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Ben Ferguson
Welcome. It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. Senator over under. I wish we would have made a bet here. I would have lost the bet. I would have said there's no way the doj, the FBI would quasi raid the home of a sitting President. They did it. They found more classified documents. Apparently these documents that Joe Biden had at his Delaware home date back to the time when he was not just the Vice president, but when he was a senator. How shocked are you by this?
Senator Ted Cruz
It's stunning. Every day it keeps getting worse and worse and worse. For Joe Biden at this point, it's a level of incompetence that is not just. Look, we know that Joe Biden is Mr. Magoo. And for those of you who are younger than 40 years old, Mr. Magoo was an old cartoon of a guy that was basically blind and addle headed. And Joe Biden is as addle headed as any president we've seen. But even addle headed. Good God. Is there a place this man didn't leave classified documents? He sticks it in his Corvette. He sticks it in the room by his Corvette. He sticks it in his home residence. He sticks it in the Penn Library. He sticks yet more in his home residence. I mean this is really, at this point, it's Keystone Cops. And there are several major developments in the last couple of days. One, this latest search was done by the FBI at the request of the Department of Justice. The FBI went to Biden's home, spent the entire day searching Biden's primary residence in Wilmington, Delaware. And they found six more batches of documents. It's not clear those six whether you're talking about six pages or 600 pages because they haven't specified but six collections of documents that are marked classified. Within those. Now we know that the FBI spent the entire day searching his home. We know that at the same time that was happening, the White House press secretary was dodging questions. So that same weekend, Biden went to his beach house in Rehoboth beach and he was asked, well, why is he going to Rehoboth Beach? It's cold, it's not beach weather. And the White House refused to answer those questions. And it turns out the reason is, well, the G man are rummaging through his his house in Wilmington. So apparently he's gotta go somewhere else. So. So the Biden White House was less than honest with the press corps, less than honest with the American people in explaining why he wasn't going to his residence. The answer was because the FBI is searching it right now. And then on top of that, you have the piece that we now know at least some of these documents are from his Senate tenure. And I gotta say that is really stunning because, look, Ben, I've served.
Ben Ferguson
I was gonna say for everybody listening right now, we talked about the scif, we talked about classified documents. You went into great detail about classified documents and how it works when you're in the Senate. Go back to that episode, listen to it, because you went into great detail basically about how this works for every senator, what the rules are, and go back and listen to that episode. And before we get to the shocking point of him actually having these documents, I want to remind everybody two things. One, make sure you share a podcast, because we are really diving into these things like no one else. So make sure you hit that subscribe or auto download button so that you get this podcast every day. And I also want to say thank you to our good friends over at Patriot Mobile. If you've got a cell phone and your cell phone is with big tech, you need to take a look at Patriot Mobile. They are the only conservative Christian cell phone company in the US and when you pay your bill every month, you're actually fighting for what you believe in. You're fighting for your first and our second amendment rights. You're fighting for the lives of the unborn. And they're also now helping with adoptions. If you want to make a difference every time you make a phone call, check out Patriot Mobile. They're online@patriot mobile.com. that's patriot mobile.com or slash verdict and you'll get specials. Patriot mobile.com verdict or you can call them or call them at 878-patriot. That's 878-patriot. Use the promo code verdict and you'll save big or online@patriot mobile.com verdict. That's patriot mobile.com verdict. Now, Senator, you were mentioning the classified documents. The fact he had these from back when he was a senator. This is not normal. And people need to understand keeping those documents for 10, 20, 30 years. We don't know what point in his Senate, you know, career. These, he had these documents. But that's not something that you're supposed to ever do.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. And let me explain the day to day, which is I've been in The Senate now 10 years. I have read a lot of classified documents. I've been in a lot of classified briefings. Every single classified document I've ever read for the entire 10 years I've been in the Senate, I've done it all in the same place, which is. There is what's called a skiff, a secure compartmentalized facility. It is underground. It is way, way down in the basement of the Capitol. You go down, you go down, you go down, you go in, you go in these big steel doors. When you go in, it's actually kind of fun because as you're walking to it, the reporters will follow you and they're asking you questions, they're asking you questions. And then you get. When you get to the doors that are the entrance to it, all the reporters have to drop off because they're not allowed in there. You go through a long hallway. It feels kind of like Get Smart. If you remember the opening of Get Smart, you walk through one set of doors, then another set of doors. You walk through a long hallway. The hallway has all these posters on the wall, and they're like World War II era posters of somebody leaked and people died, and their cartoon drawings of people dying because somebody leaked classified information that's covering the walls. As you come in, they ask you for all your electronics. So you give them your cell phone, you give them your AirPods, if you have them. You give them your Fitbit. You give anything that is electronic, you hand it to them, and it stays outside the scif. And so you go into the scif, which is a. There are actually a whole series of. There's a big hearing room in there. There are a couple of conference rooms. There's some smaller rooms that have secure telephones. So if you're having a conversation with the CIA or the FBI or someone that's dealing with classified information, you can do it the secure call there. And then they're just reading rooms where you'll go in and whatever document you've requested, they'll have it there. They hand it to you, and you have to sign out for it. So, you know, you get a particular secure document, you know, proof that Martians are living right now in the Bill Clinton residence. I'm just saying that, hypothetically, that I'm not revealing anything, but they're really, really pretty Martians. You sign out that document, you put your name on it, you put your date, you put the time, you go into the little room, and you sit there and read. And sometimes you read for five minutes. If it's a quick little document, sometimes you'll read for hours. I've sat there and spent a long, long time reading through long, detailed documents. When you're done with it, you walk back up to the front counter, you give them back the Document and they sign it back in. They put the time back back in. And so that every single time I have read a classified document in the United States Senate, that's how I've done it. What I have never done. I've never read a classified document in my office. Why is that? Because my office is not a secure space. It's not a skiff. And so it's not legal to read a classified document in my office. I've never had a classified document in my car. Why? Because it's not a secure place and it's not legal. I've never had a classified document in my home in Houston. I've never had a classified document in my apartment in D.C. again, because it's not a secure space.
Ben Ferguson
All right, but hold on. Have you ever had a classified document in your garage next to your car?
Senator Ted Cruz
And sadly, I've never had a vintage Corvette. I'm clearly not living a full life. It's. So the fact that it is from his Senate tenure. Now, look, I suppose he might try some defense. So Biden was, for a number of years, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, you read a fair number of classified documents. Well, you know what? I'm on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I read many of those same documents. You don't take them out of the skiff. I've been on the judiciary committee for 10 years. You don't take classified documents out of the skiff. I've been for. I was for six years on the Senate Armed Services Committee. You don't take classified documents out of the skiff. And so the fact that Biden had numerous classified documents from his Senate tenure at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, means presumably he took them out of the skiff. I don't know if they were in his office. I don't know where they were, but they ended up in his private house unsecured. That's a big deal. And it's a fundamentally different situation than being in the executive branch because I'm not aware of any senator who does that and certainly not any senator who does that legally without knowing that they are breaking the law. You don't take a classified document with you because you know it is a criminal offense to do that.
Ben Ferguson
Well, let's talk about one other aspect of this, Senator, that I think a lot of people are asking this question now. It's a theory that I posed to you, I think, what, two weeks ago now? And I said, is this the Democrats offloading their useful idiot in Joe Biden, it's no longer useful because there doesn't seem to be as many on TV now and Democrats out there that are really defending Joe Biden. Or is it just because this is so indefensible?
Senator Ted Cruz
So I think some of both. I think this happened just as a mess, just as incompetence on the Biden side. And they kept screwing up. They kept thinking they were done, and then they found another, and then they found another, and then they found another. Now, I do think there are some Democrats that are nervous that he's too old to be president, that they want him to jump from the ticket. I think he's going to jump from the ticket. I've said consistently he will not end up running again in 24. But there are certainly some Democrats and some in the media who are being opportunistic and using this to try to push him out. But let me tell you right now. All right, let's break some news right now. Let me tell you what the next step in this scandal's going to be. The next step in this scandal is going to be okay. If Biden's Senate documents include classified documents outside of classified settings, which is illegal, how many more classified documents are illegally in his Senate papers? And here's where this matters in particular, which is the University of Delaware has more than 1,850 boxes of records from Joe Biden's Senate tenure which he gave to the University of Delaware. Now, the University of Delaware presumably does not have them in a skiff. It does not have them in a secure location. During the 2020 campaign, there was a concerted media effort to try to get access to those documents. In particular, there were allegations of sexual harassment raised against Joe Biden. And and the media wanted to examine the documents on those allegations of sexual harassment. The University of Delaware has said, nope, they're not releasing the documents to anybody until two years after Biden retires from public life. Ben, I am right now calling for the Department of justice, for the FBI to examine all 1850 boxes of those Senate records to see how many additional classified documents are in those records. The answer should be none. But given Biden's pattern, we should have zero reason to have any confidence that there are not multiple classified documents within those 1850 boxes of Senate records.
Ben Ferguson
Let's talk about the PR aspect of this as well, Senator, at the White House, because you have two options now. You either have a White House press secretary that's totally incompetent in her job and is sleeping in every day and then going out there and lying to the American people. Or she's being hung out to drive by this administration. So therefore she looks like a complete moron. Now, I say that with this caveat. There was a very interesting conversation on the Five on Fox News Channel.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah.
Ben Ferguson
And I, and I want to play the beginning of this for people because it kind of sets the stage. Listen carefully to this. And again, like we said a moment ago, please hit the share button. Share this podcast with your family and friends. Text it to them with that little forward arrow. Make sure you hit the subscribe or auto download button as well. Again, this is from the five Take.
Dana Perino
A listen Contradiction City over Biden's docudrama, the Secret Service is ready to turn over who visited the President's Delaware home if requested by Congress. But wait, the White House said those visitor logs didn't exist.
Senator Ted Cruz
Hmm.
Dana Perino
Sounds like a good question to ask coringe Jean Pierre, but we all know that's a fool's errand.
Karine Jean-Pierre
I already answered your question. Go ahead.
Senator Ted Cruz
You really didn't.
Karine Jean-Pierre
Well, I, I did.
Senator Ted Cruz
No, you didn't.
Karine Jean-Pierre
Well, it's your, it's your opinion.
Peter Doocy
I'm having a hard time understanding why questions about procedure.
Karine Jean-Pierre
And I just said, and I just said to you, the White House Counsel's office will be able to address that.
Peter Doocy
Question from this point on, are you not going to be taking questions about the classified? Dr.
Karine Jean-Pierre
I have been very clear over and over again. We are going to be prudent again.
Senator Ted Cruz
That's where the department of why is it?
Karine Jean-Pierre
And let's be clear, it's not your decision to make of what I can or can't answer.
Peter Doocy
From here.
Dana Perino
Let's be clear. So you can see why the White House reporters have had enough of Jean Pierre. According to a new report, members have grown exasperated and call her briefings a painful waste of time.
Ben Ferguson
I mean, Senator, you hear that? And the point that they're making is, is, is she just flat out lying? Is she being left in the dark or is this part of a full blown cover up? You pick.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. Well, look, one problem that Karine Jean Pierre has is that she started with very limited credibility. Even prior to this White House scandal, she demonstrated a proclivity to stand and lie at the White House podium over and over and over again. When she stood up and said people aren't just walking across the border, it just doesn't happen. That that wasn't kind of sort of painting outside the lines. It's just a wild, bald faced lie. When 5.3 million people have crossed illegally. To say nobody's doing it is just, it's a laugh line. Now the reporters almost all agree with her ideologically. They're left wing Democrats so they want her to look good. They want Biden to look good. So when she stands there and lies to her, more often than not they take it. But when she's made a practice of lying to them over and over and over again, her credibility is very low. And then you get to this scandal and now this scandal. Look, even though the reporters are partisans, they also, they smell blood in the water. They're sharks. And they're frustrated because what she says now every day is wrong. And either she has no idea what she's talking about or she's actively part of the COVID up because she keeps saying, okay, the search is complete. Next day, oh, nevermind. And then now the search is complete. Oh, never mind. And you know, you know, why is Biden going to the beach house? Oh, no reason. Just. Just thought the beach would be pretty. Not that they're G men raiding the president's house as we speak. And we just don't want to tell you because we're the White House and we lie to the reporters. And the fact that the reporters are turning on her, that's a big deal too. I mean these are people who agree with her and like her and yet their frustration, it, it really, it's a boiling point.
Ben Ferguson
It's really a boiling point right now in the White House press room. It's usually just one or two people that are being tough. Right. It Peter Doocy and, and, and that's about it. Who really kind of give her a hard time. The rest just go along with it.
Senator Ted Cruz
That's exactly right. And you know the five you were talking about, you know, Dana Perino obviously served as a White House press secretary and I think she has a unique insight.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
Senator Ted Cruz
She mentioned just how spectacularly bad this is and it's worth play. What Dana had to say about this.
Dana Perino
Yeah. Has. Has Korean ever reached out to you to say hey, I need some help. You're really good at this.
Peter Doocy
No, I. Sure. And look, she's got a lot of friends and supporters. I'm sure she could call any of any member their group, for example, like Jen Psaki. But what the judge just said I think is very, very correct. So Biden and Klain have allowed this woman to go out there. One they either didn't tell her and when she, I believe when she said she didn't know, she found out the same day that the Press corps did. So it looks like she was involved in a cover up if she did know, but she didn't know. So then they're like, oh, wait, so you don't know what you're talking about. So you don't have the confidence of the Chief of staff. And they just sit there and let her twist in the wind every single day. And by the way, where is Kamala Harris? Help a sister out. If I were Kamala Harris, I would go into the Chief of Staff's office, into Biden, and say, tomorrow somebody from the Justice Department is going to help her out and they're going to walk through this timeline or you are ruining her ability to have a command in that room. And when you have White House reporters start to talk to the press about how unhappy they are, very hard to dig out of that. You know those, you know, at a, like a construction site, it'll say 80 days without a safety incident. At the White House, they have zero days of providing inaccurate information. Partly it's her fault and that she has to make sure to protect herself. That's your number one job because it's the only asset that you have. But the President himself and Ron Klain, the chief of staff, owe her the something better than what they have provided because they are making her job so much harder than it needs to be.
Ben Ferguson
Yet. Ron Klain, by the way, I got to get to the White House Press Secretary center and get your reaction because it broke also over the weekend that he's going to be leaving the White House. Now, of course, they, they put this out there like, oh, it's just time. He's been there for two years. This is normal cycle here. Do you buy that?
Senator Ted Cruz
Look, the house is on fire. And either Ron Klain got fired because he's supposed to prevent this from happening. And by the way, it's not just the existence of the classified documents. If this past couple of weeks is not taught in PR and communication courses, a decade from now, I'll be surprised. Like, the White House could not have handled this worse. And so maybe Ron Klain was fired. We don't know. And one of the things we've learned from the Biden White House, they won't tell us they're not going to be honest and fess up to it. Or alternatively, he sees everything on fire and says, hey, I'm out of here. I'm on to greener pastures. I want to cash out and make some cash one way or the other. The guy who was ostensibly in charge is leaving and I will note, look, in any White House, a White House chief of staff leaving is a big deal. In this White House where Joe Biden is clearly not up to the job and many people have hypothesized that it's been Ron Klain running the White House, well then that's an even bigger deal. And I thought Dana Perino's insight was really powerful because look, you and I have been around the political world a long time, but neither one of us have served as White House press secretary. And I think she quite rightly focused on how even Karine Shapier I do not think is very good. I think she's demonstrated a proclivity towards dishonesty. But what Joe Biden and Ron Klain and the rest of the White House staff are doing to her is fundamentally wrong. They are putting her out on a limb and then sawing the limb off. And they're putting in her position where even to hardcore left wing partisans, it's obvious that she's misleading them either out of ignorance or malice, neither one of which is good.
Ben Ferguson
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Senator Ted Cruz
Look, I have no idea. But one of the most compelling, if not the most compelling is the University of Delaware which as I says has more than 1,850 boxes from his time in the Senate. That's all in one location. It's all straightforward to search. I believe DOJ needs to search that quickly and I hope the news that you just read indicates they're going to do that. I don't know how many other locations. I don't know if you know. I don't know if there are classified documents at Hunter Biden's residence. Of course we've talked about on this pod how for periods Hunter, Hunter Biden has said his residence was Joe Biden's residence. So he's lived with classified documents. I don't know if there are other places.
Ben Ferguson
And there were pictures of him in the Corvette, driving the Corvette with family members that were related to him to the beach. So obviously he had access to that car during the time when apparently these classified documents would have been in that garage.
Senator Ted Cruz
So not only were these classified documents presumably in that garage, that was the same time Hunter Biden was negotiating a multimillion dollar deal with the communist government of China. So he was Making millions from an entity that had an acute interest in getting access to classified documents. We need to know what the subject matter of these documents are. We need to know. This scandal takes on a qualitatively different, different shape, different form, different consequences depending on what the subject matter was. And we've heard leaks about how they concerned Iran, how they concerned China, how they concern Ukraine. We need to know the specifics. And I will say this. If there is even one classified document that concerns Burisma and Hunter Biden or concerns the Communist China entities that were negotiating and paying millions to Hunter Biden, this enters the realm of serious criminal activity. We don't know that to be the case, but that is a major escalation. And I think the public deserves to know. And let me say, by the way, you played a minute ago, Karine Jean Pierre's multiple dodges of I'm not answering that. I'm not answering that. Ask doj. DOJ has publicly said, hey, nothing on our end stops the White House from answering questions. So, for example, Karine Jean Pierre was asked, Joe Biden said it was irresponsible, that's the word he used, for Donald Trump to have classified documents in one location at Mar a Lago, at his residence. Was it also irresponsible for Joe Biden to do that? And Karine Jean Pierre refused to answer. She said, nope, you gotta ask doj. And DOJ said, hey, no, no bar on our end to her answering those questions. It's just politics. They didn't say this, this is me now. It's just covering the rear end of the president refusing to answer those questions because the answer is obvious and that's why they're trying to run away from it.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah. And for people to understand just now how many documents we're up to, to put in perspective on top of the trove that was unearthed Friday at his house, that now is added to the additional 25 classified documents found by Biden's, quote, personal moving attorneys in the past week at the Penn Biden center and Biden's residence. We also, and this goes back to the, to the, I think the disaster of this from the White House. Biden again stated, Senator, on Thursday, quote, that he had no regrets about mishandling classified materials and claimed there were that. Claimed there was, quote, no there, there, the classified documents, he says they were initially earthed. We've done the unearthed. We've done this the right way. We were fully, quote, cooperating, looking forward to getting this resolved quickly. I think you're going to find that there's nothing there. I have no regrets. He said it again. I'm following what the lawyers have told me they want to do. That's exactly what we're doing. There's no there there. Fast forward. The liberal Washington Post is now reporting that the White House and the DOJ basically had an agreement to cover up and hide President Joe Biden's classified document scandal from the American people until it leaked to the press despite their repeated claims of transparency. And the Washington Post center is who is reporting that the White House, the doj, had an agreement to hide this from the American people.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah. Look, there's a simple question that is obvious. Why is the Biden DOJ not leaked anything about this investigation? They didn't leak it on November 2, before the election when, when the documents allegedly were first discovered. They didn't leak it in the days and weeks that followed. They haven't leaked the contents of the documents. They haven't spread the documents all over the floor and taken a picture and put it out on the Internet. All of the things they've done to Donald Trump. Their leaks. Look, you would expect their leaks to come from the dnc. You would expect an explicitly partisan organization to put out stories that are harmful to the other party. It is amazing how the Biden DOJ leaks nothing on this because I believe their objective is to protect him politically rather than enforce the law fairly and and directly. As you know, it's why I wrote my last book, Justice Corrupted. The last book I wrote goes into detail about how this Biden Justice Department is the most politicized, is the most partisan Justice Department this country's ever seen, and I think the disparate treatment between raiding Mar a Lago in the bright klieg lights of day versus surreptitiously searching Biden's home and then keeping everything secret. I think the double standard is obvious to anyone watching.
Ben Ferguson
It certainly is. Senator, one last question that deals with a different issue. I'm going to throw you a quick curveball. There is a quietly released Energy Department report that now admits it was, quote, a mistake in canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and actually shows the economic benefits of that pipeline. It just seems to have come out two and a half years too late. I love how this quietly gets released by the Energy Department. Welcome to the Captain Obvious Report of the year.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, look, that's true, but I'd actually be happy if any decision maker in the Biden administration learned a lesson from it. If they said, oh, we suddenly realized that hurting us Energy production and boosting the production of our enemies like Russia, like Iran, like Venezuela, is really bad for America. It's bad for the environment. It's bad for our national security. It's bad for jobs. It's just a loser all around. If they actually learned that, I wouldn't care why they learned that, to be honest, I'd celebrate the report. The problem with the report, nobody who has any authority cares what's in that report. They are continuing day after day after day to do everything they can to shut down, to stifle U.S. energy production, to hurt jobs in America, to drive up the cost of gasoline for American families, and bizarrely, to shift more and more production to our enemies like Iran and Russia and Venezuela. It makes no sense. And these ideologues, they don't listen to reason.
Ben Ferguson
They never do. They never do. Senator, always a pleasure. Don't forget, if you're listening right now, make sure you hit that subscribe or auto download button so you get our podcast each and every day. With this much breaking news, I would not be surprised if in the days and the weeks ahead, we ended up doing unscheduled bonus episodes of this show.
Senator Ted Cruz
All right, Ben. Ben, let's take a raffle. Where are the next documents?
Ben Ferguson
What are they? Or when?
Senator Ted Cruz
Where. Where are they located?
Ben Ferguson
It's. It's got to be. My gut is where they are hanging out right now at their. I would guess at the beach.
Senator Ted Cruz
The beach is not a bad call.
Ben Ferguson
I mean, maybe he's cleaning house right now. No pun intended, right? If, you know they've nailed you at Delaware, why not go to the beach house and clean that place up? Or sit around all weekend and go through documents.
Senator Ted Cruz
So you would certainly think if the FBI raided his Wilmington house, Rehoboth beach would be next. So that's probably the odds are with you. I do not know if he owns any other properties. I cannot imagine why the FBI would not, at this point, search every property he owns. And so we'll see what comes up.
Ben Ferguson
You know the one I really wish they'd look at and not because of any of the stuff from the laptop. I just got to think the offices that were shared and the documents that could have been commingled between Jimmy Biden, James Biden, the brother Hunter Biden, and Joe Biden, if they were this careless with classified documents, I think there's got to be a decent chance when they were packing up their joint offices, they could have co mingled documents between Jimmy. I mean, certainly since the Senate years, if we're finding these documents back in the day when he was a senator.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, we shall see. I feel confident these are the not the last classified documents that Biden is going to say. Oops, sorry. Got him again.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, it's my bad. All right, we'll see you guys back here on Wednesday, if not sooner. Have a great couple of days. Center, it's a pleasure. And again, make sure you hit that subscribe download button. Rise to five star review. We'll see you back here on Wednesday morning.
Summary of "DAMNIT! I Did It Again!" Biden Finds More Classified Docs - The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Release Date: January 23, 2023
Introduction
In this episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson engages in a compelling conversation with Senator Ted Cruz, focusing on the recent discovery of additional classified documents at President Joe Biden's residences. The discussion delves into the implications of these findings, contrasts them with previous incidents involving former President Donald Trump, and examines the broader effects on the Biden administration's credibility and governance.
Biden's Mishandling of Classified Documents
The episode opens with Senator Cruz expressing astonishment over the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducting a quasi-raid on a sitting President's home, unearthing more classified documents. He emphasizes the severity of the situation by highlighting the persistence of such oversights:
[00:34] Senator Ted Cruz: "It's stunning. Every day it keeps getting worse and worse and worse."
He criticizes Biden's apparent negligence in safeguarding classified information, likening his actions to those of the Keystone Cops—a metaphor for clumsiness and incompetence. Senator Cruz details the locations where Biden reportedly stored classified documents, including his Corvette, personal residences, and the Penn Library, underscoring the breach of protocol.
Proper Handling of Classified Documents: A Senatorial Perspective
Ben Ferguson encourages listeners to revisit previous episodes where Cruz elaborated on the proper protocols for handling classified information as a senator. Cruz elaborates on the stringent measures senators must follow, contrasting sharply with Biden's alleged missteps:
[04:54] Senator Ted Cruz: "Every single time I have read a classified document in the United States Senate, that's how I've done it."
He explains that senators access classified documents exclusively within secure facilities known as SCIFs (Secure Compartmentalized Information Facilities), ensuring no documents are taken into unsecured locations like offices, cars, or homes. This stringent protocol serves as a stark counterpoint to Biden's actions, highlighting a potential breach of legal and ethical standards.
Expanding the Investigation: The University of Delaware's Senate Records
Senator Cruz raises concerns about the vast collection of Biden's Senate records housed at the University of Delaware, consisting of over 1,850 boxes. He calls for a thorough DOJ examination of these records to ascertain the presence of any additional classified documents:
[09:28] Senator Ted Cruz: "We need to know how many more classified documents are illegally in his Senate papers."
Cruz underscores the importance of transparency and accountability, suggesting that mishandling documents from Biden's Senate tenure could have far-reaching legal and political consequences. He also touches upon the potential involvement of Hunter Biden, insinuating possible intersections between classified information and personal business dealings.
White House Press Secretary Under Fire
The discussion shifts to the performance of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Cruz criticizes her handling of inquiries related to the classified documents scandal, accusing her of dishonesty and incompetence:
[14:05] Dana Perino: "The White House reporters have had enough of Jean Pierre... members have grown exasperated and call her briefings a painful waste of time."
Cruz further deconstructs the interaction between Jean-Pierre and the press, highlighting instances where she failed to provide clear answers, thereby eroding trust:
[14:27] Senator Ted Cruz: "She has a proclivity towards dishonesty."
He laments the declining credibility of the White House's communication strategy, attributing it to both Jean-Pierre's performance and the administration's broader management issues.
Departure of Chief of Staff Ron Klain
Ben Ferguson brings up the recent announcement of Ron Klain's departure from the White House, questioning its timing and authenticity:
[18:30] Ben Ferguson: "Ron Klain... is leaving the White House. Do you buy that?"
Senator Cruz speculates on potential reasons behind Klain's exit, suggesting it could be a reaction to the escalating crisis or a strategic move amid the administration's turmoil:
[18:49] Senator Ted Cruz: "Either Ron Klain got fired because he's supposed to prevent this from happening... or he's on to greener pastures."
This departure is portrayed as a significant indicator of internal disarray within the Biden administration, further undermining its stability.
Potential Additional Searches and Future Implications
Cruz discusses the possibility of further DOJ-led searches at additional Biden-linked locations, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive investigations:
[23:52] Senator Ted Cruz: "The DOJ scoured through Biden's Wilmington residence... we should have zero reason to have any confidence that there are not multiple classified documents within those 1850 boxes."
He warns of the legal and ethical ramifications if the documents pertain to sensitive subjects like Burisma, Iran, China, or Ukraine, which could escalate the situation into a serious criminal matter.
Energy Department's Keystone XL Pipeline Report
Transitioning to a different topic, the conversation touches upon the Energy Department's report regarding the Keystone XL pipeline. Ferguson criticizes the delayed release and underwhelming impact of the report:
[30:27] Senator Ted Cruz: "These ideologues, they don't listen to reason."
Cruz expresses frustration over the administration's continued opposition to energy projects that could bolster domestic production and economic growth, despite evidence suggesting their benefits.
Conclusion
The episode concludes with Senator Cruz expressing confidence that more classified documents will surface, anticipating ongoing investigations and heightened scrutiny of President Biden's handling of sensitive information. Ferguson encourages listeners to stay informed and engaged, promising further updates as the situation evolves.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
[00:34] Senator Ted Cruz: "It's stunning. Every day it keeps getting worse and worse and worse."
[04:54] Senator Ted Cruz: "Every single time I have read a classified document in the United States Senate, that's how I've done it."
[09:28] Senator Ted Cruz: "We need to know how many more classified documents are illegally in his Senate papers."
[14:27] Senator Ted Cruz: "She has a proclivity towards dishonesty."
[18:49] Senator Ted Cruz: "Either Ron Klain got fired because he's supposed to prevent this from happening... or he's on to greener pastures."
[23:52] Senator Ted Cruz: "We should have zero reason to have any confidence that there are not multiple classified documents within those 1850 boxes."
[30:27] Senator Ted Cruz: "These ideologues, they don't listen to reason."
Final Thoughts
This episode of The 47 Morning Update provides a thorough examination of the ongoing controversy surrounding President Biden's handling of classified documents. Through Senator Cruz's insights and critical analysis, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the legal, ethical, and political dimensions of the issue, as well as its implications for the Biden administration's credibility and governance.