Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode “Predictions Come True” Summary

Released on January 22, 2022

Hosted by Senator Ted Cruz, Verdict with Ted Cruz delves into the latest political developments, legal battles, and legislative strategies shaping the American landscape. In the two-year anniversary episode titled “Predictions Come True,” Cruz and co-host Michael Knowles celebrate significant legal victories, discuss pivotal Supreme Court cases, explore the ongoing battle over the Senate filibuster, and analyze critical geopolitical issues like the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The episode is enriched with insightful commentary, personal anecdotes, and interactive community engagement.

1. Celebrating Legal Victories

The episode opens with Michael Knowles highlighting the two-year anniversary of Verdict with Ted Cruz and celebrating recent legal successes:

• Supreme Court Win: Cruz emphasizes a major victory where the Supreme Court struck down an OSHA mandate requiring 84 million Americans to take the COVID-19 vaccine. “It was a huge victory for the rule of law” (03:30).

• United States Senate Win: Alongside the Supreme Court decision, Cruz celebrates another significant win in the Senate, reinforcing his and his team’s influence in legislative matters.

2. OSHA COVID Vaccine Mandate Case

Cruz provides an in-depth analysis of the Supreme Court case challenging the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 vaccine mandate:

• Legal Strategy and Prediction: Cruz recounts previous podcast discussions where he and Knowles predicted the Court would strike down the OSHA mandate with a 6-3 decision, largely citing the mandate’s overreach beyond OSHA’s statutory authority.

  “I said, I think the decision will be six, three, I think there will be six votes to strike it down as beyond OSHA's statutory authority.” (04:05)

• Court’s Decision: The Supreme Court upheld the injunction against the mandate, effectively nullifying its legal force, though they remanded the case for further trial on the merits. Cruz interprets this as a substantial win, stating, “The OSHA mandate, for all intents and purposes, is dead.” (09:38)

• Second Supreme Court Decision: A contrasting 5-4 decision upheld a different vaccine mandate for healthcare workers receiving federal funds. Cruz criticizes this ruling as inconsistent and politically motivated.

  “The Supreme Court a few years ago struck that half of the Millionaires Amendment down, said, look, if someone decides to run for office, if they want to invest their own resources and speak, you have a right to speech.” (08:26)

3. Federal Election Commission v. Ted Cruz Case

Cruz shifts focus to his own Supreme Court challenge against the Federal Election Commission (FEC), targeting the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation:

• Case Overview: Cruz argues that certain provisions of McCain-Feingold unfairly disadvantage challengers by imposing restrictive limits on campaign financing, particularly impacting candidates who self-finance their campaigns.

  “McCain Feingold is throwing barriers in the way of challenge.” (12:41)

• Legislative Implications: He discusses how the law benefits incumbents and wealthy donors, making it harder for non-establishment candidates to compete. Cruz recounts his personal experience of slightly exceeding the loan limit to his campaign, setting the stage for his lawsuit.

  “I loaned my campaign $260,000 right before the election, and then 20 days after the election, I repaid myself $250,000, which what you're allowed to do.” (16:07)

• Legal Challenges: The Department of Justice (DOJ) arguments to dismiss the case based on Cruz’s intentional lawbreaking are addressed by Cruz, who defends his right to challenge unconstitutional laws even if it involves personal legal risks.

  “There are lots of cases that are test cases that if there's any legal or unconstitutional law, you're allowed to challenge it, and you're allowed to violate that law to challenge it.” (17:23)

4. The Senate Filibuster Battle

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the contentious debate over the Senate filibuster:

• Democratic Push to Eliminate: Cruz criticizes the Democratic leadership, particularly Chuck Schumer, for attempting to dismantle the filibuster to pass legislation without securing the required 60 votes.

  “The attempt to kill the filibuster is just as dead as the OSHA mandate.” (21:09)

• Nuclear Option Explained: He elucidates the procedural maneuvers involved, including the "nuclear option," and anticipates Schumer’s failure due to insufficient Democratic support.

  “The rules of the Senate say cloture takes 60 votes. That's literally black and white typed in the rules.” (22:16)

• Key Democratic Stakeholders: Cruz highlights the pivotal roles of Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have publicly opposed efforts to eliminate the filibuster, thereby preventing Schumer from achieving the necessary majority.

  “Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema... are on the record saying they're not gonna participate in nuking the filibuster.” (22:18)

5. Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Legislation

Cruz discusses the geopolitical implications of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and his legislative efforts to impose sanctions against it:

• Pipeline Significance: He outlines how Nord Stream 2 bypasses Ukraine, enhancing Russia’s ability to supply natural gas directly to Germany, thereby undermining Ukraine’s strategic position.

  “Nord Stream 2... skips Ukraine altogether, goes under the ocean, and goes straight from Russia to Germany.” (28:12)

• Legislative Action: Cruz recounts introducing bipartisan legislation to halt the pipeline, achieving significant Senate support with a 55-44 vote despite Democratic opposition.

  “I won the vote, won a substantial bipartisan majority of the Senate. The vote was 55 to 44.” (33:56)

• Democratic Reversal: He criticizes the Biden administration and certain Democrats for reversing their stance on sanctions, arguing it signals acquiescence to Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine.

  “The Democrats are literally acquiescing in Russia, wiping Ukraine off the map.” (35:37)

6. Personal Anecdote: Broken Thumb

Adding a personal touch, Cruz shares an incident where he broke his thumb during a basketball game:

• The Incident: While playing basketball with Senate staff and colleagues, Cruz fractured his thumb in a hard fall but managed to continue playing despite the injury.

  “I did score a layup with a broken thumb because I could use my four fingers.” (38:25)

• Humorous Interaction: The exchange between Cruz and Knowles about the injury adds a light-hearted moment to the episode, emphasizing Cruz’s resilience.

7. Community Engagement and Giveaways

In celebration of the podcast’s anniversary, the episode features a segment on community engagement and giveaways:

• Merchandise Giveaway: Co-host Liz Wheeler announces the winners of a merchandise contest, rewarding active participants in the Verdict community.

  “Here are the winners: Ken Melber Jr., Meta Veria, Stefan Diaz... Cosmic Caricella.” (39:23)

• Future Contests: Wheeler introduces upcoming polls and contests for listeners to engage with future episodes, fostering a sense of community and participation.

  “This poll will be posted on Verdict with TedCruz.com/plus. Can I tell you which one I want to see? Which one I...” (41:49)

Notable Quotes

1. Victory Against OSHA Mandate:

   “It was a huge victory for the rule of law.” – Ted Cruz (03:30)

2. On Changing Senate Rules:

   “The rules of the Senate say cloture takes 60 votes. That's literally black and white typed in the rules.” – Ted Cruz (22:16)

3. Critique of Democratic Stance on Nord Stream 2:

   “The Democrats are literally acquiescing in Russia, wiping Ukraine off the map.” – Ted Cruz (35:37)

4. Personal Resilience:

   “I did score a layup with a broken thumb because I could use my four fingers.” – Ted Cruz (38:25)

Conclusion

“Predictions Come True” serves as a comprehensive overview of the significant legal and legislative battles Senator Ted Cruz is engaged in. From securing judicial victories against federal mandates to challenging campaign finance laws and battling procedural rules in the Senate, Cruz provides an authoritative perspective on the political strategies aimed at preserving constitutional principles and combating entrenched power structures. The episode also highlights geopolitical concerns with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and underscores the importance of bipartisan support in legislative successes. Supplemented by personal stories and community interaction, this episode encapsulates the dynamic interplay between law, politics, and personal resilience.