The Matt Walsh Show
Ep. 1697 – Career Criminal Freed by Radical Pro-Crime Judge Sets Christian Woman On Fire on Subway
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Matt Walsh (The Daily Wire)
Episode Overview
In this episode, Matt Walsh delivers a forceful critique of the American criminal justice system, focusing on the case of Bethany McGee, a white woman brutally set on fire in a Chicago subway by Lawrence Reed, a Black man with a history of 72 arrests and 15 convictions. Matt interrogates how such a crime could occur, investigating the policies and judicial decisions that enabled it. He extends the conversation to broader issues like criminal justice reform laws, SNAP program changes, and contemporary cultural rituals, connecting them to themes of public safety, judicial accountability, personal responsibility, and the erosion of societal norms.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Chicago Subway Attack: Chronicle of a Preventable Crime
[09:24] – [15:00]
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Incident Recap:
- On November 17, 26-year-old Bethany McGee was attacked by Lawrence Reed, who poured gasoline on her and set her on fire in a Chicago subway car. She suffered critical burns and remains hospitalized.
- Reed had purchased gasoline minutes earlier and had a staggering criminal history: 72 arrests, 15 convictions, including nine felonies such as arson and aggravated battery.
- Reed displayed no remorse, taunting police officers with “burn and burn alive” after his arrest.
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Pattern of Violence:
- Matt draws parallels with a similar case three months prior, where Irina Zarutska was murdered by another repeat offender, and asserts a clear pattern of systemic judicial failure.
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Media Coverage & Framing:
- Walsh argues the mainstream media ignores stories of "black on white" violence if they don’t serve a particular narrative—“If a white man had violently attacked a black woman...they’d encourage rioters to level the city.”
Quote:
"Lawrence Reed had no business being on the streets. Given his violent criminal history and his pending criminal cases." – Matt Walsh [07:46]
2. Judicial Malpractice: The Role of Judge Teresa Molina Gonzalez
[15:00] – [18:00]
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Reed's Release:
- Despite his violent history, Lawrence Reed was recently released by Cook County Judge Teresa Molina Gonzalez, after assaulting a social worker and causing serious injuries.
- Prosecutors warned he was a danger; the judge chose electronic monitoring, allowing him 40 hours a week of unsupervised movement.
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Judicial Philosophy:
- Walsh criticizes Judge Gonzalez’s priorities, highlighting her statement of being most proud of being the first Puerto Rican judge in her position, not any professional achievement.
- Attributes her rise to identity politics and calls for removing judges who allow ideology to trump public safety.
Quote:
"She's proud of being Latina and infiltrating the United States judiciary. That’s it." – Matt Walsh [18:22]
3. The Problem with Judicial Discretion and Watered-Down Sentencing Laws
[18:00] – [27:30]
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Critique of Sentencing Discretion:
- Walsh laments the loss of strict laws (like the “three strikes law”), blaming sympathetic judges for undermining mandatory sentencing for repeat offenders.
- Details how California and Illinois weakened these laws despite public support, enabling habitual criminals to avoid meaningful prison time.
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Judicial Overreach:
- Discusses the “Romero motion,” which allows judges to dismiss a “strike” in the interest of justice, undermining voter intent.
Quote:
"A judge should not have the right...to take someone who's been arrested 70 times and put them back on the street." – Matt Walsh [20:41]
4. Illinois’ SAFE-T Act and Its Consequences
[25:30] – [29:00]
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Abolition of Cash Bail:
- Illinois abolished cash bail, resulting in 75% of defendants skipping court. Habitual offenders now enjoy unchecked “pretrial fairness,” often only monitored by ankle bracelets.
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Case Example:
- Highlights a recent incident where a man held a federal courthouse hostage, was released the same day with just an ankle monitor—a direct result of new bail policies.
Quote:
"If you put [criminals] on the honor system, it’s not going to work. Because they have no honor. They’re criminals." – Matt Walsh [27:42]
5. Law Enforcement Policy: What’s to Be Done?
[29:00] – [31:00]
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The El Salvador Example:
- Cites El Salvador’s harsh anti-gang policies as a model:
"We could turn Chicago into a utopia in a year if we wanted to. All you have to do is take every violent criminal and put them in a cage forever, or kill them lawfully." – Matt Walsh [26:58]
- Cites El Salvador’s harsh anti-gang policies as a model:
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Civil Liberties Connection:
- Argues that public safety is a civil rights issue—real freedom cannot exist if citizens fear violent repeat offenders on the streets.
6. SNAP Program Reform: Personal Responsibility vs. Welfare Dependence
[32:34] – [36:00]
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Upcoming SNAP Cuts:
- New rules will end benefits for able-bodied adults without dependents unless they work at least 20 hours/week.
- Walsh supports even broader cuts, contending that society should not subsidize able adults who choose not to work.
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On Ex-Convicts and Employment:
- After a man named Nelson complains about job prospects due to his felony record, Walsh retorts:
"That sounds like a you problem...There are plenty of jobs you can get, even as a felon. Not good jobs, but you can get the jobs." [34:09]
- After a man named Nelson complains about job prospects due to his felony record, Walsh retorts:
Quote:
"If you won’t work, you won’t eat. This is where Second Thessalonians applies." – Matt Walsh [36:07]
7. Cultural Cringe: Native American Dance at School Board Meeting
[36:45] – [41:45]
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School Board’s Tokenism:
- Matt ridicules a California school district for opening a meeting with a "Native American rain dance" that appeared more like the Electric Slide. He mocks the authenticity and intent, interpreting it as virtue signaling intended to delegitimize American history and identity.
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On American Conquest:
- Affirms that America conquered the land “fair and square,” calling guilt-based rituals both “patronizing” and deeply insulting to all sides.
Quote:
"I have contempt for the relentless campaign to make Americans feel guilty for the fact that we conquered this land fair and square and built the greatest country on earth on it." – Matt Walsh [41:30]
8. Hate Crime Hoaxes and Political Culture
[52:00] – [54:30]
- Right-Wing Hate Crime Hoax:
- Discusses a rare instance of a conservative woman faking a violent attack against herself for political gain. Walsh notes the difference in how right-leaning audiences and media treat such stories skeptically, unlike the left’s reaction to cases like Jussie Smollett.
Quote:
"We finally have our very own Jussie Smollett...But on the right, we don’t take them seriously." – Matt Walsh [54:00]
9. Dreams, Therapy, and Feminism: Afton Bane’s Viral Quote
[58:30] – [66:00]
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Viral Clip:
- Political candidate Afton Bane shares a recurring dream: "I don’t want children, I want power." Matt Walsh uses this to critique both therapy culture (calling it “worthless”) and feminism for encouraging women to reject motherhood for transient “power.”
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Contradictory Pursuits:
- Argues that true influence comes from parenthood, not corporate or political positions.
Quote:
"If you want power, if you want influence, there’s almost nothing you’ll ever do that will give you more than being a parent." – Matt Walsh [62:11]
Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
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On Judicial Failure:
"No, we don’t need you to keep everybody in jail. No, just the criminals. That’s not everybody." – Matt Walsh [17:46]
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On Judicial Priorities:
"The accomplishment I am most proud of in my career is being the first Puerto Rican judge ever appointed and elected to a countywide judicial position in Cook County." — Judge Teresa Molina Gonzalez (quoted by Matt Walsh) [18:10]
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On Societal Safety:
"If we can’t go out in public without a reasonable fear that a violent, habitual felon is going to shank us or light us on fire, then we have no civil liberties." – Matt Walsh [29:41]
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On Welfare:
"A grown man, able-bodied, who just doesn’t work...should not exist in a functional society." – Matt Walsh [36:42]
Timestamps of Important Segments
- [09:24] - Start of discussion on Bethany McGee subway attack
- [15:00] - Analysis of the judge’s decisions and background
- [20:41] - Critique of sentencing laws and judicial discretion
- [25:30] - Impact of Illinois’ SAFE-T act and court monitoring anecdotes
- [32:34] - SNAP program reforms and personal responsibility
- [36:45] - Mockery of Native American dance at school board
- [52:00] - Commentary on right-wing hate crime hoax
- [58:30] - Analysis of Afton Bane’s ‘I want power’ quote and broader feminist critique
Conclusion
Matt Walsh’s episode is an excoriation of what he terms “judicial tyranny,” using the subway attack as a jumping-off point for wider condemnation of progressive policies in the justice system, social welfare, and cultural self-flagellation. He argues for strict mandatory sentencing, less judicial discretion, personal responsibility over government support, and a rejection of cultural rituals that, in his view, undermine American identity.
The tone is impassioned, combative, and darkly humorous throughout—offering listeners a no-holds-barred conservative perspective on the week’s most incendiary stories.