >> JUST VERY BRIEFLY, MY
00:47:53COLLEAGUE HAS HIT A NUMBER OF KEY POINTS. AND TO CLOSE, I JUST
00:47:55WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.
00:47:58THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS DEBATE, I'M SURE,
00:48:02THINK THAT STUFF CAN BE
00:48:04CORRECTED. STUFF CAN BE CHANGED.
00:48:07AND THE REALITY IS, UNDER THIS,
00:48:11THIS PARTICULAR BILL, CONGRESS
00:48:14HAS NO AUTHORITY TO MODIFY THIS
00:48:16DEEPLY FLAWED PIECE OF
00:48:18LEGISLATION. SO THE REALITY IS,
00:48:21IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WHEN
00:48:24WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO ARE WALKING
00:48:26AN ECONOMIC TIGHTROPE HERE IN
00:48:29AMERICA, BALANCING THE FOOD BILL AGAINST THE FUEL BILL AND THE
00:48:32FUEL BILL AGAINST THE RENT BILL AND THE LIKE, THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS
00:48:36AND SAY, I'M GETTING POUNDED BY
00:48:39THESE NEW TARIFFS. I'M JUST
00:48:40GETTING HIT BY AN ECONOMIC
00:48:43WRECKING BALL. DO SOMETHING
00:48:45ABOUT IT. UNDER THIS
00:48:49LEGISLATION, CONGRESS CANNOT,
00:48:51YOU KNOW, MODIFY THIS BILL.
00:48:54IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE AMERICAN
00:48:58PEOPLE GET SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION IN OTHER AREAS OF THE
00:49:02ECONOMY, BECAUSE UNDER THIS LEGISLATION AND UNDER THESE
00:49:05TARIFFS, THEY ARE GOING TO GET HIT BY AN ECONOMIC WRECKING
00:49:07BALL, AND IT IS AN UNFORCED ERROR THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO
00:49:11HAPPEN. I YIELD THE FLOOR >> INCREASING TAXES ON AMERICANS
00:49:15WILL NOT END PUTIN'S WAR IN
00:49:18UKRAINE. THE DRAFTERS OF THIS LEGISLATION UNDERSTANDABLY WISH
00:49:23TO PUNISH VLADIMIR PUTIN AND SEND RUSSIAN INVADERS BACK TO
00:49:25WHERE THEY CAME FROM. BUT THIS
00:49:28BILL WAS WRITTEN SUCH THAT THE DRAFTERS FAILED TO SEE THAT IT
00:49:31WILL NOT BRING PEACE TO UKRAINE, BUT RATHER WILL DELIBERATELY
00:49:35MAKE AMERICAN FAMILIES POORER BY INCREASING TARIFFS, WHICH ARE
00:49:39NOTHING BUT A TAX ON IMPORTED
00:49:41GOODS TO SAVE AMERICANS FROM
00:49:44WHAT VERY WELL COULD BE THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IMPOSED BY
00:49:47A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS. I OFFER
00:49:49AN AMENDMENT THAT STRIKES THE
00:49:52AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE TARIFFS OF
00:49:54UP TO 100% ON AN EVER CHANGING
00:49:57LIST OF COUNTRIES. MARK MY
00:49:58WORDS, THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST
00:50:01TAX INCREASE BY A REPUBLICAN
00:50:03CONGRESS. WHY WOULD REPUBLICANS
00:50:07DO PROMISE YOU THEY WANT TO LOWER YOUR TAXES, BE VOTING TO
00:50:10RAISE YOUR TAXES, $500 BILLION
00:50:15IN ADDITION, CONGRESS SHOULD NOT
00:50:18DELEGATE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
00:50:22NOW, MY AMENDMENT DOES NOT TOUCH THE SANCTIONS, THE BROAD
00:50:25SANCTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY
00:50:26THE BILL, NOR DOES IT TEST THE
00:50:30SPECIFIC TARIFFS ON RUSSIA, BECAUSE I SEE THE STRONG DESIRE
00:50:33AMONG MY. AMONG MEMBERS OF THE SENATE TO USE ECONOMIC WARFARE
00:50:37AGAINST PUTIN. BUT I OBJECT TO ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST THE
00:50:41AMERICAN CONSUMER. ONCE UPON A
00:50:42TIME, REPUBLICANS WERE
00:50:46DISTINGUISHED FROM DEMOCRATS BY THEIR PERSISTENT CHANT THAT THE
00:50:48U.S. DEFICIT WAS THE RESULT OF A
00:50:50SPENDING PROBLEM, NOT A REVENUE
00:50:54PROBLEM. YET TODAY, MANY
00:50:58REPUBLICANS HAVE BECOME THE CHEERLEADERS FOR MORE REVENUE. THE BILL BEFORE US GRANTS THE
00:51:01EXECUTIVE BRANCH THE POWER TO
00:51:02RAISE NEARLY $500 BILLION IN
00:51:08REVENUE IN TAXES. I HOPE I AM
00:51:10NOT THE ONLY REPUBLICAN LEFT IN
00:51:14CONGRESS WHO IS HORRIFIED BY A
00:51:16BILL THAT PROPOSES TO RAISE
00:51:19TAXES, A HALF $1 TRILLION. IN
00:51:22ADDITION, THERE IS THE
00:51:24CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION CAN
00:51:27CONGRESS DELEGATE ITS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION EIGHT AUTHORITY TO
00:51:31LAY TAXES AND LEVIES? CAN THEY JUST GIVE IT AWAY TO THE
00:51:34EXECUTIVE BRANCH FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE? THE SUPREME COURT HAS
00:51:38SAID, WE CAN'T GIVE AWAY OUR POWER. AND WHY WOULDN'T? AND IN
00:51:41WHAT WORLD WOULD WE WANT TO GIVE
00:51:45AWAY OUR POWER, THE POWER TO TAX AND SPEND WAS GIVEN TO CONGRESS.
00:51:48WHY WOULD THEY GIVE THAT TO THE
00:51:49PRESIDENT? WHAT SORT OF FECKLESS
00:51:52CONGRESS GIVES AWAY THEIR
00:51:55CONSTITUTIONAL POWER? THE POWER
00:51:57WAS DIVIDED FOR A REASON.
00:51:59MONTESQUIEU SAID. IF YOU BRING THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS TOGETHER
00:52:02WITH THE EXECUTIVE, YOU'LL HAVE NO LIBERTY. THE POWERS WERE
00:52:06DIVIDED BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXECUTIVE, SO WE COULD
00:52:09FIGHT FOR LIBERTY. SO IT WOULD
00:52:12MAKE IT HARD TO RAISE TAXES. THE
00:52:18ANSWER? CAN CONGRESS GIVE AWAY ITS POWER? IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL NO.
00:52:22EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTION
00:52:23IS SOMETHING CALLED THE
00:52:26NONDELEGATION PRINCIPLE, WHICH
00:52:28STATES THAT CONGRESS CANNOT DELEGATE ITS CORE LEGISLATIVE
00:52:32POWERS TO ANOTHER BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT OR TO PRIVATE
00:52:35ENTITIES. THE SUPREME COURT USED
00:52:37TO ENFORCE THIS NONDELEGATION
00:52:40DOCTRINE. MOST, MOST NOTABLY IN
00:52:44THE SCHECHTER POULTRY CASE. BUT THAT CASE WAS DECIDED IN 1935,
00:52:48AND FOR MUCH OF THE INTERVENING YEARS, THE SUPREME COURT HAS
00:52:52BEEN A RELIABLE ALLY TO LAZY
00:52:54LEGISLATORS. UP UNTIL RECENTLY,
00:52:57THE SUPREME COURT EFFECTIVELY
00:52:59RELIEVED CONGRESS FROM THE HARD WORK OF LEGISLATING. BUT THE
00:53:03TIDE IS TURNING. FRANKLY, WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL OF PRESIDENT
00:53:06TRUMP'S NOMINEES, JUSTICE
00:53:09GORSUCH FORCEFULLY MADE THE CASE FOR REVIVING THE NONDELEGATION
00:53:13PRINCIPLE BY ARGUING THAT IF CONGRESS COULD PASS OFF ITS
00:53:16LEGISLATIVE POWER TO THE
00:53:18EXECUTIVE BRANCH, LEGISLATION WOULD RISK BECOMING NOTHING MORE
00:53:22THAN THE WILL OF THE CURRENT
00:53:24PRESIDENT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS
00:53:29LEGISLATION IS THAT IT DISOBEYS THE CLEAR COMMAND OF THE
00:53:33CONSTITUTION. TAXES AND LEVIES
00:53:35MUST BE DETERMINED BY CONGRESS.
00:53:38MOREOVER, TAXATION BILLS MUST
00:53:40ORIGINATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DO NOT LET.
00:53:44SYMPATHY FOR UKRAINE BLIND YOU
00:53:46TO THE REALITY OF TARIFFS.
00:53:49TARIFFS ARE. TAXES ON IMPORTS THAT ARE PAID BY AMERICANS. THEY
00:53:53ARE PAID BY PARENTS TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THEY
00:53:56ARE PAID BY STUDENTS SAVING UP
00:53:59TO BUY THEIR FIRST CAR. TARIFFS
00:54:02ARE PAID BY ANYONE WHO SEEKS TO
00:54:04SPEND MONEY ON ANY CONCEIVABLE PRODUCT. THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO
00:54:07WILL TRY TO PULL THE WOOL OVER
00:54:09YOUR EYES AND TELL YOU THAT
00:54:12DESPITE THIS PERSISTENT STICKER SHOCK, DESPITE THE FEELING THAT
00:54:15LIFE JUST KEEPS GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, THE TARIFFS ARE
00:54:19ALWAYS PAID BY SOMEBODY ELSE, BY SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY. THE
00:54:22MEMBERS WHO VOTE FOR THIS TAX WILL TELL YOU NOT TO WORRY.
00:54:26THESE TARIFFS WILL ONLY BE LABELED. THEY'LL ONLY BE LEVIED
00:54:29ON FOREIGN COUNTRIES. THIS
00:54:32ABSURD CLAIM IS PROVABLY FALSE.
00:54:34FIGURING OUT WHO PAYS TARIFFS IS EASY. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK
00:54:38AT THOSE WHO ARE GETTING
00:54:40REFUNDS. WHEN THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE TARIFFS, A WHOLE
00:54:43BUNCH OF PEOPLE LINED UP FOR
00:54:45REFUNDS. WHO'S NOT ON THE LIST? THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ON
00:54:49THE LIST. CANADA'S NOT ON THE LIST. MEXICO'S NOT ON THE LIST.
00:54:52AMERICAN COMPANIES ARE GETTING
00:54:55THE REFUNDS BECAUSE AMERICANS PAY TARIFFS. AND DO YOU THINK
00:54:58THE COMPANY PAYS THE TARIFFS? NO. THEY PASS IT ALONG TO THE
00:55:01CONSUMER. YOU'RE ALL PAYING HIGHER PRICES. EVERY TIME YOU
00:55:05GET SOMETHING THROUGH RETAIL, YOU'RE PAYING HIGHER PRICES.
00:55:08THE ENTITIES THAT LINED UP FOR
00:55:11THE REBATES AFTER THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE EMERGENCY
00:55:15TARIFFS WERE PRIMARILY AMERICAN RETAILERS, SUCH AS WALMART,
00:55:18TARGET, COSTCO, NIKE. LET ME
00:55:21REPEAT, CHINA IS NOT ON THE
00:55:23REFUND LIST BECAUSE CHINA
00:55:25DOESN'T PAY THE TARIFFS. AMERICAN IMPORTERS AND RETAILERS
00:55:30PAY THE TARIFFS, AND THEY PASS THE COST OF THE TARIFFS ONTO THE
00:55:33CONSUMER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. A LETTER WAS
00:55:37SENT TO THE SENATE REPUBLICAN
00:55:39AND DEMOCRAT LEADERS BY TWO DOZEN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS,
00:55:43INCLUDING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE CONSUMER
00:55:45TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL RETAIL ASSOCIATION.
00:55:49WARNING ABOUT THE COSTS OF TARIFFS IMPOSED BY THIS BILL. HERE ARE SOME QUOTES FROM
00:55:53INDUSTRY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE
00:55:55NEW TAXES. THE POTENTIAL OF A
00:55:58NEW BROAD 100% TARIFF ON IMPORTS
00:56:01FROM SECONDARY COUNTRIES RAISES
00:56:05RISKS, RAISING COSTS FOR
00:56:07AMERICAN BUSINESSES, WORKERS AND CONSUMERS. THESE NEW TARIFFS.
00:56:12THAT APPROACH WOULD EFFECTIVELY
00:56:13TAX U.S. IMPORTERS AND CONSUMERS
00:56:16FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS ENERGY
00:56:19DECISIONS, CONDUCT THAT IS OUTSIDE THE CONTROL OF THE
00:56:22AMERICAN COMPANIES. THEY FURTHER SAY TARIFFS OF THIS SCALE WOULD
00:56:26INCREASE COSTS FOR EVERYDAY
00:56:28CONSUMER GOODS, MANUFACTURING
00:56:31INPUTS AND OTHER PRODUCTS, WHILE CREATING SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY
00:56:34FOR COMPANIES MAKING, SOURCING,
00:56:39PRICING AND INVENTORY DECISIONS FOR MONTHS ON END. IT COULD ALSO
00:56:43LEAD TO RETALIATORY TARIFFS AGAINST U.S. EXPORTS, SO IT
00:56:47DOESN'T NECESSARILY HELP EXPORTS TO TAX IMPORTS, BECAUSE THE OTHER COUNTRIES THEN WILL TAX
00:56:50OUR EXPORTS. TARIFFS ARE A BLUNT
00:56:54TOOL, THEY SAY, THAT CAN
00:56:56PENALIZE LAW ABIDING U.S. COMPANIES IMPORTING LEGITIMATE
00:57:00GOODS. INVITE RETALIATION,
00:57:02COMPLICATE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS,
00:57:05AND SHIFT COSTS ONTO AMERICAN FAMILIES WITHOUT ENSURING THAT
00:57:09PRESSURE REACHES THE INTENDED ACTORS. THESE TWO DOZEN
00:57:11ASSOCIATIONS, IN THEIR LETTER BY SAYING, WE URGE CONGRESS TO
00:57:15REMOVE THE TARIFF AUTHORITY FROM
00:57:17THE BILL AND INSTEAD FOCUS ON
00:57:19TARGETED SANCTIONS, STRONGER
00:57:23ENFORCEMENT AGAINST SANCTION EVASION AND COORDINATED DIPLOMACY WITH COUNTRIES
00:57:26PURCHASING RUSSIAN ENERGY.
00:57:30ANYBODY CONCERNED WITH THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF AMERICAN
00:57:32FAMILIES WOULD COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION. BUT IT'S NOT EASY
00:57:36TO FIND SUCH COMMON SENSE IN
00:57:39CONGRESS IMPOSING A 100% TARIFF ON ALL GOODS IMPORTED FROM
00:57:42COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND INDIA,
00:57:44IS ECONOMIC, IS THE ECONOMIC
00:57:48EQUIVALENT OF SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT, MIDDLE, AND LOW
00:57:52INCOME. AMERICANS ENJOY A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN THEY HAVE
00:57:54MORE PURCHASING POWER FOR
00:57:57>> EVERY DAY. NECESSITIES.
00:57:59RECENT TARIFFS ARE ESTIMATED TO
00:58:02HAVE ALREADY COST THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY $1,700, SO THE
00:58:06AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY IS
00:58:09ALREADY PAYING $1,700 MORE BECAUSE OF THESE TAXES THAT ARE
00:58:12PLACED ON THE THINGS YOU BUY.
00:58:15NOW, THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESS, AFTER IT JUST GAVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TAX CUTS, IS GOING TO DO
00:58:19THE OPPOSITE. WHICH IS IT? ARE WE THE PARTY OF LOWER TAXES OR
00:58:23HIGHER TAXES? THIS WILL BE THE
00:58:24LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN RECENT
00:58:27HISTORY, PERHAPS THE LARGEST TAX
00:58:29INCREASE THAT A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS HAS PUT ON TO THE
00:58:32PEOPLE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY
00:58:35TO THE PARENTS BUYING THEIR KIDS
00:58:38NEW SHOES FOR SCHOOL YEAR? THE MINIMUM WAGE WORKER WHO NEEDS TO BUY A NEW PART TO FIX THEIR CAR,
00:58:41TO GET TO WORK, OR THE SINGLE
00:58:44MOTHER BUYING DIAPERS WHEN THEY NOTICE THAT THEIR PRICES HAVE
00:58:48DOUBLED, THE COST OF THE TARIFFS ARE NOT STRICTLY MONETARY. THESE
00:58:52TARIFFS THREATEN TO UNDERMINE
00:58:54AMERICA'S STRATEGIC POSITION IN
00:58:56THE WORLD. SOME NAIVELY, NAIVELY THINK THAT THE TERRORISTS WILL
00:59:00GET CHINA TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES
00:59:01FROM RUSSIA. BUT IT MIGHT BE THE
00:59:05OPPOSITE. RECENT HISTORY SUGGESTS THAT THEY WILL INSTEAD
00:59:09PUSH RUSSIA AND CHINA TOGETHER. CHINA IS NOT GOING TO GET THIS
00:59:12100% TARIFF AND SAY, OH, WE'RE SORRY, WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO
00:59:15COOPERATE WITH RUSSIA. WE'VE KIND OF FORCED RUSSIA TO GIVE US
00:59:17THIS GREAT DEAL ON OIL AND GAS
00:59:19THAT WE PIPE INTO OUR COUNTRY, BUT WE'RE SORRY NOW, AND WE'RE
00:59:23GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT. NO, IT'S GOING TO PUSH THEM CLOSER
00:59:25TOGETHER. THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT ARE GOING TO
00:59:28BECOME MORE ALLIED. SLAPPING
00:59:34100% TARIFF ON CHINA MAY INADVERTENTLY SOLIDIFY THE
00:59:38GEOPOLITICAL ALIGNMENT WITH RUSSIA, AS BEIJING WOULD BECOME
00:59:41MORE, NOT LESS, RELIANT ON MOSCOW FOR ECONOMIC AND
00:59:45DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT. RYAN YOUNG IS A SENIOR ECONOMIST WITH THE
00:59:49COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE. HE POINTS OUT THAT
00:59:52RUSSIA IS THE JUNIOR PARTNER IN
00:59:54THE ALLIANCE WITH CHINA. YOUNG
00:59:56REMINDS US THAT CHINA AGREED TO
00:59:58A SECOND NATURAL GAS PIPELINE
01:00:01BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, ON THE CONDITION THAT RUSSIA SELL
01:00:05CHINA ITS GAS AT A LOWER THAN MARKET RATE. YOU THINK CHINA IS
01:00:08GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT? NO. CHINA WILL CONTINUE TO BUY ITS
01:00:11OIL AND GAS FROM RUSSIA AFTER THIS. AND THEY, IN ALL
01:00:14LIKELIHOOD, WILL RESPOND TO OUR TARIFFS WITH TARIFFS OF THEIR
01:00:18OWN. THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE
01:00:22THE SITUATION. IT'S GOING TO RAISE AMERICAN TAXES, DRIVE
01:00:24RUSSIA AND CHINA TOGETHER. AND
01:00:27THEN CHINA WILL ACTUALLY ADD TARIFFS ON OUR GOODS AS WELL.
01:00:31IT'S A HUGE MISTAKE. IMPOSING
01:00:34TARIFFS ON CHINA WILL REIGNITE
01:00:36THE TRADE WAR. BEIJING WILL CERTAINLY RETALIATE WITH THEIR
01:00:39OWN TARIFFS AND EXPORT CONTROLS.
01:00:42MAYA NIKOLAIDES, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC
01:00:45STATECRAFT INITIATIVE AT THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL, REMINDED US
01:00:49THAT ON LIBERATION DAY, THE
01:00:51TERRORISTS PLACED ON CHINA IN
01:00:54APRIL 2025 DIDN'T CHANGE. BEIJING'S BEHAVIOR. INSTEAD,
01:00:57THOSE TARIFFS PROMPTED CHINA TO
01:00:59RESTRICT EXPORTS OF CRITICAL RARE EARTH ELEMENTS. WE ALREADY
01:01:03TRIED THIS ONCE. THEY RESPONDED BY RESTRICTING THEIR EXPORTS OF THINGS. WE NEED TO MAKE
01:01:07BATTERIES FOR CARS, AND THEN WE EVENTUALLY ENDED UP NEGOTIATING
01:01:11LOWER TARIFFS. DO WE WANT TO GO
01:01:11THROUGH THE SAME WORLD OF THAT
01:01:15AGAIN? LIKEWISE, IMPOSING A 100%
01:01:17TARIFF ON INDIA AT A TIME WHEN
01:01:20WE ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO COURT THEM TO HELP US IN OUR
01:01:23COMPETITION WITH CHINA, IS COMPLETELY SELF-DEFEATING. RYAN
01:01:26YOUNG, WITH THE COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE, WORRIES
01:01:30THAT IMPOSING TARIFFS ON INDIA WILL ALIENATE ONE OF THE MOST
01:01:34IMPORTANT STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN
01:01:36ASIA, AND A POTENTIAL
01:01:39COUNTERWEIGHT TO CHINA. SO AS WE TRY TO GET INDIA TO BE MORE ALIGNED WITH US, INSTEAD OF WITH
01:01:42CHINA OR RUSSIA, ADMIRABLE GOALS. WE PUT TARIFFS ON INDIA.
01:01:46AND WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT PUSHES
01:01:48THEM MORE TOWARDS CHINA AND MORE
01:01:53TOWARDS RUSSIA IT IS ALSO UNCLEAR IF TARIFFS COULD EVEN BE
01:01:57IMPOSED ON INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, LIKE
01:02:01SLOVAKIA AND HUNGARY, GIVEN
01:02:03EUROPE'S EUROPE'S COMMON TRADE
01:02:08POLICY IN 2025. U.S., EU BILATERAL TRADE WAS OVER $1
01:02:11TRILLION. THAT IS MAKING BOTH
01:02:13PARTIES RICH. WE HAVE BECOME EXTRAORDINARILY RICH AS A
01:02:16COUNTRY, AS INTERNATIONAL TRADE HAS EXPANDED. IN FACT,
01:02:20PROSPERITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, PROSPERITY OF THE COUNTRY IS
01:02:24DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE
01:02:26AMOUNT OF TRADE. THINK ABOUT
01:02:29THAT. TRYING TO TARIFF
01:02:30INDIVIDUAL EU COUNTRIES DIRECTLY
01:02:35UNDERMINES PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT U.S.. EU TRADE AGREEMENT.
01:02:37SHOULD THE EU RETALIATE AGAINST THE U.S., THE RESULT WILL BE
01:02:40DISASTROUS FOR BOTH AMERICAN
01:02:43BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS. I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
01:02:45SUPPORT MY AMENDMENT THAT STRIPS THE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TARIFFS
01:02:49FROM THE LEGISLATION. IF NOT
01:02:52ADOPTED, CONGRESS SHOULD REJECT THE STRATEGIC BLUNDER OF A BILL
01:02:56THAT WILL DO NOTHING TO BRING PEACE TO UKRAINE, BUT RATHER
01:02:59RAISE AMERICAN PRICES FOR AMERICAN CONSUMERS, FURTHER
01:03:02WEAKEN THE DOLLAR, DESTROY U.S.
01:03:05RELATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE, AND DRIVE OUR ADVERSARIES CLOSER
01:03:08TOGETHER. I RECOMMEND A YES VOTE ON THE PAUL WYDEN AMENDMENT.
01:03:12>> MR. PRESIDENT. >> SENATOR FROM OREGON. >> JUST VERY BRIEFLY, MY
01:03:16COLLEAGUE HAS HIT A NUMBER OF KEY POINTS. AND TO CLOSE, I JUST
01:03:18WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS.
01:03:22THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS DEBATE, I'M
01:03:25SURE, THINK THAT STUFF CAN BE
01:03:28CORRECTED. STUFF CAN BE CHANGED.
01:03:31AND THE REALITY IS, UNDER THIS,
01:03:35THIS PARTICULAR BILL, CONGRESS
01:03:38HAS NO AUTHORITY TO MODIFY THIS DEEPLY FLAWED PIECE OF
01:03:41LEGISLATION. SO THE REALITY IS,
01:03:45IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WHEN WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO ARE WALKING
01:03:49AN ECONOMIC TIGHTROPE HERE IN AMERICA, BALANCING THE FOOD BILL
01:03:52AGAINST THE FUEL BILL AND THE FUEL BILL AGAINST THE RENT BILL
01:03:56AND THE LIKE, THEY'RE GOING TO
01:03:57COME TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS
01:04:01AND SAY, I'M GETTING POUNDED BY THESE NEW TARIFFS. I'M JUST
01:04:04GETTING HIT BY AN ECONOMIC WRECKING BALL. DO SOMETHING
01:04:09ABOUT IT. UNDER THIS LEGISLATION, CONGRESS CANNOT,
01:04:13UH, YOU KNOW, MODIFY THIS BILL.
01:04:15IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. SO WHAT
01:04:18WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE AMERICAN
01:04:22PEOPLE GET SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION IN OTHER AREAS OF THE
01:04:25ECONOMY, BECAUSE UNDER THIS LEGISLATION AND UNDER THESE TARIFFS, THEY ARE GOING TO GET
01:04:29HIT BY AN ECONOMIC WRECKING BALL, AND IT IS AN UNFORCED
01:04:33ERROR THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO
01:04:33HAPPEN. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
01:04:38>> THE LINDSEY GRAHAM SANCTIONING RUSSIA AND IRAN ACT, AND SO APPRECIATE DARLINE
01:04:42GRAHAM'S BEING HERE AND HER
01:04:44SUPPORT FOR THIS. UM, SO I'M
01:04:46HERE TO SUPPORT THE UNDERLYING
01:04:49BILL, BUT I ALSO AM HERE TO
01:04:52OPPOSE THE PAUL WYDEN AMENDMENT.
01:04:55NOW, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN OF
01:04:57SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON
01:05:00TARIFFS. I SHARE THOSE. I CO-LED
01:05:02AN AMICUS BRIEF CHALLENGING THE
01:05:05PRESIDENT'S ILLEGAL USE OF
01:05:07IEEPA TO IMPOSE TARIFFS, AND
01:05:10APPRECIATED SENATOR WYDEN PARTNERSHIP ON THAT. THAT
01:05:13ARGUMENT PREVAILED AT THE
01:05:16SUPREME COURT. I ALSO OPPOSE ANY ABUSE OF THE TARIFF AUTHORITIES
01:05:20THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS.
01:05:23BUT THE AUTHORITY IN THIS BILL
01:05:26TO IMPOSE TARIFFS IS VERY
01:05:28NARROWLY SCOPED, AND IT CONTAINS
01:05:32CLEAR GUARDRAILS. IT EXPLICITLY SAYS THAT THE ONLY COUNTRIES
01:05:36THAT CAN BE SUBJECT TO TARIFFS
01:05:38ARE THE TOP FIVE PURCHASERS OF
01:05:40OIL OR GAS. THE TOP FIVE, AND
01:05:44THE TOP FIVE SANCTIONS EVADERS
01:05:47FOR RUSSIAN OIL. SO IF WE'RE
01:05:49GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT
01:05:52PUTTING PRESSURE ON THAT, WE NEED TO PUT PRESSURE ON TO GET
01:05:56VLADIMIR PUTIN TO THE TABLE. WE HAVE GOT TO SHUT DOWN THE MONEY
01:05:59THAT HE'S GETTING FROM OIL AND GAS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL
01:06:03WOULD DO. THESE TARIFFS HAVE ONE
01:06:06PURPOSE TO MAKE IT MORE COSTLY
01:06:09FOR COUNTRIES TO KEEP BUYING THE
01:06:12RUSSIAN ENERGY THAT FUNDS
01:06:15PUTIN'S WAR. AMENDMENT DOES NOT
01:06:18RESTORE CONGRESS'S
01:06:22CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER TRADE, WHICH, LISTENING TO THE
01:06:23AUTHORS, YOU MIGHT QUESTION. AND
01:06:28IF THIS AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXISTING
01:06:32TARIFF AUTHORITIES REMAIN EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
01:06:35THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD CHANGE WOULD BE OUR ABILITY TO PUT
01:06:39PRESSURE ON COUNTRIES THAT ARE
01:06:40STILL BUYING RUSSIAN ENERGY. SO
01:06:43I OPPOSE THIS AMENDMENT. I URGE
01:06:46MY COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE IT AS
01:06:49WELL. AND I THINK ONE OF THE
01:06:51CRITICAL ISSUES HERE IS THE
01:06:53URGENCY OF WHERE WE ARE IN THIS
01:06:57WAR RIGHT NOW. THE MOMENTUM IS
01:07:00ON UKRAINE'S SIDE. THIS IS
01:07:03RUSSIA'S WORST SUMMER OF THE WAR YET, BUT WE KNOW THE SITUATION
01:07:06CAN CHANGE QUICKLY AGAINST
01:07:09UKRAINE. CHINA'S SUPPORTING RUSSIA'S EFFORTS TO REGAIN BATTLEFIELD ADVANTAGE BY HELPING
01:07:13THE RUSSIANS DEVELOP THEIR OWN VERSION OF STARLINK. ONE OF THE
01:07:16THINGS PRESIDENT ZELENSKY RAISED
01:07:19A CONCERN ABOUT THE LAST TIME SENATOR GRAHAM AND I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH HIM IN
01:07:23ANKARA, AT THE NATO SUMMIT.
01:07:26ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT ZELENSKY,
01:07:30THAT TECHNOLOGY THAT CHINA IS WORKING ON COULD BE AVAILABLE AS
01:07:34EARLY AS NOVEMBER. THAT WOULD
01:07:39ADVANCE RUSSIA'S DRONE TECHNOLOGY TO CATCH UP WITH
01:07:41UKRAINE. THE BATTLEFIELD COULD
01:07:43LOOK SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT IN THE NEXT 6 TO 12 MONTHS, AND
01:07:47THAT COULD ROLL BACK UKRAINE'S
01:07:51ADVANTAGES. NOW IS THE TIME TO
01:07:52PUT MORE PRESSURE ON PUTIN. THIS
01:07:57LEGISLATION, IF IT'S ADVANCED BEFORE THE AUGUST RECESS, WILL
01:07:59BE AHEAD OF RUSSIA'S UPCOMING ELECTIONS. THEY HOLD THEIR
01:08:02LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN MID
01:08:04SEPTEMBER. AFTER THAT, PUTIN IS
01:08:07LIKELY TO BE REQUIRED TO CHANGE
01:08:10CONSCRIPTION IN RESPONSE TO THE
01:08:12SEVERE SHORTAGE OF RECRUITS,
01:08:15BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING 35,000
01:08:17RUSSIANS A MONTH, ADVANCING THE LEGISLATION AHEAD OF RUSSIA'S
01:08:20UPCOMING ELECTIONS WILL INCREASE
01:08:22PRESSURE ON PUTIN TO SERIOUSLY
01:08:25REVISIT PROSPECTS FOR A PEACE
01:08:27DEAL. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE,
01:08:30RUSSIA IS WATCHING WHAT WE DO.
01:08:33WE HAVE THE HISTORY OF THIS WAR
01:08:36TO SHOW THAT EVERY TIME THE UNITED STATES BACKS AWAY FROM
01:08:40PUTTING PRESSURE ON RUSSIA, FROM
01:08:43HELPING UKRAINE, FROM FUNDING THE WAR, RUSSIA RAMPS UP ITS
01:08:46ATTACKS IN UKRAINE. IT KILLS
01:08:49MORE CIVILIANS. AND THAT'S WHERE
01:08:52WE ARE. IF WE CAN'T SHUT DOWN
01:08:55THE FUNDING FOR THE WAR MACHINE THAT RUSSIA IS USING AGAINST,
01:08:59AGAINST UKRAINE, THEN THEY'RE
01:09:01GOING TO KEEP AT IT. WE HAVE TO
01:09:04SHOW THE DETERMINATION THAT THE UNITED STATES FEELS TO SUPPORT
01:09:08THIS EMERGING DEMOCRACY, THAT SENATOR BLUMENTHAL WAS SO
01:09:12ELOQUENT TO TALK ABOUT. SO
01:09:14THAT'S WHY THERE'S REAL URGENCY FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, NOT
01:09:18JUST TO PASS THIS UNDERLYING
01:09:21SANCTIONS BILL, BUT TO MAKE SURE
01:09:23THAT THE TARIFFS THAT ARE
01:09:25FUNDING RUSSIA'S WAR MACHINE
01:09:29CAN SHUT DOWN THE OIL AND GAS
01:09:32THAT IS KEEPING THAT WAR MACHINE
01:09:34GOING. SO I HOPE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL OPPOSE THIS
01:09:37AMENDMENT AND SUPPORT THE UNDERLYING BILL. THANK YOU, MR.
01:09:40PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.
01:10:43>> MICHIGAN >> [APPLAUSE] >> DEMOCRATS. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:10:45>> WOO WELL, I AM SO THRILLED TO
01:10:49STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S NOMINEE TO
01:10:52BE THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN
01:10:55>> [APPLAUSE] >> I WANT TO START BY JUST SAYING THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
01:10:59BEING A PART OF THIS CRITICAL MOMENT FOR OUR STATE, FOR OUR
01:11:03DEMOCRACY, FOR BEING A PART OF OUR TEAM. AND THANK YOU FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME TO WORK
01:11:06FOR YOU TO TRANSFORM OUR STATE.
01:11:09WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT TOGETHER. AND WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE, I MEAN,
01:11:12LET'S FACE IT, RIGHT NOW, IT FEELS LIKE GOVERNMENT,
01:11:16ESPECIALLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IS SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE. WE
01:11:17DON'T WANT IT. OUR POLLING
01:11:20PLACES, MASKED FEDERAL AGENTS IN THE STREETS OF MICHIGAN. AND.
01:11:23ALL WRIGHT >> [APPLAUSE] >> TERRORIZING RESIDENTS,
01:11:27SHOWING UP EVERYWHERE. WE DON'T WANT IT. AND NOWHERE WHERE WE ACTUALLY
01:11:31>> [APPLAUSE] >> NEED IT. AND THIS ELECTION IS
01:11:33OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT.
01:11:36IT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GROW
01:11:39OUR COALITION, TO INCLUDE CITIZENS IN EVERY CORNER OF THIS
01:11:42STATE WHO BELIEVE, AS WE ALL DO,
01:11:46THAT THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE MUST ALWAYS BE GREATER THAN THE
01:11:48PEOPLE IN POWER.
01:11:52>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:11:57>> MY LIFE'S WORK IS ABOUT MAKING THAT PROMISE, THAT HOPE,
01:12:00A REALITY. I CARRY THAT HOPE WITH ME EVERY DAY. AS THE DAUGHTER OF
01:12:04>> [APPLAUSE]
01:12:04>> PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, YAY
01:12:09THE WIFE OF A VETERAN AND THE MOM OF A TEN YEAR OLD LITTLE BOY
01:12:12WHOSE FUTURE WILL BE SHAPED BY
01:12:16WHAT WE DO NOW TOGETHER. AND THAT IS THE QUESTION FACING
01:12:20VOTERS THIS FALL. MY FRIENDS,
01:12:23WHO DO YOU WANT? MICHIGAN'S
01:12:25LEADERS TO WORK FOR? THE PEOPLE
01:12:30OR THE POWERFUL? RIGHT? THE
01:12:31PEOPLE? WELL, YOU ALL KNOW WHO
01:12:34I'LL WORK FOR. ALL OF YOU AND
01:12:37EVERY MICHIGANDER IN THIS STATE, NOT THE HIGHEST BIDDER, NOT
01:12:40CORPORATE INTERESTS, NOT DONALD >> [APPLAUSE]
01:12:43>> TRUMP. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:12:45>> YOU. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO
01:12:51JOIN THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM OF DEMOCRATS RUNNING UP AND DOWN
01:12:54THE TICKET THIS FALL TO ENSURE
01:12:57WE CAN BUILD A GOVERNMENT WHOSE
01:12:59LEADERS WORK FOR YOU, WORK FOR THE PEOPLE, A GOVERNMENT THAT
01:13:02SAVES US TIME, SAVES US MONEY,
01:13:04MAKES OUR LIFE EASIER. A
01:13:07GOVERNMENT LED BY A TRIFECTA OF STATE LEADERS
01:13:11>> [APPLAUSE]. [APPLAUSE]
01:13:14>> ALL OF WHOM? ALL OF WHOM ARE
01:13:16COMMITTED TO MAKING MICHIGAN A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN AFFORD
01:13:20TO LIVE AND TO THRIVE. WHERE
01:13:24CHILD CARE IS AFFORDABLE FOR ALL, WHERE HOMES ARE EASILY
01:13:27BUILT, SO THAT TEACHERS AND NURSES AND FARMERS CAN AFFORD TO
01:13:31LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY WORK, WHERE EVERY
01:13:35MICHIGANDER HAS ACCESS TO
01:13:38QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
01:13:41>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:13:45>> AND WHERE NO YOUNG GIRL HAS TO WORRY WHETHER SHE'LL WAKE
01:13:47UP, GROW UP IN A STATE WHERE HER REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS ARE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:13:51>> PROTECTED
01:13:53>> [APPLAUSE]
01:13:57>> AND WHERE WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK, AND AIR IS CLEAN TO
01:13:59BREATHE. AND OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM PREPARES OUR
01:14:03KIDS FOR THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE. THAT'S >> [APPLAUSE]
01:14:05>> WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR. AND
01:14:12AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN, I WILL WORK WITH ALL
01:14:15OF YOU TO DRIVE DOWN COSTS WHILE EXPANDING OUR ECONOMY. AND YEAH,
01:14:19I'LL WORK WITH ANYONE TO GET THAT DONE. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, I'M ALSO READY TO STAND UP TO
01:14:23ANYONE, NO MATTER HOW WEALTHY OR POWERFUL, >> [APPLAUSE]
01:14:26>> WHO GETS IN OUR WAY.
01:14:29>> [APPLAUSE]
01:14:32>> I'VE DONE THAT. I'VE DONE THAT AS SECRETARY OF STATE, AND
01:14:35I'M READY TO DO IT AS THE NEXT >> [APPLAUSE] >> GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN.
01:14:39>> [APPLAUSE]
01:14:43>> I LOVE THIS STATE. LIKE ALL OF YOU, I LOVE THE PEOPLE IN
01:14:46EVERY CORNER, IN EVERY COUNTY.
01:14:47AND I KNOW WHEN I TALK TO THAT
01:14:50SINGLE MOM IN MUSKEGON WHO HAS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO EAT OR PAY
01:14:54RENT, OR WHEN I SIT DOWN WITH SENIORS IN WARREN WHO ARE
01:14:57ANXIOUS ABOUT PAYING FOR MEDICINE. AS THOSE COSTS SKYROCKET AND THEY'RE ON A
01:15:00FIXED INCOME, I KNOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MOMENT,
01:15:03MY FRIENDS, IS NOT JUST TO WIN THIS FALL, BUT TO DO RIGHT BY
01:15:07THEM, TO DELIVER FOR THEM. AND
01:15:11EVERY PERSON IN THIS STATE. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DEMOCRAT. AND THAT'S WHAT IT
01:15:15MEANS TO LEAD I WILL WORK FOR
01:15:21THAT VETERAN WHO DESERVES ACCESS
01:15:23TO HEALTH CARE THAT THEY EARNED.
01:15:26THE TEACHERS WHO DEDICATED THEIR
01:15:28LIVES TO PREPARING OUR KIDS FOR THE FUTURE AND DESERVE BETTER
01:15:32PAY AND MORE RESPECT OUR
01:15:39CAMPAIGN IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT ALL
01:15:40OF THEM, ALL OF YOU AND THE KIDS
01:15:44WHOSE FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT WE
01:15:45DO TODAY COST DOWN WAGES, UP
01:15:49END, CORRUPTION, PROTECT OUR RIGHTS, AND BUILD A GOVERNMENT
01:15:52WHO WORKS FOR ALL. THAT'S >> [APPLAUSE]
01:15:54>> OUR GOAL AND BY THE WAY, ALSO
01:16:00ELECT A GOVERNOR WHO KNOWS HOW
01:16:01TO STAND UP TO >> [APPLAUSE]
01:16:04>> BULLIES. AND BOY, DO I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. LIKE WHEN, UH,
01:16:08WHEN DONALD TRUMP TRIED TO PRESSURE ME INTO TURNING OVER
01:16:11YOUR PRIVATE VOTING INFORMATION OR PRESSURE CLERKS INTO TURNING OVER THEIR BALLOTS, I SAID, NO,
01:16:15AND I'LL SEE YOU IN >> [APPLAUSE]
01:16:16>> COURT
01:16:22>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND I WON.
01:16:25>> [APPLAUSE]
01:16:29>> AND SO I ENTER THIS MOMENT, MY FRIENDS, KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO BE A
01:16:33GOVERNOR. THAT'S A GUARDRAIL, A PROTECTOR OF MICHIGANDERS, BUT
01:16:37ALSO WHO KNOWS WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR OUR DEMOCRACY, FOR OUR
01:16:40ECONOMY. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT IT MEANS,
01:16:43EVEN IF IT MEANS SHELTERING IN MY HOME WHILE PEOPLE WITH GUNS
01:16:46GATHER ON MY FRONT LAWN, I WILL
01:16:49NEVER BE AFRAID TO STAND UP TO ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE WHO
01:16:52WOULD TRY TO TAKE AWAY YOUR >> [APPLAUSE]
01:16:54>> RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS. AND SO
01:17:01THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS THE CHOICE FACING VOTERS IN MICHIGAN THIS FALL. THAT IS THE CHOICE THAT
01:17:05I'M ASKING YOU TO PRESENT TO THEM. THE QUESTION, WHO DO YOU
01:17:08WANT YOUR GOVERNOR TO WORK FOR?
01:17:10WHAT DO YOU WANT HER TO STAND
01:17:12FOR >> [APPLAUSE]?
01:17:16>> AND WHO WILL SHE FIGHT FOR?
01:17:21NOW, MY REPUBLICAN OPPONENT, JOHN JAMES.
01:17:25>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC] >> HE, UH, HE'S ALREADY SHOWN
01:17:28US. WHO'S HE FIGHTING FOR. YOU
01:17:30KNOW, HE VOTED NOT ONCE, NOT
01:17:33TWICE, BUT THREE TIMES TO RAISE
01:17:35HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR HUNDREDS
01:17:37OF THOUSANDS OF MICHIGANDERS.
01:17:42WHEN MICHIGAN FAMILIES NEEDED HELP LOWERING HOUSING COSTS, HE
01:17:45STAYED HOME. AND WHEN PRESIDENT
01:17:49TRUMP TRIED TO OVERTURN A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION THAT HE LOST
01:17:53IN 2020, MY OPPONENT WAS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO HIM, PARROTING THE
01:17:56VERY SAME LIES, THE VERY SAME ATTACKS, BECAUSE HE ALSO DIDN'T
01:18:00WANT TO ADMIT THAT HE'D >> [APPLAUSE]
01:18:02>> LOST THAT ELECTION. YEAH, I, UH, I THINK, IN FACT, HE LOST A
01:18:06COUPLE OF STATEWIDE
01:18:10>> [APPLAUSE] >> ELECTIONS. BUT, UH, BUT MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS, ARE YOU READY TO MAKE SURE HE GOES THREE
01:18:14FOR THREE AND LOSES THIS ONE TO
01:18:20WELL, SO AM I. AND THE BOTTOM LINE, THOUGH, FOR ME IS THIS.
01:18:24MICHIGAN DESERVES A GOVERNOR WHO WORKS FOR YOU AND ANSWERS TO THE
01:18:26PEOPLE, NOT CORPORATIONS, NOT
01:18:29THE DEVOS FAMILY, AND NOT DONALD
01:18:34TRUMP. YOU. AND SO HERE WE GO
01:18:38INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION WITH THE WIND IN OUR BACK, WITH MOMENTUM ON OUR SIDE.
01:18:42MICHIGANDERS JUST MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN A PRIMARY WHERE
01:18:45MORE PEOPLE VOTED THAN EVER
01:18:48BEFORE IN A MIDTERM PRIMARY IN THIS >> [APPLAUSE]
01:18:52>> STATE. AND THEIR MESSAGE WAS CLEAR. THEY VOTED FOR CHANGE.
01:18:54THEY VOTED FOR LEADERS WHO WILL FIGHT FOR THEM. AND IF THERE IS
01:18:57ONE PARTY THEY TRUST FOR TO
01:18:59FIGHT FOR THEM, IT'S US. WE WILL STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE. WE
01:19:02WILL FIX WHAT IS BROKEN FOR THE
01:19:05PEOPLE WE SERVE. AND I AM COMMITTED AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR
01:19:08OF MICHIGAN, TO MAKING SURE WE MEET THIS MOMENT. BUT I CANNOT
01:19:11DO IT ALONE. I CANNOT DO IT
01:19:13WITHOUT YOUR HELP. I NEED YOU IN
01:19:15THESE NEXT THREE MONTHS TO KNOCK THOSE DOORS, MAKE THOSE CALLS,
01:19:19TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS. LEAVE HERE TONIGHT, READY TO REMIND
01:19:23PEOPLE WHAT IS AT STAKE AND WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN WE COME
01:19:27TOGETHER, WE CAN TAKE THE
01:19:28VICTORY WE SAW ON TUESDAY AND DELIVER ANOTHER ONE THIS FALL
01:19:32FOR >> [APPLAUSE] >> ALL OF US.
01:19:35>> [APPLAUSE]
01:19:39>> SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
01:19:43TONIGHT, AS WE SHOW THE NATION
01:19:44WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR
01:19:47AND WHO WE ARE FIGHTING FOR. ARE
01:19:49YOU READY TO WORK FOR DEMOCRACY?
01:19:54>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:19:56>> ARE YOU READY TO FIGHT FOR
01:20:02DEMOCRACY? ARE YOU READY TO VOTE
01:20:05FOR LET ME HEAR IT. VOTE FOR.
01:20:11VOTE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:20:14>> FOR FOR. WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE TOGETHER, MY FRIENDS,
01:20:18YOU AND ME, WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS ELECTION, AND WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE STATE FOR THE
01:20:21BETTER. LET'S GET IT DONE.
01:20:24>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:20:28>> AND I AM EXCITED NOW TO
01:20:31INTRODUCE SOMEONE. FUN FACT, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR A REALLY LONG
01:20:34TIME. UH, WE WERE STUDENTS TOGETHER LONG AGO. WE'RE
01:20:37COLLEAGUES NOW. WE'RE FRIENDS
01:20:39NOW. UH, YOU MAY KNOW HIM AS
01:20:46SECRETARY >> [APPLAUSE]
01:20:47>> PETE. I KNOW HIM NOW AS
01:20:50MICHIGANDER. PETE BUTTIGIEG.
01:20:52LET'S BRING HIM ON OUT
01:20:58>> COME ONE TIME. >> [MUSIC] >> OH
01:21:01>> [MUSIC]
01:21:07>> HEY, WAKE UP >> [MUSIC].
01:21:08>> KISS. WE GOT THE DREAMERS. DISEASE. >> [MUSIC]
01:21:13>> GOT YOU DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
01:21:22>> [MUSIC]
01:21:22>> THANK
01:21:33>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT FEELS GOOD. USUALLY WHEN I'M ON THE
01:21:37ROAD, I SAY IT FEELS GOOD TO BE. AND THEN I TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT
01:21:39STATE I'M IN. BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:21:42>> HOME IN MICHIGAN.
01:21:45>> [APPLAUSE] >> HUGE SHOWING TONIGHT. THANK
01:21:49YOU FOR TAKING SOME TIME ON A FRIDAY EVENING TO GET FIRED UP
01:21:53TOGETHER FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:21:55>> NEXT 88 DAYS
01:21:57>> [APPLAUSE] >> I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF
01:22:01THE GREAT LEADERS WHO ARE WITH US, PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEPPED UP
01:22:04AT EVERY LEVEL, PEOPLE WHO WILL
01:22:07NEVER MAKE THE MISTAKE OF TREATING THE PRESIDENCY LIKE IT'S THE ONLY OFFICE THAT
01:22:11MATTERS, BECAUSE WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO RIGHT >> [APPLAUSE]
01:22:13>> HERE, CLOSER TO HOME. I'M
01:22:18THANKFUL TO BE IN THE CITY, LED BY MAYOR MARY >> [APPLAUSE]
01:22:20>> SHEFFIELD
01:22:25>> [APPLAUSE] >> TO BE IN THE TRADITION OF SENATOR SLOTKIN AND SENATOR
01:22:29PETERS IN THE STATE OF GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMER, THAT WOMAN FROM MICHIGAN WHO GOT A WHOLE LOT OF
01:22:33>> [APPLAUSE] >> PEOPLE TO SEE OUR STATE DIFFERENTLY.
01:22:36>> [APPLAUSE]
01:22:41>> I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU. EVER SINCE MOVING TO BE
01:22:44CLOSER TO OUR FAMILY IN GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, OR, AS I'VE
01:22:47LEARNED AS A MICHIGANDER, TO PUT AT THE AT THE END OF MY RING >> [APPLAUSE]
01:22:50>> FINGER, RIGHT THERE, I HAVE
01:22:54SEEN FOR MYSELF HOW THIS STATE
01:22:56CAPTURES SO MANY DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF AMERICAN LIFE, FROM THE AUTO TOWNS THAT REMIND
01:23:00ME OF WHERE I GREW UP, TO THE
01:23:03ROLLING HILLS AND CHERRY ORCHARDS WHERE WE LIVE NOW, TO
01:23:07ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT CITIES, WHERE WE ARE GATHERED
01:23:09RIGHT NOW. DETROIT, >> [APPLAUSE] >> MICHIGAN.
01:23:13>> [APPLAUSE] >> SO BEFORE I WAS YOUR
01:23:17NEIGHBOR, YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW ME FROM SOMETHING ELSE.
01:23:20LIKE MAYBE WHEN I DID WHAT, UH,
01:23:24ANY SUCCESSFUL SECOND TERM MAYOR OF THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN
01:23:26INDIANA WOULD DO AND SOUGHT THE PRESIDENCY >> [APPLAUSE]
01:23:30>> IN 2020. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:23:33>> OR MAYBE YOU KNOW ME FROM MY UNEXPECTED SPECIALTY OF APPEARING FROM TIME TO TIME ON
01:23:37FOX NEWS
01:23:40>> [APPLAUSE]. [APPLAUSE]
01:23:42>> OR MAYBE YOU KNOW ME, FROM WHEN I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING
01:23:45AS YOUR UNITED STATES
01:23:49>> [APPLAUSE] >> SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:23:53>> MAKING SURE WE GOT DOLLARS ON THE GROUND TO DO THINGS LIKE
01:23:56BUILD SAFER STREETS AROUND DETROIT, OR RECONNECT
01:23:59COMMUNITIES AROUND I-375, OR
01:24:01DELIVER THE STRONGEST EXPANSION
01:24:04OF AIRLINE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:24:07>> PASSENGER RIGHTS EVER. >> [APPLAUSE] >> BUT RIGHT NOW, I AM HERE IN
01:24:11ONE SIMPLE CAPACITY. AND THAT IS, AS YOUR FELLOW PROUD
01:24:15MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT, WORKING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GREAT RESULT
01:24:17THIS NOVEMBER
01:24:19>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:24:23>> NOW WE HAVE JUST 88 DAYS TO
01:24:26MAKE SURE THAT THINGS GO RIGHT.
01:24:29THE STAKES ARE HIGH, AND PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE
01:24:33FROM AROUND THE WORLD, ARE WATCHING THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
01:24:36RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF WE HAVE THE
01:24:38CAPABILITY TO PUT TOGETHER THAT
01:24:41COALITION TO WIN. AND WE WILL
01:24:46>> [APPLAUSE] >> WIN.
01:24:49>> [APPLAUSE] >> WE'RE GOING TO WIN BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO FOCUS
01:24:53ON WHAT'S AT STAKE, TO LOCK
01:24:57ARMS AS ALLIES. AFTER A SPIRITED PRIMARY, TO PULL TOGETHER IN
01:25:00COMMON CAUSE IN AN ELECTION THAT'S GOING TO DECIDE, IN NO
01:25:04SMALL PART, WHETHER THE AMERICAN DREAM COMES BACK. AND THE
01:25:08AMERICAN PROJECT ENDURES. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE WORLD IS
01:25:11WATCHING. I'LL INVITE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PRESS RISERS OVER THERE. NOT IN A CREEPY
01:25:15DONALD TRUMP KIND OF WAY, BECAUSE WE RESPECT A FREE AND INDEPENDENT >> [APPLAUSE]
01:25:19>> PRESS BUT RATHER TO AFFIRM
01:25:27WHAT IS AT STAKE IN THE CHOICES
01:25:29THAT OUR FELLOW MICHIGANDERS ARE GOING TO MAKE AT THE BALLOT BOX.
01:25:33IN JUST 88 DAYS. YEAH, WE'RE
01:25:35GOING TO WIN, BECAUSE WE AREN'T JUST OBSESSED WITH WHAT IT IS WE
01:25:38ARE AGAINST. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS
01:25:41WE'RE ACTUALLY FOR, AND WE'RE READY TO INVITE PEOPLE TO JOIN US IN A POWERFUL MAJORITY TO MAKE
01:25:45>> [APPLAUSE]
01:25:46>> THAT REAL. WE'RE GOING TO WIN
01:25:51BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROJECT OF THE MOMENT IS NOT TO
01:25:54RETURN TO SOME PREVIOUS STATUS
01:25:57QUO. IT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE BETTER NOT JUST THAN
01:26:00THEY ARE TODAY, BUT THAN THEY EVER WERE BEFORE
01:26:03>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:26:07>> I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE VALUES AND THE VISION TO DO THAT. I
01:26:11BELIEVE WE HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO DO THAT, AND I BELIEVE WE
01:26:14HAVE THE CANDIDATES TO DO THAT. >> [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT
01:26:18>> [APPLAUSE]
01:26:23>> TO PULL TOGETHER DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AND A WHOLE LOT OF WHAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO CALL
01:26:27FUTURE FORMER REPUBLICANS INTO THE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:26:30>> FOLD WITH US.
01:26:32>> [APPLAUSE]
01:26:35>> NOW, LOOK, IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE ALL MAY NOT HAVE VOTED
01:26:38THE SAME WAY ON TUESDAY. THAT'S
01:26:42OKAY. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. BUT
01:26:45HOWEVER YOU VOTED IN TUESDAY'S PRIMARIES, THERE IS A REASON YOU
01:26:48WENT OUT AND VOTED IN >> [APPLAUSE] >> THE FIRST PLACE, RIGHT? I
01:26:51KNOW THAT WHAT BROUGHT US ALL
01:26:53OUT TO VOTE. WHAT BRINGS US ALL OUT HERE TONIGHT, AND WHAT WILL
01:26:57PROPEL US TO VICTORY IN NOVEMBER, IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
01:27:00VALUES WE CARE ABOUT, THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE SHARE, AND
01:27:03THE NEED TO ELECT LEADERS WHO WILL REPRESENT US, THE CHANCE TO
01:27:07MAKE EVERYDAY LIFE BETTER IN
01:27:09THIS STATE AND IN THIS COUNTRY
01:27:11>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:27:16>> SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. WHEREVER YOU SIT IN
01:27:20THIS BIG TENT OF OURS, AND IT IS
01:27:22A BIG TENT, BUT WHATEVER CORNER OF THAT TENT YOU THINK OF AS
01:27:26HOME, THERE IS A SET OF THINGS. AND I MEAN BIG, BIG THINGS WHERE
01:27:30WE AGREE WITH EACH OTHER. WE
01:27:32AGREE WITH MOST MICHIGANDERS,
01:27:35AND WASHINGTON AND LANSING
01:27:38REPUBLICANS DISAGREE WITH US. THAT'S WHAT'S AT STAKE RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT
01:27:42LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTER. DEMOCRAT
01:27:45AND REPUBLICAN. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LIFELONG
01:27:49DEMOCRAT TO BELIEVE THAT ONE JOB
01:27:51OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH IN THE AMERICAN
01:27:55>> [APPLAUSE] >> ECONOMY.
01:27:56>> [APPLAUSE]
01:27:59>> A BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL TO SEE THAT COSTS NEED TO GO DOWN,
01:28:02AND WAGES NEED TO GO UP, NOT THE
01:28:04OTHER WAY AROUND
01:28:07>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:28:10>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELONG TO THIS POLITICAL PARTY OR THAT
01:28:13POLITICAL PARTY TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOD DOES NOT BELONG TO ANY
01:28:17POLITICAL PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES OF
01:28:20>> [APPLAUSE]
01:28:21>> AMERICA. OR TO INSIST THAT
01:28:25PEOPLE OF EVERY FAITH AND ANY
01:28:28FAITH, IF ANY, ALL DESERVE EQUAL
01:28:30TREATMENT, RESPECT, DIGNITY, AND SAFETY IN THIS >> [APPLAUSE]
01:28:34>> COUNTRY
01:28:36>> [APPLAUSE]
01:28:39>> THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN JUST SEE. WE CAN SEE FOR
01:28:42OURSELVES. DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS, AND A LOT OF
01:28:44PEOPLE WHO ARE USED TO VOTING
01:28:46REPUBLICAN, AND SO MANY OF THOSE
01:28:49THINGS ARE ON THE BALLOT THIS
01:28:52FALL. WAR IS ON THE BALLOT >> [APPLAUSE] >> THIS FALL. >> YES.
01:28:56>> WE ARE ALL PAYING MORE AT THE PUMP, AND SERVICE MEMBERS ARE
01:28:59PAYING WITH THEIR LIVES BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP LAUNCHED A WAR ON
01:29:02IRAN WITH NO PLAN FOR HOW TO GET
01:29:04US >> [APPLAUSE]
01:29:07>> OUT OF IT. AND CONGRESSMAN
01:29:10JOHN JAMES VOTED TO SEND YOUR MONEY INTO THAT CONFLICT, WHICH TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT THE KIND
01:29:14OF GOVERNOR THAT HE WOULD BE IF
01:29:18HE GOT ELECTED.
01:29:18>> [APPLAUSE]
01:29:22>> BUT JOCELYN BENSON SHOWED INTEGRITY UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE AS SECRETARY OF STATE,
01:29:25WHICH SHOWS YOU THE KIND OF GOVERNOR SHE'LL BE WHEN WE SEND
01:29:28HER TO THAT OFFICE IN JUST A FEW
01:29:30WEEKS. WE NEED TO GET
01:29:34>> [APPLAUSE] >> JOCELYN BENSON ELECTED. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:29:38>> CORRUPTION AND INTEGRITY ARE
01:29:39ON THE BALLOT THIS FALL. A FIRST
01:29:44FAMILY MAKING CRYPTO BILLIONS. WHICH IS NOT A SENTENCE I EVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO >> [APPLAUSE]
01:29:47>> SAY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
01:29:50TRADING STOCKS, POLITICIANS ENRICHING THEMSELVES ON THE JOB.
01:29:54IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY,
01:29:56WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO MAKE
01:29:58SURE WE FOLLOW OUR GREAT ATTORNEY GENERAL, DANA NESSEL,
01:30:02WITH A PROVEN FIGHTER LIKE ELIZABETH, WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW
01:30:04TO TAKE ON CORRUPTION. AND WITH
01:30:12OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM, UNDER THE PRESSURE THAT IT'S UNDER, WE
01:30:15NEED A PROVEN STATEWIDE LEADER
01:30:17OF INTEGRITY TO BE OUR NEXT SECRETARY OF STATE, FOLLOWING
01:30:21JOCELYN BENSON. AND THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T JUST STAND
01:30:24TALL. HE THINKS BIG. AND THAT IS
01:30:29GARLIN >> [APPLAUSE]
01:30:30>> GILCHRIST. COMMON SENSE IS ON
01:30:36THE BALLOT THIS FALL. WE NEED TO
01:30:40KEEP INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE. WE NEED TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO
01:30:44PROTECT CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER. AND WE HAVE A CLEAR CHOICE BETWEEN THOSE PRIORITIES
01:30:47IN LANSING AND THE ENDLESS CULTURE WARS THAT SEEM TO
01:30:51CONSUME THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF
01:30:53STATE LEGISLATIVE REPUBLICANS. ONLY ONE SET OF CANDIDATES IS IN
01:30:57LINE WITH THE PRIORITIES OF MICHIGANDERS, WHICH IS WHY WE
01:31:00MUST PRESERVE THE STATE SENATE
01:31:02MAJORITY AND BRING THAT HOUSE INTO DEMOCRATIC HANDS SO THE
01:31:06GOVERNOR, BENSON, CAN WORK WITH
01:31:07THAT TRIFECTA.
01:31:13>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE US HOUSE AND THE US SENATE, THE
01:31:17CHOICE COULD NOT BE CLEARER.
01:31:19WHEN IT COMES TO THE US SENATE, WE HAVE ABDUL EL-SAYED, WHO
01:31:23INSISTS THAT MONEY AND POLITICS
01:31:25HAS GONE TOO FAR.
01:31:28>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:31:33>> AND WE HAVE HIM RUNNING AGAINST MIKE ROGERS, WHO INSISTS ON >> [APPLAUSE]
01:31:37>> BEING PART OF THE PROBLEM.
01:31:39>> [APPLAUSE]
01:31:43>> WE HAVE ONE CANDIDATE IN ABDUL EL-SAYED WHO WANTS TO EXPAND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
01:31:46AND KEEP MORE MONEY
01:31:50>> [APPLAUSE] >> IN YOUR POCKET. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CANDIDATE, MIKE ROGERS,
01:31:53WHO LITERALLY VOTED AGAINST THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. AND YOU
01:31:56BETTER BELIEVE HE WILL CUT HEALTH CARE ONE MORE TIME IF YOU GIVE HIM A CHANCE IN THE UNITED
01:32:00STATES SENATE. SO WE WILL NOT
01:32:02LET THAT HAPPEN. MIKE ROGERS HAS DISQUALIFIED HIMSELF FROM GOING >> [APPLAUSE]
01:32:06>> BACK TO WASHINGTON. YOU GOT
01:32:11MIKE >> [APPLAUSE] >> ROGERS AND JOHN JAMES AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ON THE
01:32:13BALLOT RIGHT NOW IN ALL OF THESE KEY HOUSE DISTRICTS WHO THINK
01:32:16IT'S PERFECTLY FINE TO CUT
01:32:22SCHOOLS AND CLOSE HOSPITALS AND SHUT DOWN ROAD PROJECTS, ALL IN
01:32:26ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RICHEST INDIVIDUALS AND
01:32:29THE LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN THE LAND PAY A LOWER TAX RATE THAN
01:32:32THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH IN THOSE
01:32:36SCHOOLS, THE WORKERS WHO PAVE THOSE ROADS, AND THE NURSES WHO SERVE IN THOSE HOSPITALS. WE
01:32:39KNOW THAT WE CAN DO >> [APPLAUSE]
01:32:42>> BETTER THAN THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:32:46>> WE KNOW THAT INVESTING IN HEALTH CARE AND FUNDING, NOT
01:32:50SLASHING SNAP AND SUPPORTING, NOT GUTTING HEAD START AND
01:32:54MAKING SURE THAT THE BEST AND
01:32:56WEALTHIEST ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES ACTUALLY HAS THE BEST
01:33:00FUNDED PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES. WE KNOW THE
01:33:02LEADERS WHO WILL DO THAT
01:33:11>> [APPLAUSE] >> THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE WITH US. THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN ARE
01:33:13WITH US, AND WE ARE WITH EACH OTHER ON ISSUE AFTER ISSUE AFTER
01:33:17ISSUE. YEAH, YOU ARE EITHER FOR
01:33:21OR AGAINST A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE, AND WE KNOW WHAT SIDE WE ARE ON IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
01:33:25AND IN >> [APPLAUSE]
01:33:26>> THIS PARTY YOU ARE EITHER FOR
01:33:31OR AGAINST THE RIGHT TO BE WHO
01:33:33YOU ARE AND LOVE WHO YOU LOVE, WITHOUT SOMEBODY TELLING YOU
01:33:36WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. AND
01:33:38MOST PEOPLE ARE WITH US ON THAT.
01:33:41>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:33:44>> AND I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WE ARE A PRACTICAL PEOPLE IN THIS
01:33:47PART OF THE COUNTRY. WE PAY ATTENTION, ABOVE ALL, TO
01:33:51RESULTS. SO TODAY WE WOKE UP TO NEWS THAT THE US ECONOMY IS
01:33:55LOSING JOBS. REMEMBER WHEN THEY PROMISED THAT THOSE TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY WERE WORTH IT
01:33:58BECAUSE THEY WOULD SPEED UP THE ECONOMY? THE OPPOSITE HAPPENED.
01:34:02REMEMBER WHEN THEY TOLD US WE HAD TO PAY THOSE TARIFFS THAT
01:34:05COST US A THOUSAND BUCKS A HOUSEHOLD, BECAUSE IT WOULD
01:34:08BRING BACK MANUFACTURING. THE OPPOSITE IS HAPPENING. JUST LIKE
01:34:12WHEN THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD
01:34:13DRAIN THE SWAMP, ONLY FOR THE
01:34:16SWAMP TO BE THE SWAMP IT HAS EVER BEEN. AND THE ONLY THING
01:34:19THEY DRAINED WAS THE REFLECTING POOL IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLN
01:34:22MEMORIAL. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:34:25>> MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS.
01:34:27>> [APPLAUSE]
01:34:30>> AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS ASKING QUESTIONS, PEOPLE WHO DID
01:34:33NOT VOTE THE WAY WE WOULD HAVE LIKED THEM TO VOTE. THE LAST FEW
01:34:36TIMES, PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVED IT WHEN THEY HEARD NO
01:34:39NEW WARS, WHO BELIEVED IT WHEN THEY WERE TOLD THAT COSTS WERE
01:34:41GOING TO COME DOWN. AND THE TIME HAS COME TO REACH OUT TO THEM,
01:34:45AND WE ARE NOT THERE TO SAY, WE TOLD YOU SO, WE ARE THERE TO
01:34:48SAY, THOSE GUYS DON'T DESERVE YOU. JOIN US AND TOGETHER,
01:34:51LET'S DO SOMETHING BETTER.
01:34:55>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:34:58>> NO TWO PEOPLE IN A PARTY, OR
01:35:02A COUNTRY OR A COUNTY OR A FAMILY AGREE ON ABSOLUTELY
01:35:06EVERYTHING. BUT ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE BIG ISSUES, DEMOCRATS
01:35:09AGREE ON WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO. MOST MICHIGANDERS AGREE ON WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO, AND WE GOT A
01:35:13CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO
01:35:17THESE NEXT 88 DAYS, AND LET'S GET THE WORD OUT TO >> [APPLAUSE]
01:35:19>> EVERYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN.
01:35:23AND BASED ON THE ENERGY IN THIS ROOM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO >> [APPLAUSE] >> DO JUST FINE.
01:35:27>> [APPLAUSE] >> IN NOVEMBER BUT WE GOTTA KEEP DOING THE WORK. NOW. AS SOON AS
01:35:31WE'RE DONE HERE, I'M GOING TO HEAD RIGHT BACK UP NORTH SO THAT I CAN BE THERE FOR THE BIRTHDAY
01:35:35PARTY WE'RE THROWING FOR OUR TWINS TOMORROW MORNING. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:35:37>> BACK HOME.
01:35:40>> [APPLAUSE]
01:35:45>> BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU >> [APPLAUSE]
01:35:49>> THEY'RE >> [APPLAUSE] >> ABOUT TO BE FIVE. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:35:52>> WHICH MEANS IF YOU EVER HAD KIDS THAT AGE, THEY'RE STARTING
01:35:54TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. SOME
01:35:58ARE EASIER >> [APPLAUSE] >> THAN OTHERS IS A PINEAPPLE
01:36:01BIGGER THAN A GRAPEFRUIT? WHAT
01:36:04HAPPENED TO OUR OLD >> [APPLAUSE]
01:36:05>> DOG IS TAYLOR SWIFT REAL
01:36:11>> [APPLAUSE]?
01:36:11>> DO THE GOOD GUYS ALWAYS WIN?
01:36:15EVEN AT THIS AGE? I'M STARTING TO FIND IT CHALLENGING TO ANSWER
01:36:19SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT COME MY WAY. I'M STARTING TO ASK
01:36:23JUSTIN AND ME ABOUT THE AMERICAN
01:36:24FLAG, WHY WE DON'T HAVE KINGS
01:36:27AND QUEENS, WHERE WE LIVE. YOU'RE ASKING SOME PRETTY POINTED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY I
01:36:30KEEP GOING TO THE AIRPORT EVERY
01:36:32FEW DAYS, BUT THIS RIGHT HERE,
01:36:35IS WHY I'M ON THE ROAD. FOR THE SAME REASON THAT YOU'RE WORKING SO HARD FOR THIS ELECTION,
01:36:38BECAUSE ONE DAY, THOSE QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO GET EVEN MORE INTENSE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE
01:36:42SAYING, HEY, PAPA, BACK IN THE
01:36:482020s, WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN
01:36:50THINGS WERE SO CRAZY IN THIS
01:36:52COUNTRY? WHAT DID YOU DO ABOUT IT? AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO
01:36:55TELL THEM THAT BACK THEN, BACK
01:36:57IN THE 2020s, BACK WHEN
01:37:01POLITICIANS DREW MAPS WHERE THEY COULD PICK THEIR OWN VOTERS
01:37:03INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY >> [APPLAUSE] >> AROUND, BACK WHEN ONE JOB WAS
01:37:06NOT ENOUGH FOR SO MANY HARD
01:37:09WORKING AMERICANS, BACK WHEN
01:37:12SOME PEOPLE BARBARICALLY HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HEALTH CARE AND A
01:37:15MORTGAGE PAYMENT. BACK IN THE 2020s, WHEN THE AMERICAN DREAM
01:37:18WAS SLIPPING AWAY, WE DECIDED TO
01:37:22TURN THINGS AROUND BEFORE IT >> [APPLAUSE] >> WAS TOO LATE.
01:37:26>> [APPLAUSE] >> WHEN WE STOP PRETENDING
01:37:29THINGS THAT COULD GO ON LIKE THAT WOULD GO ON FOREVER, AND WE
01:37:32MADE SURE SOMETHING BETTER TOOK THEIR PLACE. AND I'M GOING TO
01:37:35TELL THEM ABOUT THE WORK WE DID RIGHT HERE IN MICHIGAN. IN THE
01:37:39GENERAL ELECTION >> [APPLAUSE]
01:37:41>> OF 2026. SO MY ONLY QUESTION
01:37:44IS, ARE YOU READY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE STORY WE GET TO
01:37:47TELL OUR KIDS ONE DAY? >> [APPLAUSE] >> ARE YOU READY TO CALL PEOPLE
01:37:50INTO OUR COALITION WHILE THERE'S STILL A CHANCE? ARE YOU
01:37:54READY TO DO THE WORK? KNOCK ON DOORS, PICK UP THE PHONE,
01:37:58>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND CALL FOR SOMETHING
01:38:01BETTER. THAN WE WILL BE PROUD OF THIS MOMENT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE
01:38:04WERE ABOUT TO DO NEXT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING UP,
01:38:08MICHIGAN. LET'S GET TO WORK >> [APPLAUSE]
01:38:10>> AND LET'S GET THIS DONE.
01:38:19SPEAKING OF GETTING IT DONE, I NOW HAVE THE PLEASURE OF TURNING
01:38:22OVER TO SOMEONE WHO IS LEADING THE EXTRAORDINARY TEAM, THE
01:38:26STAFF, THE VOLUNTEERS, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE MICHIGAN
01:38:29DEMOCRATIC PARTY. PLEASE WELCOME YOUR MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
01:38:33STATE CHAIR >> [APPLAUSE] >> CURTIS HERTEL.
01:38:36>> [MUSIC]
01:38:42>> AM I? HI. I'MA RIP THIS
01:38:48KILL. THE LIGHTS GO OUT TILL MY
01:38:50LEGS GIVE OUT. CAN'T SHUT TILL
01:38:52THE SMOKE A VERSE STARTS, I EAT
01:38:59IT IN EMCEES HEART. WHAT IS HE THINKING? I'M ABOUT TO GO
01:39:02AGAINST ME ABSURD HOW PEOPLE HANG ON EVERY WORD. I'LL
01:39:06PROBABLY NEVER GET THE PROPS I
01:39:08FEEL I EVER DESERVE.
01:39:15>> WE HAVE. >> SOME AMAZING CANDIDATES. YOU
01:39:18KNOW, I WANT TO TELL YOU ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I RAN FOR CHAIR
01:39:21OF THIS PARTY, UH, I SAID THAT
01:39:27WE WOULD GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS
01:39:30OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
01:39:31CHOOSING CANDIDATES. THE PEOPLE
01:39:35SHOULD >> [APPLAUSE] >> CHOOSE. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:39:38>> WELL, I WANT TO TELL YOU, YOU
01:39:40DID A FINE JOB I WANT TO SHOW
01:39:44YOU MY SHIRT REAL QUICK.
01:39:47>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:39:58>> GET THAT ON MICHIGAN DEMS.COM. HELP SUPPORT THE
01:40:00ORGANIZING PROGRAM THAT WE DO.
01:40:03UH, I WANT TO BRING UP THE REST OF OUR TICKET FOR A SECOND. UH,
01:40:07PEOPLE THAT ARE BECAUSE OF OUR TEAM
01:40:11>> [APPLAUSE]. [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT
01:40:14>> [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC]
01:40:30>> WE HAVE STATE BOARD OF
01:40:33EDUCATION MEMBER TIFFANY TILLEY.
01:40:37>> [APPLAUSE] >> UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN BOARD
01:40:40OF REGENTS MEMBER AMIR MACKLIN.
01:40:47MSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES BRIANNA SCOTT AND >> [APPLAUSE]
01:40:50>> KELLY TEBAY OUR NEXT WAYNE
01:40:54STATE BOARD OF >> [APPLAUSE] >> GOVERNORS. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:40:56>> SHARIF AKIL. AND IN THE NINTH
01:41:00CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, OUR NEXT >> [APPLAUSE]
01:41:02>> CONGRESSMAN, RAY POOLEY. WE
01:41:08ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE THEM ON OUR TICKET. WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR
01:41:10THEM TO BE PART OF TAKING
01:41:13MICHIGAN BACK. THESE ARE YOUR >> [APPLAUSE]
01:41:17>> CANDIDATES.
01:41:17>> [APPLAUSE]
01:41:22>> GUYS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE
01:41:26FIRST TIME IN MICHIGAN HISTORY.
01:41:28THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME WE'VE
01:41:32EVER HAD AN OPEN GOVERNOR'S RACE. OPEN U.s SENATE RACE,
01:41:35OPEN, ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE
01:41:38OPEN. SECRETARY OF STATE, ENOUGH SEATS THAT WE CAN FLIP CONGRESS
01:41:41RIGHT HERE IN >> [APPLAUSE] >> MICHIGAN
01:41:43>> [APPLAUSE]
01:41:47>> WE'RE DOWN THREE SEATS IN THE STATE HOUSE. WE GOT A ONE
01:41:50SEAT MAJORITY IN THE STATE
01:41:53SENATE AND TWO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. ALL RIGHT, HERE IN
01:41:56MICHIGAN. NO PRESSURE. >> [APPLAUSE] >> EVERYBODY.
01:42:00>> [APPLAUSE] >> BUT WE ARE LUCKY. WE HAVE A
01:42:03GREAT TEAM OF CANDIDATES. UH, I
01:42:08AM SO PROUD OF THE CANDIDATES.
01:42:09WE HAVE. JOCELYN BENSON HAS BEEN
01:42:12A FIGHTER FOR >> [APPLAUSE]
01:42:16>> MICHIGAN. EVERY SINGLE TIME THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS
01:42:20COME AND TRIED TO CONTROL OUR
01:42:22ELECTIONS, WE'VE HAD ONE PERSON
01:42:25STAND UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND
01:42:27SAY, NO. AND I KNOW THAT SHE
01:42:30WILL TAKE THAT SAME PASSION TO
01:42:32INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS, INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
01:42:36AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO RAISE A FAMILY HERE IN MICHIGAN. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:42:40>> AGAIN
01:42:41>> [APPLAUSE]
01:42:45>> AND I GOT TO SERVE IN THE
01:42:47SENATE WITH GARLIN GILCHRIST. I
01:42:50WATCHED GARLAND FIGHT EVERY
01:42:52SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW, WE PASSED THE LARGEST TAX CUT FOR WORKING
01:42:57FAMILIES. WE BROUGHT 30,000 KIDS OUT
01:43:01>> [APPLAUSE] >> OF POVERTY. WE WERE THE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:43:03>> FIRST STATE, THE FIRST STATE
01:43:05IN 70 YEARS TO REPEAL RIGHT TO
01:43:07WORK
01:43:11>> [APPLAUSE] >> WE WE, WE IN MICHIGAN, YOU
01:43:14COULD BE FIRED FOR JUST LOVING
01:43:16WHO YOU LOVE AND BEING WHO YOU
01:43:20WERE BEFORE GARLAND STEPPED >> [APPLAUSE] >> OUT.
01:43:23>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND OUR NEXT ATTORNEY
01:43:27GENERAL, ELIZABETH.
01:43:30>> [APPLAUSE]
01:43:32>> NOT ONLY HAS HE. HAS HE BEEN
01:43:34A PROSECUTOR, BUT HE HAS ALSO
01:43:37BEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS FOUGHT CORPORATIONS THAT POISONED OUR
01:43:41WATER AND HURT OUR LAND AND HELD THEM ACCOUNTABLE EVERY SINGLE
01:43:45TIME. AND WE NEED A PEOPLE'S
01:43:49LAWYER LIKE >> [APPLAUSE] >> THAT.
01:43:50>> [APPLAUSE]
01:43:54>> AND A GREAT FIGHTER IN ABDUL
01:43:58>> [APPLAUSE] >> EL-SAYED. >> [APPLAUSE] >> NOW
01:44:02>> NOW, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. RIGHT NOW,
01:44:06REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO GO
01:44:09AROUND THIS WHISPER CAMPAIGN
01:44:13THAT ABDUL EL-SAYED IS NOT >> [APPLAUSE]
01:44:15>> AN AMERICAN
01:44:18>> [APPLAUSE]
01:44:22>> THERE IS NOTHING MORE
01:44:23AMERICAN THAN ABDUL EL-SAYED.
01:44:29ABDUL ABDUL WAS BORN HERE IN
01:44:34MICHIGAN, AND HE WAS RAISED BY A
01:44:36DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN
01:44:42>> [APPLAUSE] >> REVOLUTION. HE WAS A CAPTAIN OF HIS FOOTBALL
01:44:46>> [APPLAUSE] >> TEAM. HE WAS A VALEDICTORIAN
01:44:48AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
01:44:52>> [APPLAUSE] >> MICHIGAN. AND AS A SPARTAN, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ADMIT IT, BUT YOU GOTTA BE PRETTY SMART
01:44:56FOR >> [APPLAUSE] >> THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:44:59>> BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT
01:45:02WHAT HE HAS DONE IS THE BEST OF
01:45:05AMERICA. HE HAS GONE AND TRIED
01:45:10TO FIX OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS
01:45:13>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:45:22>> AND IN PLACES THAT WERE BROKEN, IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
01:45:25THAT WERE HURTING, WHERE PEOPLE NEEDED HELP, ABDUL STOOD UP.
01:45:29EVERY SINGLE TIME. THERE IS NOTHING MORE
01:45:34>> [APPLAUSE] >> AMERICAN THAN THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:45:38>> AND I WANT TO SAY THIS TO YOU. THERE IS NOTHING MORE
01:45:41AMERICAN THAN MEDICARE
01:45:45>> [APPLAUSE] >> FOR ALL. DO YOU KNOW THAT
01:45:47THERE HAS BEEN A MICHIGAN
01:45:50DEMOCRAT FIGHTING FOR MEDICARE
01:45:53FOR ALL SINCE THE 1930s IN
01:45:56MICHIGAN, AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO TELL THE LIE THAT IS
01:45:59NOT AN AMERICAN IDEAL. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IF I WAS MIKE ROGERS,
01:46:03I'D TELL THAT LIE TO. BECAUSE
01:46:08HE'S VOTED DIRECTLY TO TAKE HEALTH CARE AWAY FROM THOUSANDS
01:46:12AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN
01:46:17>> [APPLAUSE] >> MICHIGAN. SO, OF COURSE, IF YOU WERE AGAINST THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
01:46:20AGAINST EXPANDING IT TO ANYBODY.
01:46:23AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT FOR EVERY TIME THEY COME AND TELL
01:46:26YOU THAT HIS IDEAS OR WHO HE IS,
01:46:33MORE IMPORTANTLY, IS NOT AMERICAN, I WANT TO TELL YOU
01:46:36WHAT NOT AMERICAN IS WHAT'S NOT
01:46:40AMERICAN IS HAVING A PRESIDENT
01:46:44AND A CONGRESS THAT GAVE
01:46:47BILLIONS IN TAX CUTS TO
01:46:50BILLIONAIRES WHILE RIPPING HEALTH CARE FROM THE PEOPLE OF
01:46:53THIS >> [APPLAUSE] >> STATE.
01:46:57>> [APPLAUSE] >> WHAT'S NOT AMERICAN IS GOING
01:47:01TO A WAR OF CHOICE SOLDIERS
01:47:07ABROAD SO THAT THEY CAN RAISE PRICES ON EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN
01:47:11THIS ROOM. YOU KNOW, THEY TALK
01:47:12ABOUT AMERICA FIRST. THAT'S
01:47:15AMERICA LAST POLICY. THEY SAY
01:47:18THEY'RE AMERICA FIRST. WE ARE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:47:22>> AMERICA FIRST. AND I, FOR
01:47:29ONE, AM TIRED OF THEM TRYING TO
01:47:36DIVIDE THIS COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, WE HAD RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ALL SAYING, OH, DEMOCRATS ARE
01:47:39DIVIDED IN MICHIGAN. DO WE LOOK DIVIDED RIGHT >> [APPLAUSE]
01:47:43>> NOW? SAW HALEY STEVENS, WHO LOST AND RAN A TOUGH RACE, GO UP
01:47:47AND HUG ABDUL EL-SAYED AND SAY,
01:47:50WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO
01:47:52TAKE THIS STATE AND COUNTRY BACK.
01:47:55>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:48:00>> NOW THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO DO IT. FOR THE NEXT
01:48:04THREE MONTHS, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND TIME OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
01:48:07TRYING TO TELL LIES ABOUT ABDUL,
01:48:11TRYING TO TELL ALL THESE LIES. YOU KNOW WHAT? THE BEST PART
01:48:13ABOUT THAT IS? WE JUST GOTTA
01:48:15TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THEM. JOHN
01:48:18JAMES HAS RUN FOR GOVERNOR >> [APPLAUSE]
01:48:21>> TWICE. I'M SORRY. HE'S RUN
01:48:22FOR STATEWIDE
01:48:27>> [APPLAUSE] >> OFFICE TWICE. HE'S A TWO TIME LOSER >> [APPLAUSE]
01:48:30>> MIKE ROGERS COULDN'T EVEN WIN
01:48:32WHEN DONALD
01:48:37>> [APPLAUSE] >> TRUMP WON. THEY. MIKE ROGERS MOVED HERE BACK TO FLORIDA FROM >> [APPLAUSE]
01:48:41>> FLORIDA
01:48:42>> [APPLAUSE] >> HE WAS LIVING LAST TIME IN A
01:48:46HOUSE THAT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE
01:48:48WATER AND HE LOOKS PRETTY FANCY.
01:48:52SO HE WAS GOING SOMEWHERE RIGHT? AND WHAT ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS
01:48:56THAT WE, WE HAVE GOT A
01:48:59RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THIS
01:49:00COUNTRY BACK AND I KNOW THAT
01:49:06WHILE WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY WE WANT TO SOLVE
01:49:09PROBLEMS, WE KNOW WHAT THE
01:49:12PROBLEMS ARE. AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU, DO YOU WANT
01:49:16DONALD TRUMP TO HAVE A SUPER
01:49:17MAJORITY ON THE SUPREME
01:49:21>> [APPLAUSE] >> COURT? SO WHAT RIGHT NOW DO WE NEED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
01:49:24WE NEED >> [APPLAUSE] >> FIGHTERS. WE NEED PEOPLE THAT
01:49:27ARE WILLING TO STAND UP AND SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE NEED PEOPLE
01:49:31THAT AREN'T WILLING TO STAY. THE STATUS QUO IS GOOD >> [APPLAUSE] >> ENOUGH.
01:49:35>> [APPLAUSE] >> IT'S NOT. AND WE ARE LUCKY
01:49:37THAT YOU HAVE SENT US A FIGHTER.
01:49:39I AM PROUD, I AM PROUD TO SAY
01:49:45I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT
01:49:49US SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN ABDUL.
01:49:54>> AL-ZAIDI >> OH COME ON, COME ON. THAT'S
01:49:57JUST THE WAY IT IS. THINGS WILL
01:50:01NEVER BE THE SAME
01:50:14A CHANGE. IT'S TIME FOR US AS A PEOPLE TO START MAKING SOME
01:50:17CHANGES. LET'S CHANGE THE WAY WE EAT. LET'S CHANGE THE WAY WE
01:50:20LIVE. AND LET'S CHANGE THE WAY WE TREAT EACH OTHER. YOU SEE,
01:50:23THE OLD WAY WASN'T WORKING. SO
01:50:25IT'S ON US TO DO WHAT WE GOTTA
01:50:28DO I SEE NO CHANGES. CAN'T A BROTHER GET A LITTLE PEACE?
01:50:31IT'S WAR ON THE STREETS. AND A WAR IN INSTEAD OF WAR ON
01:50:35POVERTY. THEY GOT A WAR ON DRUGS. AND THE POLICE CAN BOTHER ME. AND I AIN'T NEVER DID A
01:50:38CRIME. I AIN'T HAVE TO DO. BUT NOW I'M BACK WITH THE FACTS.
01:50:42GIVING IT BACK. DON'T LET EM,
01:50:43JACK YOU UP, BACK YOU.
01:50:46>> [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC] [APPLAUSE]
01:50:57>> CAN WE GIVE IT UP FOR OUR
01:51:00DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR, CURTIS HERTEL?
01:51:04>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND HOW ABOUT OUR NEXT
01:51:08SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, MEGAN KAVANAUGH AND >> [APPLAUSE] >> NICK HOOD
01:51:11>> [APPLAUSE]
01:51:16>> OUR NEXT SECRETARY OF STATE, WHO STANDS TALL FOR MICHIGAN
01:51:20LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR >> [APPLAUSE] >> GARLAND GILCHRIST
01:51:22>> [APPLAUSE]
01:51:27>> WASHTENAW COUNTY PROSECUTOR AND SOON TO BE MICHIGAN'S NEXT
01:51:30ATTORNEY GENERAL. ELIZABETH
01:51:32>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:51:36>> AND YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR,
01:51:40JOCELYN BENSON. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:51:42>> I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE. BUT
01:51:45YOU ALL KNOW THE DRILL. MONEY
01:51:48OUT
01:51:56FOR, HEY, WE GOT THIS. MY NAME
01:51:58IS EL-SAYED, AND I'M SO PROUD
01:52:04TO BE YOUR DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
01:52:06FOR U.S.
01:52:10>> [APPLAUSE] >> SENATE. >> [APPLAUSE] >> AND ALSO, IN THE SPIRIT OF
01:52:14UNITY, IN THE SPIRIT OF THE WORK, IN THE SPIRIT OF COMING
01:52:17TOGETHER. I WANT TO THANK BOTH
01:52:20OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO RAN HALEY
01:52:23STEVENS AND MALLORY MCMORROW FOR AN INCREDIBLE
01:52:27>> [APPLAUSE] >> RACE. THEIR INCREDIBLE PUBLIC >> [APPLAUSE] >> SERVICE TO THE STATE OF
01:52:29MICHIGAN AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT BOTH OF THEM WILL DO
01:52:33NEXT. WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE
01:52:35THAT CALIBER OF PUBLIC SERVANT
01:52:37HERE IN MICHIGAN, AND I ALL KNOW I WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO RUN FOR
01:52:42OFFICE, AS I'M SURE. I'M SURE
01:52:43YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY OPPONENT
01:52:48AND APPARENTLY >> [APPLAUSE]
01:52:49>> DONALD TRUMP. AND WITH A NAME
01:52:57LIKE MINE, I NEVER THOUGHT RUNNING FOR OFFICE WOULD BE
01:53:01POSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME. I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR. I WANT TO
01:53:05BE A DOCTOR. BECAUSE I COULD GO 15 HOURS TO MY FAMILY'S NATIVE
01:53:08EGYPT, OR 15 MINUTES FROM WHERE
01:53:09I GREW UP, AND EITHER WAY, I
01:53:13WOULD CROSS TEN YEARS DIFFERENCE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY. AND IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GROW
01:53:17UP IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN SHOULDN'T MATTER WHAT YOU OR
01:53:21YOUR PARENTS DO FOR WORK. YOU DESERVE A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:53:25>> IN THESE UNITED STATES
01:53:26>> [APPLAUSE]
01:53:34>> I WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO HEAL, ONLY TO REALIZE THAT TOO OFTEN, OUR
01:53:38HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS NOT JUST NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION. IT'S
01:53:41PART OF THE PROBLEM. FOCUSED MORE ON MONETIZING US BECAUSE WE
01:53:45GET SICK THAN CARING FOR US. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:53:48>> BECAUSE WE GOT SICK AND I REALIZED WHEN I GRADUATED, AND
01:53:51YES, I DID GRADUATE MED SCHOOL >> [APPLAUSE],
01:53:55>> THAT I WANTED TO WORK ON THE SYSTEM, NOT JUST IN THE SYSTEM.
01:53:58I WENT INTO PUBLIC HEALTH, GOT TO REBUILD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
01:54:02IN THIS INCREDIBLE CITY, LED WAYNE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
01:54:06>> [APPLAUSE] >> HUMAN AND VETERAN SERVICES
01:54:08>> [APPLAUSE]
01:54:11>> WE PUT GLASSES ON. KIDS, TOOK ON CORPORATE POLLUTERS, MADE
01:54:15SURE THAT OUR KIDS WEREN'T DRINKING, LEAD IN THE WATER IN
01:54:18THEIR SCHOOLS ELIMINATED NONE
01:54:22>> [APPLAUSE] >> OF THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:54:23>> NO, NO, NO. ELIMINATED
01:54:26UPWARDS OF $700 MILLION OF MEDICAL DEBT FOR >> [APPLAUSE]
01:54:30>> 300 000 PEOPLE. AND A PROGRAM
01:54:32THAT IS >> [APPLAUSE] >> ONGOING.
01:54:36>> [APPLAUSE] >> AND I'M NEVER GOING TO
01:54:40FORGET THE DAY WHEN THIS ADMINISTRATION FROZE FEDERAL FUNDS. Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT?
01:54:43I'M SITTING IN MY OFFICE AT THE GUARDIAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
01:54:46HOW TO MAKE SURE WHICH CHECKS GO OUT NEXT WEEK, HOW TO MAKE SURE
01:54:50THAT OUR KIDS KEEP GETTING THE VACCINES THAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
01:54:54NEED. HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
01:54:57CENTERS DON'T SHUT DOWN. WHEN I GET A NOTIFICATION ON MY PHONE
01:55:00THAT AFTER HIS LONG AND STORIED CAREER OF SERVICE, OUR CURRENT
01:55:03US SENATOR, GARY PETERS, IS NOT SEEKING REELECTION. AND I HAD TO
01:55:07ASK MYSELF, WHERE IS THE FIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH? NOW?
01:55:10NOW, WHEN THEY WERE DODGING OUR GOVERNMENT, EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT'D BE JUST FINE. WE DIDN'T
01:55:14NEED THAT MUCH PUBLIC HEALTH.
01:55:15WELL, TURNS OUT,
01:55:25BREATHING AIR QUALITY THAT'S WORSE THAN SO MANY OTHER PLACES
01:55:27IN THE WORLD. NOW, DODGING
01:55:32LETTUCE IS SOMETHING I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT ABROAD. IT WASN'T SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO
01:55:35WORRY ABOUT IN MICHIGAN. TURNS OUT, GOVERNMENT DOES THINGS THAT
01:55:38IT NEEDS TO DO FOR YOU, EVEN IF
01:55:39YOU DON'T >> [APPLAUSE] >> KNOW IT.
01:55:43>> I'M , >> AND I REALIZED I HAD TO ASK
01:55:47MYSELF, WHERE'S THE FIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH NOW? >> YEAH.
01:55:50>> IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED WHY RFK JR. RUNS PUBLIC HEALTH IN
01:55:52THIS COUNTRY, I THINK THE FIGHT FOR PUBLIC'S HEALTH NEEDS TO BE TAKEN >> [APPLAUSE]
01:55:56>> TO THE US SENATE. SO WE
01:56:05LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN, TOOK US TO
01:56:08COMMUNITIES BIG AND SMALL, BACK LAST APRIL, ROOMS OF FIVE
01:56:10PEOPLE, 50 PEOPLE, HAVING
01:56:14CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE WITH, THE
01:56:18GOAL OF DOING THREE THINGS
01:56:20GETTING MONEY OUT A MINUTE. YOU
01:56:27SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SPEND TENS
01:56:29OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SELECTING
01:56:32A CANDIDATE OR PICKING A
01:56:36POLITICIAN, USING CORPORATE FUNDS. THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL IN
01:56:39THE UNITED STATES. AND WHEN I GET TO THE US SENATE, I'M GOING TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES,
01:56:42FOLKS LIKE LIZ WARREN, FOLKS LIKE
01:56:46>> [APPLAUSE] >> BERNIE SANDERS ALYSSA
01:56:49SLOTKIN, TO END THE CORPORATE CORRUPTION OF OUR POLITICS, END
01:56:52THE SYSTEM OF SUPERPACS, AND THE
01:56:54SYSTEM OF 501 C, FOUR S, AND ALL
01:56:58OF IT AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT
01:57:03MONEY IN POCKETS. WE'RE GOING TO STAND WITH OUR UNION SISTERS
01:57:07AND BROTHERS AND PASS THE PRO ACT.
01:57:09>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:57:14>> WE'RE GOING TO TAX BILLIONAIRES, THEIR WEALTH
01:57:18>> [APPLAUSE]. >> BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU TAX A BILLIONAIRE AT 8%. YOU
01:57:21KNOW WHAT? THEY STILL ARE STILL A BILLIONAIRE. KIDS, KIDS, KIDS.
01:57:25KIDS ARE GOING TO BE RICH. YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY. MAYBE YOU CAN PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE. SO
01:57:29OUR KIDS GET GOOD SCHOOLS AND FUNCTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
01:57:32SOME HEALTH CARE
01:57:34>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:57:38>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON THE MONOPOLIES AND OLIGOPOLIES.
01:57:40WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN'T JUST RAISE OUR
01:57:44PRICES ON US, FORCING US TO PAY
01:57:45MORE OR GET PAID LESS FOR THE
01:57:48WORK WE DO. GUYS. OLIGOPOLIES, Y'ALL, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA REGULATE OLIGOPOLIES. I NEED
01:57:51SOME MORE FOR THAT. >> [APPLAUSE]
01:57:55>> I WANT REAL >> [APPLAUSE]
01:57:57>> WONKY ON THERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR TAX DOLLARS
01:58:01HERE AT HOME INSTEAD OF SENDING THEM ABROAD TO FIGHT WARS. WE >> [APPLAUSE]
01:58:05>> HAVE NO BUSINESS FIGHTING
01:58:06>> [APPLAUSE]
01:58:14>> AND WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO MEET THE UNMET PROMISE OF
01:58:16GUARANTEEING EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY THE HEALTH CARE
01:58:19THEY NEED AND >> [APPLAUSE]
01:58:21>> DESERVE THROUGH MAY I ASK
01:58:26YOU? WELL, DOCTOR, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR THAT? I DON'T
01:58:30KNOW, UH, MAYBE INSTEAD OF $252
01:58:33BILLION TO A ROGUE AGENCY LIKE ICE, MAYBE WE CAN ACTUALLY KEEP
01:58:37OUR MONEY HERE TO PROVIDE HEALTH
01:58:41CARE HERE. WE CAN HAVE A SECURE
01:58:46BORDER. WE CAN ENFORCE IMMIGRATION POLICY, BUT WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT SHOOTING PEOPLE IN
01:58:48THE FACE OR THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
01:58:52>> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
01:58:55>> MAYBE WE KEEP OUR MONEY HERE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING A WAR. WE
01:58:58GOT NO BUSINESS FIGHTING, RAISING OUR TAXES, OUR GAS
01:59:02PRICES TO FIVE BUCKS A GALLON, BURNING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO TEACH
01:59:06THE AYATOLLAHS THAT THEY HAVE A CHOKE POINT ON THE WORLD'S
01:59:08ENERGY SUPPLY, A WAR HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF, BECAUSE HE SHOULDN'T HAVE
01:59:12>> [APPLAUSE] >> GOTTEN INTO IT IN THE FIRST
01:59:15PLACE. I'M UP AGAINST A GUY
01:59:17NAMED MIKE ROGERS. AND MIKE
01:59:22ROGERS. WELL, HE'S DECIDED THAT
01:59:24HE WANTS TO FOCUS ON MY NAME MY
01:59:2911 LETTER FIRST NAME. IF YOU
01:59:34DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THE NAME,
01:59:34KEEP THE NAME OUT YOUR MOUTH. OR
01:59:42>> [APPLAUSE]
01:59:42>> JUST CALL ME ABDUL. BUT SEE,
01:59:47IT'S VERY FITTING FOR HIM.
01:59:51ROGERS. THAT'S HIS ANSWER. EVERY TIME A CORPORATION OR DONALD TRUMP TELLS >> [APPLAUSE]
01:59:55>> HIM TO DO SOMETHING. WE NEED
01:59:59YOU TO PUT A DATA CENTER IN THE
02:00:01BACKYARD. ROGER. MIKE, WE NEED
02:00:05YOU TO HIKE THEIR PRESCRIPTION
02:00:07DRUG PRICES. >> [APPLAUSE]
02:00:11>> ROGER. MIKE, WE NEED YOU TO RUBBER STAMP THIS WAR. WE
02:00:13SHOULDN'T BE FIGHTING.
02:00:17>> [APPLAUSE] >> ROGER. AND THIS ONE'S DONALD
02:00:19TRUMP. I NEED YOU TO LICK THESE
02:00:24BOOTS. ROGER
02:00:41AND I THINK. I THINK I SPEAK FOR
02:00:46ALL OF US HERE IN MICHIGAN WHEN I SAY THAT WE ARE DONE WITH ROGER'S. GO BACK
02:00:50>> [APPLAUSE]
02:00:50>> TO FLORIDA, WHERE YOU BELONG.
02:00:57TO MANY, ROGER'S. HERE'S THE
02:01:01THING ABOUT IT, THOUGH. THINK
02:01:04THAT WE WON'T STEP UP AND FIGHT.
02:01:08THEY THINK THEY'RE THE BIGGEST, BADDEST BULLY ON THE PLAYGROUND,
02:01:11THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHOW UP, AND WE'RE GOING TO RUN AWAY.
02:01:15BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHO WE
02:01:17FIGHT FOR. WE FIGHT FOR THE
02:01:20FAMILIES. BARELY ABLE TO PUT
02:01:23THEIR GROCERIES IN THE CART AND
02:01:27CHECK OUT. WE FIGHT FOR THE MOM
02:01:29WHO'S WORRIED ABOUT THE CHILDCARE. SHE NEEDS TO BE ABLE
02:01:33TO WORK A JOB THAT BARELY PAYS
02:01:35ENOUGH. WE FIGHT FOR THE FOLKS
02:01:39WHO ARE AFRAID ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY GET SICK. WE FIGHT >> [APPLAUSE]
02:01:43>> FOR EACH OTHER.
02:01:45>> [APPLAUSE]
02:01:50>> AND WE DON'T BACK DOWN
02:01:52>> SO WHEN THEY COME AND THEY
02:01:54ASK JOCELYN TO CUT THAT
02:01:56EDUCATION BUDGET, JOCELYN BENSON
02:01:59WON'T WHEN THEY TRY TO TAKE
02:02:04AWAY OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES. ELLIE
02:02:07WON'T BACK DOWN WHEN THEY COME
02:02:13FOR OUR ELECTIONS, GARLIN GILCHRIST WON'T >> [APPLAUSE]
02:02:17>> BACK WHEN THEY COME FOR OUR
02:02:21UNION RIGHTS, WE DON'T BACK DOWN. WHEN THEY COME FOR OUR
02:02:25HEALTH CARE. WE BACK DOWN WHEN
02:02:28THEY COME FOR ONE OF US, WE WILL
02:02:29STAND UP. WE DOWN. AND MICHIGAN,
02:02:34WE WILL FIGHT TO BUILD THE AMERICA THAT WE ARE PROUD TO
02:02:37HAND OFF TO OUR KIDS AND OUR
02:02:38GRANDKIDS, BECAUSE WE WON'T BACK
02:02:43DOWN. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS 88 MORE
02:02:46DAYS. WE WON'T
02:02:54>> TOWN GIRL.
02:03:27>> WE WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THIS
02:03:33HEARING. WHEN WE CONSIDER TODD
02:03:36BLANCHE'S NOMINATION TO SERVE
02:03:38AS THE 88th ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
02:03:42CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BLANCHE, ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
02:03:45>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
02:03:53>> THESE ARE THE GROUND RULES FOR THIS MEETING. I'LL HANDLE
02:03:56THIS HEARING. AS OUR COMMITTEE HANDLED THE NOMINATIONS OF
02:04:00ATTORNEYS GENERAL. BONDI AND
02:04:03GARLAND. I WANT EVERYONE TO BE
02:04:08ABLE TO WATCH WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION. IF PEOPLE BLOCK THE
02:04:10VIEW OF THOSE BEHIND THEM OR
02:04:13SPEAK OUT OF TURN, IT'S NOT
02:04:18FAIR. IT'S NOT CONSIDERATE. SO
02:04:21OFFICERS WILL IMMEDIATELY REMOVE
02:04:24THAT PERSON OR PERSONS. REMARKS
02:04:33AND THEN RANKING MEMBER DURBIN
02:04:35WILL GIVE HIS REMARKS. THEN I'LL
02:04:38CALL ON SENATOR MOODY TO
02:04:41INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE FOLLOWING
02:04:44THAT INTRODUCTION, MR. BLANCHE
02:04:46WILL PROVIDE HIS OPENING
02:04:49STATEMENT, AND THEN WE'LL REED.
02:04:51WE'LL TURN TO QUESTIONS. EACH
02:04:57SENATOR WILL HAVE TEN MINUTES TO
02:04:59ASK MY, MY STANDARD APPROACH HAS
02:05:05BEEN THAT IF YOU GOT ONE SECOND
02:05:08LEFT AS A MEMBER OF THE
02:05:09COMMITTEE, YOU CAN ASK YOUR
02:05:12QUESTION. BUT AFTER THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, I'M GOING TO
02:05:16MOVE ON TO THE NEXT MEMBER.
02:05:24BEING HERE. AS I'VE SAID
02:05:27BEFORE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
02:05:29IMPORTANT OFFICES IN OUR
02:05:32COUNTRY. YOU WENT THROUGH A ROUGH SENATE CONFIRMATION A
02:05:35LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. SO YOU
02:05:39KNOW ALL ABOUT IT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU COOPERATED WITH THIS
02:05:43COMMITTEE AT EVERY STEP AND FULFILLED YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
02:05:46IN GOOD FAITH. WHILE
02:05:48SIMULTANEOUSLY RUNNING THE
02:05:52WORLD'S LARGEST LAW OFFICE. THE
02:05:56SENATE HAS ALREADY JUDGED YOUR FITNESS FOR HIGH OFFICE AND
02:06:00CONFIRMED YOU AS THE
02:06:02DEPARTMENT'S SECOND IN COMMAND.
02:06:05TODAY, WE CONSIDER YOU FOR A
02:06:07PROMOTION, AND WE'RE NOT
02:06:10STARTING OUT FROM A BLANK SLATE.
02:06:14YOU HAVE A TRACK RECORD. MY
02:06:18DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES HAVE RELENTLESSLY ATTACKED THE
02:06:21DEPARTMENT, AND YOUR AND
02:06:24PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LEADERSHIP.
02:06:26THEY'VE CALLED THE DEPARTMENT,
02:06:29QUOTE, UNQUOTE, A DISGRACE. AND
02:06:34SUGGESTED THE AGENCY IS BROKEN
02:06:39THEIR MEDIA ALLIES AND ACTIVIST
02:06:42NETWORKS HAVE ECHOED THAT
02:06:44MESSAGE. ARE THESE ASSERTIONS
02:06:49CORRECT? LET'S PUT ASIDE
02:06:51PARTIZAN CRITICISM FOR A MOMENT
02:06:54AND ADDRESS THE EVIDENCE. THE
02:06:57DEPARTMENT PRIMARY DUTY IS TO
02:06:59ENFORCE OUR NATION'S LAWS AND TO
02:07:04KEEP AMERICANS SAFE. SO HOW IS
02:07:08THE DEPARTMENT STACKING UP? THE ANSWER IS FOR THOSE WHO CARE TO
02:07:11JUDGE FIRMLY, FAIRLY. IT'S A
02:07:13RECORD OF SUCCESS. THE UNITED
02:07:16STATES HAS THE LOWEST MURDER
02:07:20RATE SINCE 1900. THE FBI HAS
02:07:23CAPTURED EIGHT OF THE TOP TEN
02:07:25MOST WANTED FUGITIVES. VIOLENT
02:07:28CRIME ARRESTS, BUT ARRESTS BY
02:07:35THE FBI ARE UP 184%. MORE THAN
02:07:38849 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN
02:07:41DISRUPTED FROM CONDUCTING
02:07:44TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE ATF HAS
02:07:48SEIZED MORE THAN 44,000 ILLEGAL
02:07:51FIREARMS. THAT IS NOT A FAILURE.
02:07:55WHAT ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S
02:07:57RECORD ON ILLEGAL DRUGS? SINCE
02:08:00JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, THE DEA
02:08:03HAS MADE MORE THAN 6300 FENTANYL
02:08:09ARRESTS. IT HAS IT HAS SEIZED
02:08:17MORE THAN 5000KG OF FENTANYL
02:08:22POWDER, 55 MILLION FENTANYL
02:08:27PILLS. 20 240 ZERO KILOGRAMS OF
02:08:32METHAMPHETAMINE AND ONE AND 2/10
02:08:34MILLION KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE.
02:08:37THE FENTANYL ALONE AMOUNTS TO
02:08:41MORE THAN 428 MILLION FATAL
02:08:44SEIZURES. THAT IS NOT A FAILURE.
02:08:49AND WHAT ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN? OUR COMMITTEE HAS
02:08:53FOUGHT FOR YEARS ON A BIPARTISAN
02:08:55BASIS TO PROTECT OUR NATION'S CHILDREN FROM THE HORRORS OF
02:08:59EXPLOITATION. RANKING MEMBER
02:09:02DURBIN AND I, IN A BIPARTISAN
02:09:04WAY, ARE LEADING LANDMARK
02:09:08LEGISLATION. THE JAMES T WOODS
02:09:10ACT, TO TACKLE THAT VERY ISSUE.
02:09:13AND ONCE AGAIN, OUR PARTNERS AT
02:09:16THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A
02:09:17RECORD OF SUCCESS. THE FBI HAS
02:09:21ARRESTED 2900 CHILD PREDATORS
02:09:26AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS, A 70%
02:09:30INCREASE FROM 2024 AND LOCATED
02:09:34MORE THAN 6940 CHILD VICTIMS.
02:09:38THE U.S. MARSHALS HAVE RECOVERED
02:09:42MORE THAN 1182 MISSING CHILDREN.
02:09:45THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE FAILURE
02:09:47TO ME. IN CONTRAST, THE BIDEN
02:09:51ADMINISTRATION DIVERTED
02:09:54PROSECUTORS FROM CHILD SEX CRIME
02:09:57CASES ON JANUARY 6th. CASES.
02:09:59THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE. MY
02:10:04DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES HAVE CRITICIZED THE JUSTICE
02:10:07DEPARTMENT FOR A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. I'VE BEEN
02:10:11CRITICAL AS WELL AS I AM WITH
02:10:13EVERY ADMINISTRATION WHO
02:10:17OCCUPIES THE OVAL OFFICE. WHEN
02:10:20WE DON'T GET THAT COOPERATION.
02:10:21NO ONE CARES MORE ABOUT
02:10:24OVERSIGHT THAN I DO. IN ALL MY
02:10:27YEARS OF CONGRESSIONAL
02:10:29OVERSIGHT, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS
02:10:32BEEN THE MOST RESPONSIVE TO MY
02:10:34REQUESTS. THAT MEANS EVERY
02:10:37REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT
02:10:39ADMINISTRATION PREVIOUS TO THIS
02:10:42ONE. AND THE NUMBERS BACK THIS
02:10:45UP. SINCE JANUARY OF LAST YEAR,
02:10:49THE DEPARTMENT HAS PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 43,000 PAGES OF
02:10:51RECORDS. IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS
02:10:55FROM THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE,
02:10:59THAT'S APPROXIMATELY THREE
02:11:01TIMES THE NUMBER OF RECORDS
02:11:04PRODUCED AN EQUIVALENT TIME BY
02:11:07THE BIDEN JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
02:11:09THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO RELEASED
02:11:11MORE THAN THREE AND 3/10 MILLION
02:11:14PAGES OF ADDITIONAL RECORDS,
02:11:17WITH MORE COMING EVERY DAY.
02:11:19THEIR WORK IS NOT DONE, AND I
02:11:22EXPECT CONTINUED RESPONSIVENESS.
02:11:25AND AS WELL, THE VERY IMPORTANT
02:11:27THING OF DECLASSIFICATION. BUT
02:11:32CREDIT SHOULD BE GIVEN WHERE
02:11:35CREDIT IS DUE. A FEW MORE
02:11:37SUCCESSES. THEY'VE ESTABLISHED
02:11:40THE NATIONAL FRAUD ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TO ADDRESS MORE THAN $5
02:11:44BILLION IN FRAUD AGAINST AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. THEY'VE
02:11:48REDUCED THE IMMIGRATION CASE LOG
02:11:49BY MORE THAN 468,000. THEY'VE
02:11:55CHALLENGED AND ELIMINATED RACIST AND UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION IN
02:11:59GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE
02:12:00SECTOR. THEY'RE EXPOSING AND
02:12:04ADDRESSING THE BIDEN ERA WEAPONIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
02:12:08AGAINST POLITICAL OPPONENTS.
02:12:11THEY'VE CAPTURED AND ARE PROSECUTING THE DICTATOR,
02:12:15NICOLAS MADURO FOR CRIMES
02:12:17RELATED TO NARCO TERRORISM. THE
02:12:20LIST GOES ON. THIS DEPARTMENT IS
02:12:24KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE, AND THE
02:12:25NUMBERS BACK THAT UP. MR.
02:12:28BLANCHE, YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE
02:12:31IN DELIVERING THE LAW
02:12:34ENFORCEMENT PROMISE. THE
02:12:36AMERICAN PEOPLE VOTED FOR IN
02:12:382024. BUT AT THE HEARING TODAY,
02:12:41WE MIGHT EXPECT THE OPPOSITE. MY
02:12:45DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES WILL TALK
02:12:45ABOUT, UH, THESE. THEY WON'T
02:12:50TALK ABOUT THESE SUCCESSES. I EXPECT THE SAME PLAYBOOK THAT
02:12:54WE'VE SEEN FOR NEARLY EVERY ONE
02:12:56OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEES.
02:12:59PURE PARTIZAN OBSTRUCTION AND
02:13:02PARTIZAN ATTACK. THIS APPROACH
02:13:05IS THE SAME ONE THAT WE'VE SEEN
02:13:08OVER AND OVER. IN FACT, IT BECOMES SUCH A PATTERN THAT I'LL
02:13:12JUST QUOTE MYSELF FROM A SPEECH
02:13:14I DELIVERED ALMOST A YEAR AGO
02:13:19REGARDING ANOTHER NOMINEE. LAST JULY, I SAID, QUOTE, SINCE THE
02:13:21VERY BEGINNING OF THIS CONGRESS,
02:13:25DEMOCRATS HAVE ENGAGED IN RELENTLESS OBSTRUCTION CAMPAIGN
02:13:28FOR NEARLY EVERY ONE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEES.
02:13:32THEIR PLAYBOOK HAS INCLUDED
02:13:35MAXIMUM PROCEDURAL OBSTRUCTION,
02:13:39UNFAIR MEDIA ATTACKS, REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO ALLEGE MISCONDUCT,
02:13:43AND DEMANDS FOR DELAYED
02:13:45CONSIDERATION, RECORDS AND
02:13:48INVESTIGATIONS. LIKE CLOCKWORK, JUST BEFORE A HEARING OR A VOTE,
02:13:51WE GET ANOTHER BREATHLESS
02:13:55ACCUSATION THAT ONE OF PRESIDENT
02:13:57TRUMP'S NOMINEES NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. END OF MY QUOTE OF
02:14:01LAST JANUARY. SO HERE WE ARE
02:14:04AGAIN. JUST LIKE CLOCKWORK, THE
02:14:07DEMOCRATS AND THEIR MEDIA ALLIES AND ACTIVIST NETWORKS HAVE
02:14:11LAUNCHED THE EXPECTED CRUSADE
02:14:14AGAINST YOUR NOMINATION. TO BE
02:14:17CLEAR, THERE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS
02:14:20FOR MR. BLANCHE. I DON'T AGREE
02:14:22WITH HOW MR. BLANCHARD, THE
02:14:24JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, HANDLED EVERY MATTER, AND I'VE DEMANDED
02:14:28ANSWERS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO
02:14:30SO. BUT MANY OF THE CRITICISMS
02:14:32AIRED IN RECENT DAYS, JUST
02:14:35COMPLETELY MISS THE MARK. AND
02:14:37I'LL GIVE ONE EXAMPLE. WE'VE SEEN A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN FROM
02:14:41FORMER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
02:14:44EMPLOYEES OPPOSING MR. BLANCHE
02:14:50NOMINATION. MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES AND THE PARTIZAN MEDIA HAVE PUBLICIZED THEIR
02:14:53LETTER FRAMING THE SIGNATORIES AS A GROUP OF NONPARTISAN,
02:14:56QUOTE, UNQUOTE, CAREER CIVIL
02:15:00SERVANTS. OF COURSE, THEY FAIL
02:15:01TO MENTION IN THAT LETTER WAS
02:15:06COORDINATED BY THE SAME GROUP
02:15:08THAT ENGAGED IN PARTIZAN AND MISLEADING CAMPAIGNS OPPOSING
02:15:12JUDGE BOWIE'S NOMINATION. THEY
02:15:16ALSO DON'T MENTION THAT THE
02:15:17LETTERS, SIGNATORIES INCLUDE A
02:15:20WHO'S WHO OF PARTIZAN ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING FORMER
02:15:23CHICAGO MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT AND
02:15:26JACK SMITH'S PARTIZAN
02:15:30PROSECUTORS. JP COONEY, MOLLY
02:15:32GASTON AND DAVID ROHDE. AND THEY
02:15:36CERTAINLY DON'T MENTION IT. MR.
02:15:38BLANCHE HAS RECEIVED LETTERS OF
02:15:41SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING MORE THAN 600,000
02:15:45LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 23
02:15:48STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND SCORES OF FORMER JUSTICE
02:15:51DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS. SO, FROM
02:15:55MY VANTAGE POINT, IF THE PEOPLE WHO ENGAGED IN IN THE WORST
02:15:59PARTISAN WARFARE, LAWFARE THIS
02:16:02COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN HAVE A
02:16:04PROBLEM WITH TODD BLANCHE,
02:16:08THAT'S A GOOD THING. IN MY
02:16:11BOOK. AS SURE AS SUNRISE TODAY,
02:16:15SOME OF MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES WILL TELL US THAT MR. BRANCH HAS
02:16:19UNIQUE, UNIQUELY TERRIBLE
02:16:23NOMINEE. BEFORE THEY DO SO.
02:16:24HOWEVER, I URGE THEM TO REMEMBER
02:16:27THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF AND TAKE
02:16:30A LONG LOOK IN THE MIRROR BEFORE
02:16:35LECTURING ANYONE ABOUT PARTIZANSHIP AT THE JUSTICE
02:16:37DEPARTMENT. SO I HAVE ONE MORE
02:16:41SUBJECT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
02:16:43DEVELOPMENTS IN MY. AND SENATOR
02:16:45JOHNSON'S JACK SMITH
02:16:47INVESTIGATION. SMITH'S TEAM
02:16:51SUBPOENAED THE NATIONAL
02:16:53ARCHIVES. JUNE 2023. THAT
02:16:57SUBPOENA SOUGHT TEXT MESSAGES
02:16:59FROM CELL PHONES CONNECTED TO
02:17:01TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS.
02:17:04THE DATE RANGE FOR THE RECORDS
02:17:07WAS OCTOBER 1st, 2020, TO
02:17:13JANUARY 20th, 2021. THE ARCHIVES
02:17:17THEN GENERAL COUNSEL GARY STERN
02:17:20EMAILED THOMAS ODOM, ONE OF
02:17:22SMITH'S DEPUTIES, ON AUGUST
02:17:2521st, 2023, AT 12:19 P.M.. THAT
02:17:33EMAIL SAID RESPONSIVE RECORDS
02:17:37WERE READY ON AUGUST 21st, THE
02:17:40SAME DAY, 2023, JUST, UH, 20s
02:17:46LATER. WINDHAM HAD ALREADY
02:17:48DOWNLOADED THE TEXT, AND SHORTLY
02:17:50AFTER THAT, OTHER DOJ AND FBI PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE CASE
02:17:55DID AS WELL. WHISTLEBLOWERS TOLD
02:17:58MY OFFICE THAT SMITH DIDN'T PASS
02:17:59THESE RECORDS THROUGH A FILTER
02:18:02TEAM, AND YOU CAN SEE IN 20 MINUTES, THERE WASN'T TIME TO
02:18:05GO TO A FILTER TEAM. THAT FILTER
02:18:07TEAM WAS ALREADY IN PLACE. THE
02:18:13JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS CONFIRMED THAT FACT IN A LETTER TO THE
02:18:15COMMITTEE, QUOTE, THE SPECIAL
02:18:17COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATIVE TEAM,
02:18:20APPARENTLY BY BYPASSED THE
02:18:24FILTER TEAM AND DIRECTLY ACCESSED THESE TEXT MESSAGES,
02:18:27END QUOTE. THE DOJ LETTER TO THE COMMITTEE ALSO SAID, QUOTE, THE
02:18:31SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE HAD
02:18:35PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE AWARE OF
02:18:36THE RISKS THAT RECORDS RELATING
02:18:39TO MEMBERS, MEANING MEMBERS OF
02:18:41CONGRESS, COMMUNICATIONS COULD
02:18:44RAISE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS AND MIGHT BE PRIVILEGED UNDER
02:18:47THE SPEECH AND DEBATE CLAUSE.
02:18:49END OF QUOTE. THAT SPEECH AND
02:18:53DEBATE CLAUSE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE. EVEN IF
02:18:56SMITH'S TEAM HAD BEEN
02:18:58INSTRUCTED TO LOOK FOR CONGRESSIONAL OR OTHER
02:19:01PRIVILEGED INFORMATION, IT WOULDN'T MATTER, BECAUSE, IN
02:19:05THIS EXAMPLE, IT APPEARS THE
02:19:06FILTER TEAM WAS ENTIRELY
02:19:09BYPASSED. BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE
02:19:14COMMITTEE. SMITH'S OPERATION CUT CORNERS AND BLEW THROUGH CONSTITUTIONAL STOP SIGNS.
02:19:17INSTEAD OF RESPECTING THEM. AND
02:19:20HAVING BEEN ADVISED ABOUT THE
02:19:23CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS, THE
02:19:25WHITE HOUSE MESSAGES OBTAINED
02:19:27AND REVIEWED BY SMITH'S TEAM
02:19:31INCLUDED COMMUNICATIONS WITH MANY SENATORS AND
02:19:35REPRESENTATIVES. THE COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDED MESSAGES
02:19:38WITH MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE,
02:19:40INCLUDING THIS SENATOR. THE
02:19:43SUBJECT MATTER OF THOSE MEMBERS
02:19:46COMMUNICATION INCLUDED CORE
02:19:48CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES SUCH AS CONGRESSIONAL
02:19:51LEGISLATION, RESOLUTIONS AND
02:19:53INVESTIGATIVE WORK. IT ALSO
02:19:55INCLUDED OTHER INFORMATION
02:19:58IRRELEVANT TO JACK SMITH'S CASE
02:20:01AGAINST THEN CITIZEN TRUMP. INSTEAD OF THAT INFORMATION
02:20:05BEING WALLED OFF. IT WAS INTENTIONALLY SHARED. THIS IS
02:20:09ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS
02:20:12MISGUIDED INVESTIGATION WASN'T
02:20:13NORMAL, AND DEMANDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. JACK SMITH'S
02:20:17OPERATION WAS A RUNAWAY
02:20:19POLITICAL TRAIN THAT IMPROPERLY
02:20:23OBTAINED CONGRESSIONAL INFORMATION. I'VE REQUESTED ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE
02:20:27TO ALLOW MEMBERS TO REVIEW THESE
02:20:30RECORDS. SENATOR DURBIN
02:20:33>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
02:20:37CHAIRMAN. MR. BLANCHE, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY MY OFFICE
02:20:39YESTERDAY. UH, I THINK WE BOTH KNEW GOING INTO THAT MEETING
02:20:43THAT WE HAD STRONGLY HELD POLITICAL BELIEFS ON BOTH SIDES
02:20:46OF THE TABLE, AND YET WE HAD, I THINK, A RESPECTFUL EXCHANGE.
02:20:50AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING BY. THANK YOU. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT
02:20:53YOUR STAFFERS WITH YOU. MY STAFF WAS THERE AS WELL. IF THERE WAS
02:20:57ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, MY REPRESENTATION OF YOUR REMARKS,
02:20:59YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO CORRECT
02:21:02THE RECORD IN A FEW MOMENTS. BUT
02:21:04I'LL DO MY BEST TO SAID AND
02:21:06ASK. MY STAFF HAS BACKED ME UP
02:21:09IN MY MEMORY OF IT. YOURS MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT THANK YOU FOR
02:21:12MEETING WITH ME YESTERDAY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS
02:21:16EMPTY SEAT AT THE DAIS HERE,
02:21:19WHICH THE CHAIRMAN, UH, NEXT TO
02:21:20THE CHAIRMAN. THE COMMITTEE IS
02:21:24MOURNING THE LOSS OF OUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, FORMER CHAIRMAN AND
02:21:27RANKING MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE. I SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE WITH SENATOR GRAHAM
02:21:31SINCE HE JOINED THE SENATE IN
02:21:332003. I'M GOING TO CHERISH MY MEMORIES OF BOTH OUR FIERCE
02:21:37PARTIZAN BATTLES AND OUR LANDMARK BIPARTISAN AGREEMENTS.
02:21:41HE WAS A TRUSTED FRIEND. MY MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK HOME.
02:21:44CAN'T BELIEVE IT. WHEN I SAY THESE THINGS. YOU MEAN THAT
02:21:47LINDSEY GRAHAM? YES, I DO. HE
02:21:50WAS A GOOD PERSON, A VALUABLE PART OF THE SENATE FAMILY, AND
02:21:53AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. I'M GLAD THAT
02:21:57WE'RE HONORING HIM WITH THIS,
02:21:59UH, MEMORIAL TODAY. UH, LET ME SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT THE
02:22:04CHAIRMAN, UH, SPENT SEVERAL MINUTES TALKING ABOUT JACK
02:22:07SMITH. I WANT TO MAKE ONE THING
02:22:10CLEAR ABOUT JACK SMITH, WHO WAS
02:22:13A SPECIAL COUNSEL MONTHS AGO,
02:22:15PERHAPS SIX MONTHS AGO, MAYBE
02:22:19LONGER. HE VOLUNTEERED TO APPEAR
02:22:21BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE UNDER OATH
02:22:24AND TESTIFY ABOUT WHAT THE
02:22:29COMMITTEE. FOR REASONS I CANNOT EXPLAIN, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
02:22:32DOES NOT WANT TO BRING JACK
02:22:35SMITH BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AND HAVE HIM TESTIFY UNDER OATH.
02:22:38THEY CONTINUE ON REGULAR BASIS TO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THINGS THAT
02:22:42HE SAID OR DID, OR ALLEGEDLY DID, BUT WILL NOT BRING HIM
02:22:46BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE. I DON'T GET IT. IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING
02:22:49THEY WANT TO RAISE WITH JACK SMITH, THAT PLACE IS WHERE HE
02:22:51SHOULD BE. SITTING UNDER OATH
02:22:54AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, AND HE'S VOLUNTEERED TO DO IT. BUT
02:22:57THEY TURNED HIM DOWN MR.
02:23:01CHAIRMAN. WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY OF
02:23:05CHOOSING THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF
02:23:08AMERICA. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE.
02:23:11THE PRESIDENT DECIDED TO FIRE
02:23:14THE PREDECESSOR. UH, OF MR.
02:23:17BLANCHE. AFTER JUST 14 MONTHS ON THE JOB, AFTER COURTS AND GRAND
02:23:21JURIES BLOCKED HER FROM
02:23:23PROSECUTING THE PRESIDENT'S
02:23:26POLITICAL OPPONENTS. SEEMINGLY, PRESIDENT TRUMP BELIEVES YOU,
02:23:29MR. BLANCHE, WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL. WHEN YOU'RE FIRST
02:23:32NOMINATED TO BE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
02:23:35GENERAL. DEMOCRATS RAISED
02:23:37CONCERNS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY SERVING AS THE
02:23:40TOP ATTORNEY IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
02:23:43IS THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES OF
02:23:47AMERICA. SINCE YOU WERE
02:23:49CONFIRMED, THE DEPARTMENT OF
02:23:52JUSTICE HAS LITERALLY VIOLATED DOZENS OF COURT ORDERS TO
02:23:55ADVANCE THE PRESIDENT'S AGENDA. LAST YEAR, YOU DECLARED THAT THE
02:23:59JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WAS, QUOTE,
02:24:01AT WAR WITH THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY. I BROUGHT THAT UP TO
02:24:05YOU YESTERDAY. I BELIEVE ALL OF
02:24:07US, BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE,
02:24:09NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL WITH OUR RHETORIC WHEN IT COMES TO THE
02:24:13JUDICIARY. YESTERDAY, WE HAD THE
02:24:15TESTIMONY OF JUSTICES KAGAN AND BARRETT, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT
02:24:19THE IMPACT ON THEM PERSONALLY
02:24:21AND ON THEIR FAMILIES, WITH THE THREATS THAT HAVE BEEN
02:24:25INCREASING AGAINST THEM PHYSICALLY. ON THIS SIDE OF THE
02:24:29TABLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE A SIMILAR
02:24:31EXPERIENCE, BUT IT IS A
02:24:34RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF US, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS,
02:24:37LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, IN OR OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT. BE
02:24:41CAREFUL WITH WHAT WE SAY ABOUT
02:24:43THE JUDICIARY. THEY ARE DOING
02:24:45THEIR JOB. WE SHOULD NEVER, EVER
02:24:48COUNTENANCE VIOLENCE AGAINST
02:24:50ANYONE ON EITHER SIDE. ONE OF YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL ACTIONS IS
02:24:54ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL. MR.
02:24:56BLANCHE WAS TO ESTABLISH THE $2
02:24:59BILLION WEAPONIZATION, OR SLUSH FUND, TO BENEFIT JANUARY 6th,
02:25:03COP EATERS. WHILE IMMUNIZING PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM IRS
02:25:07LIABILITY. YOU DEFENDED THE
02:25:09SLUSH FUND BY CLAIMING, QUOTE,
02:25:12PEOPLE HURT. POLICE GET MONEY, HURT. POLICE GET MONEY ALL THE
02:25:15TIME, END QUOTE. DESPITE
02:25:18RESOUNDING BIPARTISAN CRITICISM
02:25:20AND ADMITTING THAT IT WAS A
02:25:22MISTAKE, YOU'VE REFUSED TO
02:25:24RESCIND THE ORDER CREATING THIS FUND. THAT ORDER CAN STILL BE
02:25:28FOUND ON THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S WEBSITE TODAY. WE
02:25:32TALKED QUITE UNDERSTAND YOUR
02:25:37EXPLANATION. I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE, OF COURSE, TO EXPLAIN
02:25:40IT. BUT YOU SAID IT WAS UP TO
02:25:43CONGRESS TO CODIFY THE
02:25:45ELIMINATION OF THIS FUND. THIS WAS A CREATION OF THE EXECUTIVE
02:25:49BRANCH. IT WAS NOT A CREATION OF
02:25:51CONGRESS. SO I HOPE STATEMENT.
02:25:55EARLIER THIS WEEK, A FEDERAL JUDGE CHARACTERIZED YOUR EXPLANATION OF THE SETTLEMENT
02:25:58THAT LED TO THIS FUND. QUOTE, AT
02:26:01BEST, MISLEADING AND AT WORST, DISINGENUOUS. YOU TOLD ME
02:26:04YESTERDAY THAT THE OPINION WAS,
02:26:05QUOTE, A HIT PIECE ON YOU.
02:26:09ANOTHER TROUBLING ATTACK ON A JUDGE FOR DOING HER JOB. THEN
02:26:13THERE'S THE COVER UP OF THE EPSTEIN FILES, WHICH FORMER
02:26:17ATTORNEY GENERAL BONDI HERSELF SAID YOU WERE, QUOTE, IN CHARGE
02:26:19OF. UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, MORE
02:26:24THAN 1000 FBI PERSONNEL WERE PULLED OFF OF OTHER PRIORITIES
02:26:25AND DIRECTED TO FLAG EPSTEIN
02:26:29RECORDS FOR ANY MENTIONS OF
02:26:30PRESIDENT TRUMP. WHEN SCRUTINY OF THE COVER UP INTENSIFIED, YOU
02:26:34PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS IN THE
02:26:35WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM TO
02:26:39STRATEGIZE ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT PRESIDENT TRUMP, NOT EPSTEIN
02:26:42SURVIVORS. THE PRESIDENT. WHEN CONGRESS FORCED THE
02:26:46ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE THE
02:26:47FILES, HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS.
02:26:51PERSONAL INFORMATION WAS UNREDACTED, VICTIMIZING THEM
02:26:54AGAIN. MEANWHILE, THE NAMES OF
02:26:56POWERFUL EPSTEIN ALLIES REMAIN
02:26:59PROTECTED IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF
02:27:01THE EPSTEIN FILES TRANSPARENCY
02:27:03ACT. YOUR EXPLANATION? QUOTE, IT ISN'T A CRIME TO PARTY WITH MR.
02:27:07EPSTEIN. MR. BLANCHE, THESE
02:27:10SURVIVORS DESERVE MUCH BETTER. I
02:27:12WANT TO RECOGNIZE MANY OF THEM
02:27:14WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. I
02:27:18THANK THEM FOR THEIR COURAGE IN SPEAKING OUT. TOMORROW, WE WILL
02:27:20HEAR ONE OF THEM DURING OUR
02:27:23OUTSIDE WITNESS PANEL. I'D LIKE TO ENTER INTO THE RECORD SIX
02:27:26LETTERS FROM EPSTEIN SURVIVORS IN OPPOSITION TO THE BLANCHE
02:27:29NOMINATION. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. SO ORDERED.
02:27:33>> I'M ASKING YOU, MR. BLANCHE, TODAY, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS
02:27:36ROOM, TO AGREE TO MEET WITH THESE EPSTEIN SURVIVORS
02:27:40PERSONALLY, AND TO BRING WITH YOU PROFESSIONALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, TO HEAR
02:27:43THEM OUT. THEY HAVE THE COURAGE
02:27:45TO TELL THEIR STORY, AND THEY
02:27:48SHOULD AT LEAST HEAR FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT THAT THEY TAKE IT
02:27:51SERIOUSLY. AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW
02:27:54WITH CONVICTED SEX TRAFFICKER
02:27:57GHISLAINE MAXWELL, AN ATTEMPT, I BELIEVE, TO EXONERATE PRESIDENT
02:28:00TRUMP, MISS MAXWELL WAS TRANSFERRED TO A MINIMUM
02:28:03SECURITY CAMP. THAT IS UNHEARD
02:28:05OF FOR OFFENDERS LIKE HER. YOU SAID IT WAS FOR HER OWN PERSONAL
02:28:08SAFETY. I HOPE YOU'LL EXPLAIN THAT TODAY. YOU TOLD ME
02:28:12YESTERDAY YOU WANT TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
02:28:15AND YOU LOVE PROSECUTORS. BUT
02:28:18YOU HAVE REMOVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT SOME OF THE MOST
02:28:21EFFECTIVE PROSECUTORS THAT HAVE
02:28:23EVER SERVED OUR GOVERNMENT. DONE THAT FOR PERSONAL REASONS.
02:28:27PERJURING CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT
02:28:29OFFICIALS WHO WON'T PRIORITIZE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INTERESTS OVER
02:28:33THEIR OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION.
02:28:36YOU FIRED THE CAREER PARDON
02:28:40ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE WOULDN'T SIGN OFF ON RESTORING GUN RIGHTS
02:28:42TO A CONVICTED DOMESTIC ABUSER, MEL GIBSON, PERSONAL FRIEND OF
02:28:46PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE FIRED CAREER
02:28:49IMMIGRATION LITIGATOR EREZ FOR
02:28:51REFUSING TO FOLLOW UNETHICAL
02:28:54ORDERS FROM YOUR FORMER LAW
02:28:56PARTNER, EMO BOVE DOJ OFFICIALS
02:28:59TO LIE TO A FEDERAL COURT. YOU
02:29:02BRAGGED ABOUT FIRING CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS SIMPLY
02:29:05BECAUSE THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO INVESTIGATE THE PRESIDENT'S
02:29:09CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING
02:29:11FBI AGENTS WHO SPECIALIZED IN INVESTIGATING THREATS FROM
02:29:14FOREIGN ADVERSARIES LIKE IRAN.
02:29:16MORE THAN 1200 FORMER CAREER DOJ
02:29:19EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED FOR BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
02:29:23ADMINISTRATIONS SENT THIS COMMITTEE A LETTER OPPOSING YOUR
02:29:26NOMINATION. BECAUSE YOU HAVE
02:29:29PURGED DOJ OF THOUSANDS OF EXPERIENCED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, PUTTING OUR NATION'S
02:29:32SECURITY AT RISK. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THIS LETTER INTO THE
02:29:35RECORD WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. SO
02:29:39ORDERED. >> YOU TESTIFIED UNDER OATH LAST
02:29:42YEAR THAT HIS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL YOU WOULD CONSULT WITH
02:29:45CAREER ETHICS OFFICIALS TO AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, A
02:29:49SIGNIFICANT CONCERN, SINCE YOU RECEIVED NEARLY $10 MILLION AS A
02:29:52PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY.
02:29:55BUT YOU'VE GUTTED THE DOJ OFFICES THAT HANDLE ETHICS AND
02:29:59PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER THE DEPARTMENT'S TOP CAREER ETHICS LAWYER ADVISED YOU
02:30:03TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM ANY MATTERS RELATING TO TRUMP AND
02:30:07HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY. THAT
02:30:09LAWYER WAS FIRED EVERY SMARMY
02:30:12SUSPECT DEAL AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS
02:30:16CRYPTOCURRENCY BEHIND THE CURTAIN. AND AGAIN, IT HAS HAPPENED. WHEN IT COMES TO THE
02:30:19BILLION DOLLAR WINDFALL THAT WENT TO THE PRESIDENT IN HIS
02:30:22FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, SHORTLY
02:30:25AFTER YOU WERE CONFIRMED AS
02:30:26DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, YOU ISSUED AN ORDER DISMANTLING
02:30:30DOJ'S CRYPTO ENFORCEMENT TEAM
02:30:32AND SHUTTING DOWN ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE
02:30:36CRYPTO INDUSTRY. AT THE TIME,
02:30:36YOU OWNED AT LEAST $159,000
02:30:41WORTH OF CRYPTO RELATED ASSETS. WHILE YOU EVENTUALLY DIVESTED.
02:30:44THOSE ASSETS DIDN'T GO FAR. YOU SIMPLY TRANSFERRED THEM TO YOUR
02:30:47CHILD, YOUR CHILDREN, AND
02:30:50GRANDCHILD. WITH THE CRYPTO
02:30:52ENFORCEMENT UNIT OUT OF THE WAY.
02:30:56PRESIDENT TRUMP BROUGHT IN $1.4 BILLION FROM HIS FAMILY'S
02:30:59CRYPTOCURRENCY BUSINESS IN 2020
02:31:01ALONE. TAKE THAT ONE. TAKE ONE
02:31:03EXAMPLE OF THE DEALING IN THE
02:31:07ADMINISTRATION. IN APRIL 2024, THE FOUNDER OF THE CRYPTO
02:31:11COMPANY BINANCE WAS SENTENCED TO
02:31:13PRISON AND ORDERED TO PAY $50
02:31:15MILLION FINE FOR A MONEY
02:31:18LAUNDERING SCHEME. $50 MILLION
02:31:21FINE. HE THEN BROKERED A DEAL TO
02:31:23CHANNEL $2 BILLION INTO THE TRUMP FAMILY'S CRYPTO BUSINESS.
02:31:26WORLD LIBERTY FINANCE, AFTER
02:31:28WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP PARDONED
02:31:31HIM. BINANCE ACCOUNTS HAVE
02:31:34FUNNELED ABOUT $1.7 BILLION TO
02:31:36IRANIAN ENTITIES LINKED TO
02:31:41TERRORISM. THE PRESIDENT'S WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL CONTINUES TO
02:31:44PARTNER WITH BINANCE. EVEN WITH THESE FACTS THAT I'VE SPELLED
02:31:47OUT IN THIS STATEMENT YOU
02:31:50RECENTLY CLAIMED, QUOTE, MR.
02:31:52BLANCHE, THAT THERE'S A TON OF
02:31:56EVIDENCE THAT THE 2020 ELECTION WAS RIGGED. YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT
02:31:59HAPPENS IN THIS COMMITTEE ROOM
02:32:03THIS ADMINISTRATION APPEAR BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE. RAISE
02:32:05THEIR HANDS, TAKE THE OATH, AND THEN FEEL THE QUESTIONS ASKED BY
02:32:09MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
02:32:13EVEN JUDGES TODAY AT STATE LEVEL, AND HAVE DISTINGUISHED
02:32:17CAREERS IN LAW, START TO AVERT
02:32:20THEIR EYES, SQUIRM, AND THEN
02:32:22GIVE A SCRIPT WHICH DOESN'T
02:32:25ACKNOWLEDGE DONALD TRUMP LOST
02:32:28THE 2020 ELECTION BY 7 MILLION
02:32:31POPULAR VOTES, 7 MILLION VOTE,
02:32:35AND HE LOST BY THAT NUMBER. THAT'S A FACT. ANY EIGHTH
02:32:39GRADER IN AMERICA KNOWS IT AND CAN REPEAT IT FOR YOU. AND YET,
02:32:41WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO ASKING
02:32:43TRUMP JUDICIAL NOMINEES WHO WON
02:32:46THE 2020 ELECTION, YOU OUGHT TO SEE HIM SQUIRM. WHAT'S THE
02:32:50REASON? THE PRESIDENT'S HE
02:32:53BELIEVES IN HIS HEART OF HEARTS, THAT HE SOMEHOW WON THAT ELECTION, THOUGH HE CAN'T
02:32:56PRODUCE ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT FACT. WELL, WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR
02:33:00CHANCE. I HOPE THAT YOU'LL PRODUCE THE EVIDENCE TO SHOW,
02:33:04ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THAT THE BIG LIE IS THE TRUTH OR NOT THE
02:33:07TRUTH. YOUR FIRST INDICTMENT OF FORMER FBI DIRECTOR COMEY FAILED
02:33:11IN A CASE BROUGHT BY AN UNQUALIFIED AND UNLAWFULLY
02:33:14APPOINTED U.S. ATTORNEY. LINDSEY
02:33:16HALLIGAN. SO NOW MR. COMEY IS
02:33:19BEING PROSECUTED FOR TAKING
02:33:21PICTURES OF SEASHELLS. THIS
02:33:24PROSECUTION, PERSONALLY ORDERED
02:33:25BY THE PRESIDENT, WHO DESPISES
02:33:28MR. COMEY FOR OVERSEEING THE INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016
02:33:32ELECTION. YOU HAVE ALSO
02:33:34BASELESSLY INDICTED THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, A CIVIL
02:33:38RIGHTS ORGANIZATION THAT HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO EXPOSE
02:33:41VIOLENT EXTREMISTS LIKE THE
02:33:43PROUD BOYS AND OATH KEEPERS, A
02:33:46GROUP WHICH WE IN THE SENATE KNOW WELL FOR THEIR JANUARY 6th
02:33:50ESCAPADE. THE SAME PEOPLE YOU GAVE A CLEAN SLATE FOR THEIR
02:33:54ROLE IN ATTACKING THIS CAPITOL. A FEDERAL JUDGE RECENTLY SINGLED
02:33:57OUT YOUR, QUOTE, REMARKABLE
02:34:01STATEMENTS TARGETING KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA AS EVIDENCE THAT
02:34:04HIS CRIMINAL PROSECUTION WAS,
02:34:07QUOTE, MARKED BY A RETALIATORY TAINT FOR SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING
02:34:11HIS DEPORTATION. AND DESPITE MY REPEATED REQUEST, YOU HAVE YET
02:34:15TO PRODUCE THE DOJ MEMORANDUM, CONCLUDING THAT IT WAS LEGALLY
02:34:19PERMISSIBLE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ACCEPT A
02:34:22GIFT OF A LUXURY AIRLINER FROM
02:34:27THE ROYAL FAMILY OF QATAR. DESPITE CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY FOREIGN GIFT
02:34:31PROHIBITIONS. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THAT JET WAS LAUNCHED AS
02:34:34AIR FORCE ONE, DESPITE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF SECURITY
02:34:38VULNERABILITY. LAST WEEKEND, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RESPONDED NOT BY ADDRESSING THESE
02:34:42CONCERNS, BUT BY SENDING FEDERAL
02:34:43AGENTS WITH SUBPOENAS TO THE
02:34:46HOMES OF THE REPORTERS WHO EXPOSED THESE LAPSES. IN LESS
02:34:49THAN 18 MONTHS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, YOU'VE SHOWN YOU'RE
02:34:53STILL PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY. YOUR TENURE CAN BE
02:34:56SUMMED UP IN THE FOUR WORDS YOU
02:34:58SAID, QUOTE, I LOVE YOU, SIR. TO
02:35:01PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS WAS YOUR RESPONSE WHEN YOU WERE ASKED
02:35:03WHAT YOU WOULD SAY TO HIM. THIS
02:35:05NATION DESERVES AN ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO LOVES THE
02:35:08CONSTITUTION MORE THAN ANY SINGLE PRESIDENT AND ATTORNEY
02:35:12GENERAL, FOCUSED ON KEEPING AMERICA SAFE AND COMBATING
02:35:15CORRUPTION, NOT SATISFYING THE
02:35:17PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL
02:35:19GRIEVANCES, OR CHANNELING CRYPTO CASH TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S
02:35:22MAGA FAITHFUL. MR. PRESIDENT,
02:35:25MR. CHAIRMAN, I YIELD
02:35:29>> NOW WE TURN.
02:35:32>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND, MY GOODNESS, I EXPECT YOU'LL BE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
02:35:36HOW ONE PERSON MAY INFLUENCE EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE AND
02:35:39UNDULY INFLUENCE EVERYTHING YOU DO. AND I HOPE YOU SAY YOU ARE
02:35:42ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND IT IS THAT GRANDDAUGHTER SITTING RIGHT
02:35:46BEHIND YOU SHE IS THE CUTEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN. GOOD
02:35:49MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR
02:35:51BEING HERE. UM. I HAVE THE
02:35:54DISTINCT PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD
02:35:57BLANCHE. HE SERVES AND HAS
02:35:59SERVED AS OUR ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OUR DEPUTY ATTORNEY
02:36:02GENERAL. UH, AND AMONGST ALL OF
02:36:04THE QUESTIONING TODAY, UH, MOST
02:36:07OF WHICH I HOPE IS IN GOOD
02:36:09FAITH. UH, SOMETIMES IT GETS
02:36:11LOST THAT HE IS A FORMER PROSECUTOR AND DEDICATED HIS
02:36:15LIFE TO, TO PROSECUTING FOR THIS
02:36:20NATION. UM, THE GREATEST TESTAMENT TO HIS GOOD CHARACTER AND WISE JUDGMENT IS HE IS NOW A
02:36:24FLORIDIAN. AND MY CONSTITUENT, AS THE NEWEST SENATOR FROM THE
02:36:28GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, BUT HE
02:36:30HAS LED A VERY DISTINGUISHED CAREER WITHIN THE REALM OF THE
02:36:34DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OF WHICH HE NOW SEEKS TO HEAD AS THE
02:36:38PERMANENT ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND BEFORE I GO MORE INTO THAT, I
02:36:40WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. BLANCHE,
02:36:42FOR OFFERING YOURSELF, NOT JUST FIRST AS DEPUTY ATTORNEY
02:36:46GENERAL, BUT NOW AS ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL. ANY ONE OF US ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE,
02:36:49SITTING HERE TODAY KNOWS WHAT IT
02:36:51MEANS TO SERVE AND WHAT COMES
02:36:55WITH THAT, AND WHAT THAT TAKES EVERY DAY, AND CERTAINLY WHAT
02:36:58THAT MEANS FOR YOUR FAMILIES THAT STAND BESIDE AND BEHIND YOU AND SOMETIMES HOLD YOU UP
02:37:01THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. WE THANK YOU, AND WE THANK YOUR FAMILY
02:37:05THAT IS HERE TODAY. UM, SINCE
02:37:09PRESIDENT TRUMP, TRUMP TOOK OFFICE AND LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING
02:37:12YOU, ENTERED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. AS YOU HEARD OUR
02:37:15CHAIRMAN SAY, YOU HAVE WORKED TO ACHIEVE THE LOWEST MURDER RATE
02:37:18SINCE 1900. VIOLENT CRIME
02:37:20ARRESTS ARE UP 184%, OVER 2400
02:37:24GANGS AND CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED AND
02:37:27DISMANTLED. 2900. ALMOST 3000 CHILD PREDATORS AND HUMAN
02:37:31TRAFFICKERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.
02:37:32THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 70% SINCE
02:37:352024. AND WHEN IT COMES TO
02:37:38FIGHTING FOR A FENTANYL FREE AMERICA, WHICH WE BOTH APPEARED
02:37:41AT A SUMMIT THIS WEEK, YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE EXCELLING
02:37:43THERE, TOO. DOJ HAS MADE OVER
02:37:466300 FENTANYL ARRESTS SEIZED
02:37:48MORE THAN 500 ZERO KILOGRAMS OF
02:37:51FENTANYL POWDER, 55 MILLION FENTANYL PILLS. THAT IS, FATAL
02:37:54DOSES ENOUGH TO KILL 428 MILLION PEOPLE. AND JUST SO THAT
02:37:57EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT MEANS, THAT IS MORE THAN THE
02:38:00POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES
02:38:04OF AMERICA. THAT'S JUST A FEW TOP LINE NUMBERS ON CORE
02:38:08OPERATIONS AT THE HEART OF DOJ'S MISSION. THE DOJ IS
02:38:11INDEED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF
02:38:13THE WAR ON FRAUD. AND I HOPE
02:38:15MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDE OF THE DAIS WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO TALK ABOUT
02:38:19THAT TODAY, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION OF YOUR
02:38:23NOMINATION, BUT ALSO SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN HEAR ABOUT
02:38:26THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN FOR A LONG PROCESS TODAY, SO I WANT
02:38:30TO TAKE MY REMAINING TIME TO TALK ABOUT YOU, THE PERSON, YOUR
02:38:33CAREER. TODD BLANCHE, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE IS
02:38:37A PATRIOT WHO WAS RAISED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. HE SPENT
02:38:40NEARLY. HE SPENT NEARLY A DECADE IN WHAT IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF
02:38:43THE BEST PROSECUTING OFFICES IN THE COUNTRY, THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE
02:38:47SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHERE HE PROSECUTED DRUG
02:38:51TRAFFICKERS AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS. IN FACT, THIS CAREER DEDICATED TO JUSTICE.
02:38:55>> SENATOR FROM OHIO.
02:38:58>> NOTWITHSTANDING. RULE 22, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED TO EXECUTIVE
02:39:02SESSION TO CONSIDER THE
02:39:04FOLLOWING NOMINATIONS ON THE
02:39:09SECRETARY'S DESK. PN1104-2. JOHN A GOODWIN IN THE ARMY AND
02:39:12ALL NOMINATIONS IN THE COAST
02:39:13GUARD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
02:39:16PN846, THAT THE NOMINATIONS BE CONFIRMED. THE MOTION TO
02:39:20RECONSIDER BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON THE TABLE WITH NO
02:39:23INTERVENING ACTION OR DEBATE.
02:39:24THAT NO FURTHER MOTIONS BE. IN
02:39:28ORDER TO THE NOMINATION THAT THE PRESIDENT BE IMMEDIATELY
02:39:30NOTIFIED OF THE SENATE'S
02:39:33ACTIONS AND THE SENATE THEN
02:39:36RESUME EXECUTIVE SESSION .
02:39:39>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:39:41>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE PROCEED TO THE
02:39:44IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF
02:39:46CALENDAR NUMBER 44, ONE SIX S
02:39:49.3897.
02:39:50>> THE CLERK WILL >> CALENDAR NUMBER 416, S 3897.
02:39:54A BILL TO REVISE ADMINISTRATIVE
02:39:57PROCEDURES RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS, DEATH BENEFITS
02:40:00AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
02:40:04>> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE MEASURE.
02:40:07>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:40:08THE COMMITTEE REPORTED SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT BE
02:40:12WITHDRAWN. THE GILLIBRAND SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT AT THE DESK
02:40:15BE CONSIDERED AND AGREED TO THE
02:40:17BILL, AS AMENDED, BE CONSIDERED.
02:40:19READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED,
02:40:21AND THAT THE MOTIONS TO
02:40:28RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON THE TABLE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:40:30THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
02:40:32BE DISCHARGED FROM FURTHER
02:40:35CONSIDERATION OF S 4850 IN THE
02:40:36SENATE, PROCEED TO ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
02:40:40>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT. >> S 4850. A BILL TO AMEND TITLE
02:40:4328, UNITED STATES CODE TO ADJUST
02:40:47THRESHOLDS RELATING TO JURISDICTION FOR INFLATION
02:40:50DISCHARGE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE
02:40:54SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:40:58THE BILL BE CONSIDERED. READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED, AND THAT
02:41:01THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON
02:41:04THE TABLE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:41:08>> ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE COMMITTEE ON BANKING,
02:41:12HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS BE DISCHARGED FROM THE. AND THE
02:41:15SENATE PROCEED TO THE IMMEDIATE
02:41:17CONSIDERATION OF S 1525.
02:41:21>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT. >> S1525A BILL TO DIRECT THE
02:41:25SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY TO STOP MINTING THE PENNY, AND SO
02:41:28FORTH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
02:41:31>> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
02:41:34COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED, AND THE
02:41:36SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE
02:41:40MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE LUMMIS SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT, WHICH IS AT THE DESK, BE
02:41:43CONSIDERED AND AGREED TO THE BILL, AS AMENDED, BE CONSIDERED, READ A THIRD TIME AND PASS, AND
02:41:47THAT THE MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER,
02:41:49BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
02:41:52>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:41:55>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:41:57THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BE
02:42:04DISCHARGED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF S 2677, AND THE
02:42:05SENATE PROCEED TO ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
02:42:08>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT. >> AS 2677, A BILL TO EXPAND THE
02:42:12SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH
02:42:14RESPECT TO SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
02:42:17IN TRADE.
02:42:21>> OBJECTION, THE COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE SENATE WILL
02:42:24PROCEED TO THE MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:42:28THE GRASSLEY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT AT THE DESK BE CONSIDERED, AND AGREED TO THE
02:42:31BILL, AS AMENDED, BE CONSIDERED. READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED,
02:42:35AND THAT THE MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE
02:42:39AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
02:42:42>> WITHOUT OBJECTION >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:42:46THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES BE DISCHARGED
02:42:49FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF
02:42:53H.R. 2196 AND THE SENATE PROCEED
02:42:55TO ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
02:42:57>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
02:42:59>> H.R. 2196, AN ACT TO PROVIDE
02:43:02FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL
02:43:06SERVICES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION,
02:43:08AND SO FORTH. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
02:43:11COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE
02:43:14MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:43:18THE BILL BE CONSIDERED, READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED, AND THAT
02:43:21THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON
02:43:25THE TABLE. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:43:29THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND
02:43:30NATURAL RESOURCES BE DISCHARGED
02:43:33FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. ONE, TWO, SEVEN SIX, AND
02:43:36THE SENATE PROCEED TO ITS
02:43:38IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION. >> THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
02:43:41>> H.R. ONE 276, AN ACT TO REMOVE RESTRICTIONS FROM A
02:43:45PARCEL OF LAND IN PADUCAH,
02:43:49KENTUCKY. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE
02:43:53MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:43:56THE BILL BE CONSIDERED. READ A THIRD TIME AND PASSED, AND THAT
02:44:00THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
02:44:03>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:44:06>> CONSENT THAT THE COMMITTEE ON
02:44:08SCIENCE, ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE
02:44:11AND TRANSPORTATION BE DISCHARGED
02:44:13FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN
02:44:16THE SENATE. NOW PROCEED TO S RES 815. >> THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
02:44:20>> AS FAR AS 815. COMMENDING THE CHICAGO CUBS BASEBALL TEAM AS IT
02:44:24CELEBRATES ITS 150th ANNIVERSARY
02:44:26ON AUGUST 29th, 2026.
02:44:31>> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE
02:44:34MEASURE. >> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
02:44:37THE RESOLUTION BE AGREED TO. THE DURBIN SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT TO
02:44:40THE PREAMBLE AT THE DESK BE CONSIDERED AND AGREED TO THE
02:44:44PREAMBLE, AS AMENDED, BE AGREED TO, AND THAT THE MOTIONS TO
02:44:47RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
02:44:50>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:44:56>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
02:45:00BE DISCHARGED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE. NOW
02:45:04PROCEED TO, S RES 820.
02:45:06>> THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
02:45:08>> S RES 820, DESIGNATING AUGUST
02:45:117th, 2026, IS NATIONAL
02:45:15LIGHTHOUSE DAY. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE COMMITTEE IS DISCHARGED AND THE
02:45:18SENATE WILL PROCEED TO THE MEASURE.
02:45:20>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE RESOLUTION BE AGREED TO. THE
02:45:23PREAMBLE BE AGREED TO, AND THE.
02:45:25AND THAT THE MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, MADE
02:45:29AND LAID UPON THE TABLE.
02:45:31>> WITHOUT OBJECTION.
02:45:36>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE NOW PROCEED TO AN EN BLOC CONSIDERATION OF THE
02:45:39FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, WHICH ARE
02:45:42AT THE DESK. S RES 843. S RES
02:45:45EIGHT. 44. S RES EIGHT. 45 S RES
02:45:52EIGHT. 46.
02:45:56>> WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE SENATE
02:45:58WILL PROCEED TO THE MEASURES ON THE BLOCK.
02:46:02>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE RESOLUTIONS BE AGREED TO.
02:46:05THE PREAMBLES BE AGREED TO, AND
02:46:07THAT THE MOTIONS TO RECONSIDER, BE CONSIDERED, AND MADE AND LAID
02:46:11UPON THE TABLE. ALL AND BLOCK.
02:46:14>> WITHOUT OBJECTION
02:47:46>> RIGHT NOW, FOR
02:48:27>> THE U.S. SENATE TODAY,
02:48:31WORKING ON SEVERAL.
02:49:04>> WHEN WE CONSIDER TODD BLANCHE'S NOMINATION TO SERVE
02:49:08AS THE 88th ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.
02:49:12CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BLANCHE, ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
02:49:14>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
02:49:23>> GROUND RULES FOR THIS MEETING. I'LL HANDLE THIS
02:49:26HEARING. AS OUR COMMITTEE
02:49:28HANDLED THE NOMINATIONS OF
02:49:33GARLAND, I WANT EVERYONE TO BE
02:49:35ABLE TO WATCH WITHOUT
02:49:38OBSTRUCTION. IF PEOPLE BLOCK THE VIEW OF THOSE BEHIND THEM OR
02:49:43SPEAK OUT OF TURN, IT'S NOT
02:49:45FAIR. IT'S NOT CONSIDERATE. SO
02:49:51OFFICERS WILL IMMEDIATELY REMOVE
02:49:53THAT PERSON OR PERSONS I'M GOING
02:49:59TO GIVE MY OPENING REMARKS AND
02:50:00THEN RANKING MEMBER DURBIN WILL
02:50:03GIVE HIS REMARKS. THEN I'LL
02:50:08CALL ON SENATOR MOODY TO
02:50:12INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE. FOLLOWING THAT INTRODUCTION, MR. BLANCHE
02:50:15WILL PROVIDE HIS OPENING
02:50:18STATEMENT, AND THEN WE'LL RE
02:50:20WE'LL TURN TO QUESTIONS EACH
02:50:25SENATOR WILL HAVE TEN MINUTES TO
02:50:28ASK QUESTIONS MY, MY STANDARD
02:50:33APPROACH HAS BEEN THAT IF YOU
02:50:36GOT ONE SECOND LEFT AS A MEMBER
02:50:38OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU CAN ASK
02:50:40YOUR QUESTION BUT AFTER THE
02:50:43QUESTIONS ANSWERED, I'M GOING TO
02:50:45MOVE ON TO THE NEXT MEMBER MR.
02:50:51BLANCHE, THANK YOU FOR BEING
02:50:53HERE. AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THIS
02:50:55IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
02:51:00OFFICES IN OUR COUNTRY. YOU WENT
02:51:02THROUGH A ROUGH SENATE CONFIRMATION A LITTLE OVER A
02:51:06YEAR AGO. SO YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT
02:51:09IT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU COOPERATED WITH THIS COMMITTEE
02:51:12AT EVERY STEP AND FULFILLED YOUR
02:51:15RESPONSIBILITIES IN GOOD FAITH.
02:51:17WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RUNNING THE
02:51:20WORLD'S, UH, LARGEST LAW FIRM
02:51:24OFFICE, THE SENATE HAS ALREADY
02:51:26JUDGED YOUR FITNESS FOR HIGH
02:51:29OFFICE AND CONFIRMED YOU AS THE
02:51:31DEPARTMENT'S SECOND IN COMMAND.
02:51:34TODAY, WE CONSIDER YOU FOR A
02:51:36PROMOTION, AND WE'RE NOT
02:51:39STARTING OUT FROM A BLANK SLATE.
02:51:42YOU HAVE A TRACK RECORD? MY
02:51:47DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES HAVE RELENTLESSLY ATTACKED THE
02:51:51DEPARTMENT, AND YOUR AND
02:51:52PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LEADERSHIP.
02:51:55THEY'VE CALLED THE DEPARTMENT,
02:51:59QUOTE, UNQUOTE, A DISGRACE. AND
02:52:02SUGGESTED THE AGENCY IS BROKEN.
02:52:06THEIR MEDIA ALLIES AND ACTIVIST
02:52:10NETWORKS HAVE ECHOED THAT
02:52:13MESSAGE. ARE THESE ASSERTIONS
02:52:17CORRECT? LET'S PUT ASIDE
02:52:20PARTIZAN CRITICISM FOR A MOMENT
02:52:22AND ADDRESS THE EVIDENCE THE
02:52:26DEPARTMENT PRIMARY DUTY IS TO
02:52:28ENFORCE OUR NATION'S LAWS AND TO
02:52:31KEEP AMERICANS SAFE. SO HOW IS
02:52:35THE DEPARTMENT STACKING UP? THE
02:52:37ANSWER IS FOR THOSE WHO CARE TO
02:52:41JUDGE FIRMLY, FAIRLY. IT'S A
02:52:44RECORD OF SUCCESS. THE UNITED
02:52:46STATES HAS THE LOWEST MURDER
02:52:49RATE SINCE 1900. THE FBI HAS
02:52:52CAPTURED EIGHT OF THE TOP TEN
02:52:54MOST WANTED FUGITIVES. VIOLENT
02:52:59CRIME ARRESTS, ARRESTS BY THE
02:53:03FBI ARE UP 184%. MORE THAN 849
02:53:07INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED
02:53:09FROM CONDUCTING TERRORIST
02:53:12ATTACKS. THE ATF HAS SEIZED MORE
02:53:16THAN 44,000 ILLEGAL FIREARMS.
02:53:21THAT IS NOT A FAILURE. WHAT
02:53:24ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S RECORD ON
02:53:26ILLEGAL DRUGS? SINCE JANUARY OF
02:53:32LAST YEAR, THE DEA HAS MADE MORE
02:53:35THAN 6300 FENTANYL ARRESTS. IT
02:53:41HAS. IT HAS SEIZED MORE THAN
02:53:485000KG OF FENTANYL POWDER, 55
02:53:51MILLION FENTANYL PILLS. 20 240
02:54:01ZERO KILOGRAMS OF METHAMPHETAMINE, AND ONE AND
02:54:042/10 MILLION KILOGRAMS OF COCAINE. THE FENTANYL ALONE
02:54:07AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN 428 MILLION
02:54:13FATAL SEIZURES. THAT IS NOT A
02:54:16FAILURE. AND WHAT ABOUT
02:54:19PROTECTING CHILDREN? OUR
02:54:21COMMITTEE HAS FOUGHT FOR YEARS
02:54:24ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS TO PROTECT
02:54:26OUR NATION'S CHILDREN FROM THE
02:54:28HORRORS OF EXPLOITATION. RANKING
02:54:30MEMBER DURBIN AND I, IN A
02:54:32BIPARTISAN WAY, ARE LEADING
02:54:35LANDMARK LEGISLATION. THE JAMES
02:54:38T WOODS ACT, TO TACKLE THAT VERY
02:54:41ISSUE. AND ONCE AGAIN, OUR
02:54:45PARTNERS AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A RECORD OF
02:54:47SUCCESS. THE FBI HAS ARRESTED
02:54:522900 CHILD PREDATORS AND HUMAN
02:54:54TRAFFICKERS, A 70% INCREASE FROM
02:55:002024 AND LOCATED MORE THAN 6940
02:55:06CHILD VICTIMS. THE U.S. MARSHALS
02:55:10HAVE RECOVERED MORE THAN 1182
02:55:12MISSING CHILDREN. THAT DOESN'T
02:55:15SOUND LIKE FAILURE TO ME. IN
02:55:19CONTRAST, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DIVERTED
02:55:22PROSECUTORS FROM CHILD SEX CRIME
02:55:25CASES ON JANUARY 6th. CASES.
02:55:29THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE MY DEMOCRAT
02:55:32COLLEAGUES HAVE CRITICIZED THE
02:55:35JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR A LACK OF
02:55:37TRANSPARENCY. I'VE BEEN CRITICAL
02:55:39AS WELL AS I AM WITH EVERY
02:55:43ADMINISTRATION WHO OCCUPIES THE
02:55:47OVAL OFFICE. WHEN WE DON'T GET
02:55:49THAT COOPERATION. NO ONE CARES
02:55:52MORE ABOUT OVERSIGHT THAN I DO.
02:55:56IN ALL MY YEARS OF CONGRESSIONAL
02:55:59OVERSIGHT, THIS DEPARTMENT HAS
02:56:01BEEN THE MOST RESPONSIVE TO MY
02:56:04REQUESTS. THAT MEANS EVERY
02:56:07REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT ADMINISTRATION PREVIOUS TO THIS
02:56:10ONE, AND THE NUMBERS BACK THIS
02:56:14UP. SINCE JANUARY OF LAST YEAR,
02:56:16THE DEPARTMENT HAS PRODUCED
02:56:19APPROXIMATELY 43,000 PAGES OF
02:56:20RECORDS. IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS
02:56:24FROM THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE,
02:56:27THAT'S APPROXIMATELY THREE
02:56:31TIMES THE NUMBER OF RECORDS
02:56:32PRODUCED AND EQUIVALENT TIME BY
02:56:37THE BIDEN JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO RELEASED
02:56:40MORE THAN THREE AND 3/10 MILLION
02:56:44PAGES OF ADDITIONAL RECORDS,
02:56:47WITH MORE COMING EVERY DAY.
02:56:49THEIR WORK IS NOT DONE, AND I
02:56:53EXPECT CONTINUED RESPONSIVENESS.
02:56:55AND AS WELL, THE VERY IMPORTANT
02:56:58THING OF DECLASSIFICATION. BUT CREDIT SHOULD BE GIVEN WHERE
02:57:02CREDIT IS DUE. A FEW MORE
02:57:07SUCCESSES. THEY'VE ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL FRAUD ENFORCEMENT
02:57:10DIVISION TO ADDRESS MORE THAN $5
02:57:15BILLION IN FRAUD AGAINST AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. THEY'VE
02:57:17REDUCED THE IMMIGRATION CASE LOG
02:57:19BY MORE THAN 468,000. THEY'VE
02:57:25CHALLENGED AND ELIMINATED RACIST AND UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION IN
02:57:28GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE
02:57:29SECTOR. THEY'RE EXPOSING AND RE
02:57:33ADDRESSING THE BIDEN ERA
02:57:36WEAPONIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
02:57:39AGAINST POLITICAL OPPONENTS. THEY'VE CAPTURED AND ARE
02:57:42PROSECUTING THE DICTATOR,
02:57:44NICOLAS MADURO FOR CRIMES
02:57:46RELATED TO NARCO TERRORISM. THE
02:57:50LIST GOES ON. THIS DEPARTMENT IS
02:57:53KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE, AND THE
02:57:55NUMBERS BACK THAT UP. MR.
02:57:57BLANCHE, YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE
02:58:00IN DELIVERING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROMISE. THE
02:58:04AMERICAN PEOPLE VOTED FOR IN
02:58:072024. BUT AT THE HEARING TODAY,
02:58:11WE MIGHT EXPECT THE OPPOSITE. MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES WILL TALK
02:58:15ABOUT, UH, THESE. THEY WON'T
02:58:19TALK ABOUT THESE SUCCESSES. I
02:58:21EXPECT THE SAME PLAYBOOK THAT
02:58:23WE'VE SEEN FOR NEARLY EVERY ONE
02:58:25OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEES.
02:58:28PURE PARTIZAN OBSTRUCTION AND
02:58:31PARTIZAN ATTACK. THIS APPROACH
02:58:34IS THE SAME ONE THAT WE'VE SEEN
02:58:36OVER AND OVER. IN FACT, IT
02:58:40BECOMES SUCH A PATTERN THAT I'LL JUST QUOTE MYSELF FROM A SPEECH
02:58:43I DELIVERED ALMOST A YEAR AGO
02:58:46REGARDING ANOTHER NOMINEE. LAST
02:58:49JULY, I SAID, QUOTE, SINCE THE
02:58:51VERY BEGINNING OF THIS CONGRESS,
02:58:53DEMOCRATS HAVE ENGAGED IN RELENTLESS OBSTRUCTION CAMPAIGN
02:58:57FOR NEARLY EVERY ONE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEES.
02:59:01THEIR PLAYBOOK HAS INCLUDED MAXIMUM PROCEDURAL OBSTRUCTION
02:59:05UNFAIR MEDIA ATTACKS, REPEATED
02:59:10ATTEMPTS TO ALLEGE MISCONDUCT,
02:59:14AND DEMANDS FOR DELAYED CONSIDERATION RECORDS AND
02:59:17INVESTIGATIONS. LIKE CLOCKWORK, JUST BEFORE A HEARING OR A VOTE,
02:59:20WE GET ANOTHER BREATHLESS
02:59:24ACCUSATION THAT ONE OF PRESIDENT
02:59:27TRUMP'S NOMINEES NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. END OF MY QUOTE OF
02:59:30LAST JANUARY. SO HERE WE ARE
02:59:33AGAIN. JUST LIKE CLOCKWORK, THE
02:59:36DEMOCRATS AND THEIR MEDIA ALLIES
02:59:38AND ACTIVIST NETWORKS HAVE
02:59:41LAUNCHED THE EXPECTED CRUSADE
02:59:44AGAINST YOUR NOMINATION. TO BE
02:59:46CLEAR, THERE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS
02:59:49FOR MR. BLANCHE. I DON'T AGREE WITH HOW MR. BLANCHE OR THE
02:59:53JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HANDLED EVERY MATTER, AND I'VE DEMANDED
02:59:57ANSWERS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO
02:59:58SO. BUT MANY OF THE CRITICISMS
03:00:01AIRED IN RECENT DAYS, JUST
03:00:05COMPLETELY MISS THE MARK. AND
03:00:06I'LL GIVE ONE EXAMPLE. WE'VE
03:00:09SEEN A COORDINATED CAMPAIGN FROM FORMER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
03:00:12EMPLOYEES OPPOSING MR. BLANCHE
03:00:14NOMINATION BY DEMOCRATIC
03:00:17COLLEAGUES AND THE PARTIZAN
03:00:19MEDIA HAVE PUBLICIZED THEIR
03:00:22LETTER FRAMING THE SIGNATORIES AS A GROUP OF NONPARTISAN,
03:00:26QUOTE, UNQUOTE, CAREER CIVIL SERVANTS. OF COURSE, THEY FAIL
03:00:30TO MENTION IN THAT LETTER WAS
03:00:35COORDINATED BY THE SAME GROUP
03:00:38THAT ENGAGED IN PARTIZAN AND
03:00:39MISLEADING CAMPAIGNS OPPOSING
03:00:43JUDGE BOVA'S NOMINATION. THEY ALSO DON'T MENTION THAT THE
03:00:46LETTERS, SIGNATORIES INCLUDE A
03:00:49WHO'S WHO OF PARTIZAN ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING FORMER
03:00:52CHICAGO MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT AND
03:00:56JACK SMITH'S PARTIZAN
03:00:58PROSECUTORS. JP COONEY, MOLLY
03:01:01GASTON AND DAVID BRODY. AND THEY
03:01:05CERTAINLY DON'T MENTION IT. MR. BLANCHE HAS RECEIVED LETTERS OF
03:01:08SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATIONS
03:01:11REPRESENTING MORE THAN 600,000
03:01:14LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, 23
03:01:17STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND SCORES OF FORMER JUSTICE
03:01:20DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS. SO, FROM
03:01:23MY VANTAGE POINT, IF THE PEOPLE
03:01:26WHO ENGAGED IN IN THE WORST
03:01:29PARTIZAN WARFARE LAWFARE THIS
03:01:31COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN HAVE A
03:01:33PROBLEM WITH TODD BLANCHE,
03:01:36THAT'S A GOOD THING. IN MY
03:01:40BOOK, AS SURE AS SUNRISE TODAY,
03:01:44SOME OF MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES
03:01:45WILL TELL US THAT MR. BRANCH HAS
03:01:49UNIQUE, UNIQUELY TERRIBLE
03:01:52NOMINEE BEFORE THEY DO SO.
03:01:54HOWEVER, I URGE THEM TO REMEMBER
03:01:57THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF AND TAKE
03:02:00A LONG LOOK IN THE MIRROR BEFORE
03:02:02LECTURING ANYONE ABOUT
03:02:05PARTIZANSHIP AT THE JUSTICE
03:02:07DEPARTMENT. SO I HAVE ONE MORE
03:02:10SUBJECT. I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
03:02:12DEVELOPMENTS IN MY. AND SENATOR
03:02:17JOHNSON'S JACK SMITH INVESTIGATION. SMITH'S TEAM
03:02:19SUBPOENAED THE NATIONAL
03:02:23ARCHIVES, JUNE 2023. THAT
03:02:25SUBPOENA SOUGHT TEXT MESSAGES
03:02:30FROM CELL PHONES CONNECTED TO TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS.
03:02:34THE DATE RANGE FOR THE RECORDS
03:02:36WAS OCTOBER 1st, 2020, TO
03:02:42JANUARY 20th, 2021. THE ARCHIVES
03:02:45THEN GENERAL COUNSEL GARY STERN,
03:02:49EMAILED THOMAS NOEM, ONE OF
03:02:52SMITH'S DEPUTIES, ON AUGUST
03:02:5521st, 2023, AT 12:19 P.M.. THAT
03:03:01EMAIL SAID RESPONSIVE RECORDS
03:03:05WERE READY ON AUGUST 21st, THE
03:03:07SAME DAY, 2023. JUST, UH, 20s
03:03:14LATER WINDHAM HAD ALREADY
03:03:16DOWNLOADED THE TEXT, AND SHORTLY
03:03:20AFTER THAT, OTHER DOJ AND FBI
03:03:24PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE CASE DID AS WELL. WHISTLEBLOWERS TOLD
03:03:26MY OFFICE THAT SMITH DIDN'T PASS THESE RECORDS THROUGH A FILTER
03:03:30TEAM, AND YOU CAN SEE IN 20
03:03:33MINUTES, THERE WASN'T TIME TO GO TO A FILTER TEAM. THAT FILTER
03:03:37TEAM WAS ALREADY IN PLACE. THE
03:03:41JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS CONFIRMED THAT FACT IN A LETTER TO THE
03:03:45COMMITTEE, QUOTE, THE SPECIAL
03:03:47COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATIVE TEAM, APPARENTLY BY BYPASSED THE
03:03:50FILTER TEAM AND DIRECTLY
03:03:53ACCESSED THESE TEXT MESSAGES,
03:03:55END QUOTE. THE DOJ LETTER TO THE
03:03:58COMMITTEE ALSO SAID, QUOTE, THE
03:04:01SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE AWARE OF
03:04:04THE RISKS THAT RECORDS RELATING
03:04:08TO MEMBERS, MEANING MEMBERS OF
03:04:09CONGRESS, COMMUNICATIONS COULD
03:04:12RAISE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS
03:04:15AND MIGHT BE PRIVILEGED UNDER THE SPEECH AND DEBATE CLAUSE.
03:04:18END OF QUOTE. THAT SPEECH AND
03:04:21DEBATE CLAUSE IS A
03:04:23CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE. EVEN IF
03:04:25SMITH'S TEAM HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO LOOK FOR
03:04:28CONGRESSIONAL OR OTHER PRIVILEGED INFORMATION, IT
03:04:32WOULDN'T MATTER, BECAUSE, IN
03:04:33THIS EXAMPLE, IT APPEARS THE
03:04:38FILTER TEAM WAS ENTIRELY BYPASSED BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE
03:04:41COMMITTEE. SMITH'S OPERATION CUT CORNERS AND BLEW THROUGH
03:04:45CONSTITUTIONAL STOP SIGNS. INSTEAD OF RESPECTING THEM. AND
03:04:49HAVING BEEN ADVISED ABOUT THE
03:04:51CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS, THE
03:04:54WHITE HOUSE MESSAGE, OBTAINED
03:04:56AND REVIEWED BY SMITH'S TEAM,
03:04:59INCLUDED COMMUNICATIONS WITH
03:05:04MANY SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. THE
03:05:06COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDED MESSAGES
03:05:08WITH MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE,
03:05:11INCLUDING THIS SENATOR. THE
03:05:12SUBJECT MATTER OF THOSE MEMBERS
03:05:16COMMUNICATION INCLUDED CORE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES,
03:05:18SUCH AS CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION, RESOLUTIONS AND
03:05:22INVESTIGATIVE WORK. IT ALSO
03:05:23INCLUDED OTHER INFORMATION
03:05:26IRRELEVANT TO JACK SMITH'S CASE
03:05:29AGAINST THEN CITIZEN TRUMP.
03:05:32INSTEAD OF THAT INFORMATION BEING WALLED OFF, IT WAS
03:05:36INTENTIONALLY SHARED. THIS IS
03:05:38ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS
03:05:40MISGUIDED INVESTIGATION WASN'T
03:05:42NORMAL, AND DEMANDS FURTHER
03:05:45INVESTIGATION. JACK SMITH'S OPERATION WAS A RUNAWAY
03:05:47POLITICAL TRAIN THAT IMPROPERLY
03:05:50OBTAINED CONGRESSIONAL
03:05:53INFORMATION. I'VE REQUESTED ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL BLANCHE
03:05:55TO ALLOW MEMBERS TO REVIEW THESE
03:06:02RECORDS. SENATOR >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
03:06:04CHAIRMAN MR. BLANCHE, THANK YOU
03:06:08FOR COMING BY MY OFFICE YESTERDAY. UH, I THINK WE BOTH KNEW GOING INTO THAT MEETING
03:06:11THAT WE HAD STRONGLY HELD POLITICAL BELIEFS ON BOTH SIDES
03:06:14OF THE TABLE, AND YET WE HAD, I
03:06:17THINK, A RESPECTFUL EXCHANGE.
03:06:18AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING BY. THANK YOU. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT
03:06:22YOUR STAFFERS WITH YOU. MY STAFF WAS THERE AS WELL. IF THERE WAS
03:06:26ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, UH, MY REPRESENTATION OF YOUR REMARKS, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO CORRECT
03:06:30THE RECORD, UH, IN A FEW
03:06:32MOMENTS. BUT I'LL STICK BY WHAT
03:06:34I SAID AND ASK. MY STAFF HAS
03:06:37BACKED ME UP IN MY MEMORY OF IT. YOURS MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT
03:06:41THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME YESTERDAY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
03:06:44THE OBVIOUS EMPTY SEAT AT THE
03:06:45DAIS HERE, WHICH THE CHAIRMAN,
03:06:49UH, NEXT TO THE CHAIRMAN. THE COMMITTEE IS MOURNING THE LOSS
03:06:52OF OUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, FORMER
03:06:56CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE. I SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE WITH SENATOR GRAHAM
03:07:00SINCE HE JOINED THE SENATE IN
03:07:022003. AND I CHERISH MY MEMORIES
03:07:05OF BOTH OUR FIERCE PARTISAN BATTLES AND OUR LANDMARK
03:07:09BIPARTISAN AGREEMENTS. HE WAS A
03:07:10TRUSTED FRIEND, MY MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK HOME. CAN'T
03:07:14BELIEVE IT. WHEN I SAY THESE THINGS. YOU MEAN THAT LINDSEY
03:07:17GRAHAM, YES, I DO. HE WAS A GOOD PERSON, A VALUABLE PART OF THE
03:07:21SENATE FAMILY, AND AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.
03:07:25UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HONORING HIM WITH THIS, UH,
03:07:28MEMORIAL TODAY. UH, LET ME SAY
03:07:31AT THE OUTSET THAT THE CHAIRMAN, UH, SPENT SEVERAL MINUTES
03:07:35TALKING ABOUT JACK SMITH. I WANT
03:07:36TO MAKE ONE THING CLEAR ABOUT
03:07:40JACK SMITH, WHO WAS A SPECIAL
03:07:43COUNSEL MONTHS AGO, PERHAPS SIX
03:07:45MONTHS AGO, MAYBE LONGER. HE
03:07:48VOLUNTEERED TO APPEAR BEFORE
03:07:51THIS COMMITTEE UNDER OATH AND
03:07:53TESTIFY DID AS SPECIAL COUNSEL, AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THE
03:07:57COMMITTEE, FOR REASONS I CANNOT
03:08:00EXPLAIN, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY, DOES NOT WANT TO BRING
03:08:02JACK SMITH BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE
03:08:04AND HAVE HIM TESTIFY UNDER OATH.
03:08:08THEY CONTINUE ON REGULAR BASIS TO TAKE EXCEPTION TO THINGS THAT
03:08:11HE SAID OR DID, OR ALLEGEDLY DID, BUT WILL NOT BRING HIM
03:08:14BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE. I DON'T GET IT. IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING
03:08:18THEY WANT TO RAISE WITH JACK SMITH, THAT PLACE IS WHERE HE
03:08:20SHOULD BE SITTING UNDER OATH AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, AND
03:08:24HE'S VOLUNTEERED TO DO IT. BUT
03:08:26THEY TURNED HIM DOWN MR.
03:08:30CHAIRMAN, WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY OF
03:08:34CHOOSING THE NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF
03:08:37AMERICA. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A VACANCY IN THE
03:08:40OFFICE. THE PRESIDENT DECIDED TO
03:08:42FIRE THE PREDECESSOR. UH, OF MR.
03:08:45BLANCHE. AFTER JUST 14 MONTHS ON
03:08:49THE JOB, AFTER COURTS AND GRAND JURIES BLOCKED HER FROM
03:08:53PROSECUTING THE PRESIDENT'S POLITICAL OPPONENTS, SEEMINGLY,
03:08:56PRESIDENT TRUMP BELIEVES YOU, MR. BLANCHE, WILL BE MORE
03:08:59SUCCESSFUL. WHEN YOU'RE FIRST
03:09:01NOMINATED TO BE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
03:09:03GENERAL. DEMOCRATS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S
03:09:07PERSONAL ATTORNEY, SERVING AS
03:09:11THE TOP ATTORNEY IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT
03:09:15OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SINCE YOU WERE
03:09:18CONFIRMED, THE DEPARTMENT OF
03:09:21JUSTICE HAS LITERALLY VIOLATED DOZENS OF COURT ORDERS TO
03:09:24ADVANCE THE PRESIDENT'S AGENDA
03:09:26LAST YEAR, YOU DECLARED THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WAS, QUOTE,
03:09:29AT WAR WITH THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY I BROUGHT THAT UP TO
03:09:33YOU YESTERDAY. I BELIEVE ALL OF
03:09:36US, BOTH SIDES OF >> THE TABLE NEED TO BE MORE
03:09:39CAREFUL WITH OUR RHETORIC WHEN IT COMES TO THE JUDICIARY.
03:09:44YESTERDAY, WE HAD THE TESTIMONY
03:09:44OF JUSTICES KAGAN AND BARRETT,
03:09:48AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THEM PERSONALLY AND ON THEIR
03:09:52FAMILIES, WITH THE THREATS THAT HAVE BEEN INCREASING AGAINST
03:09:55THEM MOST OF US ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
03:09:59TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE A SIMILAR
03:10:01EXPERIENCE, BUT IT IS A
03:10:03RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF US, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS,
03:10:06LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, IN OR OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT. BE
03:10:10CAREFUL WITH WHAT WE SAY ABOUT
03:10:13THE JUDICIARY. THEY ARE DOING
03:10:14THEIR JOB. WE SHOULD NEVER, EVER
03:10:18COUNTENANCE VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE ON EITHER SIDE. ONE OF
03:10:21YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL ACTIONS IS
03:10:23ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR.
03:10:25BLANCHE WAS TO ESTABLISH THE $2
03:10:29BILLION WEAPONIZATION, OR SLUSH FUND, TO BENEFIT JANUARY 6th.
03:10:32COP BEATERS WHILE IMMUNIZING
03:10:35PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM IRS LIABILITY. YOU DEFENDED THE
03:10:38SLUSH FUND BY CLAIMING, QUOTE,
03:10:40PEOPLE HURT. POLICE GET MONEY,
03:10:43HURT. POLICE GET MONEY ALL THE
03:10:44TIME, END QUOTE. DESPITE
03:10:47RESOUNDING BIPARTISAN CRITICISM AND ADMITTING THAT IT WAS A
03:10:51MISTAKE, YOU'VE REFUSED TO
03:10:53RESCIND THE ORDER CREATING THIS
03:10:55FUND. THAT ORDER CAN STILL BE
03:10:57FOUND ON THE DEPARTMENT OF
03:11:01JUSTICE'S WEBSITE TODAY. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY IN
03:11:03MY I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND
03:11:06YOUR EXPLANATION. I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE, OF COURSE, TO EXPLAIN
03:11:09IT, BUT YOU SAID IT WAS UP TO
03:11:11CONGRESS TO CODIFY THE
03:11:14ELIMINATION OF THIS FUND. THIS WAS A CREATION OF THE EXECUTIVE
03:11:18BRANCH. IT WAS NOT A CREATION OF
03:11:22CONGRESS. SO I HOPE YOU'LL CLARIFY THAT STATEMENT. EARLIER
03:11:24THIS WEEK, A FEDERAL JUDGE CHARACTERIZED YOUR EXPLANATION OF THE SETTLEMENT THAT LED TO
03:11:28THIS FUND. QUOTE, AT BEST,
03:11:30MISLEADING AND AT WORST, DISINGENUOUS. YOU TOLD ME
03:11:34YESTERDAY THAT THE OPINION WAS, QUOTE, A HIT PIECE ON YOU. ANOTHER TROUBLING ATTACK ON A
03:11:38JUDGE FOR DOING HER JOB. THEN
03:11:41THERE'S THE COVER UP OF THE EPSTEIN FILES, WHICH FORMER
03:11:45ATTORNEY GENERAL BONDI HERSELF SAID YOU WERE, QUOTE, IN CHARGE
03:11:47OF. UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, MORE
03:11:53THAN 1000 FBI PERSONNEL WERE PULLED OFF OF OTHER PRIORITIES AND DIRECTED TO FLAG EPSTEIN
03:11:57RECORDS FOR ANY MENTIONS OF
03:12:00PRESIDENT TRUMP. WHEN SCRUTINY OF THE COVER UP INTENSIFIED, YOU
03:12:04PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS IN THE WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM TO
03:12:08STRATEGIZE ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT PRESIDENT TRUMP, NOT EPSTEIN
03:12:11SURVIVORS. THE PRESIDENT. WHEN CONGRESS FORCED THE
03:12:15ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE THE FILES, HUNDREDS OF SURVIVORS.
03:12:18PERSONAL INFORMATION WAS
03:12:22UNREDACTED, VICTIMIZING THEM AGAIN. MEANWHILE, THE NAMES OF
03:12:26POWERFUL EPSTEIN ALLIES REMAIN
03:12:28PROTECTED IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF
03:12:30THE EPSTEIN FILES TRANSPARENCY
03:12:33ACT. YOUR EXPLANATION? QUOTE, IT
03:12:35ISN'T A CRIME TO PARTY WITH MR.
03:12:38EPSTEIN. MR. BLANCHE, THESE SURVIVORS DESERVE MUCH BETTER. I
03:12:42WANT TO RECOGNIZE MANY OF THEM WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. I
03:12:45THANK THEM FOR THEIR COURAGE IN
03:12:47SPEAKING OUT. TOMORROW, WE WILL
03:12:49HEAR ONE OF THEM DURING OUR
03:12:52OUTSIDE WITNESS PANEL. I'D LIKE
03:12:53TO ENTER INTO THE RECORD SIX LETTERS FROM EPSTEIN SURVIVORS
03:12:57IN OPPOSITION TO THE BLANCHE NOMINATION. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. SO
03:13:00ORDERED. >> I'M ASKING YOU, MR. BLANCHE,
03:13:03TODAY, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS
03:13:06ROOM, TO AGREE TO MEET WITH THESE EPSTEIN SURVIVORS PERSONALLY, AND TO BRING WITH
03:13:10YOU PROFESSIONALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, TO HEAR
03:13:12THEM OUT. THEY HAVE THE COURAGE
03:13:15TO TELL THEIR STORY, AND THEY SHOULD AT LEAST HEAR FROM THEIR
03:13:19GOVERNMENT THAT THEY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW
03:13:23WITH CONVICTED SEX TRAFFICKER
03:13:25GHISLAINE MAXWELL, AN ATTEMPT, I
03:13:28BELIEVE, TO EXONERATE PRESIDENT TRUMP. MISS MAXWELL WAS TRANSFERRED TO A MINIMUM
03:13:32SECURITY CAMP. THAT IS UNHEARD
03:13:34OF FOR OFFENDERS LIKE HER. YOU SAID IT WAS FOR HER OWN PERSONAL
03:13:37SAFETY. I HOPE YOU'LL EXPLAIN THAT TODAY. YOU TOLD ME
03:13:41YESTERDAY YOU WANT TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
03:13:44AND YOU LOVE PROSECUTORS. BUT YOU HAVE REMOVED FROM THE
03:13:49DEPARTMENT SOME OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROSECUTORS THAT HAVE
03:13:51EVER SERVED OUR GOVERNMENT. DONE
03:13:54THAT FOR PERSONAL REASONS. PERJURING CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT
03:13:58OFFICIALS WHO WON'T PRIORITIZE
03:14:01PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INTERESTS OVER THEIR OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION. YOU FIRED THE
03:14:05CAREER PARDON ATTORNEY BECAUSE
03:14:07SHE WOULDN'T SIGN OFF ON RESTORING GUN RIGHTS TO A
03:14:11CONVICTED DOMESTIC ABUSER, MEL GIBSON, PERSONAL FRIEND OF
03:14:14PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE FIRED CAREER
03:14:18IMMIGRATION LITIGATOR EREZ ROYAL
03:14:20NAVY FOR REFUSING TO FOLLOW
03:14:23UNETHICAL ORDERS FROM YOUR FORMER LAW PARTNER, EMO BOVE AND
03:14:26OTHER SENIOR DOJ OFFICIALS TO
03:14:28LIE TO A FEDERAL COURT. YOU BRAGGED ABOUT FIRING CAREER LAW
03:14:32ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO
03:14:36INVESTIGATE THE PRESIDENT'S
03:14:39CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING AGENTS WHO SPECIALIZED IN INVESTIGATING THREATS FROM
03:14:43FOREIGN ADVERSARIES LIKE IRAN.
03:14:46MORE THAN 1200 FORMER CAREER DOJ
03:14:50EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED FOR BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS, SENT THIS
03:14:53COMMITTEE A LETTER OPPOSING YOUR NOMINATION. BECAUSE YOU HAVE
03:14:57PURGED DOJ OF THOUSANDS OF EXPERIENCED LAW ENFORCEMENT
03:15:00OFFICIALS, PUTTING OUR NATION'S SECURITY AT RISK. I WOULD LIKE
03:15:03TO ENTER THIS LETTER INTO THE
03:15:05RECORD WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
03:15:07>> WITHOUT OBJECTION. SO ORDERED. >> YOU TESTIFIED UNDER OATH LAST
03:15:10YEAR THAT HIS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL YOU WOULD CONSULT WITH
03:15:14CAREER ETHICS OFFICIALS TO AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, A
03:15:17SIGNIFICANT CONCERN, SINCE YOU
03:15:20RECEIVED NEARLY $10 MILLION AS A
03:15:23PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY. BUT YOU'VE GUTTED THE DOJ
03:15:25OFFICES THAT HANDLE ETHICS AND
03:15:30PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER THE DEPARTMENT'S TOP ETHICS LAWYER ADVISED YOU TO
03:15:32RECUSE YOURSELF FROM ANY MATTERS RELATING TO TRUMP AND HIS
03:15:36PERSONAL CAPACITY. THAT LAWYER
03:15:39WAS FIRED. EVERY SMARMY SUSPECT
03:15:41DEAL IN THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS
03:15:44CRYPTOCURRENCY BEHIND THE CURTAIN. AND AGAIN, IT HAS
03:15:48HAPPENED. WHEN IT COMES TO THE BILLION DOLLAR WINDFALL THAT WENT TO THE PRESIDENT IN HIS
03:15:51FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, SHORTLY
03:15:54AFTER YOU WERE CONFIRMED AS
03:15:56DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, YOU ISSUED AN ORDER DISMANTLING
03:15:59DOJ'S CRYPTO ENFORCEMENT TEAM AND SHUTTING DOWN ONGOING
03:16:03CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE CRYPTO INDUSTRY. AT THE TIME,
03:16:05YOU OWNED AT LEAST $159,000
03:16:08WORTH OF CRYPTO RELATED ASSETS.
03:16:12WHILE YOU EVENTUALLY DIVESTED. THOSE ASSETS DIDN'T GO FAR. YOU
03:16:15SIMPLY TRANSFERRED THEM TO YOUR CHILD, YOUR CHILDREN, AND
03:16:19GRANDCHILD. WITH THE CRYPTO
03:16:21ENFORCEMENT UNIT OUT OF THE WAY.
03:16:25PRESIDENT TRUMP BROUGHT IN $1.4 BILLION FROM HIS FAMILY'S
03:16:28CRYPTOCURRENCY BUSINESS IN 2020
03:16:30ALONE. TAKE THAT ONE. TAKE ONE
03:16:32EXAMPLE OF THE DEALING IN THE
03:16:36ADMINISTRATION. IN APRIL 2024,
03:16:38THE FOUNDER OF THE CRYPTO
03:16:40COMPANY BINANCE WAS SENTENCED TO
03:16:42PRISON AND ORDERED TO PAY $50 MILLION FINE FOR A MONEY
03:16:45LAUNDERING SCHEME. $50 MILLION
03:16:49FINE. HE THEN BROKERED A DEAL TO
03:16:53CHANNEL $2 BILLION INTO THE TRUMP FAMILY'S CRYPTO BUSINESS.
03:16:57WORLD LIBERTY FINANCE, AFTER
03:16:59WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP PARDONED
03:17:02HIM. BINANCE ACCOUNTS HAVE
03:17:04FUNNELED ABOUT $1.7 BILLION TO IRANIAN ENTITIES LINKED TO
03:17:08TERRORISM. THE PRESIDENT'S WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL CONTINUES TO
03:17:12PARTNER WITH BINANCE, EVEN WITH THESE FACTS THAT I'VE SPELLED
03:17:15OUT IN THIS STATEMENT YOU
03:17:19RECENTLY CLAIMED, QUOTE, MR.
03:17:21BLANCHE, THAT THERE'S A TON OF
03:17:24EVIDENCE THAT THE 2020 ELECTION WAS RIGGED. YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT
03:17:28HAPPENS IN THIS COMMITTEE ROOM WHEN JUDICIAL NOMINEES OF THIS
03:17:31ADMINISTRATION APPEAR BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE. RAISE THEIR
03:17:35HANDS, TAKE THE OATH, AND THEN FEEL THE QUESTIONS ASKED BY
03:17:38MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. YOU'LL
03:17:41SEE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EVEN JUDGES TODAY AT STATE
03:17:44LEVEL, AND HAVE DISTINGUISHED CAREERS IN LAW, START TO AVERT
03:17:48THEIR EYES, SQUIRM, AND THEN
03:17:51GIVE A SCRIPT WHICH DOESN'T
03:17:54ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS. DONALD
03:17:56TRUMP LOST THE 2020 ELECTION BY
03:17:597 MILLION POPULAR VOTES, 7
03:18:02MILLION VOTES. POPULAR THAT
03:18:07NUMBER. THAT'S A FACT. ANY EIGHTH GRADER IN AMERICA KNOWS IT AND CAN REPEAT IT FOR YOU.
03:18:10AND YET, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO
03:18:13ASKING TRUMP JUDICIAL NOMINEES WHO WON THE 2020 ELECTION, YOU
03:18:16OUGHT TO SEE HIM SQUIRM. WHAT'S
03:18:19THE REASON? THE PRESIDENT'S BIG
03:18:21LIE? HE BELIEVES IN HIS HEART OF HEARTS, THAT HE SOMEHOW WON THAT
03:18:25ELECTION, THOUGH HE CAN'T PRODUCE ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT FACT. WELL, WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR
03:18:28CHANCE. I HOPE THAT YOU'LL PRODUCE THE EVIDENCE TO SHOW,
03:18:32ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THAT THE BIG LIE IS THE TRUTH OR NOT THE
03:18:36TRUTH. YOUR FIRST INDICTMENT OF
03:18:38FORMER FBI DIRECTOR COMEY FAILED
03:18:40IN A CASE BROUGHT BY AN UNQUALIFIED AND UNLAWFULLY
03:18:44APPOINTED U.S. ATTORNEY. LINDSEY HALLIGAN. SO NOW MR. COMEY IS
03:18:48BEING PROSECUTED FOR TAKING
03:18:50PICTURES OF SEASHELLS. THIS PROSECUTION, PERSONALLY ORDERED
03:18:54BY THE PRESIDENT, WHO DESPISES
03:18:57MR. COMEY FOR OVERSEEING THE INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN
03:19:00INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016 ELECTION. YOU HAVE ALSO
03:19:04BASELESSLY POVERTY LAW CENTER, A CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION THAT
03:19:08HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO EXPOSE
03:19:10VIOLENT EXTREMISTS LIKE THE PROUD BOYS AND OATH KEEPERS, A
03:19:14GROUP WHICH WE IN THE SENATE
03:19:16KNOW WELL FOR THEIR JANUARY 6th
03:19:19ESCAPADE. THE SAME PEOPLE YOU GAVE A CLEAN SLATE FOR THEIR
03:19:23ROLE IN ATTACKING THIS CAPITOL. A FEDERAL JUDGE RECENTLY SINGLED
03:19:26OUT YOUR, QUOTE, REMARKABLE
03:19:29STATEMENTS TARGETING KILMER,
03:19:31ABREGO, GARCIA AS EVIDENCE THAT HIS CRIMINAL PROSECUTION WAS,
03:19:35QUOTE, MARKED BY A RETALIATORY
03:19:37TAINT FOR SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING
03:19:41HIS DEPORTATION. AND DESPITE MY REPEATED REQUEST, YOU HAVE YET
03:19:43TO PRODUCE THE DOJ MEMORANDUM,
03:19:45CONCLUDING THAT IT WAS LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF
03:19:49THE UNITED STATES TO ACCEPT A
03:19:51GIFT OF A LUXURY AIRLINER FROM
03:19:54THE ROYAL FAMILY OF QATAR. DESPITE CONSTITUTIONAL AND
03:19:57STATUTORY FOREIGN GIFT PROHIBITIONS. EARLIER THIS
03:20:00MONTH, THAT JET WAS LAUNCHED AS
03:20:02AIR FORCE ONE. DESPITE CREDIBLE
03:20:05REPORTS OF SECURITY VULNERABILITY. LAST WEEKEND, THE
03:20:09DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RESPONDED NOT BY ADDRESSING THESE CONCERNS, BUT BY SENDING FEDERAL
03:20:12AGENTS WITH SUBPOENAS TO THE HOMES OF THE REPORTERS WHO
03:20:16EXPOSED THESE LAPSES. IN LESS THAN 18 MONTHS AT THE DEPARTMENT
03:20:20OF JUSTICE, YOU'VE SHOWN YOU'RE
03:20:23STILL PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY. YOUR TENURE CAN BE
03:20:25SUMMED UP IN THE FOUR WORDS YOU
03:20:27SAID, QUOTE, I LOVE YOU, SIR. TO
03:20:29PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS WAS YOUR RESPONSE WHEN YOU WERE ASKED
03:20:32WHAT YOU WOULD SAY TO HIM. THIS NATION DESERVES AN ATTORNEY
03:20:36GENERAL WHO LOVES THE CONSTITUTION MORE THAN ANY
03:20:39SINGLE PRESIDENT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL FOCUSED ON KEEPING
03:20:43AMERICA SAFE AND COMBATING
03:20:44CORRUPTION, NOT SATISFYING THE
03:20:47PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL GRIEVANCES, OR CHANNELING CRYPTO CASH TO THE
03:20:51ADMINISTRATION'S MAGA FAITHFUL.
03:20:53MR. PRESIDENT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I YIELD.
03:20:56>> NOW WE TURN
03:21:00>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND, MY GOODNESS, I
03:21:03EXPECT YOU'LL BE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW ONE PERSON MAY INFLUENCE EVERY
03:21:07DECISION YOU MAKE AND UNDULY INFLUENCE EVERYTHING YOU DO. AND I HOPE YOU SAY YOU ARE
03:21:11ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND IT IS THAT GRANDDAUGHTER SITTING RIGHT
03:21:13BEHIND YOU SHE IS THE CUTEST
03:21:16THING I'VE EVER SEEN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR
03:21:20BEING HERE. UM, I HAVE THE
03:21:23DISTINCT PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE. HE SERVES AND HAS
03:21:27SERVED AS OUR ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OUR DEPUTY ATTORNEY
03:21:30GENERAL. UH, AND AMONGST ALL OF
03:21:34THE QUESTIONING TODAY, UH, MOST OF WHICH I HOPE IS IN GOOD
03:21:38FAITH, UH, SOMETIMES IT GETS LOST THAT HE IS A FORMER
03:21:42PROSECUTOR AND DEDICATED HIS
03:21:44LIFE TO, TO PROSECUTING FOR THIS
03:21:47NATION. UM, THE GREATEST TESTAMENT TO HIS GOOD CHARACTER
03:21:50AND WISE JUDGMENT IS HE IS NOW A
03:21:53FLORIDIAN. AND MY CONSTITUENT, AS THE NEWEST SENATOR FROM THE
03:21:56GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, BUT HE
03:21:58HAS LED A VERY DISTINGUISHED
03:22:01CAREER WITHIN THE REALM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OF WHICH
03:22:04HE NOW SEEKS TO HEAD AS THE PERMANENT ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND
03:22:08BEFORE I GO MORE INTO THAT, I
03:22:10WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. BLANCHE, FOR OFFERING YOURSELF, NOT JUST
03:22:14FIRST AS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT NOW AS ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL. ANYONE OF US
03:22:17ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, SITTING HERE TODAY KNOWS WHAT IT
03:22:20MEANS TO SERVE AND WHAT COMES
03:22:22WITH THAT, AND WHAT THAT TAKES
03:22:25EVERY DAY, AND CERTAINLY WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOUR FAMILIES THAT STAND BESIDE AND BEHIND YOU
03:22:29AND SOMETIMES HOLD YOU UP THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. WE THANK
03:22:32YOU, AND WE THANK YOUR FAMILY
03:22:34THAT IS HERE TODAY. UM, SINCE
03:22:37PRESIDENT TRUMP, TRUMP TOOK OFFICE AND LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING
03:22:41YOU, ENTERED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. AS YOU HEARD OUR
03:22:44CHAIRMAN SAY, YOU HAVE WORKED TO
03:22:46ACHIEVE THE LOWEST MURDER RATE
03:22:48SINCE 1900. VIOLENT CRIME
03:22:50ARRESTS ARE UP 184%, OVER 2400 GANGS AND CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES
03:22:54HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED AND DISMANTLED. 2900. ALMOST 3000
03:22:58CHILD PREDATORS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.
03:23:00THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 70% SINCE
03:23:052024. AND WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING FOR A FENTANYL FREE AMERICA, WHICH WE BOTH APPEARED
03:23:09AT A SUMMIT THIS WEEK, YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE EXCELLING
03:23:12THERE, TOO. DOJ HAS MADE OVER
03:23:146300 FENTANYL ARRESTS SEIZED
03:23:18MORE THAN 5000KG OF FENTANYL POWDER, 55 MILLION FENTANYL
03:23:22PILLS. THAT IS, FATAL DOSES ENOUGH TO KILL 428 MILLION
03:23:26PEOPLE. AND JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT MEANS, THAT IS MORE THAN THE
03:23:29POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES
03:23:33OF AMERICA. THAT'S JUST A FEW TOP LINE NUMBERS ON CORE
03:23:37OPERATIONS AT THE HEART OF DOJ'S MISSION. THE DOJ IS
03:23:40INDEED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF
03:23:42THE WAR ON FRAUD. AND I HOPE MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
03:23:46DAIS WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO TALK
03:23:48ABOUT THAT TODAY, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION OF YOUR
03:23:51NOMINATION, BUT ALSO SO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN HEAR ABOUT
03:23:55THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN FOR A LONG PROCESS TODAY, SO I WANT
03:23:59TO TAKE MY REMAINING TIME TO TALK ABOUT YOU, THE PERSON, YOUR
03:24:02CAREER. TODD BLANCHE, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE IS
03:24:06A PATRIOT WHO WAS RAISED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. HE SPENT
03:24:08NEARLY. HE SPENT NEARLY A DECADE
03:24:12IN WHAT IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST PROSECUTING OFFICES IN THE COUNTRY, THE U.S.
03:24:15ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK,
03:24:18WHERE HE PROSECUTED DRUG
03:24:22TRAFFICKERS AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS. IN FACT, THIS CAREER DEDICATED TO JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW STARTED EVEN BEFORE
03:24:25THAT. HE STARTED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AS A
03:24:29PARALEGAL. I LOVE THAT STORY, HOW YOU STARTED THERE, AND YOU
03:24:33WORKED YOUR WAY THROUGH THE RANKS, AND IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT HARD WORK THROUGHOUT TIME. HE
03:24:36DIDN'T JUST CLOCK IN AND CLOCK OUT. HE DID REALLY GOOD WORK.
03:24:40SUCH GOOD WORK THAT HE WAS NOTICED ROUTINELY AND HONORED
03:24:43FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. IN 2011, WHILE HE
03:24:46WAS AT THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, HE RECEIVED THE
03:24:50DIRECTOR'S AWARD FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AS AN ASSISTANT U.S.
03:24:53ATTORNEY IN THE CRIMINAL DIVISION. IN 2013, HE RECEIVED
03:24:56THE FEDERAL DRUG AGENTS FOUNDATION'S TRUE AMERICAN HERO
03:25:00AWARD. HE RECEIVED THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
03:25:04COMMENDATION THREE DIFFERENT YEARS HE RECEIVED THE U.S. DRUG
03:25:07ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION COMMENDATION, TWO DIFFERENT YEARS, AND A COMMENDATION FROM
03:25:11THE FBI. TWO SEPARATE YEARS. AND
03:25:13TO ROUND OUT THIS COLLECTION, HE RECEIVED RECOGNITION FROM THE
03:25:16ATF IN THREE YEARS. I THINK THIS
03:25:20IS EMBLEMATIC OF A CAREER THAT WAS REALLY SPENT DOING THE WORK
03:25:24OF THE PEOPLE AND TRYING TO DO IT WELL, KEEPING HIS HEAD DOWN
03:25:28WITHOUT SEEKING RECOGNITION. BUT HE COULDN'T HELP BUT GET IT BECAUSE OF THE WORK AND THE
03:25:32SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE THAT HE WAS DOING. AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR ANYONE
03:25:35WATCHING TODAY. ANYONE IN THIS AUDIENCE, ANY YOUNG PERSON AT
03:25:38HOME, ANY YOUNG LAWYER, DO GOOD
03:25:39WORK. PUT YOUR HEAD DOWN. YOU
03:25:43ARE EVIDENCE OF THAT. YOU DO GOOD WORK. YOU DO A JOB WELL DONE, AND YOU GET NOTICED FOR
03:25:47THAT. AND YOU OPPORTUNITIES WILL
03:25:48SEEK YOU OUT. COMMENDATIONS WILL SEEK YOU OUT. MORE THAN
03:25:53NETWORKING, POLITICAL CONNECTIONS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT IS THAT IN WHICH PEOPLE WILL
03:25:56SEEK YOU OUT TO SERVE. AND IT MAY BE JUST THAT JOB WELL DONE,
03:26:00THAT GOT YOU RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
03:26:03AND COMPLETELY CHANGED YOUR
03:26:04LIFE. SOME MEMBERS WILL TRY TO
03:26:08HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU TODAY. THEY WILL IGNORE THAT LONG CAREER AND EVERY COMMENDATION
03:26:12THAT YOU RECEIVED BEFORE YOU
03:26:16EVER MET OR SERVED OR ACTED AS AN ATTORNEY FOR, FOR THE
03:26:20PRESIDENT THEY'LL IGNORE ALL THOSE ORDERS, AND THEY'LL GNASH
03:26:24THEIR TEETH BECAUSE THEY DON'T
03:26:26LIKE ONE MAN. AND I BELIEVE THAT
03:26:29MISSES THE MARK. IT COMPLETELY
03:26:33IGNORES THE FACT THAT THE REASON
03:26:36YOU STEPPED UP TO SERVE IS BECAUSE YOU LOVE THIS COUNTRY.
03:26:39YOU DEDICATED YOUR CAREER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND IN
03:26:42FACT, YOU LIVED OUT THE MOTTO IN
03:26:47LATIN. I WILL NOT SAY THE LATIN, BECAUSE NO ONE WILL UNDERSTAND
03:26:50THAT. BUT I WILL SAY THE MOTTO OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS,
03:26:54WHO PROSECUTES ON BEHALF OF
03:26:57JUSTICE, NOT WHO PROSECUTES ON BEHALF OF A POLITICAL AGENDA, OR
03:26:59TO TARGET SOMEONE WHO PROSECUTES
03:27:02ON BEHALF OF JUSTICE. AND YOU
03:27:05STOOD UP AND TOOK ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY. AND SO I HOPE
03:27:09TODAY'S QUESTIONS WILL FOCUS ON
03:27:12ALLOWING YOU TO EXPLAIN THE LEGAL POSITIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU'VE BEEN A
03:27:16PART OF, OR WHY YOU'VE MADE CERTAIN POSITIONS IN CASES OR
03:27:19COMPLIANCE WITH ORDERS, ALL THINGS THAT MIGHT GO TOWARDS HOW
03:27:23YOU WILL PERFORM ON BEHALF OF THIS GREAT NATION AND THE PEOPLE
03:27:27YOU SERVE, HOW YOU WILL EXCEL AS
03:27:30AN ATTORNEY GENERAL. BUT I SUSPECT THAT NUANCE AND GOOD
03:27:33FAITH WILL BE THE PRICE PAID FOR CLIPS AND LIKES BY SOME MEMBERS
03:27:37IN THIS ROOM. I HOPE TODAY IS
03:27:41THE EXCEPTION. NONETHELESS, I THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO
03:27:45SERVE ACTING AS THE ATTORNEY
03:27:47GENERAL IN THIS TIME IN WHICH WE
03:27:49ARE SEEKING FOR YOUR FORMAL
03:27:51NOMINATION. I THANK YOU FOR
03:27:54BEING WILLING TO TAKE ON NOT ONLY THIS NOMINATION PROCESS,
03:27:57BUT THE JOB ITSELF, BECAUSE THAT
03:28:00WILL BE AN ENORMOUS
03:28:02RESPONSIBILITY, NOT ONLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE
03:28:05PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE, BUT FOR THE AMERICAN CITIZENS IN THIS
03:28:09COUNTRY MOVING FORWARD. SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WITH
03:28:11THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I INTRODUCE MR. TODD BLANCHE AS PRESIDENT
03:28:14TRUMP'S NOMINEE. >> THANK YOU, SENATOR MOODY,
03:28:17WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AT THIS
03:28:20POINT AND RESPOND TO THIS OATH?
03:28:23DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE
03:28:27TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE WILL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND
03:28:30NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP
03:28:34YOU GOD? THANK YOU FOR YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE. NOW IT'S UP
03:28:38TO YOU TO, UH, TAKE WHAT TIME
03:28:41YOU WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND INTRODUCE ANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE
03:28:44WITH YOU. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
03:28:48MUCH, CHAIRMAN GRASSLEY. AND THANK YOU, SENATOR, FOR THAT
03:28:52INTRODUCTION. I APPRECIATE YOU
03:28:53AND YOUR FRIENDSHIP. UM. GOOD
03:28:57MORNING. UM, CHAIRMAN GRASSLEY,
03:28:59UH, RANKING MEMBER DURBIN AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR FOR
03:29:03HAVING ME. UM, AS, AS, UH,
03:29:07SENATOR DURBIN SAID A MINUTE AGO, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER EACH
03:29:11OF YOU MY CONDOLENCES FOR THE
03:29:13LOSS OF YOUR COLLEAGUE, SENATOR
03:29:15GRAHAM. HE WAS A PATRIOT AND A
03:29:17FRIEND TO SO MANY, TO SO MANY OF
03:29:21US. IT'S A LOSS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND I THINK HONORING HIM TODAY. AND AS HE'S
03:29:25BEEN HONORED FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS, IS, IS THE RIGHT
03:29:27THING TO DO. 17 MONTHS AGO, I
03:29:32SAT AT THIS TABLE AS THE NOMINEE TO BE THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
03:29:35GENERAL. AND I TOLD YOU THAT SERVING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
03:29:38JUSTICE WAS MY AMERICAN DREAM.
03:29:42SINCE THEN, I HAVE. I HAVE HELPED LEAD IT, FIRST AS DEPUTY
03:29:45AND NOW AS ACTING ATTORNEY
03:29:48GENERAL. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO
03:29:49EARN YOUR TRUST ONCE MORE. I'VE
03:29:55LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM. I WAITED TABLES TO GET THROUGH
03:29:58COLLEGE, MOVED TO NEW YORK WITH MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG KIDS, WENT
03:30:01TO LAW SCHOOL AT NIGHT, READ
03:30:06TEXTBOOKS ON THE LATE TRAIN HOME WHILE I WORK DAYS AS A PARALEGAL
03:30:10AT THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
03:30:13FROM THAT START, I BECAME A
03:30:16PROSECUTOR AND SPENT NINE YEARS PROSECUTING VIOLENT GANGS AND
03:30:19DRUG DEALERS. I ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
03:30:22JUSTICE AS A LINE PROSECUTOR.
03:30:25THEN A DIVISION CHIEF. THEN, AS OF LAST YEAR, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL AND NOW ACTING ATTORNEY
03:30:29GENERAL. BUT I DID NOT TAKE THAT
03:30:32PATH FOR A TITLE. I TOOK IT TO
03:30:36MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR AMERICAN
03:30:38FAMILIES AND THE TOWNS THEY CALL
03:30:41HOME. I AM EXCEEDINGLY GRATEFUL
03:30:44TO PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR HIS TRUST
03:30:46AND TO MY FAMILY, WHO HAVE CARRIED ME THROUGH EVERY LONG
03:30:50DAY AND LATE NIGHT. MY WIFE, CHRISTINE, OUR WONDERFUL
03:30:54CHILDREN, SYDNEY AND JUSTIN, MY GRANDDAUGHTER BLAINE, WHO'S
03:30:57HERE TODAY. ALL OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY. MY WONDERFUL, UM,
03:31:01FRIENDS, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE
03:31:02TODAY, UM, ARE REALLY WHAT, WHAT
03:31:05MAKE THIS WORTH IT? AND WHAT GETS ME THROUGH MY DAYS. AND SO
03:31:08I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR NOT ONLY BEING HERE TODAY AND
03:31:10SUPPORTING ME, BUT ALSO BEING, BEING WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE
03:31:14WAY IN THE JOURNEY THAT WE'RE
03:31:18ON TOGETHER. MY FAMILY'S
03:31:20BLESSINGS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL AMERICANS. WHEN A FAMILY CAN
03:31:23SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, WALK
03:31:26THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER DARK,
03:31:28AND BUILD A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR. EVERY PROMISE OF THE AMERICAN
03:31:32DREAM IS WITHIN REACH. WHEN THEY
03:31:34CANNOT. NONE OF IT IS. THAT'S MY
03:31:38JOB. SECURING SAFETY FOR EVERY
03:31:40AMERICAN. I'M PLEASED TO
03:31:44TESTIFY AGAIN TODAY TO TELL EVERYBODY HERE THAT WE ARE DOING
03:31:47JUST THAT. WE ARE KEEPING
03:31:51AMERICA SAFE. SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE. IT'S BEEN
03:31:54SAID A FEW TIMES THIS MORNING
03:31:56ALREADY, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING
03:32:00MURDERS ARE DOWN ROUGHLY 20%
03:32:02NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE THE LOWEST
03:32:05MURDER RATE SINCE 1900. VIOLENT
03:32:07CRIME ARRESTS ARE UP NEARLY
03:32:10114%. WE'VE TAKEN ALMOST 5000
03:32:15CHILD PREDATORS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS OFF THE STREETS, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS
03:32:19FILED NEARLY 100,000 INDICTMENTS
03:32:23AND INFORMATIONS SINCE JANUARY
03:32:2720th, 2025. ADDITIONALLY, IN
03:32:32JUST THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, IN JUST THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE PAID
03:32:35$96 MILLION IN CLAIMS THROUGH
03:32:38THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS
03:32:40BENEFITS PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE
03:32:43SURVIVING FAMILIES OF FALLEN
03:32:45PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS, EVEN WHILE FEWER LAW ENFORCEMENT
03:32:48OFFICERS WERE KILLED IN THE LINE
03:32:49OF DUTY THAN THE PRIOR YEARS.
03:32:54AND OBVIOUSLY, THESE ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS. EACH ONE IS A
03:32:57FAMILY THAT STILL HAS ITS SON OR
03:32:59DAUGHTER, AND AN OFFICER WHO
03:33:02CAME HOME FOR DINNER. IF YOU
03:33:05LOOK AT WASHINGTON AND MEMPHIS AS EXAMPLES WHERE WE HAVE WORKED
03:33:09WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
03:33:11PARTNERS, PULLING THOUSANDS OF
03:33:13CRIMINALS OFF THE STREETS IN
03:33:16THOSE TWO CITIES, HOMICIDES IN D.C. ARE DOWN ABOUT 60%, AND OVERALL CRIME IN MEMPHIS
03:33:20DECLINED BY MORE THAN 40%. WE'VE
03:33:25SEIZED THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL GUNS, BROUGHT MORE THAN 150
03:33:28MISSING CHILDREN HOME IN THOSE TWO CITIES, AND CLEANED UP PARKS
03:33:32AND SPACES. FAMILY ONCE AVOIDED.
03:33:35SO YOU CAN TAKE YOUR KIDS AND
03:33:37LOVED ONES THERE. ONCE AGAIN. WE
03:33:41ARE ENFORCING OUR BORDERS. WE ARE PROSECUTING THE SMUGGLERS
03:33:45WHO PROFITED FROM AN OPEN BORDER, REMOVING CRIMINAL
03:33:49ALIENS, AND DISMANTLING GANGS
03:33:51LIKE MS-13 AND TDA. WE'RE
03:33:54SMASHING THE CARTELS AND ENDING THE SCOURGE OF DRUGS IN OUR
03:33:58COMMUNITIES. WE DESIGNATED THE
03:34:01MAJOR CARTELS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE
03:34:05THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE,
03:34:07AND WE'RE USING EVERY TOOL THAT UNLOCKED NARCO TERRORISM
03:34:11CHARGES, FORFEITURE, AND
03:34:14EXTRADITIONS. DOZENS OF CARTEL LEADERS ARE NOW IN AMERICAN
03:34:18CUSTODY. DRUG SEIZURES ARE
03:34:20SKYROCKETING, AND OVERDOSE
03:34:23DEATHS ARE FINALLY FALLING. WE
03:34:26ARE PROTECTING TAXPAYERS. LAST YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT THE
03:34:29LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD
03:34:32TAKEDOWN IN AMERICAN HISTORY,
03:34:34MORE THAN $14 BILLION AND
03:34:37ANOTHER $11 BILLION IN TOTAL
03:34:39FRAUD IN JUST THE LAST THREE
03:34:42MONTHS. THAT'S MONEY STOLEN FROM THE FISC STOLEN FROM
03:34:46MEDICARE, FROM SENIORS, WORKING FAMILIES. AND WE'RE CLAWING IT
03:34:49BACK. WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS.
03:34:51I WILL ADD, THROUGH PARTNERSHIP,
03:34:55FEDERAL AGENTS, STATE TROOPERS,
03:34:57COUNTY SHERIFFS, LOCAL OFFICERS,
03:35:00AND STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN
03:35:02YOUR HOME STATES, ALL PULLING IN
03:35:04THE SAME DIRECTION. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FIGHT CRIME
03:35:07TOGETHER. AND I WANT TO BRING
03:35:09THAT MODEL THAT WE'VE DONE IN A FEW TOWNS TO MORE COMMUNITIES IN
03:35:13EVERY STATE. ABOVE ALL, WE ARE
03:35:18RESTORING AMERICAN TRUST. IN
03:35:21RECENT YEARS, WE WATCHED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TURNED
03:35:24AGAINST MANY OF YOU, AND A
03:35:26FORMER PRESIDENT, AND IT DAMAGED
03:35:28THE PUBLIC'S FAITH IN JUSTICE.
03:35:32WE ARE FIXING THAT. MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE ON BOTH SIDES
03:35:35HAVE FAIR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HARD DEBATES OF THE PAST YEAR,
03:35:38AND I WELCOME THEM. I'M PROUD OF
03:35:41WHAT WE'VE DONE TO HELP AMERICAN FAMILIES SEE SAFER
03:35:45STREETS, AND TO HAVE A FAIR SHOT AT THE LIFE THEY'RE WORKING TO
03:35:49BUILD. NONE OF THIS IS A
03:35:51REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT ISSUE. EVERY SENATOR HERE HAS
03:35:55CONSTITUENTS WHO JUST WANT TO BE SAFE. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS
03:35:59DEPARTMENT ARE THE FINEST PEOPLE
03:36:02I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH, AND
03:36:04LEADING THEM IS THE HONOR OF MY
03:36:07PROFESSIONAL LIFE. WE ARE
03:36:12KEEPING AMERICA SAFE, AND WE ARE
03:36:14JUST GETTING STARTED. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY. I LOVE THE
03:36:18DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIRMAN, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE
03:36:21THIS COMMITTEE TODAY, AND I LOOK
03:36:24FORWARD TO TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
03:36:27>> THANK YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY.
03:36:29AND WE'LL NOW HAVE OUR TEN
03:36:32MINUTE ROUNDS OF QUESTIONING.
03:36:34I'LL START, AND THEN, SENATOR
03:36:38FROM ILLINOIS, UH, I'VE LONG
03:36:43BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT CONCENTRATION AND
03:36:46ANTI-COMPETITIVE CONDUCT IN
03:36:49HEALTH CARE TECHNOLOGY, BUT
03:36:53PARTICULARLY IN AGRICULTURE, FAMILY FARMERS DESERVE FAIR
03:36:56PRICES. UH, I HELD A HEARING ON
03:37:01ANTI-COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES IN
03:37:04THIS COMMITTEE LAST OCTOBER ON
03:37:06THE SUBJECT OF, OF AGRICULTURE.
03:37:09AS I RECALL, AS A RESULT OF THAT
03:37:15HEARING, THE PRESIDENT ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND AN INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED IN
03:37:18YOUR DEPARTMENT. AND, UH, I'VE
03:37:22SENSED SOME PAUSE IN THAT RIGHT
03:37:24NOW. SO IF CONFIRMED, DO YOU
03:37:28HAVE A COMMITMENT THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WILL MAKE
03:37:32ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT A PRIORITY? AND SINCE I THINK
03:37:34THERE AREN'T TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT KNOW MUCH
03:37:38ABOUT AGRICULTURE, WITH SOME
03:37:39CONCENTRATION ON AGRICULTURE?
03:37:43>> CHAIRMAN. ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE RIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED AN
03:37:46EXECUTIVE ORDER. I HAVE WORKED
03:37:50CLOSELY WITH SECRETARY ROLLINS ON THIS VERY ISSUE. WE WE
03:37:53RECENTLY HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING SOME OF THE WORK THAT
03:37:55WE'RE DOING TO, TO NOT ONLY
03:37:58DEAL WITH THE ANTI-COMPETITIVE
03:38:01BEHAVIOR THAT WE'VE SEEN, BUT ALSO TO HELP EASE PRICES IN THE CATTLE MARKET AROUND THE
03:38:04COUNTRY. SO, YES, CHAIRMAN, I COMMIT TO THAT.
03:38:06>> OUR COMMITTEE HAS RECEIVED A
03:38:09LOT OF OUTREACH ABOUT THE
03:38:12DEPARTMENT'S LITIGATION POSITION
03:38:15IN LOUISIANA VERSUS FDA. THE
03:38:17PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE CHALLENGED THE RELAXED
03:38:21REGULATION GOVERNING MAIL ORDER ABORTION DRUGS. CAN YOU TELL THE
03:38:25COMMITTEE ABOUT THIS CASE AND
03:38:27EXPLAIN WHAT THE DEPARTMENT'S DOING?
03:38:31>> CHAIRMAN, FIRST, PRESIDENT
03:38:33TRUMP IS THE MOST PRO-LIFE PRESIDENT IN HISTORY. AND THE
03:38:36WORK THAT THIS DEPARTMENT'S DOING, UM, IN THAT SPACE IS, IS
03:38:40SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE FOR TEN YEARS FOR, FOR THE FIRST
03:38:43TIME IN A DECADE, HHS AND THE
03:38:46FDA ARE ACTUALLY TAKING A REAL LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
03:38:50SOME OF THESE ABORTION PILLS AND WHETHER THEY'RE ACTUALLY SAFE
03:38:53OR NOT. AS IT RELATES TO THE
03:38:55LITIGATION YOU REFERENCED. I, IT
03:38:58WOULD BE IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT ANY LITIGATION
03:39:02STRATEGY BEYOND WHAT'S IN OUR BRIEFS, BUT SUFFICE TO SAY,
03:39:04CHAIRMAN, THAT, UM, AS WE TALK
03:39:07ABOUT IN OUR BRIEFS, WE ARE NOT
03:39:09IN ANY WAY DEFENDING WHAT, WHAT
03:39:12BIDEN AND WHAT HIS ADMINISTRATION, WHAT HIS ADMINISTRATION DID WITH, WITH,
03:39:16WITH RESPECT TO THAT JUDGE. BUT BEYOND THAT, I DON'T WANT TO
03:39:20COMMENT ON THE STRATEGY ABOUT THAT LITIGATION.
03:39:22>> THIS COMMITTEE HAS ALSO
03:39:24RECEIVED OUTREACH, OUTREACH
03:39:27CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT'S HANDLING OF THE INVESTIGATION
03:39:31AND RELEASE OF EPSTEIN FILES AND
03:39:34YOUR ROLE IN IT. SOME
03:39:38ALLEGATIONS INCLUDE PROBLEMATIC
03:39:40REDACTIONS, INSUFFICIENT EFFORT
03:39:42TO FOLLOW UH, INVESTIGATIVE
03:39:45LEADS, A REFUSAL TO MEET WITH
03:39:49VICTIMS, AND QUESTIONS REGARDING
03:39:52THE TRANSFER OF MAXWELL TO LOWER
03:39:55SECURITY PRISON. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND
03:39:59TO THESE ALLEGATIONS. WHAT WOULD
03:40:01YOU LIKE THIS COMMITTEE TO KNOW
03:40:03REGARDING THESE FILES?
03:40:05>> WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED THE THE EPSTEIN TRANSPARENCY
03:40:09ACT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE UNDERTOOK A HERCULEAN
03:40:13TASK TO REVIEW MILLIONS AND
03:40:15MILLIONS OF POTENTIALLY RESPONSIVE FILES. WE WERE
03:40:19REQUIRED UNDER THE STATUTE TO DO THIS EXPEDITIOUSLY AND VERY
03:40:22QUICKLY. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DID. SO. UM, WE REVIEWED
03:40:26OVER 6 MILLION PAGES. MANY OF
03:40:28THESE PAGES WERE NOT RESPONSIVE.
03:40:30AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE
03:40:34INTENTIONALLY OVER COLLECTED, POTENTIALLY RESPONSIVE DOCUMENTS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE,
03:40:38THERE WAS A CASE GOING ON IN
03:40:41FLORIDA AT THE SAME TIME AS THE
03:40:43JEFFREY EPSTEIN CASE INVOLVING
03:40:46ANOTHER DEFENDANT NAMED EPSTEIN, HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH
03:40:49JEFFREY EPSTEIN. WHEN WE COLLECTED MATERIALS, WE
03:40:51COLLECTED EVERYTHING INVOLVING EPSTEIN, INCLUDING THE EPSTEIN.
03:40:54THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN. SO THE REVIEW
03:40:58OF MATERIALS INCLUDED
03:41:02NON-RESPONSIVE MATERIALS. UM, THE, THE, THE REVIEWERS WERE
03:41:05QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
03:41:07FBI. UM, THEY TOOK PAINS TO
03:41:12APPLY APPROPRIATE REDACTIONS. UM, THERE WERE MISTAKES THAT
03:41:15WERE MADE. AND SO APPROXIMATELY 1% OF THE REDACTIONS HAD TO BE
03:41:19FIXED. AFTER WE RELEASED THE
03:41:20EPSTEIN FILES, UM, CHAIRMAN, WE
03:41:24HAD DOZENS OF LAWYERS ON CALL
03:41:2724/7. WHENEVER WE LEARNED THAT
03:41:29ANY VICTIM'S NAME HAD BEEN
03:41:33IMPROPERLY NOT REDACTED, WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE DOCUMENT
03:41:37DOWN AND FIXED IT AS SOON AS WE COULD. THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE THE
03:41:39MISTAKES, OF WHICH I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IT DOES MEAN
03:41:42THAT WE TRY TO FIX THEM. WE. WE
03:41:46COMPLIED WITH THE ACT. UM, WE. IT REQUIRED US COMPLYING WITH
03:41:49JUDGES RULES IN NEW YORK, UM,
03:41:52WHICH REQUIRED US TO REDACT
03:41:54CERTAIN VICTIMS NAMES, EVEN IF
03:41:56THE VICTIM WAS ALSO SOMEBODY WHO
03:41:58PARTICIPATED IN CRIMINAL
03:42:00CONDUCT. THE JUDGE DID NOT ALLOW JUDGES IN NEW YORK, DID NOT
03:42:04ALLOW US TO REDACT THOSE NAMES.
03:42:07THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID,
03:42:08CHAIRMAN, IS WE MADE UNREDACTED
03:42:11VERSIONS OF THE ENTIRE DATABASE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY IN THIS
03:42:14BODY, AND WE DID THAT BECAUSE OF TRANSPARENCY. REMEMBER, FOR FOUR
03:42:18YEARS, THERE WASN'T A PEEP ABOUT
03:42:21JEFFREY EPSTEIN. UM, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID NOTHING TO BE
03:42:24TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE EPSTEIN CASE. WE HAVE BEEN
03:42:28EXTRAORDINARILY TRANSPARENT IN NOT ONLY PRODUCING THE RECORDS, BUT LETTING UNREDACTED VERSIONS
03:42:32BE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY IN THIS
03:42:34BODY. AND IF, AFTER REVIEWING UNREDACTED MATERIALS, A MEMBER
03:42:38HAD CONCERNS ABOUT WHY SOMETHING
03:42:39WAS REDACTED, THEY BROUGHT THEM
03:42:44TO TO THE DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION, AND WE ADDRESSED
03:42:45THAT. SO I, I, UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
03:42:49KNOW THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHEN IT COMES TO JEFFREY
03:42:52EPSTEIN, HAS BEEN MORE
03:42:54TRANSPARENT THAN ANY PAST
03:42:56ADMINISTRATION THAN BIDEN WAS OR ANYBODY ELSE. AND WHAT WE DID IS
03:43:00WE COMPLIED WITH THE LAW. AND IF
03:43:03WE LEARN A NEW MATERIAL, WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY, UM, REVIEW IT
03:43:06AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE. WHEN IT
03:43:09COMES TO THE, THE VICTIMS OF
03:43:11THIS HORRIBLE MAN. UM, WE WILL
03:43:14NEVER, NEVER, NOT TALK TO
03:43:16VICTIMS. WE WILL NEVER, NOT DO
03:43:20EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROSECUTE
03:43:22ANYBODY THAT COMMITTED ANY CRIMES AGAINST ANY OF THESE
03:43:26WOMEN. UM, SO THAT NARRATIVE IS
03:43:29FALSE. UM, WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH
03:43:33OVER 30 REPRESENTATIVES OF DOZENS AND DOZENS OF VICTIMS SINCE THIS PROCESS STARTED. ANY
03:43:37VICTIM, IF THEY'RE HERE TODAY,
03:43:38UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO, OR THEIR LAWYERS TO, TO MEET
03:43:42WITH THE FBI. WE WILL 100%
03:43:46INVESTIGATE. THERE ARE NO CLOSED INVESTIGATIONS. IF WE LEARN
03:43:50TODAY, IF WE LEARN NEXT WEEK, IF WE LEARN NEXT MONTH THAT
03:43:54THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WE CAN INVESTIGATE AND INDICT AND
03:43:58PROSECUTE OUT OF THE EPSTEIN FILES, YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT. WE
03:43:59WILL. AND SO, UM, WE, WE WORKED
03:44:02HARD. THE HARD WORKING LAWYERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO, TO DO
03:44:06THE RIGHT THING WITH THE, WITH THE, TO COMPLY WITH THE ACT. AND
03:44:10WE DID, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
03:44:14>> CHAIRMAN JACK SMITH AND HIS TEAM POSSESSED A REVIEWED
03:44:16CONGRESSIONAL INFORMATION AND OTHER SENSITIVE MATERIALS WHEN
03:44:20THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE. AND THEY
03:44:22WERE ADVISED NOT TO DESCRIBE THE
03:44:24STEPS YOU'VE TAKEN TO IMPOSE ACCOUNTABILITY SO THAT THIS
03:44:29EGREGIOUS AND PARTIZAN
03:44:32MISCONDUCT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. >> THE BIGGEST THING WE CAN DO,
03:44:36CHAIRMAN, IS BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, AND THAT
03:44:39REQUIRES US DOING A CHECK ON ON OURSELVES AND ON THE WORK THAT THAT HAPPENED BEFORE US. AND
03:44:43BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THIS BODY
03:44:44AND PROVIDING RECORDS TO YOU. I
03:44:47THINK WHEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND LEARN WHAT
03:44:51HAPPENED AND THE EGREGIOUS ABUSES THAT HAPPENED, UM, IT
03:44:54WILL BE A CHECK ON MAKING SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. UM, WE,
03:44:58WE STRIVE EVERY DAY TO NOT ONLY
03:45:01MOVE FORWARD AS A DEPARTMENT DOING THE RIGHT THING, BUT TO
03:45:05MAKE SURE THAT ANY, ANY, ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE
03:45:08PAST, UM, WHETHER IT'S RELEASING
03:45:11EMAILS OR ADMITTING TO THINGS THAT WE DID AND THE DEPARTMENT
03:45:14DID THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE, UM, TO, TO MAKING, BEING
03:45:17TRANSPARENT WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THAT. THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO. AND THAT'S WHAT,
03:45:21THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
03:45:23>> I MADE MESSAGES PUBLIC
03:45:27BETWEEN JACK SMITH'S OFFICE THAT
03:45:29APPEARED TO RELATE TO THE TRUMP
03:45:31CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT CASE. THOSE MESSAGES SHOWED GOVERNMENT
03:45:35PERSONNEL LEFT OPEN A CLASSIFIED
03:45:37FACILITY AND POTENTIALLY MISHANDLED CLASSIFIED
03:45:41INFORMATION, CAUSING A SECURITY VIOLATION, WHILE DEFENSE
03:45:45COUNSEL'S TO TRUMP. UH, DID THE
03:45:48GOVERNMENT APPRIZE YOU OF THESE
03:45:51ISSUES? AND SECONDLY, DID THE BIDEN JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION DO
03:45:55ANY INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MISCONDUCT?