The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 - Rigging the Census?
Date: January 30, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dissect several hot-button topics in the news and politics, using their trademark mix of intelligence and humor. The central segment is an in-depth interview with Missouri Attorney General Katherine Hanaway about her lawsuit challenging the counting of illegal immigrants in the US census and the far-reaching political consequences of this issue. The hosts also break down the recent dump of Jeffrey Epstein files, reflecting on public reaction, potential revelations, and speculation. Lighter moments come in debates about celebrity attractiveness and anecdotes from the hosts’ personal lives, contributing to the show’s energetic, conversational tone.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Release of Epstein Files

• Discussion of New Document Dump

  • The Department of Justice has released over 3 million pages, 2,000+ videos, and 180,000+ images related to Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Only materials not jeopardizing ongoing investigations or containing explicit or private victim information were withheld ([03:06], [04:02]).

• Host Reactions

  • Clay and Buck agree that little new or shocking will come from this dump; previous hopes for bombshell revelations have not materialized, and both hosts express skepticism that anything substantial was held back.
  • They compare the drumbeat for these files to lingering obsessions with the JFK assassination records.
  • Quote:

    “The reality is the Epstein people are never going to be satisfied. Every time that there is a substantial release... there's going to be a discussion about, ‘oh, they held things back’...”
    —Clay Travis [04:34]

  • Quote:

    "There's just, there's nothing that's going to come out of this of any significance. No one's going to prison. That's just the deal."
    —Buck Sexton [07:08]

  • AI’s ability to scan large volumes means anything truly damning would already be emerging ([07:40]).
  • Some embarrassing emails (between elites and Epstein) may see the light, but major criminal new revelations are dismissed as unlikely.
  • There’s also concern about not publicizing photographs of underage victims ([09:24]).

• Notable Quotes:

  • “If you think that there had been damning information in the Epstein files against Trump that they wouldn't have used against him during this entire last decade of his political career...I just think that's bonkers.” —Clay Travis [10:35]

  • “It's very hard to disentangle that. And in some cases, I think that actually is true. I mean, look, Trump knew him, for example. I don't think Trump knew anything about any underage, sketchy stuff going on or illegal stuff going on.” —Buck Sexton [11:56]

2. Supreme Court Case: Counting Illegal Immigrants in the Census

• Interview with Missouri Attorney General Katherine Hanaway ([21:05]–[28:58])

  • Background: AG Hanaway is suing to prevent illegal immigrants from being counted in the US census—a change that would shift House seats and Electoral College votes from states with high illegal immigrant populations (e.g., California) to others (like Missouri).

  • Key Points:

    • The practice began during the Carter administration.
    • Trump tried to stop it, Biden reinstated it for the 2020 census.
    • They seek a court decision that only permanent legal residents should be counted for apportionment of House seats and federal funds.
    • Removing illegal immigrants from the census could reallocate up to 11 House seats and their associated electoral votes.

  • Constitutional and Legal Questions:

    • The 14th Amendment’s “persons” has been clarified by case law as “permanent legal residents” ([22:48]).
    • AG Hanaway is optimistic about success in the courts, especially given Missouri’s conservative judiciary.

  • Timeline:

    • Realistically, a decision could impact the 2028 elections more than immediate upcoming cycles, though they push for expedited review.

  • Potential Impact:

    • Changing the census count could have dramatic effects on House composition, presidential elections, and the distribution of billions in federal aid.
    • Mention of related Supreme Court cases—like majority-minority districts and birthright citizenship.

  • Memorable Quotes:

    • “I think the most significant election lawsuit filed in probably a couple of generations. Because if we win, not only will 11 House seats be reallocated from places like California to places like Missouri, but with those House seats also go electoral votes.” —Katherine Hanaway [21:17]

    • “That could be very impactful in terms of the midterms coming up... this would be utterly important not only for the 2026 elections, but... the 2028 electoral college map would potentially change.” —Clay Travis [27:43]

    • “We want to make it stick through a court decision, because as we know, he won't be president forever. And so we want to make this permanent.” —Katherine Hanaway [23:22]

• Hosts' Reaction

  • Both hosts stress the stakes: this is an under-the-radar issue that could dramatically affect national politics.
  • Clay praises the legal intricacy and importance:

    “You might you make it basically legal credit for the details there. But it is very important, very, very important.” —Clay Travis [29:02]

3. Lighter Moments and Listener Interaction

• Movie and Celebrity Banter

  • The hosts riff on pop culture news—including the passing of actress Catherine O’Hara and a playful debate between Clay and Buck over Natalie Portman’s supposed attractiveness ([29:32])—which leads to amusing listener call-ins and show banter ([36:15]).

  • “Catherine o' Hara actually had talent as an actress and as a comedian, whereas Natalie Portman was just advanced for no apparent reason.” —Buck Sexton [30:34]

• Personal Anecdotes and YouTube Promotion

  • Clay brings a “double baby” and “puppies” on camera to boost their YouTube subscriptions, poking fun at viral internet trends ([33:39]–[35:50]).

    “This is just shameless YouTube... Babies, dogs, whatever else is out there, we'll do…” —Clay Travis [35:33]

• Listener Feedback

  • Multiple voicemails lampoon Buck’s “manliness” after his hot takes on Natalie Portman and pistachio ice cream ([36:37], [37:02]).

Important Timestamps & Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---|---| | 03:06 | Epstein files document release — DOJ’s Todd Blanch details what’s being released and withheld| | 07:08 | Buck and Clay’s joint take: Little of substance will emerge from Epstein files | | 09:24 | Clay explains why private photos of victims likely withheld; further thoughts on elite embarrassment | | 21:05 | AG Katherine Hanaway interview begins – the census lawsuit explained | | 22:48 | Constitutional and statutory debate over who should be counted in the census | | 24:14 | Supreme Court history and prospects for the case to be heard | | 25:11 | Discussion of timeline and possible effects on upcoming elections | | 27:43 | Broader impact on Electoral College and redistricting | | 29:13 | Hosts react and transition to lighter pop culture news| | 33:39 | “Double baby” and puppies for YouTube subscribers | | 36:15 | Listener call-in reactions to the Natalie Portman debate |

Notable Quotes

• Clay Travis on the Epstein dump:

  "The reality is the Epstein people are never going to be satisfied." [04:34]

• Buck Sexton’s assessment:

  "There's just, there's nothing that's going to come out of this of any significance. No one's going to prison. That's just the deal." [07:08]

• Katherine Hanaway on stakes of the census case:

  “Not only will 11 House seats be reallocated... but with those House seats also go electoral votes. And the other thing that goes is any federal assistance, because... it’s based on census data.” [21:17]

• Buck, on legality:

  "The 14th Amendment to the US constitution says that persons shall have the right to vote and shall be counted... defined to mean permanent legal residents." [22:48]

• Clay, on the case’s national impact:

  “It is very important, very, very important.” [29:02]

Conclusion

This episode offers an incisive dive into the political and legal fight over the US census and representation, with a blend of skepticism and wit regarding the continuous intrigue over the Epstein files. Rich in expert analysis, the show is anchored by a major guest interview and enlivened by the hosts’ signature banter, making it an engaging listen for anyone invested in the intersection of law, politics, and pop culture.