← The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
"Only a Handful" of Apartment Complexes Taken over by Venezuelan Gangs is No Big Deal Media Says, plus Where Does The Presidential Race Stand?
00:37:05
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- [00:01]
Ben Ferguson
Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. Senator, there is an amazing thing that's happening right now in this country, and it is apparently, you shouldn't be worried about Venezuelan gang members if they take over, like, entire apartment complexes and start, you know, terrorizing the residents, kicking them out, changing the locks, then charging rent, taking over the building from the owners. And that's something not to be concerned about. You're only supposed to be concerned if they take over your entire city, says at least abc.
- [00:35]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, we're seeing skyrocketing crime from illegal alien criminals that are being released by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, including a surge in Venezuelan crime. Venezuela. Maduro is emptying out his jails. And in particular, we're seeing Venezuelan gang members committing crimes, committing crimes in Texas, taking over apartment complexes. And the media, of course, is doing everything they can to dismiss it and say, there's nothing here to see. Pay no attention to the threat to your safety. We're gonna break that down. We're also gonna step back and ask, where are we in the presidential race? We're just over three weeks out from election day. What's likely to happen? Who's gonna win? We're gonna break it down state by state. And finally, we're gonna detail a brand new report that my team put out in in Washington that uncovers billions of dollars that the Biden Harris administration has div to radical DEI activists. They are funneling cash to the hard left, and they're doing it at the expense of core scientific research. We'll explain it all.
- [01:37]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, it's going to be very interesting to see how much of your tax dollars have been used and abused when it comes to this dei. It's incredible. Want to tell you real quick about chalk, and I got to tell you, the last year for me has been pretty interesting. I have lost now over 70 pounds. And I got to give a lot of credit to chalk because they have a supplement that I've been taking. It's called the Male Vitality Stack. And it's been a game changer. If you're a guy and you're like me, you're sick and tired of gaining weight. You're sick and tired of, you know, sitting on the couch, wanting to work out, maybe wanting to be more active, but you just don't feel like you have the energy. You're not alone. Testosterone levels have actually dropped off a cliff historically. But thankfully, the Patriots at Choc Choq are here helping real men just like you take back your right to proudly maximize your masculinity. How do they do it? By boosting your testosterone levels up to 20% over 90 days. Now I've been taking Chalk's male vitality stack now for over a year and like I said, I was committed to getting back in shape and I've lost over 70 pounds. It's manufactured right here in the US of A. Chalk's natural herbal supplements are clinically proven to have game changing effects on your energy, your focus, your mood. So get off the couch and maximize your masculinity right now@chalkchoq.com here's the best part. Use the code Ben for a massive discount on any subscription for life. Choq.com check out that male vitality stack promo Code Ben for lifetime savings on any subscription. Limited time offer and subscriptions are cancelable at any time. Choq.com promo code BEN for massive savings. Senator, let let's start by reminding people about this story and how it began. Venezuelan gang started taking over these apartment complexes. That happened in in for example in Colorado. First police are now warning of Venezuelan gang crime in places as far away as Wisconsin and the media is trying to act like this isn't even happening.
- [03:52]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, it's happened in Chicago. It's happened in San Antonio, Texas. And last week on the pod we covered two instances of horrific crime here in Texas. One in Dallas, the woman who in her home, four Venezuelan illegal immigrants broke into her home, held her at gunpoint, tied her up, pistol, whipped her with their pistols, threatened to cut her fingers off and robbed her. And mind you, these Venezuelans, they could speak no English. They were actually using Google Translate on their phone to issue their orders. And it was just dumb luck that one of them left a fingerprint in the house that enabled them to be apprehended. We also know in Houston Jocelyn Nungare, the beautiful 12 year old girl raped and murdered by two illegal aliens whom Joe Biden and Kamala Harris released they had in their custody. They released them the very same day they apprehended them when we now have reports that at least one of those two child rapists and murderers was a gang member from Venezuela as well. And then this story that broke this past week entitled alleged Venezuelan gang members arrested in Houston San Antonio. Dallas police also say there has been gang activity in north Dallas linked to the Trender Iraqwa gang. And let me read to you from the Dallas Morning News. Authorities in Houston and San Antonio have announced the arrest of multiple people that said to have ties to the trend. A Venezuelan gang recently declared a terrorist organization by Texas governor Greg Abbott. Dallas police have also said the department has had gang activity in the North Dallas area tied to the gang and is collaborating with other agencies to address crimes linked to the Trend Air Agua and other gangs. According to a Texas Department of Public Safety news release, a DPS agent assigned to the Houston Anti Gang center was notified of a suspected Trend member living in the Houston area. The investigate that that led to the investigators to Jorgens Robertson Koba, 32, who was wanted out of Pearland for theft, the release said. Robertson Cova, who DPS said is a confirmed Trend member, was booked in the Brazoria County Jail Monday on a theft charge. He remained in jail Tuesday on a $5,000 bond. Police said they were able to link Robertson Kova to the Trender Aragua due to his tattoos, including a five point crown and a rose, which police said are known TDA markings. The arrest comes days after multiple police agencies conducted a raid at an apartment complex in San Antonio on Saturday, arresting 19 people, four of whom are alleged to be members of Trend Aragua, according to the San Antonio Express News. The raise raid was conducted by the San Antonio Police, DPS, the FBI, Border Patrol and the US Department of Homeland Security. Of those arrested, 16 were Venezuelan citizens and three were US citizens. The Venezuelan citizens were taken into custody by US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Removal Operation agents after they were processed at the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. This is happening every single day. It is getting more and more dangerous and Trend Uruguay originated as a South American prison gang and we are seeing more and more Texans and more and more Americans across the country endangered because Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the Democrats keep practicing catch and release and releasing violent criminal gang members who are.
- [07:26]
Ben Ferguson
Illegal aliens by the way. The media is really trying to downplay this and there's a perfect example of this happening Sunday, Monday. We're weeks away from the election and on TV there was a moment and it was a moment where ABC was interviewing the VP candidate, one of your colleagues in the Senate, J.D. vance, and they said that well you guys are basically spreading misinformation, misinformation about Venezuelan gangs. And she tried to act like it is not a problem that is quote taking over cities as Trump described it, because they haven't actually taken over entire cities, they're just taking over entire apartment buildings. Take a listen to this back and forth. And this is what state sponsored media does when they have a fix in for a candidate. They're obsessed with the fact that Senator Vance.
- [08:18]
Martha Raddatz
I'm just going to say that local officials, local officials and FEMA officials say that is just flat wrong. But I want to we play some other comments about migrants, migrants, including in Aurora in Colorado, where Trump said the city had been invaded and conquered by Venezuelan gangs. The Republican mayor of the city said flatly the city and state have not been taken over or invaded or occupied by migrant gangs. So do you support Donald Trump making those claims that the Republican mayor says were grossly exaggerated and have hurt the city's identity and sense of safety? I understand what you're saying that some people left behind, but he's making these statements that the mayor is flat out disputing.
- [09:04]
J.D. Vance
Well, Martha, you just said the mayor said they were exaggerated, grossly exaggerated. There's got to be some. That means there's got to be some element of truth here. And of course, President Trump was actually in Aurora, Colorado, talking to people on the ground. And what we're hearing, of course, Martha, is that people are terrified by what has happened with some of these Venezuelan gangs.
- [09:23]
Martha Raddatz
Senator Vance, I'm going to stop you because I know exactly what happened. I'm going to stop you. The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment conflicts, apartment complexes, and the mayor said our dedicated police officers have acted on those concerns.
- [09:40]
J.D. Vance
A handful of problems only, Martha, do you hear yourself? Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris's open border. Americans are so fed up with what's going on and they have every right to be. And I really find this exchange, Martha, sort of interesting because you seem to be be more focused with nitpicking everything that Donald Trump has said rather than acknowledging that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs. I worry so much more about that problem than anything else here. We've got to get American communities in a safe space again. And unfortunately, when you let people in by the millions, most of whom are unvetted, most of whom you don't know who they really are, you're going to have problems like this. Kamala Harris, 94 executive orders that undid Donald Trump's successful border policies. We knew this stuff would happen. We bragged about opening the border, and now we have the consequences and we're living with it. We can do so much better. But frankly, we're not going to do better, Martha, unless Donald Trump calls this stuff out. I'm glad that he did.
- [10:51]
Martha Raddatz
Okay, let's just end that with they did not invade or take over the city. As Donald Trump said, I want to.
- [10:58]
J.D. Vance
Move on to just a few apartment complexes. No big deal.
- [11:01]
Martha Raddatz
A few apartment complexes that the mayor did not seem was invading the entire city.
- [11:05]
Ben Ferguson
I mean, it's amazing that they're actually saying this with a straight face that, oh, couple apartment complexes taken over by criminal gangs from Venezuela is apparently supposed to be normalized and is no big deal in America today.
- [11:20]
Senator Ted Cruz
So I'm actually surprised that Martha Raddatz didn't finish her questioning with, I'm Kamala Harris and I approve this message. I mean, it was pure naked propaganda for the Democrats. It's only a handful of complexes, you know. Now mind you, if you happen to live in one of those apartment complexes that has taken over by Venezuelan gangs that are controlling it and terrorizing it, maybe it's a problem for you. But you know, I mean, where the media, what do we care about the pesky little people that live in apartments? They don't really matter. You know what, Martha Raditz has a very, very nice home in D.C. she, she lives very, very comfortably. So not a problem for her if some little people have to deal with these criminals. I mean, what an arrogant, out of touch comment. Only a handful of apartment complexes have been taken over by Venezuelan gangs and she says no big deal. Look, I think ABC looks utterly ridiculous in that exchange.
- [12:18]
Ben Ferguson
The other thing I think it tells you is the fact that they believe in the idea that these gangs should be here and as long as they're not taking over an entire city, we're not even gonna be concerned or fight for the people. You remember when news and some do it locally, but remember when news used to like be the ones that would stand up for one American where there was injustice being done in an apartment complex, whether it was a slum ward or something like that, or laws were being broken and quality of life was being affected. Right. They would go on TV and they would like do a 10 o'clock news story, standing up for the little guy who's standing up for the people whose lives have been uprooted, who are being attacked. A great example of this is there was an interview done this week where, and I'm going to quote one of the people that lived in the apartment complex, put it this way, they brought their country with them, they brought the terror of living in Venezuela and gang run apartment complexes saying no one is helping them out. An alleged apartment takeover, quote, by Venezuelan gang members in Colorado has elevated the issue of migrant crime and viral video captured by the Aurora apartment tenants has refuted attempts by politicians and establishment media to downplay or deny that there is actually a threat. Cindy Romeo, whose video of armed members of the Venezuelan gang patrolling and forcing her out of her building made news. Right, this is how we know about all this. But she said the part of the story that people are missing is that for months they were contacting local police and local elected officials about the takeover as it was happening and no one stopped it. She said, we pleaded for months to law enforcement, pleaded for months to elected officials for help. But those pleas were met with a mix of a denial b, indifference and sympathetic inaction. She said the gangs figured it out. They can continue to grow their influence inside of her apartment complex. They forced people out by threatening them, by shooting their cars up and, and then bringing motorcycles into the hallways to wake them up while they slept until they finally moved out. They changed the locks and they brought in illegals and they charged them rent. That's what she said is a takeover and how it happened. And she said the worst part is everyone in the local media acted like what we were dealing with didn't matter.
- [14:49]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, and it's worse than that. There's not a single elected Democrat that gives a flip and that seems extreme, but if they care, they do something about it. They're not concerned about the victims of crime. And by the way, many of the victims of crime by the illegal immigrants are themselves Hispanic or are African American because these illegal immigrants are frequently going to low income areas that often have a significantly higher minority population. Jocelyn Nungaree was a young Hispanic girl. That, that tragically is a pattern we've seen over and over and over again, which is the victims of murder, the victims of rape, the victims of child rape are frequently the most vulnerable among us. And you know, the Democrats are big on saying they love to emote, they love to care, but if they cared, they would do something about this. I mean, let me ask you, Ben, have you seen a single Democrat saying it is unacceptable to have an apartment complex or multiple apartment complexes, or let's use Martha Raddatz's phrase, a handful of apartment complexes taken over by violent Venezuelan gangs? Have you seen even one Democrat saying that?
- [16:02]
Ben Ferguson
No. And not only that, as the woman that was living this apartment complex put, she said, quote, how many gang members living right outside your door is okay? How many gun guns right outside your door is okay? How many motorcycles revving their engines in the middle of the night to wake you up and your kids up is okay?
- [16:21]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, the media doesn't want you to know about it. They want to dismiss it. They want to mock at it. They want to laugh it. Laugh at it. And I'll tell you, look, that's one of the reasons why. Moving on to our second story. Where is the presidential race right now? If you look at the Real Clear Politics averages of polling right now, if the election happened right now, Donald Trump would get 302 electoral votes and Kamala Harris would get 236. That's based on the current averages. It doesn't necessarily mean that's where we'll be. But let's break down what is the battleground. And by the way, the best way to do this is looking at the averages, because that way, if you have particular polls that are outliers, the averages, cut them out. So let's start with Arizona. Arizona, the Real Clear Politics average is Trump plus 0.5. Nevada, the Real Clear Politics average is Trump plus 0.2. Wisconsin, the average is Harris plus 0.3. Michigan, the average is Trump plus 0.9. Pennsylvania, the average is Trump plus 0 point4. North Carolina, the average is Trump plus 0 dot5. And Georgia, the average is Trump plus 0point5. Now, one thing that's important to know about that, every one of those is less than a point. Those averages are close. You want to understand why this election is close? I just went through those seven battlegrounds, and they're all within less than a point on average. But consistently, Trump is ahead in six of the seven. And if that holds through on, on Election Day, Trump's the next president.
- [18:17]
Ben Ferguson
You look at what you just described as Trump being the next president. Let's, let's dive into that. Before we do that, though, I want to tell you about Patriot Mobile. If you have a cell phone, and 99% of you do, you may not realize every month when you pay your bill to Big Mobile, where your money is going and what it's being used for. You may not realize it's actually going to fight against your family values, your Christian values. Big Mobile gives massive donations to liberal causes, candidates and organizations, radical organizations, for example, that pay for abortions. And that's exactly why I switched several years ago to Patriot Mobile. Now, switching cell phones in 2024 is actually incredibly easy. And coverage issues of the past, they're long gone because now pretty much everybody uses the same towers and the same grid. So when you switch to Patriot Mobile, you get to keep your same cell phone number, you get to keep your same phone you have right now, or you can upgrade to a new one. And you keep the same coverage. In fact, Patriot Mobile has a coverage guarantee to give you peace of mind. Now, they use all three major networks, so you don't have to worry about that issue. Now here's the best part. When you pay your bill to Patriot Mobile every month, they take about 5% of your bill at no extra cost to you. And they give it back to causes and candidates that fight for our values. They actually give money to organizations that save babies and help mothers choose life over an abortion. They also support our wounded warriors, our veterans, our first responders. And they, they work with organizations that fight for our first and our second amendment rights. So make the switch now to Patriot mobile. Go to patriot mobile.com verdict. That's patriot mobile.com verdict or call them 972-patriot right now. And you're going to get a free month when you use the offer code Verdict. Don't get fooled by other providers pretending to share your values anymore. Join me and switch to America's only Christian conservative mobile provider, patriot mobile. That's patriot mobile.com verdict or 972-patriot and get a free month of service today. So let's talk about the polls. And, and you mentioned that there's a chance that Donald Trump can really win this thing. I look at the trends right now. And when you see Saturday Night Live, for example, making fun of Kamala Harris, you gotta ask yourself the question, Senator, are they starting to hedge their bets a little bit? Maybe as she lost her mojo or maybe did they just they weren't able to fake out enough Americans to believe she's somehow this great candidate?
- [21:02]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, give a listen right now to SNL turning on Kamala. It's really quite remarkable. They never turned on Barack Obama. They were very reluctant to turn on Joe Biden. But it's interesting that we've really seen the late night comics recognizing just, just how absurd, absurd of a candidate she is.
- [21:19]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, they, they do this Family Feud. If you don't know the game show or if you, I want you to have reference here. Family Feud, they do a mock up of that. And it's the quote, republicans against the Democrats. And not only do they make fun of Kamala, they make fun of like the entire Democratic party and Joe Biden. Take a listen.
- [21:36]
Unknown
All right, let's play the game. Okay. 100 people surveyed, top six answers on the board. Name something that you keep in your glove compartment. Oh, BP Harris.
- [21:45]
Steve, Look, I was raised in a middle class family. All right.
- [21:50]
Oh, here we go.
- [21:51]
Okay. My mother raised my sister and me all Right. She worked hard and saved up.
- [21:57]
Yeah. Uh huh.
- [21:58]
And we had a second mother too.
- [22:00]
Okay, did that mother have a glove compartment?
- [22:03]
A small business owner named Ms. Shelton.
- [22:06]
Okay, we got that something that you keep in your glove compartment.
- [22:09]
Oh, a Glock, Steve.
- [22:10]
Martha Raddatz
A big old Glock.
- [22:12]
J.D. Vance
Oh.
- [22:15]
Unknown
Oh, snap. Okay, so you strapped like that? All right, show me the blip, blam, blicky. All right, number two answer. The Democrats is controlling the board. Let's go.
- [22:27]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah.
- [22:28]
Unknown
All right, Doug Imamoff, name something that you keep in your glove compartment.
- [22:34]
Ben Ferguson
Oh, wow. I mean, I can't top that. It was so perfect. I'll go with the same answer, Steve. A Glock.
- [22:43]
Unknown
Man, you want to give the same answer? That seem like a bad strategy, but show me another blip, blam, blicky.
- [22:51]
Ben Ferguson
Oh.
- [22:54]
Unknown
That'S crazy. A second gun. That's the number one answer. Damn America. All right, let's go over to Tim Walsh. Okay. Something that you keep in your glove compartment.
- [23:04]
Ben Ferguson
This is right in my wheelhouse, in my glove box. I got hot hands, napkins from Runza, and gotta have Tums in case I eat something spicy like tomato.
- [23:15]
Unknown
If you say so. Show me some white nonsense. Oh, sorry, I'm not up there. Let's go over to President Joe Biden. Something that you keep in your glove box.
- [23:26]
Joe Biden
I like to by a vow.
- [23:30]
Unknown
That is. That's. That's the wrong game player.
- [23:32]
Joe Biden
Come on, Conan. What are you doing? It's me. I'm still the president. I'm Joe. I may be older. I'll beat the hell out of you.
- [23:42]
Ben Ferguson
I'll pop you.
- [23:43]
Joe Biden
I'll give you an uncle sandwich. You know how to do it. I can make sandwiches. And guess what? Here's the deal. I'm not the old one. Now Trump is the only difference. I know when to walk away. About six months too late.
- [23:56]
Unknown
Okay, show me whatever that was.
- [24:01]
Ben Ferguson
Oh, I mean, Senator, I was dying laughing when this actually happened, because I got to see it on Saturday live in real time, and I'm like, my gosh, they're. They're hedging their bets right now. And not only were they making fun of Kamala, but they put the guy that they're basically saying should have been given the VP candidacy ahead of. Of wall to. They add, add third in line next to Joe Bide. Were sending all the signals that, hey, maybe this isn't gonna work out.
- [24:29]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, look, they're clearly recognizing there are problems and SNL making fun of Democrats. That doesn't happen very often. And it was actually funny. One of the few Times. SNL is funny. And by the way, I'm all for making fun of Republicans too. SNL has made fun of Trump. They made fun of me a lot of times. It can certainly be funny making fun of Republicans, but when it's a one sided partisan screed, it makes it a lot less interesting. That was pretty darn funny. But you know, it's interesting. NBC, it's not just their late night comedy that's recognizing that Kamala's in trouble. Take a listen to what NBC said on Meet the Press on Sunday.
- [25:05]
Willie
Vice President Kamala Harris had a five point lead in our last poll taken a month ago right after the debate. That lead has all but evaporated. Willie, take a look at this new head to head matchup. 48% to 48%. That is what we call a deadlocked race. It underscores what we all know, that this is tight, that the country is sharply divided. One of the other big headlines here, people are viewing the Trump presidency more favorably than the Biden presidency. Why is that significant? We've seen the vice president get pressed repeatedly on what she would do differently than President Biden and she's really struggled with that answer. We have new reporting that will roll out on the show this morning. Willie, taking us inside the Harris campaign where there are discussions about changing her ANSW answer on that. Can she draw a distinction on the Middle east, for example, on immigration? All under discussion with this razor tight race.
- [26:03]
Senator Ted Cruz
Willie.
- [26:04]
J.D. Vance
And she continues to say I am not Joe Biden.
- [26:06]
Senator Ted Cruz
But you're right.
- [26:07]
J.D. Vance
We'll have to get more specific here down the.
- [26:09]
Ben Ferguson
I mean that, that is a panic if you are the Democratic Party. Am I wrong?
- [26:14]
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, you can hear them. Oh, gosh. She says she's not Joe Biden, but everyone knows she is. She's exactly the same. But she's gotta say she'll do something better like immigration. The thing she was in charge of the last four years, she was border czar. But no, no, no. If she's president, suddenly the open border she was in charge of won't happen. That panic is significant. And listen, this race remains incredibly close, but there is reason to be a lot more optimistic today than there was a month ago. The poll numbers are a lot more encouraging and we got three weeks to go.
- [26:50]
Ben Ferguson
I want to move to another subject real quick. And, and this is the reason why we do this podcast is we get to bring you information that is not being covered. And this is important. There was a investigation that you guys put together in Washington that revealed and and you were the leader on this. How the Biden Harris administration diverted billions of dollars from scientific research to DEI activists. And for people that are listening, let's start with this. Remind them what DEI stands for and then this story that is broken.
- [27:28]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, DEI is diversity, equity and inclusion. And it is the catchphrase of the woke left. And let me just give you the headline. Before Biden took office in 2020, less than 1% of the grants from the National Science foundation were related to dei. Dei. Today that number is greater than 10%. So there has been a massive, massive shift. Now what does that mean? Well, this past week I put out a report. So as you know, I'm the ranking member on the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation. That means I'm the senior Republican on the Commerce Committee. The Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over about 40% of the U.S. economy, including science and including the National Science Foundation. So my team engaged in a systematic study and we put out a report examining how the National Science foundation has increasingly politicized the use of taxpayer dollars meant for scientific research. And the report shows that in, in its first week, the Biden Harris administration mandated that all taxpayer funded scientific research and development must incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion DEI values. In response to this directive, the National Science foundation allocated over $2.05 billion, over $2 billion to thousands of research projects that promoted neo Marxist perspectives or DEI tenants and taxpayer dollars supported these very questionable scientific studies used by researchers to drive extreme ideologies in the classrooms and on their campuses. And here are the top line numbers. Our analysis identified 3483 grants over 10% of all national Science foundation grants during the Biden Harris administration that went to questionable projects promoting DEI or pushing neo Marxist perspectives about enduring class struggle. And our investigation group these grants into five categories. Status social justice, gender, race and environmental justice. So let me, let me give you some of the examples. So Shirin Vasugi, who is an associate professor of learning sciences at Northwestern University and a co principal Investigator for a $1,034,751 NSF grant award in 2023 for a project titled quote, reimagining Educator Learning Pathways through Story work for Racial equity in stem. And Vosugi credits Marxist traditions for her decision to teach quilt children, quote, the meaning of genocide and apartheid after Hamas's attack against Israel. I'll give you another example. In 2023, NSF awarded Georgia Institute of Technologies Kelly Cross $99,791 to quote, disrupt racialized privilege in the STEM classroom by acknowledging, quote, whiteness and white supremacy are deeply ingrained in the past, present and future of US Higher education. Cross sought to, quote, subvert these toxic systems to create a more equitable education system and to, quote, initiate a national conversation about addressing racial inequity and white supremacy in the STEM profession and classroom. This is what your taxpayers tax dollars are going towards.
- [31:20]
Ben Ferguson
When how does this happen? Where they can divert this type of funding at this level is the question I think most taxpayers would want to ask immediately. Like, I can understand skimming some money here or there, but diverting billions from scientific research to DI.
- [31:35]
Senator Ted Cruz
$2 billion.
- [31:37]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, $2 billion to DI activists. That's not where your tax dollars are supposed to go. And by the way, I think you and I agree on this. I wouldn't want these funds diverted to a conservative activist group either.
- [31:51]
Senator Ted Cruz
No, this is meant to be science. This is meant to be saving people's lives. Let me give you another example. In 2022, NSF awarded San Jose State University $401,744 for an ongoing project to, quote, transform science teaching and learning through empowering teachers and students as climate justice action researchers and change agents. The project is meant to foster, quote, the development of a hub for justice centered science education and will produce school based materials and professional development activities that examine the interwoven nature of climate justice and racial justice. Now, who is in charge of this? Well, the principal investigator was Tammy Vincent Tainer, who sees her classroom as a venue for social activism. In April 2024, Vincentainer wrote that her course, quote, for aspiring middle and high school teachers, centers racial justice in science education. And at the end of her course, she showed her students photos of Israel dropping pamphlets inside the Gaza Strip to warn residents to move out of the way of incoming rocket fire. This attainer, who claimed that Hamas's October terror attack needed to be contextualized, explained that the photos, quote, create spaces that engage complexity in promotion of shared dignity and humanity to build bridges across differences. But she didn't explain what the hell they had to do with science, which is what a National Science foundation grant is supposed to be about.
- [33:34]
Ben Ferguson
Incredible. Let me tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. October 7th was the one year mark of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 1,200 Israelis were murdered and more than 250 were taken hostage. Yet the war in Israel rages on today with Iran firing a massive barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles. Earlier this month, Israel and her people are facing attacks from enemies on all sides. Now the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground and they're providing critical needs for the people. We're talking about food, shelter and safety to those in need during this crisis. Since the war started, thousands of reservists everyday Israeli citizens have left their families to serve their country. Soldiers have been injured and their families need our support as well. And that's why I'm asking for you to give a gift of $150 to help the fellowship provide food and other basic necessities to these families to help them survive. I want to say thank you to so many of you have gotten involved and thank you for those that are going to give today because the fellowship also has a supporter that said they will match your gift, doubling your impact if you give right now. So join us in letting those families know that listeners like you stand with Israel. You can call to make your $150 gift and it will double in impact right away at 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-4325 or you can go online to support.org that's one word. SupportIFCJ.org Center Final question on this story that you obviously have broken, and it's a big one. When these types of stories break, usually in the past, you'd have a lot of media that would cover it. You'd have other colleagues that would come in and say they want to make sure this is stopped or have rules and regulations that would help stop it right away. When you came out with this report, did any of the major media outlets call and say, hey, we want this info that you're exposing, or do they just look the other way?
- [35:52]
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, there were a handful of stories, but they were principally in conservative outlets because the actual corporate media doesn't cover news. This news is inconvenient. The fact that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are funneling billions that's meant to go to science, that's meant to save lives, that's meant to promote like basic research. They're funneling it instead to aggressively ideological left wing activist zealots. They're using it to corrupt students, to corrupt universities, to Corrupt K through 12 education. That is a message that the media does not want to cover. They will actively do everything they can to suppress because look, you know, what's the big deal to stealing billions of dollars of taxpayer money to fund Marxists poisoning the minds of our kids? The next thing you know, you're gonna say it's a big deal that a handful of apartment complexes are taken over by Venezuelan gangs.
- [36:47]
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, great point. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscribe or auto download button on those in between days. Grab my podcast as well. I'll keep you up to date on the latest breaking news, the Ben Ferguson Podcast. So download that right now as well. And the Senator and I will see you back here on Wednesday morning.