The Glenn Beck Program – Best of the Program
Guests: Emma Morris & AG Ken Paxton | May 1, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of The Glenn Beck Program blends the personal and political with Glenn’s characteristic wit and candid opinions. The show navigates the evolving landscape of American politics, exploring Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's race for U.S. Senate and his ongoing legal challenges with the controversial “Epic City” Muslim community development. Glenn then shifts gears to an in-depth, behind-the-scenes conversation with Emma Morris, the journalist who first broke the Hunter Biden laptop story, revealing new detail about its origins and media suppression. The episode closes on a humorous note, lampooning team member Jason Buttrill’s botched Botox experience in New York, with plenty of good-natured ribbing.
Key Segments & Discussion Points
1. Ken Paxton on Epic City & Sharia Law in Texas
Timestamps: 03:40 – 14:23
The Fight Over “Epic City”
- Paxton details the controversy surrounding the “Epic City”/Meadows Muslim development in Collin County, Texas.
- Ongoing lawsuits: Epic sued the Texas Workforce Commission, claiming compliance with fair housing laws, but new violations surfaced, prompting renewed investigations by both the TWC and HUD.
- Judge Amy Clark Meacham ruled the project could proceed, but Paxton’s office has appealed, temporarily blocking further action pending the 15th Circuit Court’s decision.
- Paxton's concerns:
- The proliferation of exclusively Muslim developments, with alleged attempts to self-govern under Sharia law.
- Upholding state and federal law: “You can't develop your own little community and then decide that you're going to determine your own laws that are separate and apart from the laws of the nation.” (Ken Paxton, 08:05)
- Concern that Texas is a key target for ideological shifts that could tip national politics irreversibly.
One Party Control, Election Integrity, and The Red-Green Alliance
- Paxton voices deep worries about “a one-party system” engineered through mail-in ballots, lax voter ID, and other procedural changes.
- “Ultimately what the Democrats want and the progressives want is... elections are rigged, but they never say they're rigged and they control the government...” (Ken Paxton, 09:30)
- Glenn and Ken draw parallels between Texas and developments in Europe (“no-go zones,” the rise of Sharia law in immigrant communities).
- Glenn: “You're singling out Islamists. 48% in a recent poll in Europe, 48% of those immigrants say they want Sharia law in Europe...” (Glenn Beck, 09:49)
- Beck presses Paxton to pledge “a nationwide ban on Sharia law.”
- Paxton: “Absolutely. It's inconsistent with our Constitution... We will crumble and have serious issues like Europe is having.” (10:48)
- The pair reflect on September 11th's lesson and the silence among some U.S. Muslim leaders regarding terrorism.
Senate Race Insights
- Paxton touts his campaign, condemns his opponent for spending $100 million to mischaracterize his record, and urges turnout:
- “No poll means anything until they actually deliver and show up and vote.” (Ken Paxton, 14:06)
Notable Quote:
“If we're not diligent in Texas and we're not diligent in our country, we will lose our country. We will not have our constitutional freedoms that our founders put in place.” — Ken Paxton (11:10)
2. Emma Morris: Breaking the Hunter Biden Laptop Story
Timestamps: 14:24 – 26:04
The Origin of a Political Bombshell
- Emma Morris recounts receiving a stunning tip from Steve Bannon: “I have Hunter Biden’s computer.”
- Morris’ skepticism: “It sounds like a lie. And I'm thinking to myself, like, can you just not get me fired? Like, whatever...can it not end with me being fired?” (Emma Morris, 16:04)
- Confronts initial disbelief—crack addict lost laptop, wild chain of custody. Persuaded by producer’s streetwise assurance: “Emma, you just come from too nice of a neighborhood for this. You never met any crackheads? I've met crackheads, and they forget things.” (Emma Morris, 17:00)
- Trust but verify:
- The documents needed airtight confirmation. “How could I confirm something that has been through a chain of custody? What I can confirm is what I'm reporting.” (Emma Morris, 20:59)
- Used contact lists to reach out to business associates directly to corroborate emails and documents—leading to sources like Tony Bobulinski coming forward.
- “We just called them and said, hey, it's New York Post. I'm gonna read you something...And that's it.” (Emma Morris, 22:23)
- Focus on substance, not salacious distractions:
- Glenn: “I'm so glad you didn't select the porn part to go over...The real problem were these sweetheart deals and these backroom deals that you exactly like.”
- Emma: “It’s not a scandal to me. The scandal to me is Joe Biden and the business.” (23:26)
The Twitter Blackout & Media Fallout
- The story is instantly blacklisted on Twitter; even DMs disabled, flagged as “child porn” internally due to FBI briefings.
- “Within two hours, it was classified as child porn internally.” (Emma Morris, 24:28)
- The FBI had the laptop long before the story broke.
- Glenn notes: “So nobody did pick it up, at least for a long time. And then by that time, what did it mean?” (24:16)
Notable Quote:
“The real scandal isn't even the story itself. The real scandal is the reaction.” — Emma Morris (22:25)
3. Comic Relief: The ‘Sissiest Marine’ Gets Botox
Timestamps: 26:11 – 37:24
A Marine’s (Mis)Adventure with Botox
- Glenn and the team mercilessly lampoon Jason Buttrill’s reluctant Botox appointment in a New York walk-up.
- Jason’s wife tricks him into coming: “She’s been saying my expression lines are getting out of control, which they kind of are. But I feel like that’s just character.” (Jason Buttrill, 30:13)
- The “back alley” setting, Russian-accented technician, and Jason fainting afterward prompt jokes about revoking Jason’s “man card.”
- Banter about gender roles, marriage, Broadway, and “Marine Cocktail Weenies” biker jackets.
- Glenn relishes the reversal: “I want a different poll. Should the Marines revoke any information they may have on his tour of duty?” (35:33)
Notable Quotes:
“Tell me how you stormed those beaches yesterday. Tell me about it.” — Glenn Beck (29:34)
“She knew exactly how to nail me. So I ended up getting suckered into this.” — Jason Buttrill (30:57)
“This is a man who went to a Broadway show every night this week.” — Glenn Beck (34:04)
Memorable Moments
- Paxton’s hardline stance on Sharia: His unequivocal “absolutely” to banning Sharia law nationwide echoed throughout the segment, underlining the episode’s culture-war focus (10:48).
- Emma Morris’ candor: Her honest account of being young, underqualified, and thrust into a maelstrom of political intrigue personalized the story, while her reflection on the difference between reporting facts and “campaigning for Trump” was refreshingly nuanced (19:25–19:51).
- Botox debacle: Lighthearted skewering of masculinity and modern norms, with Buttrill’s physical and emotional response to Botox injections serving as comedic gold (33:03).
Essential Timestamps
- Epic City/Sharia Law with Ken Paxton: 03:40 – 14:23
- Hunter Biden Laptop with Emma Morris: 14:24 – 26:04
- Jason Buttrill’s Botox Story: 26:11 – 37:24
Tone & Style
Glenn Beck’s mix of earnest cultural commentary and irreverent humor is on display throughout, alternating between dire warnings about the future of American law and democracy, and playful, self-deprecating jabs among the team. The episode is accessible, partisan, but occasionally shows nuance, particularly in Morris’s nuanced approach to journalistic integrity.
For First-Time Listeners
This episode is a microcosm of The Glenn Beck Program’s appeal: political controversy, inside-baseball media tales, and group camaraderie. Whether discussing the Texas-Muslim community controversy, the suppressed Hunter Biden laptop scoop, or a Marine’s misadventures with cosmetic procedures, the show delivers both substance and levity.