The Glenn Beck Program – Best of the Program | Guests: Peter Schweizer & Dave 'Heavy D' Sparks | 10/15/25

Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck
Guests: Peter Schweizer, Dave "Heavy D" Sparks, Chris Martinson

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program centers on investigative journalist Peter Schweizer’s findings about alleged foreign influence in the Mamdani mayoral campaign, the legal and personal struggles of Diesel Brothers’ Dave "Heavy D" Sparks after being jailed over Clean Air Act violations, and Chris Martinson’s stark warnings regarding energy shortages in the wake of AI-driven demand. The episode is threaded with Beck’s characteristic wit, urgent tone, and a focus on the institutional and cultural forces shaping American life.

Key Segments, Insights, and Quotes

1. Alleged Foreign Influence in the Mamdani Campaign

Guests: Peter Schweizer
Time: 02:54–15:57

Main Points

• International Attention and Funding:

  • Hezbollah’s Al Khandiq highlighted Mamdani's potential to become mayor of NY and possibly rise to Homeland Security Secretary. This signals international interest in the campaign ([03:11]).
  • Mamdani and his family are closely tied to the Qatari royal family, which has bankrolled the family’s projects and amplified Mamdani’s campaign globally.

• Disturbing Historical Ties:

  • The Qatari royals previously protected Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of 9/11; their support for Mamdani raises concerns ([03:55]).
  • Public records show, during the 1990s, Qatar helped KSM evade the FBI, with former Director Louis Freeh lamenting that his capture might have prevented 9/11.

“The world is watching... the royal family of Qatar... not only has bankrolled the Mamdanis... they’re out on social around the world pushing for Madani’s campaign... he and his family are joined to the hip with the Qatari royal family.”
— Peter Schweizer ([03:11])

• Radical Alignment and External Endorsements:
  • The Mamdani family is said to completely mirror Qatari foreign policy, which Schweizer emphasizes is anti-Israel and pro-Hamas ([05:30]).
  • Additional positive coverage and support come from Iranian news agencies and radical imams tied to US-based super PACs funding Mamdani.

“This is a global mayoral race. And people in New York and people around the country better be aware, the stakes are higher than just what happens in New York City.”
— Peter Schweizer ([07:46])

• CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Support:
  • The Center for Marxism in China praised the campaign, while Roy Singham, a radical billionaire close to the CCP, leverages organizations in NY to aid Mamdani ([07:52]).
  • 78% of campaign donations come from outside NY, mostly California and PACs with ties to contentious groups (like CAIR, linked to Hamas) and some identified illegal foreign donations ([09:45]).

“The CCP shares... interest that these other foreign actors have in seeing Mamdani win because they see this as a foothold that they can establish in the United States.”
— Peter Schweizer ([08:25])

• Law Enforcement and RICO Implications:
  • Schweizer’s team is sharing evidence with the White House and FBI; Glenn describes the FBI as being “far behind” investigating these networks ([11:02]).
  • Both argue the Mamdani campaign aligns with RICO’s definition, used to prosecute organized crime.

“This is the very definition of RICO... the organized funding of radical groups... groups that are engaging in violent, provocative acts targeting U.S. law enforcement... this is a classic definition of rico.”
— Peter Schweizer ([13:24])

Notable Quotes

• Glenn Beck: “I got a call from the FBI over the weekend, and I had three FBI agents show up at my house...” ([11:58])
• Glenn on government inertia: “No, the administrations of the past, since Barack Obama, they have sworn off all investigations of this stuff.” ([12:59])

2. Jailing and Legal Ordeal of Dave 'Heavy D' Sparks (Diesel Brothers)

Guest: Dave "Heavy D" Sparks
Time: 17:23–28:52

Main Points

• Solitary Confinement Over Clean Air Act:
  • Dave was jailed for contempt of court after nine years of legal battles over diesel truck modifications, then placed in solitary for his own safety as a high-profile figure ([18:25]).

“Man, it was the most dehumanizing experience of my life.”
— Dave Sparks ([19:24])

• Procedural Failures and Vindication:
  • The contempt charge stemmed from allegations he failed to produce documents, later disproved in court when his attorney presented evidence.
  • The judge, realizing the error, apologized and ordered his release, expressing outrage at the plaintiffs ([19:27]).

“I can't believe this ever happened. Mr. Sparks, I'm at a loss for words. I'm now finally seeing what's happening here, and you're, you know, you're going to be free immediately.”
— Judge, as recounted by Dave Sparks ([20:43])

• Broken Incentives in Environmental Litigation:
  • The private group Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) sues for attorney’s fees, which can amount to more than the penalties levied and incentivize endless lawsuits ([21:48]).

“They don't want to settle. They want the press, they want the publicity and they want to continue to just milk this never ending cow of free... just media that they've been getting by suing the Diesel brothers.”
— Dave Sparks ([21:53])

• Broader Legal and Regulatory Issues:
  • Sparks highlights how the Clean Air Act’s broad wording allows abuse—people have faced severe prison sentences for minor technical violations ([24:13]).
  • Activist attorneys exploit the law’s open-ended provisions, leading to a pattern of abusive litigation and huge disruptions for small businesses ([26:07]).

Notable Quotes

• Glenn Beck: “Life sentence for what? Putting a street pipe out of the engine?” ([24:13])
• Dave “Heavy D” Sparks: “Let’s say you’re driving down the freeway, your check engine light comes on, there’s an attorney in your rearview mirror... The judge will say, got it. There’s no defense. The clean air defect leaves no room for any sort of interpretation…” ([25:57])
• Dave on standing up: “I just knew that I was standing up for myself… turned out to be a much bigger picture.” ([25:46])

3. Energy Crisis Triggered by AI & Data Centers

Guest: Chris Martinson
Time: 29:54–39:23

Main Points

• AI’s Explosive Demand on US Power Infrastructure:
  • AI’s need for “compute” is drastically increasing demand in data centers, causing local utility rates to skyrocket—up to 300% in some areas ([30:45]).

“Nationally since 2022, electricity costs have gone up 35%... if you happen to live near these data centers, you might have seen your electricity costs go up by nearly 300%.”
— Chris Martinson ([30:45])

• Policy Lag and Infrastructural Bottlenecks:
  • The US is not building sufficient power capacity or modernizing the grid fast enough, particularly compared to China ([31:46]).
  • Permitting and NRC red tape remains a major obstacle to rapid deployment of small nuclear or other new capacity, with long lead times for key components like transformers ([32:27], [36:18]).

“Your electricity bills are going to explode and your natural gas bills are going to explode because we just don’t have enough. This is the biggest, most obvious supply demand mismatch in history.”
— Chris Martinson ([33:44])

• Stark International Comparison:
  • China now produces 150% more electricity than the US and is racing ahead in AI-facilitating infrastructure ([38:12]).

“Today, China produces 10,000 terawatt hours and we're still at about 4,000... so if we said, wow, AI is fundamentally about power... we won't be able to catch up to China anytime soon.”
— Chris Martinson ([38:12])

• Risks for the Public:
  • Rolling brownouts like California’s are described as a near-certainty unless dramatic action is taken—a “certainty at this point” ([39:10]).

Notable Quotes

• Beck on scale: “They’re putting in one gigawatt, two gigawatt data centers. Sam Altman said we need six, five gigawatt data centers. What does that mean? Denver runs on just under a gigawatt.” ([34:27])
• Chris Martinson: “We want to install an entire Denver’s worth of electricity consumption and we’re going to use it mostly to make videos of cats on skates for now.” ([34:28])
• Martinson on the solution: “All energy policies have to start with what do we have, how much do we need? If there’s anything left over, that’s what we sell... That’s not quite how it’s arranged right now.” ([37:12])

4. Cultural Critique and Closing Thoughts

• Beck reflects on institutional inertia, government gridlock, and lack of forward thinking in the US policy sphere, particularly regarding critical technology and energy infrastructure ([39:23+]).
• He warns that without dramatic change in energy policy and a deeper public discussion of AI’s real-world impact, the US risks losing its global position and stability.

“You cannot run a country on what’s happening today. You have to have a 5, 10, 20-year plan. When it comes to technology... Those are the things that everybody needs to be talking about right now.”
— Glenn Beck ([39:23+])

Timestamps Recap

• 02:54: Peter Schweizer on Mamdani campaign and foreign influence
• 07:52: Discussion of CCP & other foreign actors’ support
• 09:45: Funding sources and illegal donations to Mamdani
• 11:02: Law enforcement involvement, FBI dialogue
• 13:24: RICO statute and organized funding debate
• 17:23: Dave Sparks on being jailed for Clean Air Act violations
• 19:27: Courtroom vindication after proving compliance
• 21:48: The structure and abuse of attorney’s fees in environmental cases
• 26:07: Breakdown of activist litigation tactics in Utah
• 29:54: Chris Martinson on AI, energy demand, and utility price spikes
• 31:46: Proximity to server farms and local energy pressure
• 34:27: The daunting scale of required infrastructure vs. current capacity
• 38:12: International electricity production race vs. China
• 39:23+: Beck’s closing warning and critique on US policy

Summary

This episode paints a sobering picture of the interplay between international intrigue, institutional loopholes, and the looming energy challenges facing the US. Beck’s guests—whistleblowers, insiders, and experts—each lay out a facet of how global interests, bureaucratic inertia, and unchecked legal activism threaten American sovereignty, daily life, and economic stability. The consistent refrain: Without vigilance, transparency, and bold planning, ordinary Americans are left paying the price, literally and figuratively.