The America First Podcast: Episode 41 | October 14, 2025

Hosts: Joe the Box, Johnny Blanket, Fred Rubino, Lisa Azzarelli, Kevin Downey Jr.
Special Guest: Guy Leggio
Date: October 17, 2025

Overview

This episode of The America First Podcast delivers lively, unfiltered discussions on current political and cultural events through the lens of American values. The show features the regular panel and special guest Guy Leggio, touching on themes of local governance, school boards, national security, and ongoing political controversies. The hosts emphasize community involvement, patriotic action, and skepticism toward current political and media structures. The episode also features an in-depth investigative interview regarding failures in the justice system.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome & Panel Introductions (02:22–04:41)

• Setting & Tone: Hosts open from the "America First Warehouse," celebrating American heritage and the importance of family and community.
• Joe the Box highlights the rotating cast and the energy that keeps the show fresh:
  "It's a new look... hey, we like to change things up, right? It's never the same thing. Otherwise, you're going to get bored." (02:32)
• Lisa Azzarelli shares recent travels, emphasizing the unmatched value of returning home:
  "It's the God's honest truth I can't deny. When we get back to the States." (03:41)

2. Interview: Guy Leggio and the Importance of Local Leadership (04:41–13:14)

Guy Leggio's Background & Community Service

• Leggio introduces himself as a candidate for Suffolk County Legislator, with a 40-year record as a volunteer fireman and bricklayer, and former high school wrestling coach.
  "I'm running for this Suffolk County Legislature, District 9, and I'm a Bay Shore fireman for 40 years, volunteer fireman... Varsity Wrestling coach for 27 years at East Isop High School." (04:35)
• Noted for practical achievements:
  "I've donated a million dollar wrestling room to the East Isop High School... got an armory in Bayshore that we turned it into a UPK center I got for a dollar for the school." (04:54)
• Served in the Navy in Beirut, Lebanon.

School Boards—The New Political Battleground

• Hosts discuss the vital, often overlooked, role of school boards, arguing that local engagement is necessary to prevent undesirable ideological shifts: "You got to run for school board because we let the commies take the school boards and now they're showing pornography..." (06:15)
• Leggio, an 18-year school board member and five-time president, explains the challenges: "You have to be a true community leader. You have to make decisions people don't want to hear...it's a great thing. And you know what? People don't participate enough on their child education." (06:45)
• The panel draws historical analogies of ideological infiltration through school institutions (referencing John Solomon and Cuban Communist tactics).

State vs. Local Control

• Lisa and Guy discuss how state mandates override community autonomy, creating funding and policy struggles: "We're being driven by New York State and the federal government in a lot of ways where school boards and schools should be driven by their local members." (10:03) "That's right. Excellent, excellent. I'm so happy to hear that." – Lisa (10:23)

Campaign Support & Values

• Leggio promotes his campaign as a "regular, hard working guy" bringing working-class voices to the table, regardless of agreement.
• Conversation turns to wrestling as a metaphor for building discipline and character in youth.

3. International Reflections & Charlie Kirk Memorial (13:14–13:51)

• Lisa Azzarelli recounts witnessing international reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk while visiting Italy: "They really knew about the details of Charlie Kirk's assassination and they were very upset about it... they were also supportive of Trump." (13:14)
• Notes Italian support for Trump, citing Meloni's connection, and a sense of global affinity for American conservative leaders.

4. State Politics: Illinois & Immigration Enforcement (17:42–20:56)

• Criticism of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's pushback against ICE, accusing him of threatening federal agents for enforcing immigration law: *"The tables will turn someday. These people should recognize that maybe they're not going to get prosecuted today..." – JB Pritzker (17:42)
• Emily Finn and Jake Novak lambast Pritzker for prioritizing political ambition over public safety: "His sole job... is to keep the people of Illinois safe... and this is the one thing that he should be throwing his weight behind and supporting." – Emily Finn (18:14)

5. Economic Updates & Industry News (26:19–29:50)

• Host provides a run-down of market volatility, gold prices, rare earths trade policy, and corporate developments (e.g., Walmart’s AI initiative, Stellantis’ investment in US manufacturing).

6. Investigative Segment: Justice System Failures in North Carolina (43:48–52:23)

The Irina Zaruska Case and Magistrate Controversy

• Interview with Patrick McVeigh and Shannon Connor (hosts of Jinxed Sip) reveals how the magistrate who freed a repeat violent offender—leading to Zaruska's murder—allegedly was not a legal resident of North Carolina. "We found a lot of evidence that she actually does not live in North Carolina, which would make her completely ineligible..." – Shannon Connor (43:48)
• FOIA and public records show magistrate (Teresa Stokes) and spouse are registered to vote in Michigan, not NC: "Her and her wife are registered to vote in Michigan. Her wife updated her registration in 2024... a year after she was appointed in North Carolina." – Patrick (44:39)
• Host questions lack of mainstream media investigation: "It was very surprising because there were even other people on X that dug into her. And I guess they didn't realize that everything pointed back to Michigan." – Patrick (46:33)

Broader Implications: "Thug Army" and Political Power

• Shannon speculates on leniency in blue-city judicial systems and implications for public safety: "It seems like they're really just trying to not have a judicial system where they're just letting everybody go free because they feel like it's inhumane to have them incarcerated. But it's not. It's for the safety of everybody else..." (47:55)
• The panel connects this to DEI hiring and systemic issues in local government positions.

7. The Midterms & Political Trends (57:50–60:41)

• Jake Novak and David Brody discuss polling showing declining Democratic prospects for the 2026 midterms, with Republicans gaining momentum. "If you go back six months ago... Democrats with a very clear shot of taking control of the US House of Representatives... those odds have gone plummeting down." – Jake Novak (57:50)
• The hosts critique Democratic messaging and unpopular stances, predicting these choices will cost them electorally. "They've learned nothing from the 2024 election. Zero. They've doubled down." – David Brody (59:54)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On American Values:
  "Nothing like America... Western civilization is the way to go, man." – Fred Rubino (03:41)
• On the School Board Battle:
  "We let the commies take the school boards and now they're showing pornography... to these kids." – Joe the Box (06:15)
• On Public Safety:
  "His sole job... is to keep the people of Illinois safe... and this is the one thing that he should be throwing his weight behind and supporting." – Emily Finn (18:14)
• On Investigative Journalism:
  "We found a lot of evidence that she actually does not live in North Carolina... completely ineligible to be a magistrate." – Shannon Connor (43:48)
• On Political Realignment:
  "They've learned nothing from the 2024 election. Zero. They've doubled down." – David Brody (59:54)

Segment Timestamps

• Panel Introductions & Welcome: 02:22–04:41
• Guy Leggio Interview & School Boards: 04:41–13:14
• International Reflections, Charlie Kirk: 13:14–13:51
• State Politics, Immigration Discussion: 17:42–20:56
• Economy, Walmart AI, Industry News: 26:19–29:50
• Justice System Exposé, Jinxed Sip Interview: 43:48–52:23
• Midterms & Political Analysis: 57:50–60:41

Memorable Moments

• The candid, familial banter between hosts underscores the show’s community focus.
• The Guy Leggio interview stands out as a story of grassroots leadership and direct action.
• The deep-dive investigation into the Irina Zaruska case exemplifies the podcast’s commitment to challenging mainstream narratives and uncovering overlooked stories.
• Strong, direct opinions—sometimes irreverent, often emotional—are a consistent feature across all segments.

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain a spirited, often humorous tone with an undercurrent of frustration directed at political opposition, establishment figures, and media. Language is plainspoken, direct, and occasionally confrontational, aligning with the show’s ‘America First’ ethos and focus on local engagement, skepticism, and common sense solutions.

This summary covers the major segments and themes of the episode, with key timestamps for listeners seeking specific discussions or insights.