Bulwark Takes

Episode: "Tim Puts on His Tinfoil Hat Over Epstein Rumors"

Date: February 3, 2026
Hosts: Tim Miller, Sam Stein, Will Sommer

Overview

This lively episode of Bulwark Takes brings together Tim Miller ("the potato boys" leader), Sam Stein (Managing Editor), and Will Sommer (author of the False Flag newsletter) for a fast-paced, sardonic breakdown of the political conspiracy news cycle. The main themes revolve around the resurgence of 2020 election conspiracies, the enigmatic and scandalous world of right-wing personalities, and a deep-dive into the swirling new Epstein rumors—while also lampooning contemporary figures such as Nancy Mace. Discourse ranges from satirical commentary to moments of genuine concern, with hosts blending forensic analysis with irreverent banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Return of 2020 Election Conspiracies

(01:00–06:36)

• Old Conspiracies, New Momentum: The hosts discuss a recent FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia (ballot storage facility), which has revived a gamut of wild 2020-related conspiracy theories now being recycled at higher levels of government.
• Tulsi Gabbard’s Role: Sam Stein notes, "[Tulsi] seems that she has been tasked with sort of being like the chief election kook," (01:52), referring to her active role in aggregating and legitimizing debunked election denial theories.
• Greatest Hits: Falconeers, Italian Satellites, Venezuelan Software:
  • "The claim made by... a rogue Falconer... He claimed he had Al Qaeda contacts... also I found out as kind of part of this, that the election was stolen. And Trump was like, wow, this guy is a genius." – Sam Stein (02:22)
  • The "Italian satellites" and "Hammer and Scorecard" supercomputer theory is discussed as one of the most bizarre, with Tim deadpanning, "I think you're looking at this the wrong way… It's kind of like an episode of SVU..." (05:26) to satirize the kitchen-sink approach of these theories.
• Sidney Powell is Back: Hosts are fascinated by Powell’s reappearance: "Sidney Powell, who got kicked out of the she was too hot brigade for being too kooky. Tucker Carlson... he looked at Sidney Powell and he was like, a little too out there for me." – Tim Miller (03:49)
• Factionalism & Fringe Figures:
  • The overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne is flagged for his continued role—now with added antisemitism. "[He's] been tweeting a lot lately about how much he doesn't like Jews, but I was just like, oh, this is kind of a new angle for you, Patrick." – Sam Stein (06:07)

Memorable Quote:

"It's kind of like an episode of SVU... I don't think it could be both [Venezuela and Italians]. I think it's one of them." – Tim Miller (05:26)

2. Political Characters & the Conspiracy Grift

(06:36–10:59)

• The Demotion Game:
  • The group riffs on Ed Martin’s demotion from 'political vendetta czar' to a lesser role, speculating this is due to overexposure: "Maybe they're like, hey, Ed, you're making this a little obvious, what we're up to, and you're giving too many clues." – Sam Stein (08:53)
• Sidney Powell & Alex Jones: Overlap between various dubious actors is flagged as a risk for the movement’s “veneer of respectability.”
• Pipe Bomber Social Media Saga:
  • Ed Martin, in his online conspiratorial zeal, once posted about the "pipe bomber" with only partial deletion of his posts: "He didn't take down every letter. He left the P and the E up. So stupid." – Will Sommer (09:49)
• Internal MAGA Frustration with Todd Blanche: Ed’s demotion is linked to complaints among hardcore MAGA fans that Blanche "won't give MAGA the candy" with more radical actions, feeding into right-wing frustration that big promises of arrests never materialize.

Notable Quote:

"Are you tweeting a criminal conspiracy? Ed Martin, you know you're not supposed to be tweeting a criminal conspiracy." – Tim Miller (09:27)

3. The Epstein Files & Tinfoil Speculation

(10:59–12:34 & 21:01–24:31)

• Todd Blanche & Epstein: Will Sommer brings up Todd Blanche addressing, "the Epstein people not going to prison," to which Tim adds mockingly, "Yeah, he's like, nothing illegal about going to a party on Petto Island." (10:43)
• Viral 4chan Theories:
  • Tim reads a 4chan post about a correctional officer, Roberto Grijalva, claiming Epstein was swapped for a body double—a theory generating over 13 million views and widespread speculation. He confesses, "It has 13.1 million views. So I’m not the only one. Is it possible that Epstein’s still alive? I guess that’s my final question for you guys." (22:44)
• Group Reaction:
  • Will refuses to "touch that," Sam admits, "I don’t think he killed himself...there’s a lot of unanswered questions," with Tim echoing intrigue but not conviction.
• Meta-Commentary on Conspiracies: The hosts poke fun at their own susceptibility, with Will mock-suggesting, "after we finish this that we edit this out in postscript because this is insane. You guys need to chill out." (23:25)

Memorable Exchange:

"There’s a lot of unanswered questions out there. And so, you know, whatever you’re putting out there, Tim, I’m..." – Sam Stein (22:51)
"I’m not saying, I’m not making any claims... All I’m saying is that I've been reading a lot of material about the Epstein situation at the prison, and I just was intrigued..." – Tim Miller (23:53)

4. Nancy Mace: The Media Spiral

(12:34–18:13)

• Preempting Bad Press: Discussion of Nancy Mace’s attempt to deflate a critical New York Magazine piece with a preemptive selfie video, described as "the Streisand effect" (12:58).
• Bizarre Staff Directives: Mace reportedly "forcing staffers to upvote Reddit posts about who the hottest member of Congress was, if it was her," and ordering tequila deliveries at 2 am.
  • "Staffers had to create fake accounts, go in, upvote it if it said Nancy Mace, downvote AOC..." – Tim Miller (13:41)
  • "Our poor scheduler was getting calls at 2 in the morning to come bring her bottles of tequila..." – Tim Miller (15:03)
• Panel Reaction: Sympathy is mixed with disbelief. Will Sommer: "I left feeling like a sense of sorrow for this woman. She obviously needs help ... she shouldn’t be in public life anymore." (15:31)
  • Tim remains more acerbic, "I think she’s a little too mean for me to feel sorry for." (17:02)
• Campaign Prognosis: They pessimistically forecast the end of her governor’s campaign while riffing on South Carolina’s political culture.
• Content Grind: Sam Stein marvels at Mace's media obsession: "it is striking this article how she's... I need to be on national TV three times a week or three times a day..." (17:51)

Memorable Quote:

"You’re going to work on the Hill. Your chief of staff comes in, they're like, yo, I need you to create a burner Reddit account. Just put some comments about how hot the boss is." – Will Sommer (14:51)

5. James Fishback & the Young Conservative Relationship Circus

(18:13–21:01)

• Fishback’s Campaign Moves:
  • Noted for problematic campaign tactics and disturbing allegations, including a cringe outreach effort via Tinder:
    • "I've joined Tinder to meet young female voters where they are and share my plan..." – Tim Miller (18:55)
• Online Rivals & Drama:
  • Laura Loomer’s feud with Fishback’s girlfriend is discussed, with salacious details about bitcoin-fueled photo shoots.
• Groypers & Abstinence:
  • The hosts humorously debate the “chastity” of right-wing youth movements and shifting norms, especially via weird statements from Nick Fuentes.
  • Will Sommer: "That’s really powerful stuff." (20:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• Election Conspiracies Parody:
  "It's kind of like an episode of SVU... you think it might be the teacher because he was acting a little weird in class... maybe that's the Venezuelans..."
  — Tim Miller (05:26)

• On Sidney Powell’s Return:
  "Sidney Powell, who got kicked out of the she was too hot brigade... Tucker Carlson... looked at Sidney Powell and was like, a little too out there for me."
  — Tim Miller (03:49)

• On Ed Martin’s Oversharing:
  "Are you tweeting a criminal conspiracy? Ed Martin, you know you're not supposed to be tweeting a criminal conspiracy."
  — Tim Miller (09:27)

• Joking About Partying With Epstein:
  "Yeah, he's like, nothing illegal about going to a party on Petto Island."
  — Tim Miller (10:43) "Ain't no crime. Partying with Jeffrey Epstein."
  — Will Sommer (10:50)

• On Nancy Mace’s Staff Instructions:
  "Your chief of staff comes in, they're like, yo, I need you to create a burner Reddit account. Just put some comments about how hot the boss is."
  — Will Sommer (14:51)

• On Nancy Mace's Media Hunger:
  "She wanted just like... I need to be on national TV three times a week or three times a day, you know..."
  — Sam Stein (17:51)

• Epstein Rumor Rabbit Hole:
  "Is it possible that Epstein's still alive? I guess that's my final question for you guys."
  — Tim Miller (22:44)
  "There’s a lot of unanswered questions out there. And so, you know, whatever you’re putting out there, Tim, I’m..."
  — Sam Stein (22:51)

Episode Structure & Flow

• 00:00–01:00: Advertisements (skipped)
• 01:00–06:36: Rehashing 2020 election fraud conspiracies, introduction of key players, satirical analogies
• 06:36–10:59: Fallout among Trump’s conspiracy-adjacent allies, speculation about political demotions, intra-MAGA grievances
• 10:59–12:34: Epstein-related soundbites, segue to next topic
• 12:34–18:13: Scandalous Nancy Mace New York Magazine profile, staff abuse, emotional reactions, campaign eulogy
• 18:13–21:01: Fishback’s campaign, Loomer beef, groyper/alt-right online subculture
• 21:01–24:31: Deep-dive into Epstein internet speculation, self-aware lampooning of conspiracy mongers

Tone & Style

The conversation is quick, irreverent, and filled with dark political humor. The hosts oscillate between sharp sarcasm, genuine policy critique, and self-deprecating reflection on the absurdity of modern conspiratorial thinking. This lets the episode function both as a news digest and a cultural critique, packed with in-jokes and serious subtext about the dangerous ecosystem of lies permeating American politics.