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- [00:00]
Ted Danson
Hey everybody, Ted Danson here to tell you about my podcast with my longtime friend and sometimes co host Woody Harrelson. It's called Where Everybody Knows yous Name. And we're back for another season. I'm so excited to be joined this season by friends like John Mulaney, David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Ed Helms, and many more. You don't want to miss it. Listen to Where Everybody Knows yous Name with me, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Sometimes, wherever you get your podcasts at.
- [00:30]
Yasmin Vestugian
1-800-Flowers.Com we know that connections are at the heart of being human. Whether celebrating life's joys or comforting during tough times, 1-800-FLowers helps you express what words can't. For nearly 50 years, millions have trusted 1-800-FLowers to deliver thoughtful gifts that help create lasting bonds. Because it's more than just a gift. It's your way of showing you care. Visit 1-800-FLowers-COMM./SXM and connect today. That's 1-800-FLowers COMM./SXM. Welcome to Here's a scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vestugian. Today on the show, we are diving into the bipartisan deal to get the government back open for business, how tougher abortion restrictions are now on the negotiating table. Plus the return of Camelot. The next Ken the Heir is entering the political arena. Up first, though, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released three email chains obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's estate as part of their investigation of his case. The emails were sent between 2011 and 2019 to Epstein's then associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and a journalist, Michael Wolf. Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year prison sentence for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking crimes. NBC News reached out to lawyers for Maxwell and Michael Wolf as well. So amongst the Releases is a 2019 email in which Epstein wrote to Wolf that President Trump, quote, knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop. The correspondence also includes the name of someone that committee members say was a victim of Jeffrey Epstein, which Democrats redacted in their release. Later, the White House and Republicans on the committee said the redacted name was Virginia Giuffre, a survivor of Epstein's abuse who died by suicide fast in April. NBC News has not independently verified these emails. Republicans on this committee also released what they say are 20,000 additional pages from Epstein's estate. President Trump has continually denied any wrongdoing and posted his true social Today, writing in part, the Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein hoax again, because they'll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they have done on the shutdown. So to break all this down, we are bringing in our heavy hitters. We got NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles and senior national political reporter John Allen. Ryan, I want to start with you on this one and walk us through the release by House Democrats and how they got ahold of these pages, these emails.
- [02:56]
Ryan Nobles
Yeah, and I think it's really important because probably a lot of your listeners are confused as to where all this information's coming from, the way it's coming from. And this tracks back to the House Oversight Committee. They have engaged in their own separate investigation into the Epstein saga. And what they did that was so novel that no one else apparently has done in pursuit of information as it relates to the Epstein affair is that they subpoenaed the Epstein estate. And what was remarkable about this was that the Epstein family, the Epstein estate, it's not the family, I guess it's the kind of the purveyors of what's left of his estate were absolutely willing to comply. They gave the attorneys and investigators of the House Oversight Committee remarkable access to all of this material related to Jeffrey Epstein and his background that includes his bank records, travel logs and his emails. And what was revealed today in this release that House Democrats put out were three emails that were directly from Jeffrey Epstein. One was to Ghislaine Maxwell. The other two were to the author and journalist Michael Wolff, where he names Donald Trump. And he says that Donald Trump was aware of the girls, as you pointed out, he describes Donald Trump as the dog that could bark. And what House Democrats say is that this is a compelling enough reason for the Department of Justice to go fulsome in their release of all the information related to Jeffrey Epstein. And it then also is what they're using as kind of a vehicle to encourage other members of the House to eventually vote for this bill that would compel the Department of Justice to release all the information. And so that's where the discharge petition comes in. Right. So that's a whole separate investigative thread that they're pulling on. And basically now at 4 o' clock today, Mike Johnson's going to swear in Adelita Grijalva, who is the congresswoman from Arizona who was elected back in September. She'll become the last vote on the discharge petition. And for your listeners that are like, what the heck's a discharge petition? Basically, this is a vehicle in which rank and file members can get past leadership to get Something on the floor. But they've got enough Republicans and all the Democrats involved in this to sign this petition, which means this will come to the floor eventually. But as much as President Trump wants to call this a hoax and say that this is a waste of time, it is an issue that is not going away.
- [05:17]
Yasmin Vestugian
So. So you said a couple of good things there that I want to dig into a little bit more. But John, as I'm looking at some of these emails, right, One was from Jeffrey Epstein going to gmax Ghillane Maxwell, in which he says, I want you to realize that the dog that hasn't barked is Trump. And then there is a redacted name there. A victim spent hours at my house with him. He has never once been mentioned. Police chief, etc. I'm 75% there. I don't know what that means. But that was an email that was sent on April 7, I believe, of 2011. And then there were other emails in which Jeffrey Epstein sent to Michael Wolf, the journalist. And there was a victim name redacted as well. And then he said, Trump said, he asked me to resign. Never a member ever. Of course, he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop. Do we know first and foremost on why it was that Jeffrey Epstein was emailing Michael wolf back in 2019? That's when that second email was sent. And any idea as to who these victims were, the names that were redacted? Is NBC efforting that?
- [06:26]
John Allen
Well, so apparently the redacted person is the late Virginia Giuffre, who was one of the accusers of Jeffrey Epstein, one of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre had said in the past that she had never had, you know, an inappropriate encounter around President Trump. Why the author, Michael Wolff, is talking to Epstein? I mean, Epstein obviously knows a lot of well positioned people. He'd be a smart person to talk to if you're doing reporting. I think what was fascinating about that set of emails is that it appears that Wolf was giving Epstein advice on how to handle his relationship with Donald Trump and how to, you know, how to leverage whatever he might know about Trump for his own benefit. And that's something, as a reporter, you stay very far away from the line of giving advice to people that you govern.
- [07:17]
Yasmin Vestugian
Yeah, I mean, there was an email that Michael wolf sent in 2015 in which he said, I think you should let him hang himself. If he says he hasn't been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable PR and political currency. You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you, or if it really looks like he could win, you could save him generating a debt. Of course, it is possible that when asked, he'll say, Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime. I mean, it's astounding that Michael Wolff would give that type of advice to Jeffrey Epstein.
- [07:53]
John Allen
John, to give, you know, material advice on how to harm Donald Trump in order to save Jeffrey Epstein is something that, you know, that a reporter wouldn't do. Although Wolf has often described himself as not a journalist and tried to, like, live in this world where he takes fact and mixes it with fantasy. But I would say this. There were 20,000 pages released by the House Republicans today.
- [08:20]
Yasmin Vestugian
Yeah.
- [08:20]
John Allen
And Donald Trump's name is all over them. So the Michael Wolf thing is, is interesting for sure, but there is a lot more to the story of how Donald Trump interacts with Jeffrey Epstein. None of which is to say that anyone has accused Donald Trump of impropriety with minors. I think the question at this point is, you know, what he knew about Jeffrey Epstein and whether he kept that to himself or not.
- [08:44]
Yasmin Vestugian
So, Ryan, if we take talk about the potential release of the Epstein files, there has been this bipartisan effort to get those released, and it seems as if they have the votes in the House to get it across the finish line, but the question is whether or not it could pass in the Republican controlled Senate. It seems they do not have the votes there. And then it heads to the President's desk. And he has been very vocal that he does not want these files released. Is there any potential that these files are actually gonna see the light of day?
- [09:15]
Ryan Nobles
Donald Trump personally still has an extraordinary amount of power to prevent these documents from ever seeing the light of day. He has the pressure campaign that he can put on congressional allies who have done his bidding since day one of this second term of his presidency. But you're 100% right. He can choose just not to sign the bill if it does pass and cross his desk. And then furthermore, he can put a ton of pressure on, on Pam Bondi and Cash Patel and their Department of Justice to slow walk their compliance with this information. So when you take all those things into context, I still think that people should temper their expectations of the idea that there's gonna be this revelatory day where Pam Bondi walks out with a big set of boxes and says, here's all this stuff guys, which is something that again, I wanna say very emphatically that the conservative influencer fear have been begging for since well before Donald Trump returned to office.
- [10:13]
Yasmin Vestugian
Ryan Nobles, John Allen, thank you both.
- [10:16]
Ryan Nobles
Thank you.
- [10:17]
John Allen
Thank you, Yasmin.
- [10:20]
Yasmin Vestugian
All right. We are going to take a very quick break. When we are back, how Republicans got abortion restrictions back on the negotiating table.
- [10:31]
Ted Danson
Hey, everybody, Ted Danson here to tell you about my podcast with my longtime friend and sometimes co host Woody Harrelson. It's called Where Everybody Knows your Name. And we're back for another season. I'm so excited to be joined this season by friends like John Mulaney, David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Ed Helms and many more. You don't want to miss it. Listen to Where Everybody Knows yous Name with me, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Sometimes, wherever you get your podcasts, NBC.
- [11:01]
Ryan Nobles
News focuses on the facts, looking deeper and listening wider. It's clear reporting free from opinion, facts, clarity, calm. NBC News reporting for America.
- [11:16]
Ted Danson
Hey, guys, Willie Geist here reminding you.
- [11:18]
Sahil Kapoor
To check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together.
- [11:22]
Ted Danson
With Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang to talk about his extraordinary road as the son of Chinese immigrants to SNL and that dream role in the Wicked movies.
- [11:33]
Sahil Kapoor
You can get our conversation now for free wherever you download your podcasts.
- [11:41]
Yasmin Vestugian
And we are back with here's this group from NBC News. The House is back in Washington for the first time in more than a month. They're voting tonight on a deal to reopen the federal government, which was first hammered out in the Senate. You will remember that the deal that they landed on did not include any funding for extending Affordable Care act subsidies, which had been Democrats key demand throughout the shutdown. Instead, lawmakers agreed to hold a separate vote on extending the subsidies. Now Republicans are planning to tie any ACA extensions to tougher abortion restrictions on federally funded health care, which Democrats they are not happy about. I want to bring in Sahil Kapoor. He is a senior national political reporter for NBC News. Hi, Sahil.
- [12:22]
Sahil Kapoor
Great to join you.
- [12:24]
Yasmin Vestugian
What is happening on the Hill with this?
- [12:26]
Sahil Kapoor
So firstly, it does still look like the bill that passed the Senate to reopen the government is going to pass the House and the government will be reopened. And what Democrats walked away with is, as you mentioned, a promise by the majority leader, John Thune to hold a vote in the Senate by the end of the second week of December on whatever bill Democrats come up with to extend ACA funding. What Thune is simultaneously saying is a he'll allow a vote on whatever bill Democrats want. But in order to win Republican support, because again, it needs 60 in the Senate, it's going to have to have a bunch of conditions attached to. And some of the not so controversial conditions are, you know, tinkering with the income and eligibility requirements. But this new wrench that Republicans are throwing into this debate is they want tougher abortion restrictions in the ACA marketplaces for all plans. And this is a huge problem for Democrats. Basically, what they want is more stringent language saying no plans on the ACA marketplaces can cover abortion even if federal dollars don't go toward them.
- [13:28]
Yasmin Vestugian
So, okay, I think you said a couple of important things there that I want to kind of parse through. So first and foremost, Republicans, and specifically John Thune is saying, all right, we'll hold a vote on the ACA subsidies, but none of us are going to be on board if you don't grant us what we want. Right. Which means essentially it would not pass because you need Republican votes in order for it to pass with Republicans in the majority. So there's that. And secondly, they're saying not only are there things that we want, but some of the things that we want are totally against what Democrats actually are in favor of, and that is restrictions on abortion care. But the restrictions that they want don't even. Aren't even referring to federal money.
- [14:15]
Sahil Kapoor
Correct. They want to go beyond existing law which prohibits federal money going toward ACA plans. Because right now, what can happen is about half the states allow enrollees to obtain abortion coverage through the ACA marketplaces, either by paying a separate surcharge or the states kick in money. So if California or New York decides they're going to supplement the ACA marketplaces with additional funding that people can use toward abortion, that's consistent with no federal dollars going. The Republican argument is that it effectively facilitates. It's the federal government facilitating the abortion coverage because money is fungible. Any money that goes to a plan, you can't quite segregate it, in their view, from state funding or enrollee surcharge, because that abortion coverage wouldn't exist if the plan didn't exist in the first place.
- [15:01]
Yasmin Vestugian
So essentially what they want is if you are on insurance or the Affordable Care act, you will not be able to get abortion care no matter what, whether the money is coming from a federal entity and or coming from the local government. Period, end of sentence. That's what they want.
- [15:13]
Sahil Kapoor
Correct. Not through your insurance. You'd have to pay out of pocket or whatever the case may be. But your insurance plan will not be able to cover it under any circumstances. That's what they want.
- [15:21]
Yasmin Vestugian
I can't imagine Democrats are happy about this.
- [15:24]
Sahil Kapoor
No, this is a bridge too far for them. I spoke to Senator Jeanne Shaheen about this. She's a moderate who's kind of in the middle of all of this. She's the author of the ACA bill to permanently extend funding. She was one of the key negotiators who helped, you know, who joined with Republicans to reopen the government. And she helped secure this promise from John Thune. She said she's willing to negotiate on the other stuff, not on abortion. She called it a nonstarter.
- [15:44]
Yasmin Vestugian
Remind us what is at stake for those that are on Obamacare. If they are not able to come to a deal, what happens?
- [15:53]
Sahil Kapoor
So, big picture, this particular pot of money that's set to Expire is about $35 billion a year. It affects about 22 million people out of the 24 million people on the ACA exchanges up and down the income ladder. This money was first passed in 2021, and then it was extended the following year, expires in 2025. What's at stake is sharp premium increases for almost everybody in the ACA marketplaces because everyone benefits, just about everyone benefits from this funding. Some people could see their premiums rise by 20%, 30%. Some could see them double. We've even heard anecdotal evidence of some people having their premiums triple because they were right in the sweet spot of who benefited the most from this. So what's at stake is they're going to have to find a way to afford it. These are already not wealthy people who are getting this enhanced tax credit. They're going to have to find a way to afford health insurance by paying this extra cost, maybe cutting back elsewhere.
- [16:44]
Ryan Nobles
Or.
- [16:45]
Sahil Kapoor
Or they could just drop their coverage entirely and choose to go uninsured in 2026. That's the big deadline that's coming up here because open enrollment is already underway. By the time we get to January, those premium increases will kick in. And by then, people will have to decide do they want to pay the cost or just drop their coverage.
- [17:02]
Yasmin Vestugian
Why do Republicans reveal their hand now? Why didn't they just say this after. After the vote passed today to get through it and then say psych. Why talk about it now?
- [17:13]
Sahil Kapoor
Because I think we asked the right questions and they gave us candid answers. You know, I first heard this from a policy person who was working on this issue closely in Senate. GOP ranks and then I started asking senators about this and one said it, then another said it. And by the way, SBA Pro Life America, the influential anti abortion group, has been pressuring Republican senators behind the scenes to take this position. There's a letter that they sent to Republicans saying that they will score this vote, any vote that any Republican casts to extend ACA money without these ironclad restrictions on abortion coverage through the marketplaces. They said they will score them and they will downgrade that Republican lawmaker who cast that vote on their scorecard and they will double weight that vote.
- [17:55]
Yasmin Vestugian
So Democrats really only heard about this plan through the press?
- [17:59]
Sahil Kapoor
Correct.
- [18:01]
Yasmin Vestugian
Sahil Kapoor, thank you. Appreciate it.
- [18:04]
Sahil Kapoor
Thanks, Yasmin.
- [18:08]
Yasmin Vestugian
Let's get to some headlines. Tensions between the US And Venezuela are heating up after the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean. It is just the latest move in what has become a months long US Military buildup. The Pentagon says it's all about cracking down on drug trafficking in the region. But Caraca sees something very different, what it calls an imperialist threat and even a possible push for regime change. In response, Venezuela's defense minister has announced a quote, massive mobilization putting the country's armed forces and civilian militias on full alert. Venezuela's land, air, naval and reserve forces will conduct exercises alongside the Bolivarian militia, a civilian reserve created by the late President Hugo Chavez and named for Simon Bolivar, the revolutionary who helped liberate much of Latin America from Spanish rule. Bihart is recalling all batches of its Whole Nutrition infant formula cans and single serve packets amidst a multi state outbreak of infant botulism. The FDA says at least 15 babies in 12 states, nearly all between 16 days and 5 months old, have been hospitalized since August after consuming the product. No deaths have been reported, but officials urge parents to throw away the formula and watch for symptoms since botulism can take weeks to develop. Symptoms include muscle weakness and difficulty swallowing. If not treated quickly, it can be fatal. Bihart co founder Mia Funt said in a statement, quote, the safety and well being of every infant who uses our formula is and always will be our highest priority. A US Political dynasty is continuing as Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of late President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, announced that he's running for Congress. Last night. The 32 year old son of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg said he's running for the New York City seat currently held by Democrat Jerry Nadler, who announced his retirement in September. Schlossberg has been critical of his cousin health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr and has indicated that his campaign will fight against Trump's policies with control of Congress.
- [20:12]
Ryan Nobles
There's nothing we can't do.
- [20:14]
Sahil Kapoor
Without it, we're helpless to a third term.
- [20:17]
Ryan Nobles
My name is Jack Schlossberg and I'm running for Congress.
- [20:21]
Sahil Kapoor
And every time it rains, it rains.
- [20:28]
Yasmin Vestugian
Well, the penny is officially going to heaven. The last ever penny will be minted in Philly today, making the penny 238 years old before its passing. The copper coins were sentenced to capital punishment by President Donald Trump after finding out that it costs four pennies to make just one. The penny is survived by the recluses of the family dollar and half dollar and its more extroverted siblings, the quarter, the dime and the nickel. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen and Treasurer Brandon beach are expected to be present for the final production of the Last pennies, which I can only assume will be the equivalent of a coin funeral ceremony.
- [21:06]
Sahil Kapoor
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
- [21:18]
Yasmin Vestugian
The Treasury Department expects to save $56 million per year on materials, but penny lobbyist groups like the Americans for Common Sense Commission, who knew there were lobbyists for pennies, by the way, have warned that any savings generated by discontinuing pennies and may be swept up in increased demand for nickels, which cost nearly 14 cents to make. Either way, rip pennies, look out nickels. It's like I can still hear them rattling in my pocket. And that's going to do it for us. Thanks for listening to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vesugin. We'll be back tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. And if you like what you heard, then like us, back wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you tomorrow.
- [21:59]
John Allen
Foreign.
- [22:07]
Ted Danson
Ted Danson here to tell you about my podcast with my longtime friend and sometimes co host Woody Harrelson. It's called where everybody knows your name. And we're back for another season. I'm so excited to be joined this season by friends like John Mulaney, David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Ed Helms, and many more. You don't want to miss it. Listen to where everybody knows your name with me, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Sometimes, wherever you get your podcasts.