The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Louie Gohmert on Political Surveillance & Government Overreach

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show presents The Tudor Dixon Podcast
Guest: Former Congressman Louie Gohmert
Date: December 5, 2025
Host: Tudor Dixon
Main Theme:
A deep-dive exploration into recent revelations of political surveillance, with former Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert alleging government overreach, constitutional violations, and the implications for America’s institutions, drawing comparisons to Watergate and highlighting the role of the so-called "deep state." Gohmert reflects on being personally targeted, the mechanics behind such investigations, the dangers of unchecked prosecutorial power, and broader fears about a Marxist drift in American politics.

Episode Overview

Tudor Dixon interviews Louie Gohmert, focusing on allegations that the Biden administration—specifically via Special Counsel Jack Smith—improperly surveilled sitting members of Congress and other political entities using grand jury subpoenas, bypassing traditional legal safeguards. The episode examines the constitutional ramifications, historical context, and cultural climate fostering what they argue is a crisis of government overreach.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Political Surveillance and the 'Arctic Frost' Investigation

• Gohmert describes being one of many targeted:
  • “...they were coming after your records and hundreds of others. Some, a lot of members of Congress, a lot of Republican groups...” (03:30)
• Prosecution used grand jury subpoenas, allegedly without probable cause:
  • “...they didn’t necessarily have to have probable cause at all. ...it's easy for an unethical prosecutor to abuse that process. And that's exactly what I believe you had here with Jack Smith in this Arctic Frost project he had.” (03:59–04:46)

2. Constitutional Crises and Grand Jury Abuse

• Gohmert expresses outrage that normal Fourth Amendment guarantees were bypassed:
  • “The Fourth Amendment assures that there’s protection from inappropriate searches and seizures... You have to describe with particularity exactly what you’re looking for. There was none of that...” (04:46)
• Argues investigations went well beyond January 6th:
  • “...they were getting records well before January 6th, well after January 6th... This is more of an effort to just try to find something, anything more along the lines of what Stalin talked about.” (05:24–05:59)
• Offers a memorable comparison to Stalin:
  • “You show me the man, as he said, and basically I’ll make up a crime to pin on him. And that’s what happened with President Trump. And it appears that’s what they were doing with hundreds of the rest of us.” (05:59)

3. Legal Process Manipulation & Party Targeting

• Grand jury selection and judicial complicity, especially in DC:
  • “...it’s very easy to manipulate the system, to have made sure that you had a grand jury, that every one of them hated President Trump. That would have been very easy and probably is most likely.” (09:01)
• Lack of due process and suppression of legislative privilege:
  • “There’s not just the Fourth Amendment search and seizure issue here. You’re also talking about members of Congress. ...There is another privilege...because of the separation of powers, there’s a congressional privilege.” (09:25)
• Chilling effect on whistleblowers and separation of powers:
  • “Chilling effect when they find out that the FBI, the doj, are grabbing our records without our knowledge so they can see who’s been calling us. That stuff is never supposed to be in the hands of the FBI, the doj, the executive branch.” (10:53)

4. Historical Context and Precedents

• Discusses the 2006 William Jefferson case and institutional norms:
  • “...you would have this third party House counsel go in those attorneys would grab all the material and they would go through and determine what was privileged... They would keep that separate...” (11:30)
• Accuses Mueller and current officials of violating these safeguards:
  • “These things were violated in this Arctic Frost operation by Jack Frost Smith. And so they didn’t care, nor did Federal Judge Boasberg care at all.” (12:53)

5. Cooperation of Telecoms and Scope of Data Collected

• Contrasts Verizon and AT&T’s response to subpoenas:
  • “Verizon turned everything over and AT&T was like, this doesn’t seem like we can do this.” (14:46)
  • “AT&T and some of the others are going, wait a minute. We think you...don’t need a subpoena. You really need a warrant. And this needs to be fought out in court.” (14:56)

6. Accountability: What Happens Next?

• Gohmert advocates for legal consequences:
  • “We intend to take, you know, action in the courts and pursue these people. But hopefully we will have enough to get the DOJ to pursue people for the malicious actions they took that I believe will end up being criminal...” (19:29)
• Criticizes Congress for performative hearings, not real punishment:
  • “Congress just has seemed pretty feckless...they wanted sound bites, but they didn’t want to take any action.” (20:38)

7. Double Standards and Political Imbalance

• References prosecutions of political adversaries versus lack of accountability for others:
  • “And why, I mean, they put Bannon in jail, they, they put Navarro in jail. ...Donald Trump went through all of these court cases...but the people who were truly committing the crimes...have never paid any price for that.” (21:04–21:57)

8. Cultural, Political, and Generational Dynamics

• Frustration with younger generation’s political disengagement:
  • “This is not something that happens overnight. Republicans need to take back a bigger majority. ...You’ve got to get back into the position where you have the ability ...to bring the country back to what it was supposed to be.” (22:54)
• The need for grassroots activism:
  • “But nothing helps better than having a thousand phone calls lighten up a congressman’s phones...Tons of emails from within the district saying, you better step up and make sure that you pursue this. Those kind of things actually do make a difference...” (24:17)

9. Long-term Marxist Influence and Educational Capture

• Gohmert recounts discussions with David Horowitz:
  • “...our motto of the communist leaders behind the scenes then is the same that they have now. And that is the worse, the better. The more chaos we can help create, the better it is, the closer we are to having our Marxist takeover.” (28:23)
• Describes leftist influence over generations through academia:
  • “...when the riots and the bombs and the murder and all mayhem didn’t work, what did they do? They went to universities, they got tenure and started teaching future teachers to teach children that Marxism was a great thing...” (29:25)

10. Personal Perspective: Soviet Union Experience

• Gohmert relates living in the Soviet Union as transformative:
  • “I saw it. I saw communism, socialism, Marxism, whatever you want to call it. I don’t want it. And I don’t want it for my kids. I don’t want it to here in the United States.” (31:26)

11. Separation of Powers & The Deep State

• Fears over deep state overreach, referencing Jack Smith and government agencies:
  • “...the separate branches of government is what makes America so strong. And to think that that was compromised and so willingly compromised, and it has to be compromised by multiple people. ...the deep state is a serious issue...” (33:34–34:12)
  • “Yeah, it was much deeper than even [Trump] thought. ...there’s still a lot of deep state there. And it’s still working behind the scenes.” (34:12)

12. Judicial Accountability and Proposals for Reform

• Discusses need for impeaching judges for bad behavior:
  • “I think it’s time to start impeaching judges for bad behavior when they don’t recuse themselves...Bozberg shouldn’t be sitting on any case that involves Trump or anybody...this guy is so biased...he shouldn’t be allowed near that.” (39:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On prosecutorial overreach:
  • “This is really just the epitome of a constitutional crisis right here.” — Louie Gohmert (07:55)
• On the scope of surveillance:
  • “They brought these people in and they said, this is critical because...we’re looking at whether or not they were trying to overturn an election. Do you believe that they lied to the grand jury to get these records?” — Tudor Dixon (06:17)
• Historical Comparison:
  • “This is more of an effort to just try to find something, anything more along the lines of what Stalin talked about.” — Louie Gohmert (05:59)
• Whistleblowers’ Safety:
  • “Jim Jordan and I...talking about FBI agents...there are people in the DOJ that are suborning perjury. ...Just so they can get warrants.” — Louie Gohmert (09:54)
• On activism:
  • “Nothing helps better than having a thousand phone calls lighten up a congressman’s phones. ...Those kind of things actually do make a difference...” — Louie Gohmert (25:03)
• Enduring wisdom from Justice Scalia:
  • “No, we’re the freest nation in the world because our founders did not trust government. So they tried to put as many impediments in the way of making laws, of preventing government from getting in our private business. That’s why we’re free.” — Louie Gohmert relaying Justice Scalia’s answer (41:11)

Essential Timestamps for Key Segments

• Surveillance Allegations and Personal Targeting: 03:01–04:59
• Grand Jury and Legal Process: 05:15–06:53
• Scope and Motivation of Investigations: 07:55–09:25
• Legislative and Judicial Safeguards Violated: 11:30–13:59
• Telecoms’ Role & Privacy: 14:46–15:23
• Accountability, Congressional Response, and Political Double Standards: 18:03–22:54
• Grassroots Activism & Lessons from the Left: 24:17–27:28
• David Horowitz, Marxism, and Education: 27:39–30:27
• Soviet Union Experience and Dangers of Authoritarianism: 31:26–33:34
• Deep State Concerns: 33:34–34:38
• Judicial Accountability Initiatives: 38:30–40:40
• Justice Scalia Anecdote on Freedom and Government: 40:51–42:13
• Call to Civic Engagement and Closing Thoughts: 42:13–43:12

Episode Tone

The discussion is urgent and passionate, featuring a blend of legal, historical, and personal anecdotes. Gohmert is blunt, frequently indignant, and unambiguously partisan, reflecting deep anger over what he characterizes as a weaponized justice system and a failure of American institutions to protect liberty. Dixon is supportive, framing the discussion as a call to civic action and government reform.

Overall Summary

This episode offers a detailed, critical look at allegations of federal overreach, painting a picture of systemic bias, legal abuse, and a drift toward authoritarianism. Gohmert’s testimony, given his direct experience, adds gravity, while both he and Dixon argue vehemently for greater public participation, congressional fortitude, and judicial reform. The conversation is a rallying cry for conservative activism and vigilance against perceived encroachments on constitutional order.