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The Find Out Podcast
Why Republicans Fear Democracy
00:52:03
Congressman Cleo Fields joins the Find Out Podcast to discuss the GOP’s relentless attacks on democracy, from gerrymandering in Louisiana and Texas to voter suppression targeting communities of color. Plus, the crew dives into ICE impersonators, MAGA hypocrisy, and why Democrats must fight fire with fire.
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- [00:00]
Chris
Foreign.
- [00:17]
Tim
Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Find out podcast. We have a great show for you today. Joining us is Louisiana Congressman Cleo fields from Louisiana's 6th district. He is in his first term in Congress in this district, but he was also a member of congress in the 90s for a couple of terms. So, Congressman, thank you for joining us today.
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Congressman Cleo Fields
Oh, it's good to be with you, Tim. I've been hearing so much about your show, so it's just an honor to be on it.
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Tim
Oh, well, thank you very much. And we are very excited to have you as well. I think first for our listeners, because as we were talking before, we haven't had a lot of Southern Democrats on, but we'd love to hear a little bit about your district, like who, who do you represent and and where in Louisiana?
- [00:59]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Louise? It's the 6th congressional district. It comprised of 10 parishes, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Point, Capee, St. Landry, of oils, rapees, natchitoches, on up to desoto and cattle. So it's 10 parishes. 10 parishes is runs from like the center of the district all the way to the northern part of the district.
- [01:24]
Tim
That's great. That's great. And you know, we were talking before, I just mentioned that you were a member of Congress in the 90s for two terms, I believe, and then this is your first term coming back. Just curious, what is the difference that you have seen? Because a lot of, a lot of people in Congress. Well, a lot of them were there in the 90s still, but like, it has changed quite a bit. And I'm curious, from your perspective, since you've been back for about eight months now, what is the difference that you've seen compared to the first time you were in Congress?
- [01:52]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Well, the biggest difference is besides technology, I mean, back when, when I was here 32 years ago, the technology, everybody used a beeper. When it was time to vote, beepers would go off and members would go in and go to the floor and vote. Other than that is much more partisan now than it was back then. Back then, I was, you know, I served under Speaker Tom Foley and under Newt Kendrick, both a Democrat and a Republican. But I vividly remembered when Tom Foley was Speaker of the House, he would say to us, we would, you know, we would tease him a little bit and say, why, you know, why are you spending so much time with the Republicans? And he would say, they have as much right to hear from me as, as you do. I mean, I'm your leader. But at the end of the day, they have A right to be in Congress, they should be spoken to. That doesn't take place anymore. It is really divided based on party line. And Democrats don't talk to Republicans. Republicans for the most part don't talk to Democrats. It is a truly divided Congress. That's. And then the other thing, President, you know, I only served on a Democratic President. I've never had a President to really control Congress. I mean, when President Clinton was president, I mean we had vigorous debates, we had debated nafta, you know, I was against it, but respectfully. And the President, you know, pulled me into the over office and said, cleo, my presidency depends on it. And I said to, to him that, you know, look, I got people in the district who depend on these jobs eventually voted against it and, and after pass, I lost the jobs. But it was a fair debate. I mean it was just like the crime bill. I stood up to the President said, look, I can't be for the crime bill here. Again, my presidency depends on it. I voted against it. Many of the things I thought would happen, happen. It's a big difference. Now when the President says something, it's like golden. I mean every member of his party just follow, you know, and I tell people, you know, not only in my district but across the country, I don't represent the President. You know, I represent people of the 6th congressional district. And you know, that's a big difference. People here, they come here, they think they represent the President. And, and I, I just think that's a very unfortunate, very unfortunate thing.
- [04:19]
Chris
Did you have any relationship with the, the House speaker before you were elected this, this most recent time? I'm, I'm wondering if you've noticed a change as, as someone from Louisiana in who he is, who he used to be and what it's like to be part of the Louisiana delegation now.
- [04:42]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Well, I mean, look, first of all, your first question. I really didn't know Speaker Johnson. I never served in the legislature with him. He served after I'd left, but I knew of him and, but, but he and I, we, we never had a, a relationship while he was a state lawmaker. And so really, in a real sense, the first time I've really introduced myself to him was when I was elected to the, to the, to the House. I just think that, you know, you take people, members of Congress from Louisiana, you know, this big ugly bill we just passed that's going to be devast state and I just can't see how members of Congress can sell such a drastic bill that impacts so many People in the state, for example, we are an expansion state. You know, we got 1.6 million people on Medicaid. About 260,000 will lose their benefits. I just don't understand it. We got, you know, 800 and some thousand people on SNAP, you know, that benefits from SNAP benefits. And they were crafty when they drop drew to bill, when they drew it up, they basically none of these, you know, cuts will take effect until after the midterm election. But we are very clear to our constituents these cuts are real. They're coming real hospitals, for example, in Louisiana will close because people won't be able to support them because they're going to lose their health care benefits. It's a terrible bill. And I won't dignified by saying it's a big beautiful bill. It's a big ugly bill. And it was ugly yesterday, it's ugly today, and it's going to be even uglier tomorrow. And I have advocated strongly against it.
- [06:32]
Chris
So we understand that the speaker is coming for your constituents. Now. How have your constituents been reacting to that? And I think that most of our listeners don't know what we're talking about. There's been so much attention to the redistricting in Texas. Can you tell us what's going on in your state?
- [06:51]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Well, I mean, the president, I mean, the president basically is, you know, he's, you know, the, the king and we all supposed to bow down and, and do what he say do, when he say do it and how often he say do it. At the end of the day, a group of legislators were called into Washington. They met with the president. President said, you know, I suspect he said, I need that seat in Louisiana. And it's kind of, you know, draconian because Louisiana is right now before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has opined that they're going to hear the case for a second time on the 15th of October. Though the Louisiana legislature has not been called in the session, a notice have been sent to all the members of the House and the Senate to keep their calendars clear for October because there may be a special session. And we are told that the special session will deal with redistricting on the congressional level. I just think this is a bad, bad president that the President of the United States of America is setting in our nation. Who does that? Who says, I need five more Republican seats? Let me call up a governor, have him to do it. I mean, it's just that's, that's draconian at best. Redistricting is for, you know, every, every 10 years, states should redistrict because the Constitution provides that we can't have but so many people in our respective districts based on the 435 that are divided up across the country. And, and, and then 60 years ago, we started a Voting Rights act because, you know, minority voters were being discriminated against. They were being, particularly in the southern part of our country. Their vote didn't count as much. And so the Justice Department and the Congress passed the bill that said the Justice Department shall step in and review all actions of these 10 states, Louisiana being one of them. And then they did away with subsection five, but we still have subsection two. It is illegal to buy, to, to dilute minority voting strength. And, and that's exactly what they're attempting to do in Texas and, and probably is going to come forth. You'll probably be hearing about it in Louisiana as well.
- [09:15]
Tim
Well, and I, just for our listeners, so this district, correct me if I'm wrong, Congressman, was originally the Supreme Court ordered Louisiana to add a second minority majority district. Am I not correct in that? And that's how your district, what happened.
- [09:31]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Was the old plan, a lawsuit was filed against it and the district court agreed with the plaintiffs and said, no, you're right. You know, Louisiana, According to the 20 census, Louisiana increased in minority population and decreased in majority population. Louisiana's population is over a third black. Over 33% of Louisiana population is black. So this court says, listen, you can't get away with that any longer. You got one congressional district that provides a minority and opportunity to be elected. That's wrong. And so the court said, your plan is invalidated. And it not only did it in the, on the district level, but the appeals court did the same. You know, and then they tried to get some relief from the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court said, no, we take the case later. Y' all got to comply with, you know, what the district court and the appeals court have, have opined. And that's how we ended up in the Supreme Court because this plan took effect. And then several white plaintiffs filed a lawsuit saying that their 14th Amendment rights are violated because of the creation of the plan, and thus we're in the Supreme Court.
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Tim
Ed, when do you, first of all, that is, I will say it, completely, completely absurd. And I just want to let folks know that your district, I believe, is 55% black, correct?
- [11:01]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Actually, it's 50 is 53%. It is the most diverse district, you know, in the state. I mean, I, I, and look, when I, this is not my first rodeo. I've been down this road before. You know, every, there's, and I was telling a group of people on yesterday, there's not a single day I have served in Congress with a district which I represented was not under attack. You know, and I mean, look, you gotta, a third of your population black, got six members of Congress. You can draw a district that's compact with two members of Congress. Why are we debating this? You know, and, and to actually go back and put that legislature back into session to debate, to debate redistricting is just counterproductive to everything Louisiana should be standing for.
- [11:53]
Tim
Yeah. And I think that, you know, also it's, I mean, it's just this has never been done. But I think people need to understand because you hear a lot of people saying, well, states like Illinois or gerrymandered and all this sort of stuff. And the answer to that is yes, but like that is done every 10 years with the census as, as required by, for, by the Constitution. There is no, no constitutional requirement or anything in it about this mid, mid decade gerrymandering other than for strictly partisan reasons. That Donald Trump knows that he's afraid and he knows traditionally, like the party in power this, in, in the midterms loses seats. And I think in particular this bill. Right. Was very unpopular. And I'm going to guess, Congressman, that that bill is incredibly unpopular in your district as well.
- [12:38]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Oh, absolutely. You know, I've held several town hall meetings and people flock to the town hall meetings and people of all races, of all ages and they are, they're terrified. I mean they're, they're, you know, and many members of Congress are not holding town hall meetings on the other side. And so many of their constituents actually come to my town hall meetings to voice their frustrations and concern. And I stand there and I listen to it because, because you know, if I, if I can represent them too in Congress, I will or would. But it, town halls are just on fire all across the country, I think. And that's the reason why the President is so adamant about getting more seats because he know what is going to take place in the midterm because people are fed up. You know, we, we, we, we, we increased the deficit by $3 trillion and gave the riches of the rich people a tax break on the backs of poor people, taking away their Medicaid. That's unconscionable and it should not happen. And I think the people can't wait to get to the post to correct it because they have always lived In a country where there were three branches of government and they were equal and no branch was over the other. And now they see one branch of government that's controlling everything, controlling the legislative branch and to some degree, control in the judicial branch. And people, if they wanted to be in a dictatorship, they would have moved to Russia. I mean, they live here in America and they want the freedoms. People who have served in our military have fought for these freedoms. And I just think the people are going to go to the polls in November and they're going to send a real strong message. And that's why the president is dialing up governors and insisting that they. They reapportion their respective states.
- [14:49]
Chris
Now, what do you think, Congressman, of the way that Democrat leaders around the country have responded like Gavin Newsom?
- [14:57]
Luke
Damn it, you stole my question.
- [14:59]
Chris
Listeners of the show know, know where I stand on this. And Luke, if you want to kind of talk about your feelings.
- [15:06]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Well, I mean, I've, I've said from, from, from day one, I don't believe fighting fire with fire. I believe fighting fire with water, because when you fight fire with fire, you start another fire. When you fight it with water, you put it out. But listen, you know, Democrats can't sit back and just take it, you know, all the time. We've been taking it for too long. I mean, I wish I could say there were other options, you know, but. But this is just crazy when a president, you know, first he called the. The Secretary of state, I think, in Georgia said, give me some votes. Now he's calling states saying, give me votes again. Give me members of Congress so I could. So I can continue to run this train down this track. Look, it's not going to stop. I mean, Gavin Newsom took the position. You take out Democrats, I'm gonna take out Republicans. I just think that's, that's, that's, that's. It's not going to lead to any sanity in our country. But, but, but look, I, I can't blame him because it is what it is. You know, sometimes, you know, my mom taught me, you know, bless her soul, the best way to deal with a bully is just stand up to him, you know, and governors are standing up to him and good for them, you know, because this is. But, but where do we find ourselves in the country in the future? You know, we got mass federal agents, you know, stopping people on the side of the road, not identifying themselves as police officers. Police officers and arresting them and putting them away and not even charging them. That's. We're better than that. I mean, but, you know, and, and the president really understands the power of Congress and that's why he has taken the route that he's taken. And look, kudos to Gavin Newsom and kudos to, to, to the governor of, of Illinois as well. Pricks are. Look, we got to stop this madness and we got to stop it some kind of way. My attitude is you stop it at the voting booth and you stop it in November.
- [17:25]
Tim
Yeah. And I just to. To let people know the outrageousness of what's happening in Louisiana. Correct me if I'm wrong, congressman, but if, if the supreme court rules in favor of dismantling this district, a lot of those. Where. Where do those voters go? Right. Like, I believe a lot of them would actually end up in speaker Johnson's district. Right. Which essentially means that their voice will be neutered because he will not listen to anything that, that your constituents who would theoretically move would. He would not listen to them at all, I am assuming.
- [17:57]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Yeah. If they nullify the district, and I can't see how they do it, but if they do, I mean, then they would redistrict. The legislature will be called into session to redistrict the lines, and ultimately the legislature will make the determination as to what the lines look like. I just think that, you know, if Louisiana go down that road and it appears that they are, that's a dangerous president in and of itself. And they might need to be careful because they may not get the desired results that they are seeking. Because I just think people are mobilized now. People want to be heard in their u. S. Congress and, and drawing lines won't keep them from doing that.
- [18:48]
Luke
Let's just. It's not like a magic light switch that flips and suddenly the seat's taken. Like, you still gotta, you gotta win.
- [18:54]
Congressman Cleo Fields
And Absolutely.
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Luke
People aren't just gonna take it lying down.
- [18:57]
Congressman Cleo Fields
That's right. That's right. And I'm feeling that all over the country, quite frankly.
- [19:02]
Tim
Yeah. I think we've. We've talked to a lot of folks. We've talked to congressman KSAR in Texas and a state reposa in Texas about just the rage that I think constituents are feeling. Because, I mean, it's not even hyperbolic to say that like that they are taking. They are taking power away from people in order to build their own power around legislation that they pass and, and executive orders that they issue that are incredibly unpopular. I, you mentioned the, the ICE agents who are masked and don't identify themselves. This is not what a democracy Does. I think it's exactly what you said. This is what you would expect this in Russia with like, a unmarked van shoving people in and taking away. And, and it's, and, you know, I think it's great to hear that your constituents are very, very concerned and angry about it. And I do think it could serve as a, a, a voter turnout explosion in a way that wouldn't work very well for them as well.
- [20:03]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Oh, I, I agree. And I don't care how they change the lines. I mean, I just don't see the president's, the president winning in November. I just don't see him winning the majority in November. I don't care how they change the lines. I don't see it happening. I think people just fed up with, with, you know, lack of a better word, the foolishness. I mean, people ready for a sane society that they have, you know, been a party part of, for, for years. This is insane, what we're doing today. And, and, you know, hopefully the courts will end some of it, but, you know, once we elect the new Congress, the new Congress will definitely end a lot of it.
- [20:49]
Chris
So, Congressman, what, what do you see is the day after, if, if the best case scenario happens, if the redistricting does not happen the way that the Republicans want it to? Democracy works. ICE agents are not, you know, intimidating voters around the country. Right. Let's say Democrats take the House and even take the Senate. What, what do you see the second two years of this Trump presidency being? Is there going to be an opportunity to, to disincentivize this bad behavior? Because I think that the last 10 years or so or so have proven to me that to, you know, Michelle Obama, I love her as a person, but the advice that she gave us of when they go low, we go high, that hasn't seemed to work. It seems like every time we go high, they go lower. And I personally am of the opinion that we need to start imposing costs on these fascists, on these people who are stripping the rights of specifically of the most vulnerable minorities around the country with the intent to make their lives miserable? It's not simply a game of power. It's, it's, it's to hurt people. So what are Democrats going to do if, in the best case scenario, they get not just the House, but the Senate next year?
- [22:20]
Congressman Cleo Fields
I think best case scenario, Democrats are going to roll back a lot of the policies that the Trump administration has put in place, quite frankly, and I don't think they're going to do it in a, in a You know, in a slow motion type manner. I think they're going to do it from day one, you know, because I think depending on how the vote turn out, it's going to be a mandate. I believe that there is going to be a mandate from the voters to, to, to silence a lot of this, this madness. I mean, who, you know, right now doesn't believe in diversity, equity and inclusion. I never thought I would dream to be in living a day where a President of the United States of America actually signs an executive order saying I want, I want to do away with all diversity, all equity and all inclusion. I mean, how draconian can you be? You know, our military, which is the finest fighting force in the world, you know, they are diverse, you know, and, and it didn't make them worse, it made them better. You know, universities, I mean, it's, it's. We have to. Look, some people don't think we can wait until November, you know, but you know, absent the courts, we have to. But I don't think you're going to see any hesitation from Democrats once they get control of this will and, and, and really slow this president down and put this, this country back on this, on the right course. And I don't think they're going to be bashful about it. I think you're right. And I, I have been one of the members who have spoke very loudly about we have to be the adults in a room, let us not do it this way, let us do it that way. But at the end of the day, you know, I think we have seen so much pain and suffering from, you know, from the least of the, that we have to fix it and we got to fix it right away. And I think that's what you're going to see from the Democrats come, you know, the, the next session of Congress.
- [24:34]
Tim
I'm very happy to hear that. And I think for our audience, you, you touched on it a little bit, the DEI stuff, by the way. Also businesses who institute DEI policies drive stronger revenues because it works. It's the same like you said, it works in universities, it works in the private sector and it's actually anti business to be against dei, which is an infuriating thing. But this president seems to be hell bent on vengeance rather than solving problems.
- [25:03]
Luke
That the guy who bankrupted a casino doesn't know how business works. You know, then he doesn't know diversity is good for a business.
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Tim
I will say that I think the guy who played a businessman on TV is not who we have as president. That is for sure. Well, Congressman, I want to ask one on your, on the Supreme Court case, are there things that our listeners could do right now? Like, you know, we have folks all.
- [25:26]
Luke
Across the country always looking for action.
- [25:28]
Tim
Always looking for things to do. Is there anything that they can do to support you and making sure that, you know, the Supreme Court hears your position and rules in the way that it should. Is there anything they can do?
- [25:42]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Yeah, I mean, I hear it all the time in town hall meetings. People want to do something, you know, and, and we always give people a call to action, tell them what we think they can do. I mean, obviously they can call their members of Congress. They can, you know, every person have two US Senators, they can call both of them. And I say to people, when I have town hall meetings, you know, if, if, if I'm not your congressman, call your congressman. So they certainly can call their members of Congress. I'm at my congressional office, so I can't do any kind of pledge. But you can always go to cleophils.com you know, but, but do something. You know, every single person need to do something. No matter where you are, what you, you know, where you live, you can do something and because it's going to take everybody getting into action to change the, the trajectory of this country.
- [26:45]
Tim
Well, Congressman, I think that is all the time we have today, but thank you very much for coming on and being a champion of working people. And if our audience is, you know, while you are still listening, please go to cleophiels.com to learn, to learn. I'm still getting used to playing a reporter, Congressman, so you gotta with me. I'm like a political hack that's now asking questions. But I want to thank you for coming on. I want everyone to go to your website and support you in any way you can. We will, we will have you back on after, after the ruling and we could talk about next steps. But we appreciate you being in this fight and we wish you all the luck moving forward.
- [27:22]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Thank you, Tim. Thanks, Chris. And then. All right, thank you.
- [27:27]
Tim
All right. That was Congressman Fields. It was really great to have him on. I actually didn't know that the, the Louisiana case was going on and it just that Republicans are going to go across the country to essentially take away votes from Democrats in particular Democrats of color. As, as the Congressman said, his district is 53% black and a lot of them would go to Bike Johnson's district where of course he will do jack for any of them. So yeah, yeah, I think our, our, everybody's favorite segment is going to feature a certain speaker of the House this week. But we got a couple other things that we want to talk about. Yeah, we got a couple other things we want to get to because there's been a lot of stuff in the news. But we're going to start. We're keep going with gerrymandering in Texas, where the Texas Republicans were requiring the. The Democrats who have returned to the state to sign documents allowing the police to escort them off the grounds of the Capitol and back essentially to make sure that they don't leave again. One Congress and one state rep refused and they locked her in the chamber.
- [28:34]
Luke
There's that party of fiscal responsibility.
- [28:37]
Tim
Yeah, yeah. And would you be shocked to know that that woman is a person of color? If you look online, there's pictures of her literally, like sleeping in the chambers with like a blanket. And, you know, and I think some other members also joined her possibly. And there were some really amazing creators on the ground, a couple women in particular, which I'm unfortunately spacing on the names that really gave attention to this issue. And I think it's important to highlight the work that these, these women have done to make sure that everybody knows this story. So we want to give them a lot of kudos. But yeah, this is what Republicans do now. They are trying to lock or I guess detain members of the opposing party in order to get what they want.
- [29:25]
Congressman Cleo Fields
They're not.
- [29:26]
Tim
Fascism seem like a good strategy? Yeah. Not fascist. No.
- [29:30]
Chris
I just think that it's just so on the nose that the Republicans have to be doing this on purpose. They're like, they think they know that literally locking a black woman up is going to get them votes. They know that their base is excited by the idea or the ideas of misogyny and racism. And that is why they're allowing the optics to. To exist like this. You know, this is, I mean, exactly like, you know, it's the same idea, the same logic as deploying the National Guard from former Confederate states, the militia from former Confederate states to Washington D.C. to, to patrol and intimidate black neighborhoods. This is all a through line for them.
- [30:27]
Tim
And just so I did not say her name because I wanted to make sure I got it right. It is Nicole Collier, the representative from the Fort Worth area that was essentially detained. So if you want to go support her, you can Google her and do that. But yeah, Chris, you're right. I mean, this goes along with, like you said, like National Guard from West Virginia and I think South Carolina were called to D.C. and by the way, if you look at any of the photos and videos coming out of dc, Most of these people are just sitting around doing.
- [30:54]
Luke
They're not doing all. I actually had a question on that, and I think it goes to Chris. I read online that they've not been given, like, specific orders that's kind of just sit around and do all. And I also read, but I couldn't find it, like a good source on it is that there's no payment that goes out if there's not a specific order involved. Is that true?
- [31:15]
Chris
So anytime that they're activated, they're. They're going to get paid for their time. What typically happens with the National Guard is if you're on orders for longer than 30 days, like basically a month or longer, then you get an additional pay. It's, it's recognized as kind of a hardship. So the, and this isn't just a Trump thing. The Democratic presidents do it as well. When there's natural disasters, they make sure that the National Guard is only active, or governors and presidents make sure the National Guard is only activated for like 28 days and then they rush them home. So this, this is a way that troops get bucked no matter who is president, no matter who is governor. So we, we can expect more of that. But as far as not receiving specific orders, I, I just did a video on this yesterday kind of explaining why the dismissive comments that I'm seeing and the dismissive reporting that I'm seeing of like, oh, they're only patrolling the safest neighborhoods, the tourist areas. That's because what's the orders are is to conduct a presence patrol. The vast majority of what I did in Iraq was a presence patrol. Like, every day you're not going and kicking down doors, doing raids. Right. That, that is not what a sustained occupation looks like. Like a presence patrol is you're wearing all your gear, you drive your big armored vehicle into the middle of a city, and then you walk around and you look scary. Your presence.
- [32:49]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Yeah.
- [32:49]
Chris
Your presence is both a threat to your perceived enemies, saying, hey, we're big, we're bad, and we'll take you out if you, if you with us. And it's to communicate reassurance to your allies. So in the case of D.C. specifically, the, the communicated threat is in front of the tourist areas because a photo of a National Guardsman in front of the National Mall or, you know, in front of the Washington Monument or Congress or the White House, that communicates the threat more broadly than it does, you know, a National Guardsman hanging out in the Navy Yard where the average American is not going to recognize the building behind, right? And the second thing is by the National Guard being so present and getting so much visibility that is allowing ICE and the rest of these mass thugs who are on the outskirts of that area to engage in more violence because they feel reassured. They're like, we have the backing of the military so we can go ahead and beat the fuck out of Americans and violate their First Amendment will violate all of their constitutional rights. That's just it.
- [34:06]
Luke
I did a video on this Monday, I think where I'd seen that there's like several reports now of ICE impersonators grabbing women and kidnapping and assaulting them. And I asked the, like in the video, I asked the slack jawed fuckwits that watch my videos to explain to me where the difference is between that and what ICE is doing. Because there's no identification. They don't show warrants, they don't show badges, they don't show their face. They come in, they scream and shout like cartel kidnappers and there's no, there's no difference. So like, how, how. Because I, I saw it so often on like the conservative cesspool online that you know, the women should have known the difference between the, the impersonators and realize how, how, what, what the is the difference. There's no difference. But they, they really spun into that.
- [34:55]
Chris
One real hard when the cops came and arrested the, the conservative TikTok hero, the elder Millennial, and he peed his pants.
- [35:05]
Luke
They identified peeing. I can't stop peeing.
- [35:09]
Chris
They were wearing police uniforms. The elder Millennial gets the respect, you know, because, because he's a white guy.
- [35:17]
Luke
Because he's a piece of shit that.
- [35:19]
Chris
That other Americans do not. And I just, I just want to reiterate that the elder Millennial peed himself.
- [35:25]
Luke
So several times.
- [35:27]
Tim
We need to. For those, for those listeners who are not perpetually on Tick Tock, we have to explain who this is. So Elder Millennial, who is perpetually.
- [35:39]
Luke
You describe it, you describe the time. His, his handle is the older Millennial. He's been banned countless times. He's. I think he's finally got himself a verified account though, so he's safe from banning. But he spreads possibly the most heinous and it goes really viral. I mean normally most of his goes viral because some liberal Tick Tocker stomps the ever loving out of him and then a bunch of people go to watch the original video. But he is a major piece of. But as a Lot of major pieces of do. He was in a little trouble with the law. He, I think it was a parole violation that they were looking for him for. And he, he was on the run, staying at an Airbnb, having a few drinky poos. And the cops finally found him and he was in like the backyard. And as is very common on the. Well, just comply. He did not just comply. He attempted to flee and they finally got him. And I think. Did they tase him, Chris? I think they tasted.
- [36:36]
Tim
Yes, he got tased.
- [36:38]
Luke
To be clear, he is absolutely piss drunk. And as after he's been tased, he's laying on the ground and he's talking about how he can't stop peeing himself. Just can't stop peeing. And it is the funniest thing you will ever see.
- [36:53]
Chris
Well, what is great is like two days later he went back to producing videos about just comply and you want to beat up.
- [37:01]
Luke
They have no shame.
- [37:04]
Tim
Well, but that's, but they know. But the thing is, yes, they don't have any shame, but they also know that like, that it works when you talk to other magas and you say everyone who is especially a white male, yeah, you just comply because nothing's going to happen to you. But like, you know, there are so many instances of people of color just.
- [37:25]
Luke
All across the country and it doesn't matter.
- [37:27]
Tim
They are complying and they're getting, let's say a knee on the neck or they're getting put into a Just comply.
- [37:33]
Luke
I'm gonna punch you in the throat because that's some racist. That is a racist dog whistle.
- [37:37]
Tim
You've got, you know, the South Carolina police officer who shot the black man in the back as he was running away. So, like all of these things about just comply, it's just a dog whistle, right? It's just like you're, you're telling, you're telling people shut up.
- [37:51]
Luke
That's all it. It's victim blaming.
- [37:53]
Tim
But when they do it, you know, older millennial is like literally, well, tried.
- [37:58]
Luke
Tried to run from the war.
- [38:00]
Tim
He didn't get very far. And we're laughing because he, he, he is so absurd and so vicious garbage person there.
- [38:10]
Luke
At one point he argued for disabled children being killed at birth. And that to me is like, okay, I don't ever have to worry about ever saying anything bad about you because you already did it. You're a sack of shit who is worthless. That's, that's just my opinion on the guy.
- [38:28]
Tim
Right? But unfortunately, that I wouldn't be surprised if older millennial got a position in the Trump administration. Because they all think the same stuff. Yeah. Like they. But this is, this is how MAGA operates. It's like one set of rules for me and a different set for everybody else. And that's how the sort of our class structure has been set in this country anyways. Right. Rich people, rich white people have a different set of rules than the, than the, you know, the poor people of color. They, they don't get the same rights that everybody else does. And they, this, this mega movement was born out of the fact that things were evening. Not even. Not even. But things were getting closer to equitable and that's why they lost their minds.
- [39:15]
Luke
Well, it's victim blaming. It's always victim blaming with them. It's no different than that. Why couldn't you tell the difference between the ice impersonators and real ice? Because. And it's no different than, well, what was she wearing? Or this? All of it.
- [39:25]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Right.
- [39:26]
Luke
It's always victim blaming. Just comply. All of it.
- [39:29]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Always.
- [39:30]
Tim
Yeah.
- [39:31]
Chris
And for, for folks who don't know the older millennial and don't want to go on Tick tock, you can just Google Joe Redden. R E D D E N. There's.
- [39:40]
Luke
I saw somebody that made a flash game out of the thing of him getting taste.
- [39:45]
Tim
Well, tell, tell him what it is, Chris. What's the. What if you go to Redden?
- [39:49]
Chris
So his full name is Joe Redden. R E D D E N. And I, I wish I knew this, this, this person's name, but I believe that the reason that he was found, because he had been on the run because he had violated parole for his dui or perhaps multiple dui.
- [40:08]
Tim
Multiple.
- [40:09]
Chris
There, there was a woman who, her name is Bunny. Was it Bunny?
- [40:14]
Luke
I think it's Bunny.
- [40:16]
Chris
So there was a woman who he went after and she had professionally done very similar work to what I do, like intelligence gathering. And she, she does that work specifically for law enforcement for people who skip bail. So for a guy who. Stupid idea for a guy who skips bail is like, oh, I'm gonna pick on this, this totally random woman. Not like a big creator, not a public person. Right. He went after her personally and she was getting like debt threats and all sorts of stuff. And she's like, she was like, joe, my friend, this is what I do professionally. So she started using things like, like watching his videos and seeing what's in the background and cross referencing it to find street names and narrow down to the Airbnb because she saw the outside of the house. She went through Airbnb and looked for listings in that area, found a watching house and was like, called up the local PD and was like, hey, that. That guy who skipped bell, I know exactly where he is. And as cops do, they, you know, paid him a Visit at. At 2am when it might have been a weekday. I'm not certain, but I think he was piss drunk at 2am on a weekday.
- [41:35]
Luke
He attempted to run.
- [41:37]
Chris
See, I used the term piss. He was pissed drunk.
- [41:41]
Tim
I got, I got. That was accidental, literally.
- [41:47]
Chris
But it just goes to show, man, like, during this show, we have talked about all of these fucking heroic women. You know, these. Whether it's the. The member of the Texas House or, Or the creators and activists from outside the Texas who really drove that news of this story of. Of a black woman being unlawfully fucking detained by her colleagues. The. Of racist Republicans in Texas to the. The woman Bunny, the TikTok creator Bunny who investigates people who skip bail for a living, who is doing what I always advocate all the time, imposing real costs on these fascists.
- [42:34]
Tim
Well, it's just clear that like the, The. The rule. Old rules don't work anymore. Like you, you can't take them to the. Like, you can't be the bigger person because if you're the. What you sit on your moral high ground as everything burns. Like, it doesn't. It doesn't work. So you have to do this. It's the same with like, we all support what Gavin Newsom's doing in California. Not because we like gerrymandering, because we don't.
- [42:56]
Luke
And I think we like Gavin Newsom because I don't.
- [42:59]
Tim
Well, right. I mean, like, he's had some stuff, you know, but, but you know that it's time to fight fire with fire because like sitting on your moral high ground and never being able to recapture the House of Representatives doesn't do any good for anybody.
- [43:11]
Congressman Cleo Fields
No.
- [43:12]
Tim
So ye. We're in this. We'd prefer it to be an independent commission that did these fairly.
- [43:16]
Luke
Which would that be nice voting or any of the other things that could have happened if you didn't have a. Idiot.
- [43:24]
Tim
Yeah, but this is this. They are a lawless administration and the people that support them don't give a. About the Constitution. They don't give a. About the Bill of Rights. They just care about power. That's it. And Democrats are absolutely sort of starting to wake up. Up to that, I think.
- [43:40]
Chris
Yeah. Oh, could. Could we talk about the. The Senate candidate in Maine?
- [43:46]
Tim
Yeah, let's do it, dude.
- [43:47]
Chris
So Tim, do you remember his name? I, I feel like a dummy trying to bring him up.
- [43:52]
Tim
I'll find you in a second.
- [43:54]
Chris
So there is a, there's a, a combat veteran who just announced his candidacy I think yesterday. It's at least the first I saw it was, was yesterday, two days ago. If you're listening to this, while this episode is Friday, he is an oyster farmer. And this guy's video, you know, the intro videos for Democrats are always very high production and they're often very impressive. But this guy, you know, calls what is happening in Gaza a genocide. This guy says, you know, the enemy isn't left or right. The enemy is the oligarchy. This, this type of progressive populism is exactly the, the kind of thing that not, not Democrats, not progressives, that Americans have been clamoring for. The, the idea. I mean, Donald Trump's whole thing drained the swamp. Idiots believe that. They're like, oh yeah, this billionaire who's corruption is part of his fucking DNA and always had spin before he was involved in politics. He's going to drain the swamp. No, people who are naming the oligarchy in their camp in their first campaign act, that is somebody who I want to see in the fucking Senate. I want to see people in the Senate who are not going to treat Mark Zuckerberg like a special little.
- [45:13]
Congressman Cleo Fields
He's not a pal who gets, you.
- [45:14]
Chris
Know, who, who gets to, you know, reshape our country by letting guys like Steve Bannon get access to every, every American so that they can try and manipulate our reality into this fear based clickbait.
- [45:32]
Tim
So his name is Graham Platner and he is an oyster farmer in Maine. And you know, a lot of people think of lobster. I'm from Maine, so which I've said a million times, so probably everyone knows, but he's a Mainer. He is a Mainer. And you know, people think of, of lobstering in Maine, but oyster farming is also a big, a big industry there. And he, he looks like a Mainer and I think that's really important. He is the salt of the earth guy. Like you said, like Susan Collins has not faced somebody like this before. And I actually think, you know, depending on how it goes, as you know, we just see one video, but I think somebody like that could give her a run for money because people could see themselves in. I like, I just look at this and I'm like, yep, I've got a bunch of friends who look exactly like that.
- [46:21]
Chris
That.
- [46:21]
Tim
And I think that matters. And Susan Collins is a creature of DC. She's been there since the 90s. She's already violated her pledge to only serve two terms. And she is the fakes. I know. Well, she's also just like. The bigger lie is that she's a moderate. And I think that Maine loves independent people. So she has done this very smartly. But the reality is she's never the. She's never the deciding vote on anything that she votes against Republicans. And that's because she's got a deal with McConnell, enthune and all these guys. It's basically like, let me vote no when we've got the votes now because. So that she can run back and go, I didn't vote this. I didn't vote for the bbb. But like, she, if it came down to it, and it was a 50 50, she would have. And I think somebody like this, like Sarah Gideon, who ran before, I'll be perfectly honest, she had a horrible campaign. She raised a ton of money and then she didn't spend it all. And she. It was bad that. And I think somebody like this could be the anecdote and it also could be a signal to other Democrats. These are the types of Democrats people want. And this is a way to turn the page on sort of this Democrats are weak and feckless. And all this stuff's like. No, like that guy, veteran, works with his hands all day long. He knows more about what Maine needs than Susan Collins.
- [47:37]
Luke
Hey, so you want to talk about somebody else that's feckless?
- [47:41]
Chris
Do it.
- [47:42]
Tim
Wait, are we. Are we ready for.
- [47:43]
Luke
I think we can transition. I thought I was proud lady.
- [47:46]
Tim
Ladies and gentlemen, I know you should. I should have just let you do it. Now I'm going to do this horrible intro. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for everybody's favorite segment on the Findout podcast. It's time for get presented by Luke.
- [48:03]
Luke
So, you know, I've been thinking about this. This whole episode when we recorded with the congressman. And now, now, unfortunately, I, you know, but I was thinking about it. I'm pretty sure that Mitch, that Mike Johnson is the only person on the planet that somehow evolved without a spine. I mean, he can stand perfectly fine somehow, but he rolls over at every possible turn and at the same time preaches him. Oh, the preaching. I don't. Oh, oh, we passed the big beautiful bill where we're gonna cut Medicaid and health assistance for so many people. Oh, and food assistance for veterans and kids. Them. We're gonna pray afterward. You know, I, I think that was in the Bible, right? The, you know, take from the. The poor and the needy and give it to the rich because it's theirs. I'm pretty sure I remember that line. And at the same time, he demonizes every LGBTQ person on the planet while at the same time being in a pledge with his son to. To manage what kind of porn each other watches. That's the kind of person we're talking about.
- [49:06]
Chris
About.
- [49:07]
Luke
They have an app that tells each other what porn they're watching because they're each other's accountability partners. You tell me that that's not a freak show thing to do. I'll tell you that it is. So get Mike Johnson. I hate.
- [49:24]
Chris
It is so weird, dude. Like, I have. I have been studying, like, QAnon since. Since the beginning. Since before it was. Before it was QAnon. When. In the Pizzagate era, right? When there were these conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton, like, drinking children's blood in a basement that didn't exist in a. In a piece of place. Right. To see the party who is so obsessed with the idea that everybody's a pedo being like you. I have no problem with the speaker of the House sharing his porn habits.
- [50:00]
Luke
Exactly.
- [50:01]
Chris
Oh, son.
- [50:01]
Tim
So it's a.
- [50:02]
Luke
It's a problem that a trans person reads a children's book.
- [50:05]
Congressman Cleo Fields
Book.
- [50:05]
Luke
Two children. But when Mike Johnson tells his son that he's watching this kind of porn, it's fine. No, that's freaky. And the fact that you can't see that makes me hate you, because that tells me that it doesn't have diddly to do with kids being exposed to things they shouldn't be exposed to. And it has to do with fucking bigotry. That's all it is.
- [50:25]
Chris
Yeah. I mean, let me fit this into a tweet. Mike Johnson shares with his kid what kind of porn he watches.
- [50:33]
Luke
Exactly.
- [50:33]
Chris
That is crazy.
- [50:36]
Tim
That is crazy.
- [50:38]
Luke
Common knowledge. And nobody seems to care.
- [50:42]
Tim
Well, go back to the first segment in the show. Like a lot of Congressman Fields constituents, if the Supreme Court overturns the district, are going to be in Mike Johnson's district, but in a small enough number that he never has to listen to them. And it is just completely outrageous that this right wing, you know, culture warrior has any power, let alone being speaker of the House. And, you know, the whole praying after you cut a trillion dollars from Medicaid. I think that that is probably a good note to end on for today. I want to thank everybody for listening, and thank you to the Congressman for joining us on short notice. It hasn't even been 24 hours since we put that together, so it's pretty awesome. And everybody please go Support him@cleofields.com Also, don't forget that you can support us by going to substack findout podcast.substack.com and becoming a paid subscriber or buying merch. Which, by the way, we keep teasing Merch. The new merch, I believe will be in our store by the end of the week. So we will be communicating that there's some really cool stuff, but you can go check out what we've got there now@findoutpodcast.com on behalf of Chris and Luke, thank you all for watching and or listening and we will be back on Tuesday. Have a great weekend everybody.