Chinese Communist Spies in the Democrat party, plus Virginia Redistricting Decision Causes Dem Meltdown

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson — May 13, 2026 Episode: Chinese Communist Spies in the Democrat Party, plus Virginia Redistricting Decision Causes Dem Meltdown

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Episode Overview

In this episode, host Ben Ferguson is joined by Senator Ted Cruz to dive into two explosive topics shaking American politics:

• The recent guilty plea of a California Democrat mayor acting as a spy for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), sparking concerns about CCP infiltration at high political levels.
• The Virginia Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a partisan Democrat redistricting map, and the resulting backlash within the Democratic Party, both in state and nationally.

The conversation moves from deep national security implications to the "blue states gone wild" motif, delivering blunt conservative commentary and sharp humor throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. CCP Espionage in U.S. Politics: The Arcadia Mayor Case (03:03–23:08)

• Setting the Stage: Ben Ferguson introduces the unprecedented case of Eileen Wang, the Arcadia mayor, pleading guilty to acting as an agent for the Chinese government.

  • “We've never heard about an elected official actually working for the CCP until what we've seen in LA. ...It tells you just how much the CCP is willing and wanting to get involved in our politics in this country.” — Ben Ferguson (05:55)

• Details from DOJ Filing & Wang’s Admission:

  • Senator Cruz reads directly from the DOJ press release, noting Wang’s admission and the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years.
  • She and her associate, Mike Sun, ran a news outlet for local Chinese Americans and were directed by Chinese officials to post pro-PRC propaganda.
  • “By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government. Let this serve as a clear warning… Individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated and brought to justice.” — Senator Ted Cruz (07:08)

• Pattern of CCP Influence Targeting Democrats:

  • No prominent Democrat denounced Wang’s actions, highlighting an ongoing issue.
  • References to Senator Feinstein’s driver being a spy, Eric Swalwell’s connection to the Chinese spy "Fang Fang," and a top aide to NY Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed as a Chinese agent.
  • “What does it say that the Chinese government is able to infiltrate... to put Chinese spies on the staff of sitting Democrat senators, is able to send Chinese spies to have sexual relations with prominent Democrats and who are on top committees?” — Senator Ted Cruz (12:49)

• Deeper Manipulation:

  • The Chinese government’s commitment to getting Wang elected, including altering her campaign visuals.
  • The problem is not isolated; it hints at widespread vulnerabilities due to Democrat alliances with sectors deeply involved with China (big business, tech, Hollywood, universities).

• Discussion on Sentencing Laxity:

  • Ben questions why espionage sentences are relatively light, undermining deterrence: “How are we not bulking up these sentencing guidelines to where there might actually be a moment you think maybe this isn't worth it...?” (17:12)
  • Senator Cruz concurs, suggesting a harsher sentencing regime for such betrayals.

• Recent Attempted Bribery in Congress:

  • New York Times report is cited: a staffer on the House China Committee was approached by someone offering $10,000 to provide committee insights — suspected to be a CCP recruitment attempt.
  • “This is a pattern whether it is trying to recruit spies who are staffers on Capitol Hill… or whether it is, in this instance, and this is the most brazen, electing a Chinese Communist spy as a mayor, a Democrat mayor. This is a concerted effort and we need to be serious fighting this.” — Senator Ted Cruz (21:32)

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2. Virginia Supreme Court and Redistricting Uproar (30:30–40:15)

• Background: Ben sets up the segment by highlighting how Democrats react when judicial decisions don’t go their way, specifically with calls to dismantle state institutions.

  • “Democrats, when they tell you they're crazy and they hate this country and they hate our laws and our rules, like believe them. ...We just dismantle the Supreme Court, dismantle the Constitution, get rid of everybody in our way.” — Ben Ferguson (30:35)

• Details on Virginia’s Map:

  • Virginia’s legislature, with Democrat control, passed a redistricting plan changing the congressional delegation from a near-even split to a 10–1 Democrat majority.
  • The new maps extend liberal Northern Virginia influence to dilute Republican representation.
  • The Virginia Supreme Court (with Democrat-appointed justices) ruled the redistricting illegal, stunning observers.

• Democrat Reaction:

  • Calls for a mandatory retirement age of 54 for justices to clear the court and enable court-packing.
  • Mark Elias, top Democrat election lawyer, cited a constitutional clause about the right to “reform, alter or abolish” the government, suggesting the Democrats may push to abolish the court if it does not rule to their liking.
  • “If you don't rule in a way that keeps us in power, we will burn down the foundations of our government.” — Senator Ted Cruz (39:52)

• Connection to Supreme Court Rulings on Racial Gerrymandering:

  • Ted Cruz explains the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision to prohibit racial gerrymandering, even for compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
  • Criticism of Democratic hypocrisy: Democrats claim “disenfranchisement” when power shifts, even when black Republicans are elected in the South, while white Democrats control 100% of seats in New England.
  • “Like, how do you say no, no, this white liberal is blacker than this actual African American woman. That. That is their view.” — Senator Ted Cruz (39:30)

• Notable Example: Discussion of Congressman Steve Cohen (a white Democrat from Memphis) possibly losing his seat to Charlotte Bergman, an African American Republican, prompting Democrat claims of racial disenfranchisement.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There is a systematic effort by the Chinese Communist government to undermine the United States of America.” — Senator Ted Cruz (06:26)
• “I don't want to go that far… but let's take some of the facts…” [on CCP–Democrat links] — Senator Ted Cruz (11:21)
• “I bleed America so much. ...I would risk my life for this country…” — Ben Ferguson (23:51)
• “AI is really quite incredible.” — Senator Ted Cruz, joking about campaign poster image manipulation (14:46)
• “You combine that with the recent decision of the U.S. supreme Court that concluded that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional…” — Senator Ted Cruz (34:46)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:03] — Introduction to Arcadia mayor and China’s systematic infiltration
• [06:26] — Senator Cruz’s summary of DOJ findings and direct quotes
• [10:56] — Lack of Democratic condemnation/overview of CCP targeting Democrats
• [13:31] — Discussion of tech, money, and political manipulation by China
• [17:02] — Sentencing discussion and deterrence concerns
• [18:29] — New York Times report of CCP bribery attempt in Congress
• [30:30] — Shift to Virginia Supreme Court redistricting decision
• [31:10] — Senator Cruz explains state and national partisan reactions
• [34:46] — Impact of Supreme Court decision on racial gerrymandering
• [36:53] — New England representation vs. the South, Democratic inconsistencies
• [38:08] — Senator Cruz’s snarky Twitter remarks (“Who is Tim Scott?”)
• [39:13] — Memphis district: Cohen vs. Bergman, race and partisanship
• [39:52] — Ted Cruz’s critique of burning down government for power
• [40:15] — Episode closes

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Tone and Style

• The tone is punchy, direct, and loaded with political humor and sarcasm—especially between Ferguson and Cruz.
• Both hosts are unfiltered, with Cruz taking legalistic and historical angles, and Ferguson driving the emotion and outrage.

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Conclusion

This episode sharply critiques Democratic vulnerabilities and reactions to both foreign interference and judicial checks on political power. The hosts underscore ongoing national security threats from China while highlighting what they see as Democratic Party hypocrisy and power hunger in redistricting and governance.

The message: American institutions face both internal and external threats, and vigilance—and more aggressive countermeasures—are needed, especially regarding foreign influence and upholding the rule of law.

Transcript

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[Martha Stewart]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. Senator. We've got a lot to discuss. Everything from New York to Virginia Supreme Court and even some other crazy stuff that's happening in the world in today's show.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, today's episode is all about blue states gone wild. It starts with California and the fact that we have a sitting Democrat mayor in California who was just indicted and pleaded guilty to being a communist spy for China. That's hard to believe, but that is reality. It's a problem the Democrat Party has writ large. We're also going to talk about Virginia, the Virginia Supreme Court decision striking down their rabidly partisan redistricting. Democrats in Washington are freaking out. They are willing, they are talking about blowing up the entire government of Virginia because all they care about is power. We're going to break down what that Virginia Supreme Court decision was about and what the reaction of the Democrats is to it.

[Ben Ferguson]

I also want to take a moment to talk to you about an incredible organization that we want to make sure is on your radar screen. It's called Compassion International. I want you to pause what you're doing for just one minute, and I want you to hear about Alejandra. She lives in a remote community with very few resources and little to no health care. So when Alejandra gets sick, her parents have no real options, no doctors in their community and no money for real medical care. By the third day, her body was shutting down. She woke up and just long enough to tell her, mom, I can't take the pain anymore. I can't keep going. Her parents drove hours to find a doctor who tried everything. But she needed a private hospital, and that was impossible for her family to afford. And that is when Compassion International stepped in. Now, through Compassion, Alejandra was treated. And against all odds, she survived. She lived because someone just like you took action. Right now, unfortunately, there are children just like Alejandra who won't survive unless someone like you steps in. Compassion International partners with local churches, providing children with the support that they need. Critical medical care plus food, education, and the hope of the gospel, all in Jesus name. So help a child just like Alejandra. Today you can visit compassion.com that's compassion.com all right, Senator, let's start by Going back in history, we have seen a lot of really significant infiltration into our government going through elected officials with China. China spends an incredible amount of money spying in the United States of America, but we've never heard about a elected official actually working for the CCP until what we've seen in la. But I do think we need to set the stage so people understand what we've witnessed in this mayor's. This mayor, technically outside of la, in a very plush area of California, is not only shocking, but it tells you just how much the CCP is willing and wanting to get involved in our politics in this country. And there was even bribery that came up in Washington D.C. this past week, offering 10 grand to someone that's on a committee to one of the staffers that actually supposed to be investigating China, trying to have influence in the United States of America.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, there is a systematic effort by the Chinese Communist government to undermine the United States of America. To undermine United States government. And in particular, they've targeted the Democrat Party because the Democrat Party is apparently open for business. Now, if you look at the latest facts, I'm going to read from the press Release from the U.S. department of Justice, Los Angeles. The mayor of Arcadia has been charged in federal court with acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China, the PRC. The Justice Department announced today. Eileen Wang, 58, of Arcadia is charged via information with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Now, you could hear the Democrat partisans, you could hear the media say, oh, this is a partisan attack by the Trump Department of Justice. They're just going after Democrats. There is no chance this elected Democrat mayor is an agent working for the Chinese Communist government. Well, let me read you the next paragraph. In a related filing, Wang has agreed to plead guilty to the felony count. In other words, she's admitting it. Which comes with a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Wang was elected in November 2022 to the Arcadia City Council, a five person governing body from which the mayor is selected on a rotating basis. Quote, individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy, said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Sile. The plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend our homeland against China's effort to corrupt our government. By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government. Let this serve as a clear warning. Individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated and brought to justice. According to the plea agreement. From late 2020 through 2022, Wang and Yao Ning Mike Sun, 65 at Chino Hills worked at the direction and control of the PRC government officials and coordinated with US based individuals to promote the PRC's interest by, among other things, promoting pro PRC propaganda in the United States. Son is already serving a four year federal prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in October 2025 to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Wang and sun worked together to operate U.S. news Center, a website that purported to be a news source for the local Chinese American community. Wang and sun received and executed directives from the PRC government officials to post pro PRC content on the website. For example, In June of 2021, a pair of C official contacted Wang and other individuals via the WeChat encrypted messaging application with pre written news articles. In other words, the Chinese Communist Party wrote the news articles, including a PRC official written essay in the Los Angeles Times that stated Chinese stance on the Jin Yang issue. There is no genocide in Jin Yang. There is no such thing as forced labor in any production activity, including cotton production. Spreading such rumor to do Defame China, Destroy Jin Yang stability and stability. Weaken local economy, Suppress China's development. Minutes later, Wang posted the article on her own website and responded to the PRC official with a link to the article on her website. The others in the group chat did the same. The PRC official responded so fast. Thank you everyone. Now, this pattern, and by the way, it goes on and on with repeated instances of this, this is not a unique problem. So let me say two things. Number one, Ben, have you heard a single Democrat denounced the fact that an elected Democrat mayor in California.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Was a now admitted and soon to be convicted agent of the Chinese Communist Party. Have you heard a single Democrat say a negative word about that?

[Ben Ferguson]

No. And I think you even go a step further than that and you say the reason why is because it seems like the Chinese Communist Party and the Democratic Party are almost one the same. In so many of these instances, they've gotten a free pass for years.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, look, I don't want to go that far. I think that's an overstatement. But let's take some of the facts. So, Senator Dianne Feinstein, long time exhibit

[Ben Ferguson]

A of how I would fight back. So make it for me.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, longtime Democrat senator from California. She had a Chinese spy working in her office as her driver, like taking her everywhere. Is a Chinese spy, Eric Swalwell, who just. Just resigned from Congress in disgrace. Yeah, he dated a Chinese spy, Fang Fang A top aide for New York Governor Kathy Hochul was a secret Chinese agent. Now this is a pattern. You've got California, you've got New York, you've got a clear effort. Listen, all right, when I was elected 14 years ago, I arrived in D.C. and I began saying then I think the law, the single greatest long term geopolitical threat to the United States is Communist China.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Now Ben, when I started saying that, that was a lonely view in Washington.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Every single Democrat disagreed with me and most of the Republicans disagreed with me. Most of them, they looked at China, they saw nothing but dollar signs as far as the eye could see. They just saw money to be made.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. Economic, economic growth. It was all about the money. It was all about the cash, is all about cheap goods. It was all about expansion.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Now I will say over these 14 years, I think my view has been vindicated powerfully. More and more people, most Republicans have opened their eyes to this and you are seeing some Democrats. But what does it say that the Chinese government is able to infiltrate to put Chinese spies on the staff on of sitting Democrat senators, is able to send Chinese spies to have sexual relations with prominent Democrats and who are on top committees.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's one thing I think people don't understand. They target people that have access to significant US information. They're not wasting their time with some low level person.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And to elect a Chinese spy as a mayor in a US town, I'm not aware of any instance of that happening in our history.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. And by the way, you know, it's interesting about this case and I don't, I don't know if you, if you heard this, but I was briefed about this earlier today. I was doing a TV hit and they were like, they were like, we want to get into just how good China is. They literally altered and changed the way she looked for the campaign posters and billboards and the stuff that was up about her. Like China went all in apparently to make sure she got elected. And they even changed how she looked to make her look better than she was, to hopefully give her a better chance to win. Like this is not some low level, you know, group of people in China. They're all in to try to win elections in America when they're involved in it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Wait, Ben, you're saying that's wrong? So my reelect campaign that showed me a six five and blonde and like ripped like a star of Baywatch. Was there a problem with that?

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, not, not. In fact, that was my idea, if I remember correctly. I was, we Got to make tech better.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

To be clear, you were the body model for that?

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes, of course.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

AI is really quite incredible.

[Ben Ferguson]

AI is brilliant. It was made in China, really. Right.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right. So you might ask. All right. Mayor of Arcadia, Chinese spy. Did they get anything for that? Like, what was the benefit? Okay. Posted some Chinese websites. Let me read to you a story from NBC Los angeles. Last year, 21 children, some birthed by surrogate mothers, found in Arcadia home in child abuse investigation. A couple was arrested in connection with a child abuse investigation that led authorities to their Arcadia, California, home. That would be the same town that this Chinese spy was the mayor of, where they found more than 20 young children, some of whom were birthed by surrogate mothers, according to police. Police say they're investigating whether the children found in the home of the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles were part of a surrogacy scam. The home's residents, Sylvia Zhang, 38, and Gujian Zhuang, 65, were released from custody pending further investigation. It's not clear how many children at the home were born to surrogate mothers, but one of the mothers was found in Texas by a Beth bioethics watchdog group. The woman said she was misled into thinking the child was the only child who would be taken in at the Arcadia residence. This is a serious threat. And I think we ought to ask, why is the Democrat Party so open to this? Why are they so susceptible? What it is about their policies? And I think the reason is, if you look at the major interest groups that support the Democrat Party, you have big business, you have big tech, you have big Hollywood, and you have big universities. Yeah, all four of those are in bed with communist China in a major way. And so when their supporters say, hey, this Chinese communist is a great person, it is. There are far too many officials in the Democrat Party that are open to that argument.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to talk something else about deterrence. Deterrence here. And that is something that was glaring to me. I always look at cause and effect. And when you're reading that first article, there's two people involved. One got apparently five years, the other gets 10. Now, if you serve 65, 70%, depending on the sentencing guidelines for federal crimes, then she'll get out in probably six and a half, seven years. He'll get out in two and a half, three. And. And that's like. If you think about what they were doing, the risk they're taking, and even if they get busted and get the maximum Senate senator, they still have a life ahead of them. Like this is not like, you know, going to jail for 30 years or 40 years or even 20 years. I mean, five years down to two and a half, three, ten down to six and a half. Maybe house arrest, good behavior. Like, I. I gotta ask the question, what the hell are we doing as a country with our sentencing guidelines? If you're an American citizen, you're spying for an adversary of the United States. America. I don't care if it's Iran, I don't care if it's Russia, I don't care if it's China. And you are committing espionage, by the way. It used to be a big deal. How are we not bulking up these sentencing guidelines to where there might actually be a moment? You think maybe this isn't worth it to go work for the Chinese Communist Party or the Russians or the Iranians? Because I don't want to go to jail for the rest of my life if I get caught.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, fully agree. The idea that you would have an elected mayor in the United States serving as a spy for our enemy, for the Chinese Communists, the maximum she can face under current law is 10 years in jail. She may well get substantially less than that. That is not much of a deterrent. I think we ought to ratchet up that punishment. And here's another example of how widespread this is. This is an article from the New York Times. He offered a lawmaker's aid quick cash. Was he spying for China? When a man identifying himself as Chris Chen reached out this winter to an aide on a House committee focused on threats from China, he came armed with a lucrative offer. The staff member Mr. Chen proposed could earn $10,000 or more by barely lifting a finger. All he would need to do is agree to phone calls every other week to share information about the committee's work and U.S. foreign policy about China, insights into U.S. trade or national security issues, including the Trump administration's plans for Venezuela in the aftermath of the January military operation. There would be especially valuable, Mr. Chen said, to sweeten the pot. Mr. Chen repeatedly promised to send the aid $2,000 up front. The offer seemed too good to be true. Instead of quietly accepting the deal, the aid whose identity the New York Times agreed to withhold because he works on sensitive policy issues related related to China. Reported it to his bosses on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. The panel quickly concluded that Mr. Chen was not the Singapore based business consultant he claimed to be, but instead was likely a Chinese intelligence officer or contractor seeking a new retreat. Recruitment rather than cut off, contact the committee's Republican majority staff agreed to keep talking to Mr. Chen. They recorded a series of calls this winter to learn more about Mr. Chen's tactics and interests. Transcripts of those calls, which the committee shared with the Times alongside some of the recorded audio, depict a determined, at times impatient individual eager to earn the trust of his mark and get down to business. Mr. Chen mixes holiday greetings with elaborate questions about manufacturing in Vietnam and Mexico and the future of Venezuela's oil industry. This is a pattern whether it is trying to recruit spies who are staffers on Capitol Hill, or whether it is placing spies as staffers to Democrat senators, or whether it is sending honeypots to sleep with Democrat elected officials like Eric Swalwell, or whether it is, in this instance, and this is the most brazen, electing a Chinese Communist spy as a mayor, a Democrat mayor. This is a concerted effort and we need to be serious fighting this.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want to take a moment and ask you to help the people in Israel with my friends at the IFCJ working right now on the ground for all those in need. When we talk about Israel, we're not just talking about a place. We're talking about a people connected to a promise. A promise made by God, one he has never broken and one that continues even today because God's character doesn't change what he begins, he sustains, what he promises, he fulfills. And that matters today. Right now in Israel, families run to shelters as sirens sound. Now, this isn't just a crisis, it's a call to respond. For Christians, caring for Jewish people isn't rooted in politics. It's rooted in trust and a God who keeps his word. So we don't stay distant. We step in with prayer and practical help. The international fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground bringing food, caring for the vulnerable, and reminding people they're not alone. This is what it looks like to align your heart with God's, to pray, to show up and to care. So join us in praying for peace of Jerusalem and for the people who need it right now. Visit prayifcj.org that's prayifcj.org why is the Democratic Party so quiet on this? Why are they not condemning this? Why are they not openly talking about it? Why is the media not discover talking about this? It's part of the reason why we love doing this show. I want to move to Virginia.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And by the way, Ben, I do want to say, you know, when you pitched to me last week that we should say verdict is sponsored by China, prison camps I thought it was a persuasive argument. And you did say that someone offered you a bucket of cash. But I, for one, takes more than

[Ben Ferguson]

two grand, my friend. More than two grand.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Now, look, if they. If they offered to let you go on the pro tennis circuit.

[Public Podcast Sponsor Announcer]

Yes, yes.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I love you, man, but you'd sell yourself out to communist China to go on the pro tennis circuit.

[Ben Ferguson]

No, no, never. Never. I'm too. I'm too pro. If anyone ever came to me and offered me money to be a spy, like, they might be the dumbest person, like, spy in the world.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

How about if you got to win Wimbledon? Hell, no.

[Ben Ferguson]

I. There. I just. If you're not watching right now, I just gave the number one salute like I am. I bleed America so much. So I'm proud of you, brother. And I would. I would say it in a foreign language to you to you know what yourself.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Okay, good, good. I just said to ask you because I'm like, you know.

[Ben Ferguson]

You know when they say everybody has a price that, like, no. Like on. On like being pro mayor. Like, no. I would risk my life for this country, but I wouldn't like the. The idea. I. I remember. It's so funny. You talk about spies movie breach. Do you ever watch the movie Breach about the, like, one of the worst spies in American history who was. Who was giving out information. He finally got caught. It's a phenomenal true story.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Is this what Robert Hasson. Is that who it is? No, it's right.

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, it was. Now you're gonna make me Google the spy's name. But it. Go watch.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I don't know the movie, so I'm okay.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's. It's phenomenal movie. And see, now you're gonna make me go one here. I'm gonna. I'm just gonna. We're doing this live breach movie. It came out in 07. It was. Ryan Felipe and Chris Cooper were in the movie. Chris Cooper plays Robert Hansen. Hey, excuse me.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Did I pull that name, like, out of. Out of the ether?

[Ben Ferguson]

I. I am impressed. I give you. I give you a golf clap for that. I give you a golf clap. But when.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

That I would even see the damn movie.

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, it's. I can't believe you haven't seen the movie. Like, I'm disappointed in you for not seeing the movie. That's almost like un American. I'm a little worried now, but go watch the movie. But when that happened, my mentor, who, by the way, hey, just turned 84, so that's a big deal. John Ashcroft his first day on the job in 2000. They go oh and by the way, we're about to take down like the worst spy in one of the worst buys in American history and had to get read in on this. And then the movie came out and of course I asked him a million questions about it. But when you see a guy like that do that, it still blows my mind. You can be an American, you can work in the FBI, you can be just selling these secrets just because either you're disgruntled and you're a little bit crazy. I I it blows my mind that people still out their country. It really doesn't stay but go watch the movie and I can't believe I've actually watched a true Story center that you haven't watched yet. It's I'm, I am I I feel like I've straight up one up to you on this one. I feel good about it right now. All right, you gotta tell me when you watch the movie.

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[Martha Stewart]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Hey, it's Ben Ferguson and I want you to pause what you're doing for just one minute and I want you to hear about Alejandra. She lives in a remote community with very few resources and little to no health care. So when Alejandra gets sick, her parents have no real options, no doctors in their community, and no money for real medical care. By the third day, her body was shutting down. She woke up and just long enough to tell her mom, I can't take the pain anymore. I can't keep going. Her parents drove hours to find a doctor who tried everything. But she needed a private hospital and that was impossible for her family to afford. And that is when Compassion International stepped in. Through Compassion, Alejandra was treated. And against all odds, she survived. She lived because someone just like you took action. Right now, unfortunately, there are children just like Alejandra who won't survive unless someone like you steps in. Compassion International partners with local churches, providing children with the support that they need. Critical medical care plus food, education and the hope of the gospel all in Jesus name. So help a child just like Alejandra. Today you can visit compassion.com that's compassion.

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[Ben Ferguson]

Let's move on to Virginia real quick. And this one is also a very interesting story. Democrats, when they tell you they're crazy and they hate this country and they hate our laws and our rules, like believe them Democrats now are threatening to boot the entire Virginia Supreme Court. Uh, and, and let's explain how we got to this point center, because it's. This is a warning of us coming in with our U.S. supreme Court. They want to get rid of it. They want to pack it. Every time they get a ruling they don't like, it doesn't matter. There is no law and order anymore in the Democratic Party. They don't get their way. We just dismantle the Supreme Court, dismantle the Constitution, get rid of everybody in our way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, look, the Virginia state legislature, sadly, is Democrat. The governor, Abigail Spamberger, ran as a moderate. She actually ran saying gerrymandering is wrong, we should oppose gerrymandering. She got elected. And by the way, Abigail Spanberger is a object lesson for elections across the country. The Democrats who run as moderates are lying to you. Every word she said on the campaign trail was a lie. She got in as this hard left zealot. She immediately stopped cooperating with federal law enforcement, started releasing illegal immigrants, violent criminals, into Virginia. She began proposing new taxes on just about everything you can imagine. And when it came to redistricting, the current map in Virginia, there are 11 House members in Virginia. Six of them are Democrats, five of them are Republicans. That's about right, yeah. Virginia is a purple state. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, was the previous governor in the 2024 election. Kamala Harris won Virginia, but by just a few points. So 6, 5 was about right in terms of where the state was divided. But the Democrats, for them, power is the number one objective. And so they rammed through an emergency redistricting plan that took the map from 6, 5 Democrat to 101 Democrat. And they told the roughly 45% of Virginians who vote Republican, you no longer get representation. We're going to disenfranchise you because all we care about is power. And basically, they drew these horrible maps where much of Virginia, the rural parts, are bright red. And you've got Northern Virginia, which are basically D.C. suburbs, which are a bunch of government employees, many of whom are very liberal. And so they drew these maps where most of the districts reached into Northern Virginia, grabbed a bunch of government bureaucrats and used them as left wing voters to turn the rest of the district blue. Well, the problem is they got challenged in court. And initially a trial judge ruled that the redistricting was illegal under the Virginia state Constitution. That got appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court. Now, the Virginia Supreme Court, the justices are Democrats. They were put on there by Democrats. They were confirmed by Democrat legislatures, the Virginia Supreme Court last week, shockingly, most observers were astonished, looked at the Virginia state constitution and said, hey, what the legislature did here was illegal. And they struck it down. By the way, the previous Attorney General of Virginia, Republican Jason Meares, had written an opinion saying, under the Virginia Constitution, you can't do this. This is contrary to law. Now, when that happened, Democrats in Washington, their heads exploded because this was critical to their seizing power. Since then, they have called for number one, they've called for putting a mandatory retirement age in Virginia on the Supreme Court of 54. Their entire purpose is to throw every justice on the Supreme Court off so they could pack them with left wing activists who will uphold the redistricting. They have also talked about just fundamentally overturning. So Mark Elias, who is the hardcore left wing Democrat lawyer who brings all of these incredibly partisan decisions. Anytime a Republican is elected in close election, Mark Elias files a lawsuit seeking to overturn the voters will. He is one of the most rabid partisans in the country. He tweeted out a quote from the Virginia Constitution, quote, whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable and indefeasible right to reform, alter or abolish it in such a manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal. And to be clear, what he is saying is, I don't like what the Virginia Supreme Court concluded, even though they're Democrats. So abolish the government of the state of Virginia. That's how radical these zealots are. And by the way, you combine that with the recent decision of the U.S. supreme Court that concluded that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional, that drawing lines, drawing congressional lines, discriminating, saying we're going to put people of one race in the district, take people of another race out of the District, that that's unconstitutional. It had been an open question whether complying with the Voting Rights act was essentially an exception to the constitutional prohibition on racial gerrymandering. And the Supreme Court concluded 6, 3. No, it is not that the Constitution, the 14th Amendment, the 15th Amendment, prohibit discrimination based on race, prohibit voting discrimination based on race. I think that is the right reading of the Constitution. And the Democrats have lost their ever loving mind because, understand, look, all right, all of New England, you take the states in New England in the Northeast which vote anywhere from 60, 40 Democrat to 65, 35 Democrat, depending on the state. How many Republicans do you think are elected in all of New England, I'm

[Ben Ferguson]

going to go with zero.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Zero would be right in state after state. Massachusetts, zero. Maine, zero. Vermont, zero. New Hampshire, zero. Rhode island, zero. Connecticut, zero. That is, they just gerrymander the heck out of it. And they have 100% of the representation Democrat. In the South, Democrats have used the Voting Rights act to insist, if you can draw a district that elects an African American Democrat, you must elect that Democrat. Now, the bizarre thing is we've seen Democrats who also insist, and one of the more absurd things they've said, well, in light of the Supreme Court decision that discriminating based on race is unconstitutional, you've seen Democrats saying South Carolina will never, ever elect an African American to Congress. Now, I have to admit, when that happened, I pulled out Twitter.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like when you get your little snarky tweets out there. I knew as soon as I said I was waiting for a countdown clock until you did what you did. I could have predicted that tweet. And, like, in a moment's notice, as soon as I saw, I was like, I can't wait. And then you did it. So keep going. Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I said, hey, Grok, who is Tim Scott and why did Democrats believe he's not black? So, Tim Scott. Yeah, Tim Scott is my colleague in the Senate. He's African American. He was elected to Congress to a House district in South Carolina. Then he became a senator. He's been reelected over and over and over again in South Carolina, and yet to the Democrats, he does not count as black, because if you're a Republican, suddenly you're white. It doesn't matter. And mind you and their view. And by the way, Tennessee, your home state.

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, dude, this is the best one. Steve Cohen, who's, like the whitest guy you'll ever see, he doesn't like me, by the way. He was my. My congressman for many years. He. They were losing on TV the day, and I got to smack some of them around because they were saying, you're taking away this seat, that African Americans are being disfranchised. I'm like, hold on a second. Steve Cohen is like the widest old cranky white guy you've ever met, but

[Senator Ted Cruz]

he's a liberal Democrat, so he's a black Democrat.

[Ben Ferguson]

But here's what's interesting. Charlotte Bergman, who is an African American single mother, is probably going to win the seat now.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And so wait a second. You're saying as as a result of the Supreme Court decision.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

A white guy, a Democrat's going to lose, likely to a black woman to

[Ben Ferguson]

a black single mother who has, who has. Who lost a family member to violent crime in Memphis.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Like, and the Democrats position is yes, defeating a white Democrat guy to elect a black Republican woman is racist against black people. Like, yes. Like, how do you say no, no, this white liberal is blacker than this actual African American woman. That. That is their view. And understand all of their hysterics. Come down to power. Like, if you're saying abolish the Virginia Supreme Court because I don't like what they rule and by the way, we appointed them, but we still don't like how they rule. So if you don't rule in a way that keeps us in power, we will burn down the foundations of our government. That is. That's just sad.

[Ben Ferguson]

It is. Welcome the Democratic Party in 2026, my friends. Don't forget we do this show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Hit that subscriber auto download button wherever you get your podcast. We also do the show on YouTube so you can watch us on YouTube as well. And please write us a five star review wherever you're listening to this podcast. It helps us reach a new audience and we appreciate your time and listening. As always, the center and I will see you back here, Lord willing, on Friday morning.