The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: The Deep State Rabbit Hole Gets Deeper

Date: October 11, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson (Premiere Networks)

Main Theme

This episode uncovers recent revelations regarding the alleged political weaponization of the FBI and DOJ under the Biden administration—specifically, the surveillance and tracking of phone records belonging to eight GOP senators and a Republican congressman. Ben Ferguson, alongside statements from affected lawmakers and FBI Director Cash Patel, dives deep into claims about unlawful probes, unprecedented abuse of power, and ongoing efforts to reform federal law enforcement from within.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FBI & DOJ Surveillance of Republican Lawmakers [03:44–16:17]

• Alleged Spying:
  The episode’s major claim is that the FBI, directed by persons within the Biden administration, conducted a “toll analysis” (i.e., tracking call data and communications networks) of eight Republican senators and one congressman. This was supposedly part of “Arctic Frost,” an investigation headed by former special counsel Jack Smith targeting conservative groups and individuals.

  "It is a fact now that the FBI literally spied on not one, not two... but eight GOP senators."
  —Ben Ferguson [03:44]

• Exposed by Whistleblowers:
  Declassified records and whistleblower testimony to Senators Grassley and Johnson propelled these findings into the open, showing that nearly 100 conservative groups were subject to the probe.

• Named Lawmakers:
  Those reportedly surveilled: Senators Mike Kelly, Lindsey Graham, Bill Haggerty, Josh Hawley, Dan Sullivan, Tommy Tuberville, Ron Johnson, Cynthia Lummis, Marsha Blackburn, and Rep. Mike Kelly (PA). [03:52–04:57]

• Outrage Among the Targeted:
  The episode features extensive quotes from the senators—each condemning the surveillance as blatant partisanship and an abuse of power.

2. Lawmaker Reactions & Press Statements

Senator Ron Johnson [08:02–10:47]

• Emphasizes the political weaponization and gratitude for whistleblowers.

• Asserts there was “no predicate” for the investigation—just a “fishing expedition.”

• Draws parallels to previous experiences with Obama’s DOJ and the Hunter Biden laptop briefing.

  "This does not surprise me, but it should shock every American... This is major corruption that's being revealed inside the Obama and Biden Department of Justice, the FBI..."
  —Sen. Ron Johnson [08:42]

Senator Bill Haggerty [10:47–11:59]

• Points out the recurrence of surveillance, referencing the Trump transition team in 2016.

• Notes the only commonality among those targeted: they’re all Republicans.

  "To think that we were all surveilled back then... This corruption runs deep and it's gone on for far too long..."
  —Sen. Bill Haggerty [10:54]

Senator Lindsey Graham [11:59–13:07]

• Affirms the lack of legal authority for such FBI actions, calling attention to a pattern under both Biden and Obama.

• Labels the FBI as “rotten to the core and politicized.”

  "What we know is... the FBI under Joe Biden and under Barack Obama... had absolutely no problem at all whatsoever with political weaponization."
  —Sen. Lindsey Graham [11:59]

Contextual Insight

• Jack Smith and his “Arctic Frost” team are highlighted as central figures in this operation, having subpoenaed communications data after the Mar-a-Lago raid and Trump’s indictment.

• Newly released documents were reportedly discovered by Cash Patel (now FBI director), confirming that these surveillance actions occurred as recently as 2023.

  "We recently uncovered proof that phone records of US lawmakers were seized for political purposes. That abuse of power ends now."
  —Cash Patel (quoted by Ben Ferguson) [15:00]

3. Whistleblower Calls & Future Accountability [13:07–16:17]

• Legislators are appealing for whistleblowers to come forward.

• Senator Hawley compares Smith’s actions to abuses exceeding Watergate and J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI era, framing the issue as a fundamental Constitutional crisis.

  "Smith's actions... an abuse of power beyond Watergate, beyond J. Edgar Hoover, one that directly strikes, he said, at the Constitution..."
  —Summary of Sen. Josh Hawley’s remarks [15:55]

4. Cash Patel’s Response & House Cleaning at the FBI [16:18–19:04]

• Agent Firings & Discovery:
  Cash Patel, as new FBI Director, has fired agents involved and describes uncovering these activities by searching for locked, digitally-hidden files requiring top-level authorization to access.

  "Put that lockbox in a vault and then put that vault in a cyber place where no one can see or search these files... that's what we did. We found this information to expose the politicization by Jack Smith and the prior Department of Justice."
  —Cash Patel [17:34]

• Commitment to Reform:
  Vows ongoing transparency, further investigation, and full collaboration with Congress to ensure accountability. Outlines intention to bring transformation and clear out politicization within the FBI.

  "We will not leave a single room locked... more transformative and transparent than any... to bring accountability to the American people."
  —Cash Patel [18:29]

• Legislator Demand for Further Inquiry:
  Senator Hawley calls for a special counsel investigation and criminal prosecution if warranted.

  "Anyone and everyone who violated the law must be prosecuted. The way to save the country is to restore the rule of law, the Senator said."
  —Sen. Josh Hawley [20:23]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Senator Ron Johnson on Political Weaponization:
  "We were surveilled simply for being Republicans. This does not surprise me, but it should shock every American." [07:16]
• Senator Bill Haggerty on Deep Corruption:
  "This corruption runs deep and it's gone on for far too long." [10:55]
• Senator Lindsey Graham on FBI Overreach:
  "Out of control and rotten to the core and politicized the FBI had become..." [12:13]
• Cash Patel on Discovery and Reform:
  "We're just scratching the surface here, but accountability is coming..." [17:55]

Important Timestamps

• FBI Spying Allegations Unveiled: [03:44]
• Press Conference Statement Excerpts (Multiple Senators): [08:02–13:07]
• Discussion of Whistleblowers/Need for Accountability: [13:07–16:17]
• Cash Patel on House-Cleaning at FBI: [16:18–19:04]
• Call for Special Counsel Investigation: [20:13]

Tone & Style

The tone throughout is urgent, direct, and highly critical of the previous administration and federal law enforcement agencies. Comments from lawmakers and Ben Ferguson himself are forceful, employing language of crisis (“corruption,” “weaponization,” “outrageous abuse of power,” “pure evil”), driving the narrative of political persecution and the need for drastic institutional reform.

Summary Takeaway

For listeners, the episode frames the current moment as historic, alleging a smoking gun of political abuse by federal law enforcement, praising whistleblowers and new leadership, and sounding a rallying cry for reform, transparency, and the restoration of the rule of law.