DOJ Opens Russiagate Grand Jury Investigation, TX Dems Flee, Secrets of Dem PAC Cash: AM Update 8/5

Summary

The Megyn Kelly Show – AM Update 8/5/2025

DOJ Launches Grand Jury Investigation into Russiagate

The episode delves into the Department of Justice's recent initiation of a grand jury investigation targeting individuals involved in what Megyn Kelly refers to as the "Russiagate hoax." Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that Fox News had directed staff to probe the 2016 Russiagate conspiracy, which alleged connections between then-candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York, sharply criticized Texas and other Republican-led states for their actions under Trump's influence, labeling them as a "legal insurrection" (00:44). The investigation stems from a criminal referral by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who contends that key figures like Hillary Clinton and President Obama manipulated intelligence to undermine Trump's administration. Gabbard referenced the flawed 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), which suggested Russian efforts to influence Trump's election, basing its conclusions on minimal and unverifiable evidence (01:13).

Legal scholar Jonathan Turley commented on social media, highlighting potential charges such as perjury and obstruction for those involved, especially targeting former officials like John Brennan. The investigation's specifics remain unclear, but it is expected to involve high-profile political figures (05:00).

Texas Democrats Flee State Amid Redistricting Controversy

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the turmoil within Texas politics, where Democratic state House members fled Texas to prevent a quorum during a contentious redistricting vote. This move aims to block the passage of a new congressional map that Republicans argue will secure additional GOP seats in upcoming elections.

Gene Wu, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, defended the Democrats' actions, stating, "We really didn't have a choice... This was the only way we could protect our constituents and protect the state" (06:27). However, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton condemned the move, equating it to bribery and suggesting that fleeing lawmakers could face felony charges if they accepted money to skip votes (07:02).

Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett criticized Paxton's stance, accusing him of hypocrisy and aligning with MAGA principles. She asserted, "We are going to punch back, but we about to beat you down" (08:14). In response, Republican members of the Texas House approved arrest warrants for the missing Democrats, though these warrants are only enforceable within Texas state lines (09:07).

National Implications: Potential Redistricting Retaliations

The Texas redistricting battle has ignited fears of a nationwide gerrymandering arms race. Governors like Kathy Hochul and Gavin Newsom are contemplating retaliatory measures. Hochul emphasized the erosion of democracy under Trump and Abbott, stating, "If Republicans are willing to rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us no choice" (10:06). Similarly, Newsom is considering calling a special election to redraw California's maps in November, signaling a potential domino effect across states (10:22).

Unveiling the Secrets of Democratic PAC Fundraising

Stanford University political science professor Adam Bonica provides a critical analysis of Democratic fundraising tactics. He reveals that a staggering $678 million raised by Democratic Political Action Committees (PACs) since 2018 primarily funnels into operational costs rather than supporting actual campaigns. Specifically, only $11 million reached candidates, while the majority was absorbed by Mothership Strategies and related expenses (15:00). Bonica questions the efficacy and transparency of this "parasitic ecosystem," suggesting that most donations are squandered on consultants and administrative overhead (17:45).

CBS News’ Gayle King Faces Uncertain Future Amid Leadership Changes

The episode shifts focus to CBS News, highlighting the precarious position of astronaut and journalist Gayle King. Despite signing a lucrative one-year extension reportedly worth $15 million, her show has experienced a significant decline in viewership, drawing fewer than 2 million viewers in recent months (18:00). The network's new leadership aims to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and "WOKE" programming, clashing with the show's progressive content.

Gayle King’s recent appearance on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket faced backlash for being overly promotional and disconnected from the show's core audience. Additionally, internal conflicts arose following co-host Tony Dokapoel's contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leading to Dokapoel being sidelined and executive changes within CBS (20:07). Critics argue that CBS's shift towards less progressive content is a reaction to declining ratings and the pressures of the recent $8.4 billion merger with Paramount and Skydance Media (19:32).

Conclusion

Megyn Kelly's AM Update provides a comprehensive overview of significant political and media developments, from high-stakes investigations and partisan battles in Texas to the inner workings of Democratic fundraising and the challenges facing prominent media figures like Gayle King. The episode underscores the deepening political divide and the intricate interplay between media narratives and political strategies in shaping public discourse.

Transcript

[Megyn Kelly]

If you could hear love, what would it sound like? Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should.

[Ken Paxton]

Helping those closest to you think about their excessive drinking.

[Megyn Kelly]

Maybe that's what love sounds like. [e-mail] an OHA initiative. Good morning everyone. I'm Megyn Kelly. It's Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 and this is your AM update. The DOJ launches a grand jury investigation into the Russiagate hoaxers.

[Kathy Hochul]

What Texas and Republican states are doing at the direction of Donald Trump, I say, is nothing short of a legal insurrection.

[Megyn Kelly]

A battle over the Texas congressional map causes Democrats in the state house to to flee their state with other governors promising to retaliate in their states. A Stanford professor follows the money raised from those aggressive obnoxious text message fundraising campaigns from the Dems. And guess where those donations have actually wound up.

[Gayle King]

Please don't call it a ride. That is not a friggin ride. Whenever a man goes up, you have never said to an astronaut boy, what a ride.

[Megyn Kelly]

And CBS News top astronaut Gayle King facing an uncertain future as new leadership prepares to take control of the network. Houston, we have a problem. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update. You know how every home has that one spot that just calls to you all day. For many, it's your bed. It's your retreat, your recharging zone. Well, I want to tell you about Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets. And yes, they're bubble cuddle blanket. These bamboo sheets are unreal. They're soft, they're breathable. They, they keep you cool all night long. You're going to sleep several degrees cooler and wake up feeling refreshed. And the bubble cuddle blanket. This thing is like a hug in a blanket form. Faux fur, plush midway and cozy. There is a reason Cozy Earth gives you a 100 night sleep trial and a 10 year warranty because once you try it, you're never going to go back. Go to cozyearth.com use my code Megan for up to 40% off if you don't use that code Megan, you cray cray. Let me tell you what happened. I had to get a bunch of sheets for this rental I'm in for the summer. And so of course I went to cozyearth.com I was checking out. I almost forgot that we have a relationship with Cozy Earth and that I've gotten my audience this big discount. At the last second I remembered to type in my own name in the little place where they say discount code and it got cut almost in half. Honestly, it looked like it was a 50%. I believe that it was a 40, but it looked 50. It was huge. I was ready to pay the asking price but I forgot and then at the last minute remembered put in my name and I'm telling you I saved so much. So do it. Go to cozy earth.com and enter the code Megan to get that discount at the end. Okay? And if you get the post purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about them right here. Because your bed should not just be a place to sleep, it should be your happy place. And Cozy Earth makes that possible. Attorney General Pam Bondi reports Fox News directing her staff to open a grand jury investigation into the 2016 Russiagate conspiracy to tie then candidate Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In mid July, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sending a criminal referral to the DOJ providing evidence that Hillary Clinton, President Obama and members of his National Security Cabinet manufactured and politicized intelligence to subvert the incoming Trump administration. The criminal referral following the release of a declassified 2020 House intel report that analyzed the tradecraft used to compile a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, or ICA, at the direction of President Obama. The ICA infamously concluding quote, we also assess Putin and the Russian government aspired to help President Elect Trump's election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him. The declassified 2020 House intel report revealing serious flaws with the intelligence and methods used to craft the 2017 ICA, exposing that the only classified information cited to conclude Russian President Vladimir Putin aspired to help Mr. Trump's chances of victory was based on, quote, one scant, unclear and unverifiable fragment of a sentence from a single human report. A DOJ spokesperson telling Fox AG Bondi is taking the referral, quote, very seriously. The charge is at play and exactly whom the grand jury is expected to target. Not yet clear. Legal scholar Jonathan Turley on X providing more color quote While Obama enjoys immunity, others like Brennan remain exposed. Perjury, obstruction and lying to federal investigators are obvious areas for exploration by prosecutors. Turley posting he expects the investigation to rest with a newly confirmed U.S. attorney for D.C. and his former Fox colleague Jeanine Pirro. Dozens of Texas state House Democrats now facing removal from office and potentially felony charges after failing to meet Texas governor Greg Abbott's Monday afternoon deadline to return to special session. The Dem lawmakers fleeing to New York and Illinois over the weekend to deny a quorum ahead of a state House vote on a new congressional map which will add five count em five new GOP seats ahead of next year's midterm election. Texas state Dems accusing the GOP of gerrymandering at the behest of the Trump administration in early July. U.S. assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon expressing concern to state leaders that five Texas congressional districts may be unconstitutional based on how race was the predominant factor in the past when drawing them. Governor Abbott then adding a redistricting bill to the special session to address those concerns. Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Representative Gene Wu on CNN Monday morning, defending the decision to flee the state.

[Gene Wu]

We we really didn't have a choice. We tried to negotiate Republicans, we tried to talk to them, we tried to be, we tried to reason with them, we tried to tell them that the public is very angry at what they're doing and they simply wouldn't listen. This was the only way we could protect our constituents and protect the state. And frankly, Democrats say come and take it.

[Megyn Kelly]

Texas rules impose a $500 per day fine for lawmakers leaving the state to prevent a quorum. Some Democrats using the penalty as a fundraising tactic. Governor Abbott on Fox Monday morning saying that is not okay.

[Ken Paxton]

So very simply, it would be bribery. If any lawmaker took money to perform or to refuse to perform an act in the legislature. And the reports are these legislators have been both they sought money and they offered money to skip the vote, to leave the legislature to take a legislative act, that would be bribery. And so the facts will have to come out. But I think based upon comments made by legislators themselves, they face a possibility of facing bribery charges, which is a second degree felony in the state of Texas.

[Megyn Kelly]

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posting Sunday on X quote, democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law. The governor does not have the ability to unilaterally declare a seat vacated. That battle will have to be argued in court. US Congresswoman from Texas, Democrat Jasmine Crockett weighing in on AG Paxton's proposal in her own special way.

[Jasmine Crockett]

I am so very proud. Please, please, please look up these amazing state representatives. Show them some love, encourage them. Because this is really hard to make the decision to that you're going to leave your family behind as you go and hide out because we got a rogue bootleg criminal attorney general who absolutely is like wanting to be Trump 2.0 himself. And he wants to put warrants out for people even though, like, he's the one that was under federal investigation for years and he's the one that had felony indictments pending for years and of course was avoiding prosecution for years. Yeah, because like, that's what makes you real maga is like, you got to be about this thug life. You got to be like cheating on your wife. You got to at least be going to get impeached if you ain't been impeached. Because he was impeached. He just wasn't convicted. Again, kind of like, you know, the orange orangutan, you know, the Timu Hitler. He on the same nonsense, too.

[Megyn Kelly]

On Monday afternoon, Republican members of the Texas House voting to approve arrest warrants for all missing members. A symbolic gesture as the warrants are only valid inside state lines. Last night, A group of U.S. congress members from Texas joining state House Dems on the run in Illinois for a press conference saying, they're not fleeing, they're fighting.

[Gayle King]

They're focusing on pushing these racist, radical redistricting maps.

[Megyn Kelly]

It's not just Texas, it really is the United States of America. Because if they succeed in Texas, they will take this to other states, but.

[Gene Wu]

They'Ll do it if we only stand.

[Megyn Kelly]

By and watch them.

[Gayle King]

What is happening here is the most blatant racist disregard for the voters of Texas.

[Jasmine Crockett]

They expect Democrats to kind of be the nice guys that we are. They expect us to take the punch and say, thank you. Well, I am here to tell you not only are we going to punch back, but we about to beat you down.

[Megyn Kelly]

The Texas redistricting plan quickly becoming a national flashpoint as Democrat leaders in blue states promise retaliatory actions of their own. New York Governor Kathy Hochul at a Monday morning press conference with some of the Texas Democrats hiding out in her state.

[Kathy Hochul]

Well, Donald Trump and his co conspirator Greg Abbott erode our democracy and drag us toward authoritarianism. Now, what Texas and Republican states are doing at the direction of Donald Trump, I say, is nothing short of a legal insurrection against our capital. Legal, meaning they're using the legal process does not mean it's legal and it must be stopped. If Republicans are willing to rewrite these rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us no choice. We must do the same. There's a phrase, you have to fight fire with fire. That is a true statement of how we're feeling right now. As I've said, another overused but applicable phrase. All's fair in love and war. That's why I'm exploring with our leaders every option to redraw our state congressional lines as soon as possible.

[Megyn Kelly]

California Governor Gavin Newsom, too, considering calling a special election to redraw the maps in California in retaliation, the governor saying that call would likely come in the first week of November. Coming up following the money who's behind the unhinged Democrat fundraising text message campaigns and how much of those donations actually make it to the candidate? And astronaut Gayle King's future at CBS hangs in the balance as new management promises an end to DEI and WOKE programming. You know the feeling someone in your family gets sick and then you're stuck waiting for a doctor's appointment or the pharmacy's out of stock. Or you're left wondering why something so basic must be so hard. Too many American families face this reality, and that's why many are turning to all family Pharmacy. They're doing what Big Pharma won't, which is putting families back in control and making it possible to be proactive, not reactive with your health. This is not just some online pharmacy. All Family Pharmacy is based in Florida and family owned. You can order ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, antibiotics, daily maintenance meds, emergency kits, everything you'd want to have on hand before you need it. Order online and they will work with licensed doctors to provide the prescription for you. Then your medications get shipped right to your door. Visit allfamilypharmacy.com Megan okay. Allfamilypharmacy.com Megan Use the code Megan10 to get 10% off today. Again, go to allfamilypharmacy.com megan Remember to use my code Megan10 to get 10 percent off today. Be prepared. Be in control. This is healthcare that works for you. So many Americans are all too familiar with the flood of political text messages and emails. Unsolicited and relentless, both parties engage in digital fundraising. But those landing on a Democrat donor list will recognize a distinct and annoying tone. Frantic, melodramatic and at times bizarre. One recent text reading quote where 3539 votes from blocking Trump from winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Hurry, cast your vote. Another proclaiming quote Hakeem Jeffries just stonewalled Trump show overwhelming support for his bravery stand with Jeffries, followed by a donation link Stanford University political science professor Adam Bonica, writing for his On Data and Democracy substack, unearthing some hard truths about the Democratic fundraising scheme. Beginning quote the main rationale offered for this fundraising frenzy is that it's a necessary evil, that the tactics, while unpleasant, are brutally effective at raising the money needed to win. But an analysis of the official FEC filings tells a very different story. The fundraising model is not a brutally effective tool for the party. It is a financial vortex that consumes the vast majority of every dollar it raises. Bonica combing through a web of packs, driving the chorus of alarming messages, uncovering what he calls, quote, a concentrated ecosystem built to serve the firm at its center. Mothership Strategies, the group founded in 2014 by former senior operators of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is responsible for developing the strategy. Relying on the frantic and hyperbolic messaging, Bonica reporting, quote, they became the operational heart of a sprawling nexus of interconnected political action committees, many of which they helped create and which now serve as their primary clients. Bonica writing. These groups, including Stop Republicans and End Citizens United, serve as part of a tightly integrated network that primarily funnels money to the mothership. Bonica conducting an analysis of FEC disbursements, finding that since 2018, Mothership's network of PACs has raised a whopping $678 million from individual donors. Of that total, just 11 million was paid out to candidates, campaigns or national party committees. What? Where's the remaining 667 million? Bonica writes, quote, for every dollar a grandmother in Iowa donates believing she's saving democracy, 98 cents goes to consultants and operational costs. Just pennies reach actual campaigns. 282 million paid directly to Mothership, 159 million of which went to consulting fees. 22.5 million paid a text message delivery service called Message Digital LLC. 70 million more paid to salaries and payroll. That's, I guess, on top of the 159 million in consulting fees, Vonica reporting, quote, most of the unclassifiable expenditures appear to be administrative costs or media buys that feed back into the fundraising machine itself. Bonica noting the practice does not appear to be illegal, but questions whether Democrats can tolerate what he calls a quote, parasitic ecosystem. Results in 2024 certainly suggest not. If you listened to Monday's episode of Am Update digging into fire aid and the LA wildfires and and how the money is not getting to actual residents. You'll know the real lesson here is be very careful about where you send your donations. The New York Post reporting on the growing internal dilemma over inspirational astronaut Gayle King's future at CBS News as the network undergoes a leadership transition, promising a crackdown on bias and wokeness the $8.4 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance Media, expected to close on Thursday following the FCC's approval in July, the merger placing CBS, Paramount Pictures, Paramount plus and several cable channels under the control of the independent film studio. In late May, king signing a one year extension deal reportedly valued at around 15 million bucks, the multimillion dollar extension coming at a time when her show is bleeding viewers. Nielsen data showing a 20 to 30% drop in the already low key 25 to 54 demo over the last three weeks compared to this time last year and drawing in less than 2 million total viewers in recent months. Dreadful numbers for a network morning show, CBS Mornings consistently trailing behind its competitors ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's the Today Show. That's nothing new. Paying $15 million to a failing morning star, however, isn't in line with CBS's history, the programming lineup leaning heavily into woke themes that many viewers have had enough of, A source telling the Post, King and her executive producer Shawna Thomas set the programming agenda on the show in mid April, the program going over the top with its coverage of King's extremely brief blink and you missed it trip to the edge of space on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket ship. King insisting afterward she is an actual astronaut, not missing the chance to report on what an inspiration she is to everyone. Just ask her.

[Gayle King]

I still have a hard time calling myself an astronaut, but please don't call it a ride. That is not a friggin ride. Whenever a man goes up, you have never said to an astronaut boy, what a ride. You know, we duplicated the same trajectory that Alan Shepard did back in the day. Pretty much no one called that a ride. It was called a flight. What it's doing to inspire other women and young girls. Please don't ignore that. I've had so many women and young girls reach out to me. And men too by the way. Men too that say, wow, I never thought I could do that.

[Megyn Kelly]

Every other week, King is in the trade rags on another billionaire's yacht or at one's party. Not exactly relatable for the moms watching this show from home. The show's had other troubles too. Last September, co host Tony Dokapoel, who is Jewish, drawing fierce and widely publicized internal backlash from a mildly challenging interview with radical leftist author Ta Nehisi Coates about a chapter in his new book on the Israeli Palestinian conflict that Coats wrote after spending 10 days in the Middle East.

[Gene Wu]

But you write a book that delegitimizes the pillars of Israel, it seems like an effort to topple the whole building of it. So I come back to the question, and it's what I struggle with throughout this book. What is it that so particularly offends you about the existence of a Jewish state that is a Jewish safe place and not any of the other states out there?

[Megyn Kelly]

CBS leadership throwing Dokopol under the bus in an editorial call telling staffers the interview fell short of the network's standards. The standards don't allow any tough questions. Those executives have since left the network. A source telling the Post, quote, the audience doesn't want woke. It doesn't like progressive and provocative bookings. The morning show audience wants optimism and cheer and joy. And what they were producing is at odds with audience expectations. Despite several leadership changes in recent years, CBS struggling to turn around the notoriously low ratings. Now that resistance to change appears to be on a collision course with a mandate from the top, you know, from the people who pay the bills, part of gaining FCC approval for the merger reportedly involving a pledge by Skydance to eliminate DEI policies and hire an ombudsman to monitor for political bias. And at CBS News, good luck with that. And that'll do it for your AM Update. I'm Megyn Kelly. Join me back here for the Megyn Kelly show live on Sirius XM Triumph channel 111 at noon east on YouTube.com Megyn Kelly and on all podcast platforms.

[Gene Wu]

Hey, everybody, Conan O' Brien here with an ad about my podcast. Conan O' Brien needs a friend. And I've had so many fantastic conversations with people I truly admire, people like Michelle Obama, Bruce Springsteen, Maya Rudolph, Tom Hanks. New episodes are out every Monday and we have a really good time. So subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts.