The Files, the Phones, the Ballots all in Federal Hands Now

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "The Files, the Phones, the Ballots all in Federal Hands Now"

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Ben Ferguson (Premiere Networks)

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Episode Overview

In this action-packed episode, Ben Ferguson delivers unfiltered coverage of two burning stories dominating American headlines:

1. A bombshell FBI search of the Fulton County, Georgia election office relating to the 2020 presidential election—with records, devices, and ballots seized, raising major questions about election integrity.
2. Newly released video evidence concerning the fatal shooting of Alex Preddy by ICE agents in Minneapolis, challenging media narratives and fueling ongoing protests.

With in-depth reporting, on-air quotes from prominent figures (including Donald Trump), and analysis unavailable in mainstream outlets, Ben guides listeners through controversy and consequence at the heart of the current administration.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FBI Seizes 2020 Election Records in Fulton County, GA

Timestamps: 00:47 – 08:28

• FBI Raid Details:

  • Federal agents executed a court-authorized search at the Fulton County Election Hub near Atlanta.
  • Materials seized include ballots, documents, computers, and phones pertaining to the 2020 election.
  • Action involved a judge-signed warrant, indicating legal gravity rather than political theater.

  "This is now a legitimate legal case with legitimate legal action, rather than a political witch hunt or a political stunt."
  – Ben Ferguson (03:35)

• Media Coverage & Legal Context:

  • Media outlets, especially those on the left, are accused of “spin,” calling it a witch hunt.
  • FOX News coverage relayed by Ben includes background on prior claims, legal cases, and the downfall of DA Fani Willis's prosecution against Trump due to conflicts of interest.
  • The Department of Justice had to sue Fulton County for access to voting records after a subpoena was ignored.

  "FBI agents are still on site at the records warehouse for the Fulton County, Georgia Board of Elections. The matter is sealed before a court, meaning details are limited. But we can report this is related to the 2020 presidential election."
  – David Spunt, Fox News Correspondent (04:55)

• Election Integrity Allegations:

  • Ben asserts many believe Georgia’s 2020 election was “a crime scene,” citing:
    • Biden’s razor-thin win by 11,779 votes.
    • Fulton County admitted certifying ~315,000 early votes without required poll worker signatures.
    • 40,000 affidavits of alleged election fraud were filed.
  • FBI loading boxes of ballots into trucks serves as a visual of the renewed gravity and potential consequences.

  "Many believe it wasn't even an election in Georgia. It was a crime scene."
  – Ben Ferguson (06:24)

• Trump’s Reaction:

  • Includes a recent Trump interview snippet where he comments on Georgia’s Senate race and disparages current senators.
  • Trump insists: “I won Georgia three times, but they say twice.”

  "I know the people of Georgia. I won Georgia three times, but they say twice."
  – Donald Trump (08:09)

2. The Alex Preddy ICE Confrontation and Shooting

Timestamps: 08:28 – 13:38

• Video Release Contradicts Media Narrative:

  • Narrative spun by “the left” was that Preddy was an innocent victim.
  • New footage shows Preddy armed, spitting at, and kicking federal officers’ vehicles days before the fatal confrontation.
  • Family and attorney claim he posed “no threat,” but Ben insists the video “doesn’t match what you can see with your own eyes.”

  "The man, who was wearing similar clothes in the video to what Preddy had on when he was fatally shot last Saturday, was taken to the ground by at least five agents ..."
  – Ben Ferguson (09:45)

• Incident Details & Federal Response:

  • Preddy’s gun was seized before he was shot; there’s suspicion (per investigators) that a round from his own pistol precipitated the fatal shots from agents.
  • Both agents involved are on administrative leave (standard protocol).
  • Preddy’s was the second federal-involved shooting in Minnesota in less than three weeks—both amid intensified immigration enforcement under Trump.

• Broader Political and Social Fallout:

  • Both incidents (Preddy and a prior fatal ICE shooting of a mother of three) have sparked protests and demands for Trump to rein in federal enforcement in Minnesota—demands he is not heeding.
  • Trump has sent Border Patrol chief Tom Homan to Minnesota, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s future is now unclear.

  "What has happened is Trump has sent the borders are Tom Homan to Minnesota, putting Homeland Security Secretary Krissy Noem on the sidelines and leaving her future in the administration uncertain."
  – Ben Ferguson (13:17)

• Media Critique:

  • Ben accuses traditional media of having “lied to all of us about Alex Preddy,” framing him as wholly innocent when video evidence, according to Ben, shows otherwise.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FBI Legitimacy:

  "The FBI did not act unilaterally. They secured a judge signed warrant, which means a federal magistrate found probable cause to authorize the search."
  – Ben Ferguson (03:17)

• On Election Integrity Allegations:

  "You have to ask yourself this question. Who is worried, if anyone at all?"
  – Ben Ferguson (07:08)

• President Trump on Georgia:

  "I know the people of Georgia. I won Georgia three times, but they say twice."
  – Donald Trump (08:09)

• On Media Misrepresentation:

  "The media lied to all of us about Alex Preddy. They tried to turn him into some innocent individual when the reality is he was assaulting law enforcement on a regular basis."
  – Ben Ferguson (13:31)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• FBI Search of Fulton County Election Office: 00:47 – 08:28
• Quote: Ben Ferguson (Legitimacy of FBI Action): 03:17
• Quote: David Spunt, Fox News: 04:55
• Trump Interview Clip: 07:17 – 08:09
• Turn to Alex Preddy Case: 08:28
• New Video Evidence Discussed: 08:30 – 10:45
• Quote: Ben Ferguson (Media Critique on Preddy): 13:31

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Episode Takeaways

• Federal authorities are taking unprecedented legal action by seizing 2020 election records in Georgia, fueling staunch debate about the legitimacy and aftermath of the presidential election.
• New evidence in the Alex Preddy case exposes contradictions between viral media portrayals and raw video, intensifying scrutiny and protests around immigration enforcement under President Trump.
• Throughout, Ben Ferguson emphasizes skepticism toward mainstream media coverage and reiterates the importance of direct evidence and legal processes.

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For those looking for daily, candid, and non-mainstream analyses on America’s political present, this episode delivers high-energy, controversial reporting at the heart of ongoing national debates.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Trump Supporter]

I am probably the President's number one fan and that's not going to change. And the hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all. It actually motivates me to support him more and it's gonna motivate all of us to support him more. We're not going to let them get away with bullying. And, you know, the smear campaigns, it's not going to work, okay? He has a lot of force behind him and God is protecting him.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Good Thursday morning. It's so nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And we've got two big stories for you. First up, the FBI searched the Fulton county election office in Georgia, Washington. So what are they looking for and what did they find? We'll have all that information for you in just a moment. Also, shocking new video shows Alex Preddy in a clash with ICE agents days before his fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Not only was he busted in the video, spitting, shouting and kicking out the taillight of ICE agents vehicles, but the left has now gone completely silent on what they were claiming he actually was instead of a radical activist prot. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now. It is a question that every American should ask, are our elections actually honest? Are they fair? Or are there vulnerabilities? We know from new reporting, and this is a shocking headline, 50 plus Mexican consulates were working to upend the US elections. You may not even heard about this story, but in a brand new blockbuster book, the Invisible How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon, it is now exposing how the Mexican government has built a sophisticated political influence network inside the United States of America. And what are they trying to do? One thing, they're trying to reshape our American elections as well as our culture. And then the policies. This is truly shocking to see that there are 50 plus consulates from Mexico that are literally trying to change the outcome of our elections. Which brings us to the even bigger story of what happened in 2020. We now are being told that FBI agents executed a court authorized search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations center near Atlanta, Georgia. The operation involves seizing records and materials related to the 2020 presidential election, including ballots and other election documents. Federal action on the 2020 election records is a major point of the investigation. And the fact that the Department of Justice and the FBI are actively collecting materials tied to the election can obviously be spun by many as to say Donald Trump may have been right all along. They're finally reviewing the concerns that were previously dismissed by the last regime. Now court authorized law enforcement activity is a big deal. The FBI did not act unilaterally. They secured a judge signed warrant, which means a federal magistrate found probable cause to authorize the search. So when the media says this is Trump going on a witch hunt, be clear, a judge had to authorize this. What it also means is this is now a legitimate legal case with legitimate legal action rather than a political witch hunt or a political stunt, which is, of course, how many in the media and the left will try to spin this. President Trump had publicly demanded accountability. He in fact, just last week, Donald Trump predicted prosecutions tied to the 2020 election. And now federal agents are executing a warrant tied to that election debate, which supporters might see as a major call to action that is long overdue. I want you to take a listen to how Bret Barrett, FOX News Channel explained the Fulton county office being raided by the FBI night.

[Fox News Anchor]

FBI agents are going through materials found today during a search of the Fulton County, Georgia election office. That search is said to be related to the 2020 election. Correspondent David Spot has details tonight. Good evening, David.

[Fox News Correspondent David Spunt]

Brett, Good evening. FBI agents are still on site at the records warehouse for the Fulton County, Georgia Board of Elections. The matter is sealed before a court, meaning details are limited. But we can report this is related to to the 2020 presidential election. Sources tell Fox News that agents retrieved documents, phones and computers after a judge signed a warrant. President Trump has long made Georgia and specifically Fulton County a target of his complaints relating to the 2020 election. Shortly after that election, Trump spoke to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and said he needed 11,780 votes to win the state. At the time, Raffensperger said he felt pressure from Trump and denied any widespread election fraud. He continue deny it to this day. Now Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought state criminal charges again then former President Trump and others in 2023 for conspiracy to overturn the election. But her prosecution, Brett, was eventually derailed completely after it was revealed she had an intimate relationship with the top prosecutor on her team and it could have tainted the case. Late last year, a judge dismissed the case in its entirety. Now, Brett, last month, the Justice Department sued Fulton County, Georgia seeking access to 2020 voting records after state officials allegedly failed to respond to a subpoena. Fox News has learned the head of the FBI's Atlanta field office was recently forced out in recent days, but it's unclear. Brett, if this is all related.

[Ben Ferguson]

One point that should also be made in 2020. Many believe it wasn't even an election in Georgia. It was a crime scene. Biden won Georgia, they said, by 11,779 votes. But Fulton county was forced to admit certifying about 315,000 early votes without poll worker signatures that they said were supposed to be required. 40,000 citizen affidavits of election fraud were also filed in Georgia. The FBI are now loading those 2020 election ballots into trucks right now at the Fulton county election office. You have to ask yourself this question. Who is worried, if anyone at all? President Trump also talking about Georgia. And here's what he had to say about a month ago on the issue.

[Donald Trump]

Did you have one? Yes, please.

[Podcast Host]

Thank you, Mr. President, I want to ask you about the Georgia Senate race. I know it's very early, but there's several Republicans in that field that are vying for your endorsement.

[Donald Trump]

A lot of good people in that field. Yes, I know all of them.

[Fox News Correspondent David Spunt]

Actually.

[Donald Trump]

I haven't made a decision on that. But you have some very good people in the Georgia Senate race. Well, governor has endorsed. No, no, the governor has. He's spoken to me about it a lot. He likes that candidate a lot. And I understand that. I haven't made a decision yet, but I'm following that race very carefully. I think it's very important for Georgia to get a real senator, because the senator they have now is a horrible senator. He. He allows all the crime, all the borders. You'll have open borders. I mean, his whole philosophy is a disaster. That's not representative of the people of Georgia. I know the people of Georgia. I won Georgia three times, but they say twice.

[Ben Ferguson]

President Trump putting it perfectly. I won Georgia three times, but they say twice. Now, with the FBI involved, we may actually get an answer to that big question. Did the president win Georgia in 2020? And if he did, what's the accountability for those that change the outcome of the election?

Next story number two.

Alex Preddy is the guy who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minnesota. He is the man the left wants you to believe was an innocent bystander that did nothing wrong and he was somehow murdered by ICE agents. Well, there is new video that has come out showing the complete opposite of that narrative. What we now know is that in new footage, Alex Preddy was armed, spitting at federal immigration officers and smashing the taillights of their black SUV during a psychotic clash more than a week before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. The video, which the BBC said is verified and has now gone viral, captured the ICU nurse yelling at agents while they were driving away during a heated Jan. 13 protest before booting the back of the car, prompting them to jump out and tackle him to the ground after knocking out their tail light. The man, who was wearing similar clothes in the video to what Preddy had on when he was fatally shot last Saturday, was taken to the ground by at least five agents who deployed tear gas into the crowd during the wild confrontation. Now the hordes of agents continue to hold him down until he retreated and joined the crowd in shouting at the agents with a gun visibly tucked into the back of his pants. Homeland Security Investigations is reviewing the newest footage of the 37 year old's apparent prior brush with federal agents just day before the fatal shooting took place. A spokesman for Preddy's devastated family and the family's attorneys have verified that the man in the video is Preddy. That coming from the Minnesota Star Tribune. A week before Alex was gunned down the street despite posing no threat to anyone, he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents is what the family attorney said in a statement to the Post. Obviously it doesn't match what you can literally see with your own eyes in the video then this. Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex killing at the hand of ice on January 24th. Now Preddy was apparently known to federal authorities and had suffered a broken rib during that confrontation with agents 11 days before his death is what CNN reported. Federal officers pulled the loaded six hour pistol from his waistband before the shooting took place. DHS investigators believe an errant round from Preddy's own pistol after it was taken away from him and may have prompted Border Patrol agents to then open fire. Now the deadly caught on camera incident has erupted when he wedged himself between a female protester and ICE officers and was tackled and disarmed by Border Patrol before two agents shot him dead in that fight. The two federal immigration officers who fired their weapons at Preddy have been placed on administrative leave. Now that is standard protocol for agents involved in a shooting, the Department of Homeland Security confirming that on Wednesday. Now neither of those agents have been identified publicly yet. What we do know is pretty death was a second shooting involving federal immigration officers in Minnesota in less than three weeks during the Trump administration's massive rollout of illegal migrants in the North Star state. And on January 7th, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed a 37 year old mother of three we know her as Renee Good after federal authorities showed on video that she used her 2 ton car to ram an officer, him shooting to save his own life. Now both shootings have sparked waves of protests across the state, prompting local and national elected officials to call for President Trump to pull ICE out of Minneapolis and Minnesota to defuse the chaos. Clearly that is not going to happen. What has happened is Trump has sent the borders are Tom Homan to Minnesota, putting Homeland Security Secretary Krissy Noem on the sidelines and leaving her future in the administration uncertain, at least from a public standpoint. We also know the President did put out a statement saying that he stood by Christy no. So you have to decide who you want to believe. U.S. border Patrol Chief who is leading the massive immigration operation in Minneapolis and other agents have been pulled out of Minneapolis after the latest violence erupted. So here we are with the President, United States of America, yet again, showing that the media lied to all of us about Alex Brady. They tried to turn him into some innocent individual when the reality is he was assaulting law enforcement on a regular basis.

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.