Verdict with Ted Cruz: MTG Resigns-Why & What it Means, Minnesota Taxpayers are LARGEST Funders of Al-Shabaab Terrorists

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Verdict with Ted Cruz: MTG Resigns-Why & What it Means, Minnesota Taxpayers are LARGEST Funders of Al-Shabaab Terrorists
Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

This episode, co-hosted by Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson, dives deep into three major stories shaping American politics and public debate:

• The resignation of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) and its implications for the Republican Party.
• A shocking exposé: Minnesota taxpayer welfare dollars allegedly funding the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, illuminating government fraud and the rise of radical Islam in the U.S.
• An update and analysis on Texas redistricting, its legal battles, and what it means for Republican control of the House.

Throughout, the hosts emphasize internal party accountability, threats to national security, and the ongoing fight over election maps, all delivered in an urgent, conversational, and frequently critical tone.

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1. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Resignation: A Conservative Turning Point

[03:07 – 15:28]

Key Discussion Points

• Announcement and Context: MTG’s resignation was unexpected and is described as “a consequential moment for the House and...for the country.” (Ben Ferguson, 03:45)
• Rising Extremism: Greene’s increasingly extreme views, particularly on Israel and alleged antisemitism, spurred former President Trump to withdraw his support, triggering her decision to leave.
• Republican Party’s Self-Policing: The hosts contrast the GOP’s willingness to call out radicals with the Democratic Party’s alleged tolerance for its own far-left members.
• Role of Trump: Trump's social post withdrawing MTG's endorsement is cited as the crucial factor:
  • “If there’s one person who is most responsible for Marjorie Taylor Greene resigning, it is Donald J. Trump.” (Ben Ferguson, 09:47)
• Comparison to Democrats: MTG’s resignation is framed as proof Republicans “police our own” unlike Democrats, referencing prominent Democrats who have not resigned despite radical positions.
• Slippery Slope: The co-hosts warn that even conservative stars like Greene and Gaetz can “start down a slippery slope” once aligning with fringe views, leading them out of the party mainstream.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “All I see wacky Marjorie do is complain, complain, complain...” (Reading Trump’s statement, 10:40)
• “If you don't have moral clarity on issues like antisemitism, so goes your party.” (Ted Cruz, 12:16)
• “Are you surprised that Marjorie Taylor Greene stepped down?” (Ferguson recounting his conversation with Trump; Trump’s reply: “No, no, I wasn’t surprised at all.”, 13:45)
• “I do think it shows Republicans being willing to say we're not going to embrace the radicals and extreme in a way that it's hard to think of a time the Democrats have done that in modern history.” (Co-host, 14:55)
• Memorable Moment: Behind-the-scenes detail about MTG's frequent calls to Trump and his “too much” reaction (13:57-14:48).

Timestamps

• [03:07] Segment begins
• [09:41] Trump’s statement read aloud
• [13:26] Discussion of MTG’s future and phone habits with Trump
• [15:11] Segment wrap-up

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2. Minnesota Welfare Fraud: Taxpayers Funding Al-Shabaab Terrorists

[17:26 – 29:24]

Key Discussion Points

• Scandal Summary: A City Journal investigation revealed that Minnesota’s taxpayer-funded welfare program, particularly the Housing Stabilization Services (HHS), was defrauded for hundreds of millions, with money transferred to Somalia and ultimately to terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
• Systemic Issues: The ease of enrolling as a provider, “minimal requirements,” and lack of adequate oversight enabled widespread scam operations by creating fictitious companies.
• Scale of the Problem:
  • In just a few years, projected costs of the housing program grew from $2.6 million to over $100 million due to rampant fraud.
  • Law enforcement sources estimate that $1.7 billion a year in remittances are sent from the Somali diaspora to Somalia, with substantial sums landing in terrorist coffers.
• Political and Media Critique: The hosts link the fraud to Democrat-led welfare expansion, voter base consolidation, and criticize mainstream media silence on the issue.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.” (reading from City Journal, 19:50)
• “Tim Waltz...just looked the other way, just turned a blind eye.” (Co-host, 27:47)
• “How the hell do people not go to jail for this?” (Ted Cruz, exasperated, 24:20)
• “...skyrocketing costs, warning signs, and no one seemed to care.” (Paraphrase, 26:40-27:34)
• “Do you know of a single Democrat denouncing this?” “No.” (29:22)

Timestamps

• [17:26] Segment begins
• [19:26] Reading and breakdown of City Journal article
• [22:24] Details of indictments and investigation
• [24:20] Ted Cruz’s reaction to scale and consequences
• [26:22] Explanation of how remittances fund terrorism
• [29:05] Political implications and party critique

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3. Texas Redistricting: Court Battles and the Future of the House

[30:41 – 36:03]

Key Discussion Points

• Legal Fight Overview: Texas legislature’s new map is favorable to Republicans, potentially shifting from 25 to 30 Republican seats. A federal district court struck it down; SCOTUS Justice Alito paused that decision.
• Republican vs. Democrat Gerrymandering: The hosts note Democrat-controlled blue states have higher Democratic representation than Texas’s post-redistricting GOP share—arguing Texas is drawing maps in line with what Democrats already do.
• Judicial Drama: Fifth Circuit Judge Jerry Smith’s blistering dissent is highlighted—called “the most remarkable dissent” (34:35) by the co-host.
• Supreme Court’s Potential Impact: Prediction that the district court decision will be stayed, with the new, Republican-favoring map likely in effect for 2026 elections—potentially deciding House control.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Instead of electing 25 Republicans, the new map is expected to elect 30 Republicans.” (Ben Ferguson, 32:07)
• “I’ve never read a dissent like Jerry Smith’s dissent. He just unloaded on the majority opinion...” (Co-host, 34:35)
• “It is a big, big deal because this outcome, the courts not throwing out the map that the legislature adopted, could very well determine whether the House of Representatives in 2027 is Republican or Democrat.” (Co-host, 35:41)
• “It really is a big one. And it's...another victory for rule of law.” (Ted Cruz, 36:03)

Timestamps

• [30:41] Segment begins
• [32:07] Texas and California comparison
• [33:19] Lawsuit discussion and panel breakdown
• [34:35] Dissent described
• [35:41] Decision’s impact on control of the House
• [36:03] Segment wrap-up

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Overall Tone and Takeaways

• Assertive, urgent, critical of Democratic leadership and media.
• Hosts are clearly invested in defending Republican standards and celebrating moments of internal accountability.
• Emphasis on vigilance against both government corruption and ideological drift within the conservative movement.

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Memorable Quotes Recap

• “If you don't have moral clarity on issues like antisemitism, so goes your party.” (Ted Cruz, 12:16)
• “The largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.” (Reading City Journal, 19:50)
• “How the hell do people not go to jail for this?” (Ted Cruz, 24:20)
• “I've never read a dissent like Jerry Smith’s dissent. He just unloaded on the majority opinion.” (Co-host, 34:35)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:07] MTG resignation discussion begins
• [09:41] Trump’s withdrawal of support
• [13:26] MTG’s future & Trump call anecdote
• [17:26] Minnesota Al-Shabaab funding scandal begins
• [22:24] Fraud indictments
• [24:20] Scale & impact on terrorism
• [30:41] Texas redistricting fight begins
• [34:35] Smith’s dissent and legal analysis
• [36:03] Implications for House control

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Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (with Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson) unpacks the Republican Party’s break with Marjorie Taylor Greene over extremism, the jaw-dropping story of Minnesota welfare funds ending up with the Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab, and the political/ legal drama unfolding in Texas over election maps. The episode’s through-line is a call for conservative vigilance—both against ideological drift and governmental/ bureaucratic failure—taking aim at Democratic leadership and mainstream media silence along the way.

Transcript

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[Ted Cruz]

It is vertic with center Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. It's nice to have you with us. It's Thanksgiving week and we've got a lot to cover on the show today that you're not going to want to miss, including a moment of clarity, I think, for the Republican Party that deals with someone deciding I'm going to resign from Congress. Senator, your reaction to Marjorie Taylor Greene saying I'm out?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Well, Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she's going.

[Ben Ferguson]

To resign from Congress in January. It's a big deal.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

She was a major player of the House of Representatives.

[Ben Ferguson]

Her views, I think, had gotten more and more extreme.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

President Trump had announced he was withdrawing his support from her because she had gotten so extreme. We're going to break that down.

[Ben Ferguson]

We're going to talk about why she's stepping down. We're going to talk about what it means. I think it's a consequential moment in the House and it's a consequential moment for the country.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

We're also going to talk about a really astonishing story, which is welfare fraud by Somalis in Minnesota funneled millions of dollars of taxpayer money to the Islamic.

[Ben Ferguson]

Terrorist organization Al Shabaab.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

It really is a stunning, stunning story that's been reported and it shows the really pernicious things that we're seeing unfolding in our country. And finally, we're going to talk about Texas redistricting. Texas redistricting. As everyone knows, the state of Texas redrew the map to add five Republican House seats. A federal district court struck that down. And then on appeal, the Supreme Court has halted the decision of the federal district court. We're going to talk about what's likely to happen in Texas redistricting and what it means for control of the House of Representatives in the midterms.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it's really an incredible story. We're going to have that for you in a moment. All right. Thanksgiving week is here. Many of you are probably traveling, gathering with your families, and it's a great time to tell them about an incredible opportunity going on right now with Hillsdale College for free. Look, there is so much confusion in the world today and it can be hard to find clarity and truth. But a new Hillsdale College miniseries on colonial America offers a powerful reminder that the first Americans were searching for the same things. They believe. Faith and reason reveal God's design for the world. And that understanding became the foundation of their courage and freedom. It's a stirring look at the ideas that still hold us together today. Now a new Hillsdale College miniseries on colonial America is offering a fresh way to think about Thanksgiving. Beyond the food and the political debates. It reminds us what we should truly be thankful for. Our freedom, prosperity and our faith. The first Americans built all of that from nothing. And their story is told here with unmatched depth and inspiration. In a brand new six part documentary series. Hillsdale College professors will teach you and your family the religious, political, cultural and economic ideas that shaped a uniquely American culture during the colonial period. And that is why I want you to take advantage of this. The idea of liberty, especially religious liberty, inspired the settlers of America across the Atlantic. Think about that. Check out this incredible work, this mini series right now at Hillsdale Now. Hill College miniseries is completely free and it's easy to access. Plus, Hillsdale is offering you listeners a verdict. More than 40 other free online courses, including courses on CS Lewis, the stories of the book of Genesis, the rise, the fall of the Roman Republic, and you can even do Constitution 101. I'm in that class as we speak. So go right now to Hillsdale Edu Verdict to enroll for free and get this miniseries. There's no cost. It's easy to get started. That's Hillsdale Edu Verdict to enroll for free. Hillsdale Edu Verdict. All right, sender, so let's start with Marjorie Taylor Green. I, I genuinely thought this was a great moment for conservatives, for the conservative movement, for the Republican Party, watching her decide to resign. And the reason why I say that is because it gave me hope that we are so different than the Democratic Party. Uh, we police our own and we call out those that are bad actors, unlike the Democratic Party, that is not police their party at all. Now that you're witnessing socialists getting elected in two major cities in this country and radical leftists that have taken over, and yet we still, still seem to have a moment of clarity. We're like, hold on a second. This is not what we believe. I found it incredibly encouraging, your reaction.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, Ben, I think you make a good point if you look about. And this is something I've been talking quite a bit about. 10 years ago on the Democrat Party, we saw anti semitism radical, extreme anti Semitism rising on the Democrat Party. And Democrat leadership didn't do anything about it. They basically looked the other direction. They said, gosh, this is a small fringe view. We don't need to worry about it. It'll be fine.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And in the decade that followed, we.

[Ben Ferguson]

Have seen pro Hamas radicals consume the Democrat Party. Now, you and I have talked about, and I've been talking publicly a lot.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

About, I see the same thing potentially.

[Ben Ferguson]

Starting to happen on the right.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

I've seen more antisemitism the last six.

[Ben Ferguson]

Months on the right than I've seen in my entire life.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And my hope is the Republican Party.

[Ben Ferguson]

Doesn'T make the mistakes that the Democrats.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Did, that we say enough is enough. No. And I'll tell you, this is striking.

[Ben Ferguson]

Because if you look at in Republicans in the House of Representatives, the vast majority of elected Republicans in both the.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

House and Senate are passionately pro Israel.

[Ben Ferguson]

They're supporters of the US Israel alliance and relationship.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

They understand the national security benefits of standing with Israel.

[Ben Ferguson]

They understand the that when Israel is killing Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, when Israel.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Is taking out Iranian IRGC terrorists, that they're making America safer. There are a handful of House Republicans who become more and more vocal as.

[Ben Ferguson]

Voices for being anti Israel.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Marjorie Taylor Greene was on the front of that list. In fact, the leading two House Republicans.

[Ben Ferguson]

Who had become vocal anti Israel voices.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Were Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And I do think it's striking that Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, very.

[Ben Ferguson]

Soon neither one of them is going to be in the House.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Matt Gaetz already resigned and Greene announced.

[Ben Ferguson]

That she's going to resign in January.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And I think that's really, that is a powerful statement. You know, you ought to ask yourself.

[Ben Ferguson]

Why didn't AOC resign?

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Ben Ferguson]

Why didn't Ilhan Omar resign?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Why didn't Rashida Tlaib resign? Why didn't the radicals in the Democrat Party resign? And it's because their leadership fundamentally was weak. And I want to commend Donald Trump.

[Ben Ferguson]

If there's one person who is most responsible for Marjorie Taylor Greene resigning, it.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Is Donald J. Trump. Here's what he put out on Truth Social quote, I am withdrawing my support and endorsement of, quote, unquote, Congresswoman Marjorie.

[Ben Ferguson]

Taylor Greene of the great state of Georgia.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Over the past few weeks, despite my creating record achievements for our country, including a total and complete victory on the shutdown, closed borders, low taxes, no men and women's sports or transgender for everyone, ending dei, stopping Biden's record setting, inflation, biggest regulation cuts in history, Stopping eight wars, rebuilding our military, being highly respected.

[Ben Ferguson]

By every country in the world as.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Opposed to being the laughingstock that we were just 12 months ago. Having trillions of dollars, record setting, invested in the USA and having created the hottest country anywhere in the world from being a dead country just 12 months.

[Ben Ferguson]

Ago and so much more.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

All I see wacky Marjorie do is complain, complain, complain. It seemed to all begin when I sent her a poll stating that she should not run for senator or governor. She was at 12% and didn't have a chance. Unless of course, she had my endorsement.

[Ben Ferguson]

Which she wasn't about to get.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Now look, when Trump said that, that he was going to oppose her, it changed the dynamic significantly. And it changed it so much that she put out a statement this past week saying she's done, she's resigning in.

[Ben Ferguson]

January, she's withdrawing from the Congress.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And listen, Marjorie Taylor Greene, she got elected five years ago.

[Ben Ferguson]

She's not been in the House very long.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

She is a loud voice. Yeah, she used to be maybe the single loudest voice pro Trump.

[Ted Cruz]

Yep.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And we saw her. And, and it actually, I think it's a cautionary tale about when you embrace anti Semitic views, anti Israel views, you quickly start down a slippery slope. Where she began attacking Donald Trump, she began attacking capitalism, she began attacking, much like Tucker Carlson attacking who America is, she went on the View and had a love fest with the left wing host. On the View, she was arguing for expanding and extending the Obamacare subsidies. I mean, I mean, it really was a good example that once you start down that road, all of the rest.

[Ben Ferguson]

Of conservatism goes out the window as well.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it was a moment where I was genuinely proud to be a conservative, also a Trump supporter. And I loved the fact the President was this blunt about it because if you don't have moral clarity on issues like antisemitism, so goes your party. And we've seen what happens. And the Democrats are a cautionary tale. The most radical of the radicals in this country are now within the Democratic Party and many of them are leading the Democratic Party. And I worry that we could go down that road if we didn't start policing our own and making sure that especially those that become radical and anti Semites, we're not policed better. I think the other part about this is not only is she going to be out of Congress, but her voice is going to disappear, I believe from the conservative movement as well in a major way. And that also is a consequence, whereas many times Democrats, it's a Complete opposite of that.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Well, I don't know that it'll disappear.

[Ben Ferguson]

I actually think she may be similar to Matt Gaetz, where they both will continue to espouse wackier and wackier views, views that are more and more out of the mainstream of Republicans and conservatives.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

But I do think it will be.

[Ben Ferguson]

A much smaller platform.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And you know, Ben, I actually talked.

[Ben Ferguson]

To President Trump about it this weekend. He called me Friday night and we spent probably 15, 20 minutes on the phone. We were talking about lots of different.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Things, but one of the things just.

[Ben Ferguson]

As we were making conversation is about, I don't know, 11 o' clock at night, Friday night.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And, and, and I said, Mr. President.

[Ben Ferguson]

Were, were you surprised that, that Marjorie Taylor Greene stepped down? And, and he sort of laughed and said, no, no, I wasn't surprised at all.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And he mentioned, he said, he said she was mad because he said she.

[Ben Ferguson]

Would call him once, twice, three times a week.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And, and he wasn't calling her back all the time. And you know, he said, Look, I've got 53 Senate Republicans, I've got 219 House Republicans, I've got a couple hundred leaders of countries across the world. And I sort of laughed. I said, yeah, look, you're a very, very busy man. And to be honest, I don't call Trump all that often.

[Ben Ferguson]

I probably talk to Trump, I don't know, every two weeks.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

I'd say on, on average, but I try not to. Some of my colleagues call him a lot. And, and you know, I told him, I said, look, you're a busy man. I try not to bother you, just to like, call, to tug on your.

[Ben Ferguson]

Shirt sleeve and say, you know, hi.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Hi. Hi. I try to call when I've got.

[Ben Ferguson]

A purpose, I've got an objective, I've.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Got a decision that I think is important, something we need to get done. But it was interesting. He said she was calling him several.

[Ben Ferguson]

Times a week and it was just too much.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And, you know, I think his withdrawing.

[Ben Ferguson]

His support from her is what caused.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Her to drop out. And I'm glad of that. I mean, I do think it shows Republicans being willing to say we're not going to embrace the radicals and extreme in a way that it's hard to think of a time the Democrats have.

[Ben Ferguson]

Done that in modern history.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it really is. And I hope this also is a cautious shot across the bow to any others that are out there in the Republican movement that are going down the same road that, hey, if you think that the President's gonna be silent, about it, you're probably wrong and that we police our own. That is a big, big thing.

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[Ted Cruz]

I want to move to this other subject that I think is also really important. It is a story that I hope everyone listening will actually share on social media. Share this podcast where you can on social media as well because this is one of those stories for me that I am, I am hoping we will be able to make it go viral. There are so many people that voted for President Trump because they wanted there to be clarity on waste, fraud and abuse in our government. It's what Doge was created around. And the amount of waste, fraud and abuse of our tax dollars has become absolutely massive. Now we're seeing some states be very proactive in fighting this. We've seen local governments where it's happening, it's trickling down. I think that's also incredible. But there is a story that broke that is should make every American angry, and that is this story of the largest funder of Al Shabaab turns out to be an. Al Shabaab is a terrorist organization. A smiling terrorist organization is actually the Minnesota taxpayers. Now, that may just seem like a weird headline to people, but what we're witnessing is tax dollars for funneling directly to the Islamic terrorist organization. And it's been going on at numbers that were clearly warning signs when Joe Biden was president in the amount of funds that were leaving Minnesota. And. And no one seemed to bat an eye or no one seemed to care that this was happening. Break it down for everybody that doesn't know anything about this.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, this is a story that's really at the intersection of two issues that matter enormously. Number one is, wait, waste, fraud and abuse in government. And we see that at the federal government. We see that at the state level, particularly in big blue states.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

But secondly, the rise of radical Islam in America.

[Ben Ferguson]

And it's dangerous. It is threatening our liberty, and it is spreading.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

It's spreading often with the enthusiastic cheerleading.

[Ben Ferguson]

Of Democrat elected officials.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

This story is right at the intersection.

[Ben Ferguson]

Of both of them. And so the City Journal reported. I'm just going to read a portion of this article because it really is.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

It'S a stunning report. And it begins, the largest funder of Al Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer. How some of the state's welfare funds ended up in the hands of a terror group. Minnesota is drowning in fraud. Billions in taxpayer dollars have been stolen during the administration of Governor Tim Waltz alone.

[Ben Ferguson]

Of course, Tim Waltz was Kamala Harris.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Nominee to be vp Democrat. State officials overseeing one of the most generous welfare regimes in the country are asleep at the switch. And the media, duty bound by progressive pities, refused to connect the dots. In many cases, the fraud has allegedly been perpetrated by members of the Minnesota sizable Somali community. Federal counterterrorism support sources confirm that millions of dollars, millions in stolen funds have been sent back to Somalia, where they ultimately landed in the hands of the terror group Al Shabaab. One confidential source put it, quote, the Largest funder of Al Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer. Our investigation shows what happens when a tribal mindset meets a bleeding heart bureaucracy. When imported clan loyalties collide with a political class too timid to offend. And when accusations of racism are cynically deployed to shield criminal behavior. The predictable result is graft, with taxpayers left to foot the bill. If you were designed to design a welfare program to facilitate fraud, it would probably look a lot like Minnesota's Medicaid.

[Ben Ferguson]

Housing Stabilization Services program.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

The HHS program, the first of its kind in the country, was launched with a noble goal to help seniors, addicts, the disabled and the mentally ill secure housing. It was designed with, quote, low barriers to entry and, quote, minimal requirements for reimbursement. Nonetheless, before the program went live in 2020, officials pegged its annual estimated price.

[Ben Ferguson]

Tag at $2.6 million.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Cost quickly spiraled out of control. In 2021, the program paid out more than $21 million, by the way.

[Ben Ferguson]

It was projected to be 2.6 million.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

In the following year. Annual costs shot up to 42 million, then 74 million, then 104 million. On August 1, Minnesota's Department of Human Services moved to scrap the HHS program, noting that payment to 77 housing stabilization providers had terminated this year due to credible allegations of fraud. Joe Thompson, then the Acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, went even further, saying the vast majority. Let me repeat that the vast majority of the HHS program was fraudulent. On September 18, Thompson announced criminal indictments for HHS fraud against Mokhtar Hassan Aden Mustafa Daeb Ali Khalid Ahmed Daeb Abda Muhammad Muhammad Christopher Adesoli Falat. By the way, Ben, you try to.

[Ben Ferguson]

Go through those names.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, I'm gonna pass on that. You did a great job. I give you a B plus on that.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Okay? Six of whom, according to the U.S. attorney's office, are members of Minnesota Somali community. Thompson made clear this is the first round of charges for HSS fraud that.

[Ben Ferguson]

His office will be prosecuting.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Most of these cases, unlike a lot of Medicare fraud and Medicaid fraud nationally, aren't just overbilling.

[Ben Ferguson]

Thompson said in a press conference announcing the indictments.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

These are often just purely fictitious companies solely created to defraud the system. And that's unique in the extent to.

[Ben Ferguson]

Which we have that here in Minnesota.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Thompson said many of the firms enrolled in the program operated out of dilapidated.

[Ben Ferguson]

Storefronts or rundown office buildings.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

The perpetrators often targeted people recently released from rehab, signed them up for Medicaid services. They had no intention of providing he noted many of the owners of companies engage in HHS fraud had other companies through which they build other Medicaid programs such as the EIDBI Autism Program, the Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services Program, the Integrated Community Services Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion Program, PCA services, and other Medicaid waivered services. What we see are schemes stacked upon schemes draining resources meant for those most in need. It feels never ending. I have spent my career as a fraud prosecutor and the depth of the fraud in Minnesota takes my breath away.

[Ted Cruz]

You, you read that and you just think about how much money this is that not only was stolen from the taxpayers and, and, and they go into how much it kept growing and growing and growing these programs. But it's obvious that people knew there was fraud. Then you find out it's going to a terrorist organization and so we're funding the terrorist organization. How the hell do people not go to jail for this?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Well, they are. A number of people are being prosecuted. But you know, what is striking is not just was there massive fraud, but the massive fraud was funding terrorism. Here's what the City Journal continues saying. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Somali fraud story is the scale. With total costs running into the billions of taxpayer dollars, that raises the question, what happened to all that money? The Somali fraud rings have sent huge sums and remittances, or money transfers from Minnesota to Somalia. According to reports, an estimated 40% of households in Somalia get remittances from abroad. In 2023 alone, the Somali diaspora sent back $1.7 billion more than the Somali government's budget for that year. Our investigation reveals for the first time that some of this money has been directed to an even more troubling destination, the Al Qaeda linked Islamic terror group Al Shabaab. According to multiple law enforcement sources, Minnesota's Somali community has sent untold millions through a network of hawalas, informal clan based money traders that have wound up in the coffers of Al Shabaab. According to Glenn Kearns, a retired Seattle Police Department detective who spent 14 years on a federal Joint Terrorism task force, the Somalis ran a sophisticated money network spanning from Seattle to Minneapolis and were routing significant amounts of cash on commercial flights from the Seattle airport to the hawala networks in Somalia. One of these networks, kearns discovered, sent $20 million abroad in a single year. So this is money that's coming from the Minnesota taxpayers. It is going through the Somalia Somali community in Minnesota back to Somalia on the order of magnitude of $1.7 billion a year. And millions of those dollars were flowing directly to Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda.

[Ben Ferguson]

Linked major terrorist organization.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

That this is tragic. It is shocking. And by the way, I'm curious, have.

[Ben Ferguson]

You seen it on cnn?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

No. NBC? Cbs?

[Ted Cruz]

Nope. None of them, none of them touching it.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Msnbc?

[Ted Cruz]

No.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Washington Post? New York Times?

[Ted Cruz]

Nope.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

You would think that would be news.

[Ted Cruz]

I also look at the amount of money and how quickly it grew. That's something else that I do think is interesting. Here is how, I mean, you want to talk about warning sign center. There was clear warning signs, like very, very clear warning signs that this was happening. And yet no one in government seemed to stop, pause, or ask a question. That part also to me is just like, is it always unlimited funds? Is that how it's now in government? Whatever you start, just keep making it grow and double and triple in size year after year after year and spinning. And no one's like, hold on a second, this doesn't add up. This many kids with autism, that doesn't seem normal. Look how much it went doubled from last year, the year before, the year before that. I mean, there's a clear line here of like red flags that no one seemed to care about.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Well, and it's worth remembering, Tim Waltz is not someone at the fringe of the Democrat Party.

[Ben Ferguson]

Tim Waltz is who Kamala Harris thought should be Vice President of the United States. Presumably Kamala thought that he should succeed.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Her and become the President of the United States. And Tim Waltz, like many Democrats, but Waltz is worse than many of them, just looked the other way, just turned a blind eye. And one combination, it's a combination of a number of factors. One piece of it is just the left wing view that the more money you're giving away in welfare, the better. And so it doesn't matter how much it grows. If you're giving a million dollars this year, they want it to be 2 million, then 4, then 6, then 8, then 12. They want it to grow without any consideration about, number one, bankrupting the state and the taxpayers, but number two, about the impact of spending all that money trapping people in dependency. But a second component of it, it's not just dependency. Dependency assumes someone's actually getting welfare payments. It is also blatant fraud. And there is unfortunately a network of corruption where many of those engage in fraud, are also writing checks to elect Democrats. And if you look at the Somali community in Minnesota, it is a major voting network that votes for Democrats in Minnesota. And so at the end of the day, the Democrats, when it comes to buying votes Shoveling this cash into this maw of fraud, even though the taxpayers.

[Ben Ferguson]

Were being robbed and the money was going to a radical Islamic terrorist organization.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

If you're a Democrat, it made political sense on some level because you got money and you got votes. And it is astonishing that there's not. Do you know of a single Democrat denouncing this?

[Ted Cruz]

No.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

I mean, that's a striking thing.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah. That's why I love doing this show, because we give you this. And then, as I said earlier, I'll say it again. I genuinely hope that everyone that's listening will grab this, put it on their social media, because I think it's really important that people do that.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

That's why this podcast is valuable.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, you are absolutely right there. No doubt about it. In communities around the world, millions of children like Lucy face the crushing weight.

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

All right.

[Ted Cruz]

And finally, center, I want to move to this other story. And it's an update, but it's a victory update. And it deals with Texas redistricting. It set off a fire fight with California. Gavin Newsom getting involved in them doing some just unbelievable gerrymandering of the map. Out in California, they claimed it was in retaliation for what Texas was doing. Then Democrats went after Texas and tried to stop it. And now we have Justice Alito, who is involved at the Supreme Court level, give this update about the Texas redistricting fight.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, as everyone knows, President Trump has asked state legislatures, Republican legislatures, to redraw the map to elect more Republicans to the House. A significant reason for that is that there is right now an imbalance. Democrats have gerrymandered the living daylights at a blue state. So blue states send an overwhelming majority of their delegation to be Democrats despite the votes of their citizens.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And let me give you some specific numbers.

[Ben Ferguson]

So Texas right now has 38 congressional seats. Right now, Republicans have 25 of those. Democrats have 13.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

That means the percentage of Republicans in.

[Ben Ferguson]

The delegation today is right, about 66%.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Now, about 56% of the state voted.

[Ben Ferguson]

For Trump, a little more than 56%.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

So the current delegation is slightly more.

[Ben Ferguson]

Than the statewide vote for Trump, but not much.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

The state legislature redrew the map.

[Ben Ferguson]

So Instead of electing 25 Republicans, the new map is expected to elect 30 Republicans to add five new Republicans.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Now, under that new map, it will increase.

[Ben Ferguson]

Assuming those 30 Republicans win, it would increase the percentage of Republicans from 66% to 79%. Now, 79% is a larger portion.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

How does that compare to Democrat states? California, under their old map, 83% of.

[Ben Ferguson]

The delegation is Democrat.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Illinois, 82%. Oregon, 84%. Washington state, 80%. Maryland, 88%. Massachusetts. There are nine congressional seats. You know how many, how many Republicans.

[Ben Ferguson]

Are elected out of Massachusetts?

[Ted Cruz]

How many?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Zero. Goose egg.

[Ben Ferguson]

100% of the Massachusetts delegation is Democrat.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Connecticut, same thing, 100%. Texas went from 66 to 79%, still less than California. And what did California do in response? Increased it from 83% to 92%, dramatically gerrymandering its map. Now, what happened next is, of course.

[Ben Ferguson]

There was a lawsuit. There's always a lawsuit when this happens.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And a federal district court, it's a.

[Ben Ferguson]

Three judge court, so it's two district judges and a federal court of appeals judge, which is a. It's a weird statutory creation that exists in redistricting litigation. That court just over a week ago.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Struck down the Texas map and it ordered that instead of being under the new map, that would likely add five new Republicans.

[Ben Ferguson]

To go back to the old map, that would not add five new Republicans.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

If that order stays in place, the likely impact of redistricting is the Democrats retake the House. I mean, it would flip the House. It was a very consequential decision. This was a 2:1 decision.

[Ben Ferguson]

It was authored by a federal district judge, Jeff Brown, who was a Republican nominated by Trump, joined by a Democrat district judge.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And there was a dissent from Jerry Smith.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, who is Jerry Smith?

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Jerry Smith is the fifth Circuit Court.

[Ben Ferguson]

Of Appeals judge that's on this panel.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

I know Jerry Smith very well. He is one of the two most.

[Ben Ferguson]

Long standing, most well respected conservatives on the fifth Circuit.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Jerry Smith and Edith Jones have long.

[Ben Ferguson]

Been the conservative warriors on the 5th Circuit.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

I got to tell you, Jerry Smith.

[Ben Ferguson]

Wrote a dissent in this case.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Ben, I've probably read a thousand dissents in my life.

[Ben Ferguson]

I've never read a dissent like Jerry Smith's dissent.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

He just unloaded on the majority opinion. He just eviscerated it as unprincipled, as.

[Ben Ferguson]

Political, as partisan, as wrong.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

That dissent, I mean, you literally read it, and you ought to Google and.

[Ben Ferguson]

Read it because you've never read a judicial opinion like this.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

Well, what happened on appeal is initially the appeal for a stay went up.

[Ben Ferguson]

To Justice Sam Alito as the individual circuit justice sitting over the fifth Circuit.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

And he stayed the opinion of the district court.

[Ben Ferguson]

So right now, as we're talking, the.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

District court's stay will not go into effect, which means as of right now, the new map stays in effect. Now, we may get a decision this week. It's possible the Supreme Court allows the.

[Ben Ferguson]

District court opinion to go into effect, which would mean the old map would stay in effect.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

My prediction is this district court opinion will be stayed. It will be stayed through the election. We will stay with the new map.

[Ben Ferguson]

That the legislature has drawn. And I think this district court opinion is going to be reversed on appeal.

[Center (Co-host or Guest Commentator)]

It is a big, big deal because this outcome, the courts not throwing out the map that the legislature adopted, could very well determine whether the House of.

[Ben Ferguson]

Representatives in 2027 is Republican or Democrat. And so I'm very glad the Supreme Court stayed this decision.

[Ted Cruz]

It really is a big one. And it's one another victory for rule of law and getting rid of so many activists that are trying to stop the way that the business is supposed to work. And that's what Democrats have been relying on for far too long. So it's nice to see justice here prevail. Don't forget, we do this show Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hit that subscriber auto download button. Wherever you get your podcast, you share it on social media wherever you can. This show and the center and I will see you back here in a couple of days.

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