Why Won't Johnson swear-in Congresswoman-elect with Adelita Grijalva? Plus Elise Labott on the Middle East.

Summary

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The Jim Acosta Show - Episode Summary

Episode Title: Why Won't Johnson Swear-in Congresswoman-elect with Adelita Grijalva? Plus Elise Labott on the Middle East.
Air Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Jim Acosta
Primary Guests: Elise Labott (journalist, Cosmopolitics Substack), Adelita Grijalva (Congresswoman-elect, Arizona)

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Overview

This episode is broadly split into two powerful, high-stakes discussions:

1. The Middle East "Peace" Deal and the release of Israeli hostages with journalist Elise Labott, critically dissecting President Trump's new Middle East agreement.
2. The Delay in Swearing-In of Adelita Grijalva, Arizona's Congresswoman-elect, and the political context, focusing on why Speaker Mike Johnson is stalling her induction—allegedly connected to pending votes on the Epstein files.

Throughout, Jim Acosta maintains a direct and passionate tone, challenging political narratives and emphasizing the urgency of democracy and accountability.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Middle East: Hostage Release, Trump’s “Peace” Deal, and Regional Uncertainty

[00:33–23:12]

The Visuals and Realities of Hostage Return

• Acosta and Labott open with emotional reflections on hostages returning to Israel after two years. Relief is tempered by grief: many are still missing or deceased.
  • “To see them come home, to see the families reunited, I think there’s a lot of relief but there’s also a lot of grief, too…” – Elise Labott [01:45]
• Gaza’s suffering highlighted: Palestinians return to ruins; decades of rebuilding ahead, while international aid only now trickles in.

The Fragility of the US-Brokered Ceasefire

• Acosta cites the Associated Press, emphasizing the agreement is a mere “first step”—core issues like Hamas disarmament, Gaza governance, and statehood remain unresolved.
  • “Thornier issues such as whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza and the question of Palestinian statehood remain unresolved, highlighting the fragility of an agreement…” – Jim Acosta [04:23]
• Israeli and Palestinian trauma is deeply rooted; sustainable peace appears distant.

Critique of Trump’s Claims and Diplomacy

• Trump touts this as a “peace deal” and seeks a Nobel Prize; Labott and Acosta dismiss this, noting it’s essentially a hostage-prisoner swap, not a peace treaty.
  • “This is not an end to the war. This is not a peace deal. President Trump is saying the war is over... What they agreed to today… was a swap of hostages for prisoners.” – Elise Labott [05:40]
  • Trump’s “bull in a china shop” diplomacy credited for moving Netanyahu, but his motives and focus are doubted.

Notable Moment: Trump Suggests Pardoning Netanyahu

• Trump’s comments about “pardoning” Netanyahu (who faces legal troubles) are called “so inappropriate”.
  • “Is this like another episode of the Apprentice for him? …I just don’t like, is this just a joke?” – Jim Acosta [08:41]

Netanyahu’s Role and Delayed Action

• Discussion on whether Netanyahu delayed action until Trump took office, bypassing Biden, for political gain.
  • “Netanyahu… totally ignored Biden… waiting and hoping for Trump to get in. But what Trump did was a couple of things—pushed Netanyahu…” – Elise Labott [10:58]
  • Both agree Trump’s erratic, transactional style forced movement but doesn’t guarantee ongoing engagement.

Quote:

• “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” – Elise Labott [18:42]

Sustained Skepticism and the Need for Real Reform

• Both doubt Netanyahu is a reliable peace partner or interested in a two-state solution.
  • “Benjamin Netanyahu has not mentioned the word peace or end of the war or anything.” – Elise Labott [17:16]
  • “My assessment is he’s not a partner for peace. He’s not interested in peace.” – Jim Acosta [16:38]
• Who will govern Gaza? Labott notes urgent need for Palestinian reform, international mentoring, and clarity about Hamas’ fate.

Trump's "Attention Span" and Flattery Diplomacy

• Trump’s sustained engagement is questionable unless foreign leaders “flatter him into involvement”.
  • “They were like, flattering him into involvement…he loves that shit, right?” – Elise Labott [19:13]

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2. Government Shutdown & The Grijalva Swearing-In Controversy

[23:25–45:10]

Longest Government Shutdown Looms

• Acosta lambasts House Speaker Mike Johnson for predicting an especially long shutdown, attributing responsibility to MAGA Republicans who control the government.
  • “It is a MAGA shutdown… They run the White House. They run the House, they run the Senate.” – Jim Acosta [23:25]

Grijalva’s Inexplicable Delay

• Adelita Grijalva was elected three weeks prior, but unlike three other recent new members (two Republicans and one Democrat, all sworn in within 24 hours), she remains in “congressional purgatory”.
  • “We did send a letter, a formal request last week… but the only communication we've had is through media outlets or specific reporters…” – Adelita Grijalva [24:35]
  • “There were three other… members of Congress that were sworn in right after their special election in under 24 hours.” – Grijalva [24:22]

The Epstein Files Connection

• The delay is increasingly seen as a strategic move to prevent Grijalva from being the 218th vote needed to force the release of the Epstein files (involving powerful figures implicated in criminal misconduct).
  • “That’s really the only thing that makes sense at this point… I’m going to be number 218 to release the Epstein files. And that seems to bring a lot of discomfort and anxiety…” – Grijalva [28:53]
  • “If they swear you in, then this could happen… You would be that 218th vote…” – Acosta [29:26]

Effect on Constituents

• Grijalva highlights her inability to serve her district: no budget, no staff, constituents without help, especially in emergencies (e.g., monsoon flooding).
  • “People are going to my dad’s old office… because they need help, and nobody is there. I cannot hire staff. I have no budget.” – Grijalva [26:33]

Systemic Racism and Double Standards

• Grijalva, a Latina, notes that her three delayed colleagues were white men, suggesting racial/gender bias in Congressional actions.
  • “The only thing that I can point to, aside from the fact that those were three Caucasian men and I am a Chicana from Arizona, is the fact that… rules are usually always different, by the way, for me.” – Grijalva [28:53]

Legal and Political Recourse

• Pressure builds from colleagues (across party lines) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus—possibly including legal action—to compel her swearing-in.
  • “There’s not a lot of clarity. So maybe one of the first pieces of legislation that I’m going to put in addresses this issue.” – Grijalva [38:31]

The Broader Threat to Democracy

• Acosta draws parallels between Grijalva’s exclusion—potentially to protect “kings” and entrenched power—and the erosion of democratic norms under Trumpism.
  • “Only in this current state that we’re in right now, where Donald Trump is president… would this be tolerated… It’s just outrageous to me that this is happening.” – Acosta [34:10]

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3. Corruption, Secrecy & The Fight for Transparency

[45:10–end]

Steve Bannon & “Trump 2028”

• Acosta plays a clip of Bannon floating the idea that Trump could run for a third term, constitutionally impossible, framing it as further evidence of autocratic aspirations.

The Homan Files and Scandals

• In an interview clip, JD Vance (Vice President) dodges questions about Tom Homan, the border czar, allegedly caught accepting a $50,000 bribe. This “Homan files” scandal, Acosta says, is another example of Trump cronies’ corruption.
  • “If JD Vance is so convinced that Tom Homan didn’t do anything wrong, I got an idea. Release the Homan files!” – Jim Acosta [52:25]

Refusal to Release Files: Fear of Public Revolt

• Acosta argues that the crux of these delays, whether around the Epstein or Homan files, is fear of a voter backlash.
  • “They are afraid of what events like No Kings Day 2 will do to this country. They are afraid of the power of the people.” [52:25]

Call to Action: Democracy Must Have Its Voice

• Urging activism ahead of “No Kings Day 2” (a national protest), Acosta warns that democracy is “under attack from within”, tying back to the episode’s title theme.
  • “We did not elect a king… We elected a president who wants to be a king, who wants to be a dictator.” [46:00]
  • “The only way you can be pro-democracy is if you give the people a voice. You have to give them a voice in Congress and you have to give them a voice in the streets.” [52:25]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is not an end to the war. This is not a peace deal. President Trump is saying the war is over… What they agreed to today… was a swap of hostages for prisoners.” – Elise Labott [05:40]
• “Is this like another episode of The Apprentice for him? …I just don’t like—is this just a joke?” – Jim Acosta [08:41]
• “My assessment is [Netanyahu is] not a partner for peace. He’s not interested in peace.” – Jim Acosta [16:38]
• “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” – Elise Labott [18:42]
• “We did not elect a king… We elected a president who wants to be a king, who wants to be a dictator.” – Jim Acosta [46:00]
• “I’m going to be number 218 to release the Epstein files. And that seems to bring a lot of discomfort and anxiety…” – Adelita Grijalva [28:53]
• “You’re keeping 700,000 people out of having a voice in Congress and you should not have the authority to do that.” – Adelita Grijalva [37:51]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33–23:12: Middle East hostage release, Trump’s deal, Labott analysis
• 03:07–10:58: Trump’s involvement, Netanyahu’s motives, Trump “pardon” comment
• 16:38–17:41: Netanyahu’s disinterest in peace, two-state solution issues
• 23:25–45:10: Gov't shutdown, Grijalva’s swearing-in, the Epstein file vote
• 28:53–32:33: Grijalva discusses being the 218th vote on the Epstein files
• 37:51–41:07: Grijalva’s message to Speaker Johnson, efforts to force swearing-in
• 45:10–52:25: Bannon floats “Trump 2028,” Homan file corruption, calls to protest

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Conclusion

This episode intertwines rapidly unfolding international news with the tension at the heart of U.S. domestic politics. Acosta, with his signature urgency and candor, exposes the fragility of American democratic norms—whether in the fragility of Middle East peace or the unprecedented stonewalling of a Congresswoman-elect.

At every turn, the episode underscores:

• The manipulation and opportunism of political leaders
• Systemic inequities and abuses of power
• The pressure-cooker state of American democracy ahead of “No Kings Day 2”

Final message: Citizen vigilance and participation are more vital than ever—“Free Adelita. Release the files.”

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For further information and links, visit jimacosta.substack.com

Transcript

[A]

FOREIGN.

[B]

Welcome to the Jim Acosta show. And we are less than one week away from no King's Day Part 2 in America. This time the sequel just might be bigger than the original. We will have special live coverage coming up this Saturday for no King, so stay tuned for that. I, I also have some questions for House Speaker Mike Johnson on this Monday, such as why hasn't Adelita Grialba been sworn in as congresswoman in Arizona? Speaking of Griava, I will speak with her in just a short time from now. So stay tuned from that. But I'm going to start where a lot of other folks are starting on this on this Monday, on this holiday here in the US on the Middle east and the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. It is a big story, but we need to address the truth here, which is that we are nowhere near peace in the Middle east, no matter how hard Donald Trump tries to sell it that way. My guest to start off the show is my friend Elise labet, who writes the Cosmopolitics sub stack. And Elise is always great to join us when she can to talk about this, this very important stuff. And, and at least, I mean, the, to see the hostages come home. We all want that, that, that, that was a remarkable scene, the joy that you could see in the faces of, of those families who have been waiting for such a long time. Your thoughts on what we've been taking in today. And we'll jump into all these different subjects. I mean, I can, I, I know the comments are probably already coming in saying, what about this, what about that? And we're going to get, we're going to try to get to as much of that as we can. But just your initial first thoughts, seeing these remarkable moments play out on tv.

[A]

Well, Jim, I mean, look, these are images that we, everybody has been waiting for two years for, certainly the Israeli people and the people of Gaza, too, to know that this first phase of President Trump's 20 point plan, we won't call it a peace deal because we'll discuss how there's no peace yet. But I mean, it's a monumentous day to see those families, to see what was going on in Hostage Square today, to have those hundreds of thousands of Israelis waiting for those hostages because, you know, listen, the Israeli people suffered this horrible attack on October 7th. But I think, you know, as the day of October 7th kind of, you know, fell from the immediacy of it, the real trauma was not having those hostages home. And I mean, I think it's worth A discussion, you know, another time about how the nation of Israel just sticks together and considers themselves all a family and how Americans can really use, take a page from that. But anyway, I mean to see them come home, to see the families reunited, you know, I think there's a lot of relief but there's also a lot of grief too to these families have been fighting for the past, you know, two years now. They have to sit still and kind of sit in what happened. And, and a lot of those families today, those hostage families are not welcoming back live loved ones. There's 28 deceased hostages. Only a few of them came back today. I think they still have to, they still have to identify and find, you know, 24 more. But you know, that's also, you know, a lot very heavy. You know, on the Gaza side you, you see hundreds of thousands of Palestinians trying to make the long trek home to see their houses are not there. Most of them it's a rubble and houses upon houses. They don't even know where their houses are. Some are standing, but most are not. And they have to begin the long task of rebuilding which will be dozens of years. And food is starting to trickle in. But there's a lot of suffering in Gaza that hopefully will, you know, be, that will be addressed. But as you said, there's a long way to go.

[B]

Yeah. And I think the Associated Press, I mean I will have to say they're write up on this, I think is perfect. They talk about this being a first step and here's how they wrote it. Israel and Hamas moved ahead on a key first step of the tenuous Gaza ceasefire agreement on Monday by freeing hostages and prisoners from raising hopes that the US broker deal might lead to a permanent end to the two year war that ravaged the Palestinian territory. Here's the key part. But thornier issues such as whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza and the question of Palestinian statehood remain unresolved, highlighting the fragility of an agreement that for now only pauses the deadliest conflict in the history of Israel and the Palestinians. And it is noted in this article, Elise, that, that yes, the war began with Hamas October 7, 2023. That attack when militants killed 1200 people, took 251 captives. Israel's retaliatory campaign killed more than 67,000 people, according to Gaza's health ministry. And so I mean there is there, I mean there are some massive unresolved issues here. There's the massive issue of just the grief that the people in the region are going to be feeling on both sides for years now.

[A]

I think that.

[B]

And so what do you think about those unresolved issues? I mean.

[A]

Well, I mean, I wrote the same thing in cosmopolitics. There is more that needs to be figured out than was, you know, has been figured out today. And this was, this is not an end to the war. This is not a peace deal. You know, President Trump is saying the war is over, pieces at hand. What they agreed to today and what happened today was a swap of hostages for prisoners. You know, more aid is getting in. Israeli troops pulled back to, you know, they didn't even really pull back to the border of Gaza. They pulled back to the first line. They call it the yellow line, which is a yellow line in the Trump plan. But it's really where they were a few weeks ago before the offensive in Gaza City. So they, they haven't really pulled back. The fighting has stopped. But as you said, the hard work begins. Who's going to disarm Hamas? Will they disarm? Will they stand down and not fight to be part of the Palestinian leadership that runs Gaza? Now, right now, as Israeli troops pulled back, they're the ones that are, for better or worse, kind of providing security. And so it's about disarming Hamas, it's about who's going to run the Palestinian government and in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority, let's be honest, President Abbas is 20 years into a four year term. So there needs to be a lot of reform of the Palestinians. And then there's the international security force, the stabilization force. It's really unclear who's going to be providing troops and whether Hamas will defer to this stabilization force because look, they didn't kill all of the. Hamas is significantly degraded. But everybody in Hamas is not gone. Correct. And it's likely, you know, they just fade away into the background. What are these guys going to do? So more questions than answers I'd say right now.

[B]

And I have to, I mean, I'm sorry, I'm just going to ask the question, you know, how seriously Donald Trump is taking this. I mean, yes, his team brokered this. They deserve credit for that. There's no question about it. But, you know, he's giving this speech in front of the Knesset earlier today and he's talking about pardoning Benjamin Netanyahu who is facing all these legal problems in Israel. And you know, it's been said that part of the reason why he wants to stay in power is to avoid those legal issues. It's all, it's Very similar to the Trump situation in the US but let's play a little bit of what Trump was saying when he, when he made that comment right here. Hey, I have an idea, Mr. President, why don't you give him a pardon?

[A]

Give him a pardon? Come on.

[B]

Yeah, I just, I just, you know, so inappropriate. I, I just don't like, you know, is this like another episode of the Apprentice for him? Is this, does he see it as just a joke, like one of his cabinet meetings? I mean, I just.

[A]

Yeah, I, I understand. I mean, look, that was totally inappropriate. And why do you give him, why, why would you give him a pardon? I mean. Right. Pardoned for what? I mean, maybe at some point, if he's convicted, you give him a pardon. But he hasn't been convicted. He hasn't even stood trial. And that's because he's staying in power through manipulating the political system. So, you know, there'll be a time when he's not in office and he will stand trial, and then you can talk about giving him a pardon if you want. But it was so inappropriate of another leader to say that. And you could see that President, Prime Minister Netanyahu's like cronies, you know, and his party stood up and applauded, but most of the other people were, like, not happy about it. And look, you remember in, and we'll talk about President Trump in a minute, but in Hostage Square the other day when Witkoff, you know, went there and he was talking about President Trump and everyone was cheering for President Trump, but they were, then when he mentioned Netanyahu, they were jeering and booing for Netanyahu. He's not popular there. So, you know, but look, and that.

[B]

That raises the issue, Elise Bibi. Netanyahu is still in the picture. He's still a part of this. And the question has to be asked, is he a true partner for peace? And where are we going to be in one, two, six months from now? Does Netanyahu ever want to give up the fight? And I, you know, my question is, you know, and forgive me for being somewhat provocative, you know, did Netanyahu just wait until Joe Biden was out of office to do this while Donald Trump was in office? I mean, that seemed to be part of the deal when, when Joe Biden was in office. And you know, how much of this is Netanyahu playing politics himself with this situation? This could have ended. Yeah, I feel like this could have, this, this deal, this could have come together months ago, potentially saved more lives. You know, I. Your thoughts on whether any of those things are. Could that be true?

[A]

Yeah. Yes, yes, and yes. But here's where I'm going to say something that will be unpopular. You know, it was President Trump that made him do it. Like, yes, he didn't listen to Biden. Biden didn't push so hard. Biden didn't use any levers. Like, you know, Biden's a good man, but Biden didn't do anything really to, you know, move this along. And he wasn't willing to put the pressure on Netanyahu for political, for the election. Who knows why? Yeah, Netanyahu, yes, was waiting. He didn't think he'd ever have to do it. So, yes, he definitely ignored. We know he totally ignored Biden had no respect for Biden, wasn't listening to him at all, was waiting and hoping for Trump to get in. But what Trump did was couple of things. Trump pushed Netanyahu. You know, you saw that call with the, with the Cuttery that he forced him to apologize for that strike. He helped him with Iran. He kind of understood that Israel had to be a little bit stronger militarily. He gave him a green light on anything, everything. And then he said, okay, I've given you a green light and now this is how it's going to go down. And because as we just said, you. Netanyahu is so unpopular politically, he doesn't want to upset President Trump because everyone is, you know, so happy with President Trump right now that he couldn't afford to really irk President Trump. And so listen, does President Trump take this seriously? I think, and it's hard because, you know, I don't, my personal opinion was on this whole Nobel Peace Prize thing. Yeah, he didn't deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for two reasons. One, this deal is like five minutes old. And so if next year at this time, let's revisit it. But two, you can't separate, like, giving someone something like so lauded as the Nobel Peace Prize when he's doing so much else to destroy democracy here at home and treating allies like the Nobel Peace Prize.

[B]

Part of this is because he's just jealous as hell of Barack Obama. He'll always be green with envy when it comes to Barack Obama. That's, that's, that's Donald Trump. But he's always going to be that. And the other thing is I think he just wants to cow the Norwegians into giving it to him. He just wants to.

[A]

Right. Well, yeah, he's shy about. And, you know, if you listen to what happened in Cairo, in Charmel Sheikh today, like, everyone was like, you've been robbed.

[B]

I saw that the Pakistani, you know.

[A]

Did Trump take this seriously? I think he, he put US Prestige and US Power on the line, not just with Netanyahu, but with the Arabs to force it through.

[C]

And, but he did help.

[B]

He did help. He did help Netanyahu with a political problem. Netanyahu had a major political problem with the hostages still being held.

[A]

And so Netanyahu made clear, though, that he didn't care about the hostages. So he could have not made that deal. He didn't. He. Yes, yes, that's true that he, it was continuing to be a problem for him politically. But I think his coalition did not want him to take this deal. And it's going to hurt him with his coalition, I think. But, you know, you have to. I think President Trump deserves credit for what he was able to do. Everyone who was involved in the process said this is really because of his, you know, unconventional China in a bull, bull in a China shop weirdo diplomacy that doesn't, you know what I mean? Two things can be true.

[B]

He was able, I guess we just have to wait.

[A]

And he's still. But what I'm saying is two things can be true. He was skillful in getting this. Three things can be true. Skillful in getting this done. We're not over and, you know, we can talk more about it, but President Trump really needs to stay engaged here, and that's not his strong suit because we know his attention deficit disorder and, you know, it doesn't take away of all the other things we've discussed on this show, whether it's, you know, you know, what's going on with immigration raids, what's going on with, you know, National Guard in the cities.

[B]

It doesn't take any blowing up boats from Venezuela.

[A]

It doesn't take anything away from the things he's done. But, you know, as pal, as unpalatable as it is, Jim, I think you got to give them a little bit of credit for, you know, this monumentous day.

[B]

I will say that I like seeing the hostages come home. I will tell you, I've interviewed a number of their families, and it is absolutely heart wrenching what they've gone through, both the families of the hostages who came home alive and the families of the hostages who did not come home alive. And I, I think that, you know, it is good to see them come home. My concern here is that he is raising false hope. He is raising expectations to a level where they're going to be Dashed. And we're going to be right back where we were a few months ago, where these two sides are going to be at war with one another. And then how do we solve that? How do we solve that problem? And unless you have, everyone's asking that unless you have partners for peace, we're never going to get anywhere. And Benjamin Netanyahu, I have respect for the office of the Israeli Prime Minister and so on. I've interviewed him. I, you know, I don't, to me, my assessment is he's not a partner for peace. He's not interested in peace.

[A]

He's not, he didn't, he hasn't said anything about peace. Come on.

[B]

He's not, he's not, he's not interested in a two state solution. And, and to me, until you have a two state solution, you're not, you are never going to get to a place that they were imagining today. And what I, the problem I have in watching the coverage and so on is that there are folks who just are already, you know, prepared to give him the Nobel Peace Prize and declare this to be the best thing. Jimmy Carter, right. And I'm like, you know, call me, give me a call a few months from now.

[A]

Give me a call or give me a call like next year when they're ready.

[B]

How about next week? You know, let's see where this is going to be.

[A]

I'll say this. Benjamin Netanyahu has not mentioned the word peace or end of the war or anything. Smallch and Ben Gavir, those two far right ministers are still talking about the war. The, you know, it's not over. And Netanyahu himself is saying, we still have to fulfill our goals, but this is where it's important. You know, if President Trump wants the credit, he's going to have to stay engaged. He made this promise.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

Vis a vision, Steve Witkoff to Hamas and to the Palestinians, that he's going to put the pressure on Netanyahu to make sure that this is over and that if they abide by their commitments, that he's going to abide by his commitments.

[B]

And I will say you can assess the presidency as being disastrous. And I will say that I think Donald Trump's presidency the first time around was a disaster for the world and for this nation. I think the second time around, it is probably an even bigger disaster for the world in this nation. I think during the George W. Bush administration, that was largely a disaster. By the end of that administration, he had Iraq totally out of control. He had not, they had not caught Osama bin Laden. And we went into a financial crisis that we're still grappling with the aftermath of to this day. And yet, you know, he had pepfar. He had foreign policy success.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

He had foreign policy successes.

[A]

And even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[B]

Even a broken. Well, but not the Donald Trump clock. I'm not sure it's right twice a day.

[A]

I will say, you know, you know why I think he might. Look, first of all, people could say.

[B]

Oh, Jimmy, have sour grapes and so on or whatever.

[A]

These are all valid questions.

[B]

My thing is that he does not. He does not have. And you mentioned adhd. He does not have. It is not within him to pay attention to an issue long enough, you know, to bring this to any kind of decent resolution.

[A]

I'm just gonna say, you're not wrong. But, you know, the Arab states and these other countries in Europe or wherever is particularly the Gulf states and Turkey and Pakistan and Indonesia, you know what they were really good at? They were, like, flattering him into involvement, you know, saying, only you can do this. President Trump, where the world is counting on you. He loves that shit. Right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And so by doing that. But he went to the UN and had this meeting with all of them. You know, he said, this is the most important meeting I've ever had. It's going to take the international community kind of continuing to hold his hand and flatter him or whatever. And I'll tell you one thing, I think these relationships with the Gulf states, because of the moolah.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Jared Kushner. Yeah.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Interesting that Jared Kushner came back. Right?

[B]

Jared Kushner showed up. Jared Kushner showed up with two bags, I think, is what I saw. Two empty bags, duffel bags.

[A]

Right. So I think that his. Trump's. Trump's relationships with these Arab states are becoming more important than his relationship with Netanyahu. Let's just say that, you know, and I have a piece coming out in a day or two about how Americans perceive Israel. That kind of special relationship is still important, but it's not sacrosanct. You know, American support for Israel has been eroding. For Trump, it's transactional. And Arab states can give him more. Give him more money, give him more deals, give the Americans more support. And so it's going to be, if the Arabs are continuing to, like, you know, crack his skull, he might continue to be involved, but without his involvement. One of your viewers, I didn't see the name, said there have been 5457 ceasefires. What makes you think 58th will stick?

[B]

We've got smart subscribers, at least. Very smart.

[A]

Yes. If he doesn't stay engaged and continue to push everyone towards, you know, contributing troops, helping to fund, give resources.

[B]

Who's going to run Gaza? I asked, I, I, I just asked the question. It's been blown to smithereens. They've been blowing up rubble and turning big pieces of rubble and little pieces of rubble, and he's been acting with a vengeance, Netanyahu has, in that very fragile part of the world. And it has not brought us any closer to peace. It has brought us to this moment where hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but it has not brought us to peace. And you need.

[A]

To close.

[B]

Yes, it's a step closer. As, as we were saying at the.

[A]

Top of it, you know, Abbas is like a joke. Okay. But what is going to be important? And I think President Bush tried to do this during, remember the whole Annapolis process. There was a, this is like we're dating ourselves here. But he really tried with Salam Fayed and the Palestinian, forcing them to reform, really tried to identify. And our friend Elliot Abrams, more moderate, technocratic Palestinians. There are them, There are there. But no one's really spent the time to try and mentor and bring up this next generation of Palestinians. And so that's going to be what's really important here. That's what the UN can help with. That's what the Europeans and the Arabs can help with. President Trump, I think his only job now is to just keep, you know.

[B]

Maybe he's, he's, he's there to babysit Bibi. He's the bb.

[A]

He's here to threaten tariffs. If you don't do it, I'm gonna tariff you 100. Yeah, that's basically his, his stick. And it seems to be working.

[B]

All right, Elise, great to see you. I knew we would have a fun back and forth. We'll do it again soon and we'll check back in a week or two.

[A]

There's a lot that needs to be done, but I think for today we can just be. I'm grateful that the hostages are home.

[B]

And I'm with you on that 100. Thanks, Elise. Great to.

[A]

Okay, you bet. Good to see everybody.

[B]

All right, thanks a lot. And you know, and there, there is so much going on in Washington right now. We have a government shutdown that is still grinding on the. The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, just said earlier in the day that he thinks this could be one of the longest shutdowns of all time. No, Sherlock, of course, yes, that's exactly what we're thinking. Because Republicans have continued to shut down this government. As I've said many times on this program, they run the White House. They run the House, they run the Senate. It is a MAGA shutdown. And oh, by the way, the other thing that House Speaker Mike Johnson has done, he has robbed the people of Arizona of an elected official. Adelita Grijalva was elected three weeks ago almost to the day. Am I right, Congresswoman elect, And you still have not been sworn in?

[C]

No, we're at 21 days.

[B]

We are at 21 days. So we're in three weeks.

[C]

Absolutely.

[B]

And first of all, great to have you on. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. And I mean, what is your, what is your thinking on this? Have they given you, has anybody given you a call and said, oh, it's going to be tomorrow, it's going to be next week. Anything?

[C]

No. And that's the frustration is there's been no communication, zippo. With Speaker Johnson's office. And we did send a letter, a formal request last week on Monday, and we would like to get a date. I mean, this whole idea that he said, well, we can do it whenever she wants. But you know, part of the problem is that there were three other now members of Congress that were sworn in right after their special election in under 24 hours. So two were Republic Republicans, Petronas and Fine. They were sworn in on a pro forma session and then Representative Walkinshaw on a regular session of Congress less than 24 hours. So the unfortunate part is the only communication that we've had is through media outlets or now specific reporters asking questions. And you know, when Representative Johnson said, well, the reason why we made exceptions with Patronus and Fine is because their families were all here, they flew them in. And I thought, did they do that in under 24 hours or did you already have a schedule? If you had it scheduled, then that really, what's the point of an election if you're like, they're going to win anyway? So we're just going to go ahead and do it this way. I mean, to me, it just like had I had a really bad taste in my mouth about that whole exchange. But here we are now three weeks later and our community has my father passed away to today will be seven months ago.

[B]

My condolences, by the way.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

He was a legend. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. It's hardcore. Love him.

[A]

Y.

[C]

But, you know, the privilege of being able to Serve this community again as a grijalva is very humbling. But also, my dad's office had a reputation for 22 years of outstanding constituent services.

[B]

Yes, that's right.

[C]

Known for it. So for me to have know that people are going to my dad's old office and trying to knock on the door and open it because they need help and nobody is there, I cannot hire staff. I have no budget. So, you know, when people are calling me back to D.C. to like, hey, come. Do you know, we're going to do this, we're going to do that. I'm using the miles that I have accumulated. I'm the.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, not. I've been out of work since April.

[A]

This.

[C]

I. I've been working since I was 15 years old. You know how hard that is for me?

[B]

Of course.

[C]

Admit out loud.

[B]

Me, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

It's just. Just like. Yeah, it, like, really hurts your soul, you know, and so I don't have the resources to be able to go back and forth. And this is why working people are not in these situations or don't have the opportunity to represent their communities in this way, because I have no staff.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

There's nobody that answers. There's no one answering the phones.

[B]

That's crazy. Apparently there's a voicemail that says you have a. You have some senators you can call or something like that. Right. I heard there's something like that playing.

[C]

I think that they're trying to do that now. The last I heard, if you looked up my dad's old office that was closed on 23rd September, the day of the election, you can still hear his voice, which is.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Yeah, that's.

[B]

That ain't right. And so what. What do you think is. Before I tell you what I think is going or ask you what I think is going on? What do you think is going on?

[C]

So, you know, I really usually tend to lean on what is the most likely reason. Right. So I had somebody on election night at our celebration, you know, watch party, and then turned into a celebration, said, I don't think he's going to swear you in because of those Epstein files. And I thought, no, I mean, he just swore in Representative Waukesha. He had, you know, under 24 hours, Republican and Democrat, it's going to be fine. And then canceled votes on September 29th and 30th, said that, you know, still in the calendar was the seventh. So I thought, okay, we're going to be. It's going to happen on the 7th. I made flight arrangements for My entire family that I obviously since canceled because. Because then he wiped out votes that day. We've had Representative McGovern from. I mean, getting love from Massachusetts. That's great.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

Representative Stanton and Ansari both screaming on the House floor. You know, I mean, I just. The only thing that I can point to, aside from the fact that those were three Caucasian men and I am a Chicana from Arizona, is the fact that. And the rules are usually always different, by the way, for. For me. I hear you, but I do. I mean, I'm. I'm going to be number 218 to release the Epstein files. And that seems to bring a lot of discomfort and anxiety to some people, apparently.

[B]

Yeah. Well, I'll just tell people what the deal is in case. Folks who are. And we have a pretty smart audience, so I think they understand what's going on. But just in case. Republican Congressman Tom Massie of Kentucky, he's been gathering signatures, along with Ro Khanna, Democrat from California, on a petition to trigger a vote on legislation that would force the release of the Epstein files. He is. They are one name away from getting to that magic number of 218. Correct. Representative elect, you would be that 218th vote that they need in order to force this to happen. Forced, I guess, to trigger a vote to happen. And. And so if they swear you in, then this could happen.

[C]

Yes, I will sign. I will sign as soon as I'm.

[B]

You're saying you're doing this? Yeah.

[A]

Oh, yeah, I am.

[C]

Yep. And so. And I. That's really the only thing that makes sense at this point, because keeping Congress closed, I mean, to have the audacity to say, you know, this is the longest time that Congress has been closed when you're the one who has the power to open us back up, to start talking about appropriations bills, to try to fix some of these things. The fact that we, you know, this idea that, well, when the Senate does their job, we'll come back. Well, you sent over a reconciliation bill that you say is clean, but that had no input from Democrats at all. And now you're forcing it to the senator saying, you know, vote on this, do this or nothing, because we're not there to negotiate. And I think that health care for the American people is critical. I'm glad that Democrats are standing firm. This is where we know we have to be. Because even those people who are frustrated that they're working and not going to get a check are like, thank you for continuing to fight for me, because I'm also One of the millions that are going to be impacted if you all don't win this fight.

[B]

Yeah. And. And just to button up the Epstein thing, I, I think I read somewhere where initially you said, ah, maybe it's not the Epstein files. I don't. I'm not a conspiracy theorist or anything like that. But now that's, that's basically what you think. Now you think this. That's what this is.

[C]

I've resigned myself to that fact. And my frustration is, in order to protect people that have committed horrific crimes against young children and women, that, you know, these people of privilege and power have been able to get away with this for a very long time. And now, hopefully these victims will have some justice. Will. They'll be able to speak their truth and then have legal consequences to those, whoever they are. I mean, I, I think that whomever is implicated has to have consequences, legal consequences for what they've done. You know, we, we're. We're living in this time where. Because, because Speaker Johnson knows of my position and what I'm going to do. I think we all know that if I were a Republican, I would have been sworn in a long time ago.

[B]

Yeah. No question about it. No question about it. And do you think that's possible? I mean, and this is my. And I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist either, but I'm kind of wondering, did they shut down the government to stop the release of the Epstein files?

[C]

I mean, this is the other thing is that Speaker Johnson, about a month and a half ago.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Ended votes early and sent everyone home early to avoid this vote.

[B]

So it's kind of weird timing.

[C]

It is. It's very suspicious, isn't it?

[B]

It's a little suspicious, yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And in the meantime, I am in this. I read an article, and I wish I could remember the author that said, and I'm. I'm in a congressional purgatory, like, sort of. I'm just here and, you know.

[B]

But it's also your constituents.

[C]

Oh, no, it's horrible.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[C]

Monsoon season. And so historically we have flooding. There were.

[A]

Flood.

[C]

There were, you know, really high waters. They. They rage all of a sudden all over. And Nogales usually feels a pretty big pinch. And so if I were in Congress, I could have called fema, asked them to go out there, set up, you know, stations for sandbags, and, you know, look at, you know, how do we divert a bulk of water away from the community, all of those things, and make sure that it has the least amount of impact and right now, thankfully, we have our senators that are, have been willing to take up the slack for when, since our office isn't established. And, you know, and I think that that's been really important.

[B]

Yeah. And I mean, to me, there's, there's kind of a, there's a tie between what's happening with you and this, you know, this idea that we should have no kings in this country. There's no, these, no kings protests that are coming up this weekend. I mean, only in this current state that we're in right now where Donald Trump is president. He's, he's trying to roll back our democracy in all sorts of ways. And here we have you. You were elected by your constituents three weeks ago, 21 days ago. And I mean, in no other circumstance would this be tolerated under no other administration, any other era in our history. It seems to me, it's just outrageous to me that this is happening, that your constituents are being deprived of a member of Congress over Donald Trump not wanting to be revealed for whatever he's done in the Epstein files. It's just nuts to me.

[C]

And also, you know, I don't, I don't ascribe to their political ideology. I'm going to challenge them. I have passed and I will again. And that is where, you know, our democracy has played out. I won almost 70% of the vote, almost 40 points against my closest opponent. So there is no, you know, initially I first heard the comment that, well, once we get the certified results, then, you know, she'll be sworn in. That wasn't necessary for the other three, but it's going to be necessary for me. And coincidentally, I thought, oh, no, absolutely, I'll get sworn in by then. Well, the certification is happening tomorrow live from the Secretary of State's office. So whoever wants to see Arizona's canvas can do so. And then it will be public and online. And, you know, I really would prefer we broke a glass ceiling here with being the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress. I would prefer not to be the person who waited the longest to get sworn in, because ultimately the people who lose, it's not about me. It's about the people who need help and services and need a voice in Congress.

[B]

And has this ever happened before that you're aware of? Has your team said, oh, well, there's this member or that member who had to wait a really long time. I mean, this is, this is pretty.

[C]

I believe Jimmy Gomez was waited. I think his is like 35 days. But there was, it was a reason that he had like, I don't know that I haven't talked to him. I'm going to talk now because I'm like, I would prefer not to catch up to 35 days. But I believe that there was a reason. There's like an asterisk there saying that there was something that he had to. Maybe it was his previous office. I don't know any detail at all. But then he was sworn in as soon as he was ready. But I believe, I believe there have been regard Democrat or Republican, I think there have been like a week or two. But three is, is. I believe that we've, we've broken some records here.

[B]

Wow. You shattered a glass ceiling in a way that you didn't think you would. But it sounds like you got them pretty scared. Representative elect sounds like they're pretty worried about you.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, it's interesting. I don't think that Speaker Johnson wanted me to have this kind of attention and I didn't want the attention to like, you're not doing your job. So this is why you're getting this attention. But respectfully, Speaker Johnson has to do his job and swear me in before I can do mine. I cannot hire anybody. I have no budget. And the needs are really significant right now. And so I, I mean, I can sort of try to make light of it, but my, my patience for it is pretty thin at this point.

[B]

Yeah. I was going to ask you, what is your message to the Speaker?

[C]

I'm very frustrated. Just give me a date. I don't need pomp and circumstance. I don't need the bells and whistles. I need to get sworn in. And if you. I don't, I don't need that from, from you or from, you know, Congress. I can have a swearing in here at home. I can with, with everyone that elected me. But you're keeping 700,000 people out of having a voice in Congress and you should not have the authority to do that.

[B]

Yeah. Is there any way you could take him to court or sue or something like that? Because to me, that question I have is what made him king? Yeah, who, who, who elected him?

[C]

You know, I mean, without representation. And so we are looking into it. Our Attorney General, Chris Mays, the Congress Congressional Hispanic Caucus is looking at ways to compel legally. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of clarity. So maybe one of the first pieces of legislation that I'm going to put in addresses this issue. So maybe we make sure that is in this, you know, limbo, like I am.

[B]

Interesting. So you, you might want to propose some legislation that says, hey, when, when somebody gets elected to Congress to fill a special seat, you got to swear them in within a certain number of days.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Like at the next session, whether it's pro forma, regular.

[B]

I mean, it seems to me he's the speaker. They could gavel in, right? They could.

[C]

Oh, we have gaveled in. I was on the floor, like.

[B]

Right, you were on the floor.

[C]

I was on the floor. He got. They gaveled in with a. With someone, another representative, like someone that was, you know, his surrogate or whatever gaveled in, and we were in and out in two minutes.

[B]

Two minutes, Yep.

[C]

And that's what they've continued to do. So when other people are screaming like, swear her in, there does have to be an act of Congress. If he doesn't want to do this, somebody else can. Another federal judge can. But there still has to be an act of Congress to do it.

[B]

Yeah, well, if I had the authority to do it, I would swear you in right here on this show. If I, you know, if I were this House speaker, I would do it right now. We could get a Bible out. We can get out whatever, whatever you want, and we could swear you in right here. But I mean, to me, it's, it's, it's a sign of the times. You know, our democracy is precious. And I think we've gotten to a point in this country where there are just too many of us who've taken it for granted and, and thought, well, I'm not going to think about if the shoe was on the other foot. Can you imagine if a Democratic. If Nancy Pelosi. Oh, had said, you know what? We're not going to swear in Republican congressperson, so and so. Because, you know, my, my buddy over at the White House doesn't like it. I mean, they would go nuts, and so would we.

[C]

We would be nuts. Democrats would be upset, too. And so there should be. I mean, that's what I think is really interesting. When. I don't know of a time in the near future, other than on the Epstein files, that Marjorie Taylor Greene and I, I've looked at an opinion she'd had and thought, that makes sense. But in this case, she's also said she was duly elected. She deserves to be sworn in.

[B]

That's right.

[C]

Thank you. So this is a bipartisan effort. Let me get sworn in.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. No question about when. When we're all agreeing. Agreeing with Marjorie Taylor Greene. I think we're on safe political ground. I mean, it just says to me that we're all on the same. We're all rowing in the same direction here. It seems from a democracy standpoint, we.

[C]

Should all be very afraid of. When people say, well, the enemy, I'm like, the enemy is from within the White House. They're in the Oval Office right now, and the threat to our democracy is there. And if people can't see it, I just think that they're choosing to be blind to it. I can't imagine. Can you imagine President Obama putting the Department of Justice, forcing them to go after his political enemies?

[B]

Right.

[C]

That ever happen? Right. I mean, him unilaterally deciding to bomb countries without coming and consulting Congress. I could not imagine what the outrage would have been from both sides of the aisle for that. Yeah, but in this case, when you're a Republican and you're sitting there silent because you're more worried about your political future than the future of our democracy in this nation, that's a dangerous place to be, and history is not going to be kind to people.

[B]

Yeah, I agree with you. And on these ICE raids, too, the way people are being treated in such a dehumanizing fashion, I have to think that some of your constituents are saying, congresswoman Elect, please help us. Oh, I mean, I was, I. I was talking to some young Latino and Latina kids the other day in Virginia, and the looks on their faces. There's so many young people, young Latino and Latino people in this country right now who are so afraid of the government. That shouldn't be happening in America.

[C]

Right. Well, when you have the National Guard that are turned against your own people, you know, when ICE is turning, I mean, their own people. My worry is always. I knew that there was always racism, Right. Sexism. Like, you, You. You knew it was there. You could see it in people's eyes sometimes, but they wouldn't utter the words. You know, now they're just feel very empowered to utter racist, hateful, disgusting language that we're going to take generations to undo because there are small children listening to that vile stuff coming out of people's mouths. Now, I can disagree vehemently with people, but I will never talk about them like they're subhuman because of who they look like, who they support, who they love. I mean, it's just really so sad that I have friends that have moved out of the country because they're like, I don't want my child exposed to this sort of hate. It's just really. It's very, very disturbing. And this idea that now you have Trump going after institutions of higher education saying that if, you know, you're going to support conservative values. I'm sorry, what, yeah, like what Twilight Zone are we living in at this point?

[B]

Absolutely. It's, it's the Magazone. It's, you know, I, I tell you, it's, it's something. But on, I, I love the fight that you bring to the conversation and, and bring to this, to this cause. And I, I just wish you the best of luck in getting sworn in. And if they're not swearing you in by the end of this week, I'm going to be raising holy hell myself on this show. Thank you. Because, I mean, our democracy is on the line. If we're not going to swear in members of Congress after they've been duly elected, something's wrong. Something, something is really wrong. So I appreciate you coming on.

[C]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your time.

[B]

All right, all the best to you. All right, thank you, Representative Left Elect. Thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it. Okay, take care of that. Was Representative elect Adelita Grijalva. And I mean, just think, just think about that for a moment. She was elected to Congress three weeks ago and they haven't sworn her in because of the Epstein files. Are you kidding me? The only kind of country where that happens is a country where you have a democracy that is backsliding, where you have democracy that is heading in the wrong direction, that is under attack. And that's what we have right now. We have that right now in America. We have a democracy. We have a form of government that is under attack from within by the President of the United States and his cronies. People like Mike Johnson, the so called speaker of the House. He's the speaker of the House. But who does he speak for? He speaks for Donald Trump. He speaks for maga. He's not the speaker of the House or the American people. If that were the case, then Adelita Grialvo would, she would have her seat in Congress. She would be sworn in. And I think this ties neatly back to the discussion that we've been having for some time now and in a dovetails very nicely to what is going to be taking place this weekend. No King's Day Part 2. We're going to have special live coverage with my pals Joy Reid and Don Lemon. And we're going to be talking about the fact that we, we did not elect a king, ladies and gentlemen. We elected a president who wants to be a king, who wants to be a dictator. And he's having his Cronies, people like Mike Johnson blocking representatives elected to Congress because he doesn't want the Epstein files to be released. And I mean, I will just say that the people who back Donald Trump, who have been in his corner over the years, they're saying the quiet part out loud, or as I like to say, they're saying the riot part out loud. Take Steve Bannon, for example. Steve Bannon was doing an interview on News Nation over the weekend, and he said what Donald Trump has been saying, that Donald Trump is probably going to be running for president in 2028. Let's, let's take a listen to that. Let's listen to that.

[C]

About Trump 2028.

[A]

Anybody from running for a third term.

[C]

Do you think that there's.

[A]

That's not a barrier for him, or.

[C]

How do you see that?

[D]

I think that there are many different alternatives that at the appropriate time, after the midterms in 26, we will roll out. But I think there are many different alternatives to make sure that President Trump is on the ballot. And if he's on the ballot, he'll win. So I think there's many different alternatives. Remember, people said back in the.

[B]

In.

[D]

The interregnum that President Trump, what was it, the immunity situation, trying to kick him off the ballot in Colorado, other things about presidential immunity, what he had done and some of the acts people said we were going to lose at the Supreme Court. I think both of those who won, nine to zero.

[B]

Okay, first of all, a lot of what Steve Bannon was saying there was gibberish. I have no idea what he was saying there at the end. But anyway, the point is, is that as they were showing the graphic of the 22nd Amendment, which says you cannot serve more than two, he was, again, this is, you know, floating the idea of Donald Trump running for a third term. You cannot run for a third term in this country anymore. The Constitution has been amended to say you cannot do that. And here you have Steve Bannon saying that Donald Trump's gonna run for president. Donald Trump's waving around these 20, 28 hats. He wants to be a king. He wants to be a dictator. And they want to change the way we elect presidents in this country. They want to make it more difficult. They want to make it. They want to make it harder for people to vote in this country to pave the way for a third Trump term. And, you know, they're starting to say this out loud, ladies and gentlemen, if, if they can get past these midterms and hang on to control of Congress, which is what they're trying to do through redrawing congressional maps. That, of course, makes it easier for them to pass laws, presumably that could weaken voting rights in this country. And so that is something that stood out to me over the weekend. The other thing that stood out to me this, this past weekend was J.D. vance, the Vice President was on one of the Sunday talk shows and he was asked about Tom Homan, the border czar, who you don't see on tv. Remember when Tom Homan was on TV all the time, you, you turn on the television, you'd flip, flip on whatever channel plays the news. And Tom Hoen would more than likely be on TV talking about the illegals in this country. It turns out Tom Homan has been illegaling himself and he was caught on tape allegedly taking a $50,000 bribe bag of cash from Cava. As I've said before on this program, the most surprising thing about that story is that he was at Cava. But anyway, putting that to the side, only in a government where the President's cronies, aides, flunkies, whatever you want to call them can run wild and do corrupt things and not get caught. That only happens in a dictatorship. That only happens in a democracy where the democracy is under attack, where it's backsliding. And here's J.D. vance being asked the question about Tom Homan and the bag of cash. JD Vance slamming ABC because he couldn't handle the question. Here's what he said.

[E]

Reports that Tom Homan accepted a bribe. There's no evidence of that. And here's George, why fewer and fewer people watch your program and why you're losing credibility because you're talking for now five minutes with the Vice President, United States, about this story regarding Tom Homan, a story that I've read about, but I don't even know the video that you're talking about. Meanwhile, low income women can't get food because the Democrats and Chuck Schumer have shut down the government. Right now we're trying to figure out how to pay our troops because Chuck Schumer has shut down the government. You are focused on a bogus story. You're insinuating criminal wrongdoing against a guy who has done nothing wrong. Instead of focusing on the fact that our country is struggling because our government shut down. Let's talk about the real issues, George. I think the American people would benefit from much more from that than from you going down some weird left wing rabbit hole where the facts clearly show that Tom Homan didn't engage in Any criminal wrongdoing.

[D]

It's not a weird left wing rabbit hole. I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Holman accepted $50,000, as was heard on an audio tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024, and you did not answer the question. Thank you for your time this morning.

[E]

No, I said that I don't.

[D]

Up next. We'll be right back.

[A]

Back.

[B]

Okay. Well, there's George. George has had enough of that. But, you know, here's the thing. Here's the thing. If, if, if JD Vance is so convinced that Tom Homan didn't do anything wrong, I got an idea. Release the Homan files. Release the Homan files. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you've heard of the Epstein files. They. They won't release the Epstein files. They won't even swear on a member of Congress who won by a landslide in Arizona because they don't want to release the Epstein files. And, and now they're holding on to the Homan files. Now we have homan files. And J.D. vance was asked, you know, what about this, this videotape that shows Tom Homan, the border czar who likes to talk about the illegals doing the illegaling. And, and they won't release the footage to show the American people exactly what Tom Homan was up to. Why is that? Why won't they show that? Why won't they release the Homan files? Why won't they release the Epstein files? The reason why they won't release the Homan files, the reason why they won't release the Epstein files is because, ladies and gentlemen, they are, they are afraid of a voter revolt in this country. They are afraid of what events like no Kings Day 2 will do to this country. They are afraid of the power of the people, ladies and gentlemen. They don't want you to get so pissed off because you've seen the truth and you know the truth and you understand the truth, that you will do everything in your power, no matter how many barriers they put in your way, no matter how difficult they try to make it, you will go vote next year. And so they don't want you to see the Epstein files. They don't want you to see the home and videotape. They don't want to release the Homan files because they don't want you, the American people, to have the truth. And they'll send out people like J.D. vance to lie and bullshit his way through interviews and attack the media and attack the press. And Pete Hegseth over at the Pentagon will try to block the press from even coming into the building because they're afraid of the truth. The truth, ladies and gentlemen, it's hot on their tail and it's about to bite them in the ass. How long are they going to hold out? How long are they going to hold out before they swear in Adelita Griala from Arizona, who was elected by a landslide? How long are they going to hold out? They're going to try to hold out as long as they possibly can because they are so afraid. Ladies and gentlemen, the biggest story was not what took place in the Middle east today in terms of what you're going to be seeing over the next few months. The biggest story in America over these next few months before we go into the holidays, is whether or not the Epstein files are released to the American people. If Adelita Grialva gets sworn in, which I think she, she eventually will have to because the dam is going to break here. There's going to be so much pressure. You are going to see Donald Trump trying to move heaven and earth to keep his Republicans from voting to release the Epstein files. And there's already talk privately that Republicans have had enough and they're going to vote to release the Epstein files. And when that happens, the pressure will be on the United States Senate. And you think those senators are going to stand in the way of releasing the Epstein files? I mean, if, if they do, good luck. Good luck to those Republicans who want to hang on to seats and Maine and Iowa. Will Susan Collins be concerned, Will she be so concerned about the Epstein files that maybe she'll vote to release the Epstein files? We'll see. You want to win a race in North Carolina and try to block the Epstein files? Good luck. Texas, you're going to try to block the Epstein files. Good luck hanging on to that seat. So that's what they're afraid of, ladies and gentlemen. They are afraid of you. They are afraid of the people. That's why they're going to try to keep the Epstein files a secret as long as they possibly can. And the Homan files and the home and videotape, ladies and gentlemen. So that's why I say on this, on this Columbus Day, on this Indigenous Peoples Day, on this federal holiday, we are just four days. How far? Five days away from no Kings Day Part 2 and no Kings Day Part 2 is when you, the American people, get out there on the streets and start making your voice heard. Make your voice heard. Give them a sneak preview of coming attractions. Give them a sneak preview of what's coming down the pike. And what's coming down the pike I predict is a big time voter revolt. Donald Trump can try to manipulate the news cycle, manipulate what's happening in the press, badger the press, intimidate the press, go after the media. We still have independent media. We still have an independent voice over here and we're going to continue to be pro democracy and the only way you can be pro democracy is if you give the people a voice. You have to give them a voice in Congress and you have to give them a voice in the streets. And it begins now. It begins now. Ladies and gentlemen, Adelita Griya. Free Adelita. Free Adelita. Release the files. Thanks everybody for watching. My thanks to Elise Labet, my thanks to Adelita Grialva, my thanks to all of you. Really appreciate it. I'll see you next time. Still reporting from Washington, I'm Jim Acosta. Have a good evening. See you tomorrow.