All Hell Breaks Loose as ICE Goes After Meidas!!!

Summary

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The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: “All Hell Breaks Loose as ICE Goes After Meidas!!!”

Date: February 1, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Special Guest: Marnie Von Wilpert, San Diego City Councilwoman & Congressional Candidate

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into alarming civil rights violations by ICE and Border Patrol agents under the Trump administration, specifically targeting observers, migrants, and even the MeidasTouch Network itself for exposing their actions. The conversation spans recent incidents of violent ICE conduct across Minnesota, California, Texas, and Utah, with hosts sharing eyewitness video clips and firsthand accounts. The episode culminates in a deep interview with San Diego City Councilwoman and congressional candidate Marnie Von Wilpert, who discusses local and national efforts to resist these abuses and restore American democratic values.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. ICE & Border Patrol Target MeidasTouch for Exposing Abuse

• Ben recounts how after the MeidasTouch Network posted video evidence of ICE violence against a U.S. citizen observer in Minnesota, ICE and DHS retaliated by attacking MeidasTouch publicly:
  • “All hell is breaking loose as Donald Trump's ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo are now going after Midas Touch... We wrote on our account, ‘watch these thugs. This isn't law enforcement. These are criminals.’” — Ben (00:30)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded directly to MeidasTouch, alleging the observer was an agitator interfering with a "targeted operation"—claims the hosts analyze as routine propaganda and gaslighting.
• Ben challenges the DHS narrative:
  • “You mean the First Amendment right to observe you. We all have that right under the constitution.” — Ben (05:17)
  • “They lie the way bad second grade liars lie. Like it’s obvious. It’s juvenile in nature.” — Ben (06:11)

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2. Eyewitness Accounts of ICE Violence Across the U.S.

Minnesota Incident

• Video Clip: A woman recording ICE agents is confronted, threatened, and forcefully pulled from her car while insisting on her right to document public conduct (02:16–03:50).
• Local officers had to intervene to prevent illegal arrest.

Los Angeles (El Monte, CA)

• Maria Sante, Legal Observer:
  • Her car window was broken, and weapons were drawn on her for simply observing ICE conduct.
  • “Guys, I’m a US Minist… This guy’s breaking my window.” — Maria Sante (07:59)

Midland, Texas (Roofers Arrest Incident)

• ICE targets nine migrant roofers on a residential construction site, with local fire and sheriff departments collaborating. Workers are pepper-sprayed and chased off roofs (10:03–11:05).
• Ben highlights hypocrisy:
  • “These people should be applauded and be paid more, not ripped from the roofs.” — Ben (09:54)

Utah (Auto Body Shop Raid)

• Agents break in without warrants:
  • Body shop owner and bystanders demand warrants, but agents say, “I don’t need one.” — ICE Agent (11:50)
  • Agent admits breaking in: “You guys broke the window.” / “Yes, we did.” (12:53)
  • Bystanders: “My lawyer is coming… you guys want to get—dude, what’s your badge number?” (12:04–13:06)

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3. Culture & Celebrity Response

• National attention increases, with celebrities like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello, and Becky G. vocally opposing ICE tactics.
• Recent revelations about Trump administration figures and the Epstein files stoke public outrage.

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4. Interview: Marnie Von Wilpert — City Councilmember & Congressional Candidate

[15:15–28:24]

Background:

• Marnie represents a historically red San Diego district and is running for Congress in California’s 48th. Previously a city attorney, labor attorney, and labor rights enforcer.
• Led policies on gun safety, labor rights, and due process protections.

On ICE & Community Pushback

• “We, too, have seen chaotic ICE raids here in San Diego where ICE officers walk into the middle of a crowded restaurant on a weekend with their full riot gear on. And of course, it causes havoc and panic and just so they can arrest the kitchen staff.” — Marnie (16:37)
• San Diego City Council preparing to join Minneapolis lawsuit against ICE and Trump.
• City passed a “due process ordinance” requiring judicial warrants for federal agents on city property.

On Public Safety and Values

• “Our communities are safe when we live up to our shared American values of respect for our neighbors and life and liberty and dignity and fairness under law [...] Not public safety. That is not law enforcement.” — Marnie (25:25)
• “I know how to take on big fights, and I’ll know how to hold Donald Trump accountable when I get to Congress.” — Marnie (25:41)

Gun Safety Leadership

• Passed California’s first ban on ghost guns after a local mass shooting:
  • “I wrote the first law in the nation in California to ban it instantly. Then within 10 minutes, I got sued. I was sued by the NRA... we, we won. We beat the NRA.” — Marnie (20:25–21:38)

Personal Story & Motivation

• “I’m a young LGBTQ woman. I just got engaged... and we're fighting to make sure that we can still get married in this country... I’m fighting for our freedoms. I’m fighting to make America a place where equal protection and dignity mean something again.” — Marnie (27:45)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “You mean the First Amendment right to observe you. We all have that right under the constitution.” — Ben (05:17)
• “They lie the way bad second grade liars lie. Like it’s obvious. It’s juvenile in nature.” — Ben (06:11)
• “Our communities are safe when we live up to our shared American values...” — Marnie Von Wilpert (25:25)
• “I’m sick and tired of Donald Trump and Darrell Issa dividing this nation. Everybody wants their children to be safe at school and sitting at their desks learning, not hiding under their desks from gunfire.” — Marnie (22:46)
• Body shop standoff:
  • “Where’s your warrant?” — Concerned Bystander (11:40)
  • “I don’t need one.” — ICE/Border Patrol Agent (11:50)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:30–06:11: MeidasTouch targeted by ICE/DHS after exposing abuse
• 02:16–03:50: Woman records, is assaulted/arrested by ICE in Minnesota
• 07:50–08:28: Maria Sante, legal observer, has window broken by ICE, El Monte
• 10:03–11:05: Midland, TX: ICE raids on migrant roofers
• 11:05–13:06: Utah: Auto shop owner/bystanders confront warrantless agents
• 15:15–28:24: Interview with Marnie Von Wilpert (San Diego, policy responses, personal story)

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Tone & Language

• Unapologetically direct, urgent, and often outraged; language reflects deep frustration with current federal law enforcement abuses and political gaslighting.
• Strong support for constitutional rights, civil liberties, and grassroots activism.

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Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a call to awareness and action regarding the growing, militarized abuses of ICE and Border Patrol in the Trump era. It offers both on-the-ground testimony and bold political analysis, as well as a hopeful turn to local leaders like Marnie Von Wilpert who are rallying communities and institutions in defense of democratic values, transparency, and constitutional rights.

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For full access to recaps and exclusive content:
Visit midasplus.com (per the hosts’ sign-off).

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Transcript

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[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

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[Concerned Bystander]

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[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

All hell is breaking loose as Donald Trump's ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo are now going after Midas Touch. The Midas Touch network posted a video of the ICE Border Patrol Gestapo attacking a United States citizen horrifically caught on camera. David Beyer was the first to post it. This took place in Minnesota. And then the ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo through the Department of Homeland Security immediately, immediately responded and went after the Midas Touch for just showing a video of the objective facts that just went down in Minnesota. We wrote on our account, watch these thugs. This isn't law enforcement. These are criminals. And we were amplifying David Byers post of how the Department of Homeland Security agent unclear if it's Border Patrol or ICE because they all wear masks. But they're all Gestapo and ss. They're in Minnesota. They swerved in front of an unarmed woman who was recording them. And once again, they walk in front of the car with their guns drawn and threatened to kill the woman who was observing their conduct. That's why she was out there. She was an ICE and Border Patrol observer. The only thing they learned from Renee Good and the Alex Pretty murders is how to get away with killing people. A local cop had to intervene to stop the illegal arrest. So first let me show you this video and then I'll show you what the Department of Homeland Security said, I believe to try to intimidate us. Here, play this clip.

[Woman Recording ICE Incident]

I think someone needs to call 911. They are seriously like attacking me. We'll call 911 right now. What's your location? Call 91 1. I'm right at the corner of Jefferson. No, no, I will not. I will not get out of the car. No, no, I will not get out of the car. You guys, I need CEOs here tonight. No, I will not get out of the car.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Get out of the park.

[Woman Recording ICE Incident]

Get your hands off of me. Get your hands off me. Get your hands off of me. I am not doing. We're calling 911 right now. I am not. You cannot arrest me. I'm observing.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

You're not.

[Woman Recording ICE Incident]

I am not. And we're taking a video, too. Get off of me. Get off of me.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Under arrest.

[Concerned Bystander]

Get. Someone call the MP or someone. Call the police. Somebody help the police.

[Woman Recording ICE Incident]

Call the police. Call them now. Call them now. Call them now.

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

We're calling 911. We're calling 911.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

So then the horrific video, right? Then the Department of Homeland Security responded to us directly. And here's what they said to us as the Department of Homeland Security gov. Law enforcement. They were conducting a targeted operation to arrest a serial criminal, illegal alien whose rap sheet includes multiple arrests for assault, domestic violence, and driving under the influence. An agitator began stalking and obstructing law enforcement. Just pause there for a moment. This is their M.O. this is what they say all the time. They're out here getting the pedos, they're out here getting the violent criminals. But then when they're actually called out, it turns out they're not doing that at all. That very small fraction of the people they go after are actually criminals. We all agree that criminals need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Deported, prosecuted, whatever. That's not what these ss, these paramilitary border patrol and ICE thugs are doing. Then they use language like stalking. Obstructing. You mean the First Amendment right to observe you. We all have that right under the constitution. And this idea of secret police wearing masks and. Oh, you're docs. Local law enforcement doesn't do that. Anyway, let's go through dhs. His response to Midas touch. Law enforcement officers attempted to pull her over, using their emergency lights to issue her a warning. Ignoring law enforcement commands, the agitator refused to pull over and began driving recklessly, including running stop signs, nearly colliding with multiple vehicles, and driving directly at law enforcement. And an attempt to ram their vehicle. See what they're doing right here? They're creating another pretext that she's a domestic terrorist. She's the bad guy. Don't believe your own eyes, what you saw on the video. Trust Kristi Gnome. Her actions endangered law enforcement officers, the public, and allowed this violent criminal to remain at large. Ah, so you're saying it was her fault? I got it. She did it.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

No.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Y' all are a bunch of sociopaths. And you lie the way bad second grade liars lie. Like it's obvious. It's juvenile in nature. Then it goes on to say our officers arrested the agitator. Obstructing law enforcement is A felony and a federal crime. Why are you getting in our messages? Why do you think you need to propagandize? In replies to the Midas Touch account, we see what we see on the video. So stop your propaganda. You are not welcome in the Midas Touch network accounts where we're out here trying to tell the truth. Speaking of telling the truth, we're out here in Los Angeles. That's where we're based. But we have reporters across the country and shout out to our friends at Status Coup who are in Minneapolis still and they're recording the peaceful protest there and they're still documenting what's taking place. That first video wasn't from Status Coup, but. But that took place very recently post Greg Bevino. When Donald Trump said, oh, it's a tone change. And the media was like, they're changing tone. No, they aren't. Let me show you what just took place in El Monte, California. I want to show you Maria Sante. She's a hero. She's a well known legal observer. She shows up to help the migrant community and she was targeted by the ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo who pointed weapons at her. They knocked through her window, they broke through her car simply because she was observing them. Watch what takes place here. Let's play this clip.

[Maria Sante (Legal Observer)]

Guys, I'm getting out. Okay, guys, my keys are in the car, please. Oh, they already broke. They broke my window.

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

You're breaking my window.

[Maria Sante (Legal Observer)]

Guys, I'm a US Minist, Spanish same insane. This guy's breaking my window.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Guys.

[Maria Sante (Legal Observer)]

I was unlocking the door. Guys, my phone's under here.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

And I want to show you what's happening in the rest of the country over the past day or so.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So you know that, you know, even.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Though we focused a lot on what was going down In Minneapolis or St. Paul or Chicago, ICE is involved in this conduct across the country right now. So here's a story. This right here is in Stonebridge Road and Cedar Creek Road in the North Midland neighborhood in Texas. Nine people, nine migrants who were roofers. They were working on building pretty big homes in this North Midland area. And the ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo did an alliance with the fire department and the local sheriff's office. Because in Texas, in these right wing towns and cities and state, they help ICE and Border Patrol attack their own workers. So what I want to share with you right here is you'll see the ICE and firefighters going after roofers who are literally on the roof working on homes, trying to build homes right now in this country. That's who you are attacking. So Department of Homeland Security, when you get in our messages and you're like, oh, we're going after the most violent. You're going after roofers who are out there working and doing jobs that these. These construction companies aren't able to hire anybody else. These people should be applauded and be paid more, not ripped from the roofs.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Here, play this clip.

[On-site Reporter]

We are here and some people are being witnesses to what is going on. We can tell that some of them are actually concerned to their safety. As we said mentioned earlier, we spoke with some neighbors and they did say that they believed this to be a medical emergency. And then they saw hsi. They saw people with green uniforms. We do know that they were trying to pepper spray a few of them. Like we've mentioned before, the Midland Fire Department is present. Midland County Sheriff's office is also present. Earlier, we did see people with an HSI badge and police ice logo in the back of their jacket. There is various witnesses to this. This is happening in a neighborhood in Midland. It is in Stonebridge Drive and Porterfield Road. We have been here for what is about an hour as we are seeing they are trying to run and try to get them.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

And then we'll go from Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Almonte, and let's go to Utah. This is happening everywhere. Trump's goons broke into a locked auto body shop without a warrant in Utah. And then the owner of the body shops, like, you just broke into my business. Like, this is my. What do you. You didn't show me a warrant. And Trump's goons, his border patrol Gestapo say, we don't need to show you anything. We don't need to do anything at all. Here, play this clip.

[On-site Reporter]

Look at this.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Look at these.

[Concerned Bystander]

Where's your guys?

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Warrant.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Stay back.

[Concerned Bystander]

Where's your guys? Warrant? No. Where's your warrant? Where's the warrant?

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Stand right there.

[Concerned Bystander]

Where's the warrant?

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

I don't need one.

[Concerned Bystander]

Yes, you do. Where the warrant? You guys do this.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

I need you to wrap that up.

[Concerned Bystander]

For what?

[On-site Reporter]

Stay back.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Stop getting closer to me.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Stay back.

[Concerned Bystander]

I'm back. I'm back. I ain't gonna do to you. I'm back. Leg. You guys have to leave. My lawyer is coming.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Good.

[Concerned Bystander]

You guys want to get. Dude, what's your badge number? No, I want to get you guys that one. All right. Yes. You guys aren't be back here.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Stand back here. You can record.

[Concerned Bystander]

But I'm already back here. You guys haven't showed me. You guys haven't identified yourself. I Don't know who the you guys are. Hold on. What is that? What the is that?

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Federal agent.

[Concerned Bystander]

I need a warrant. I need a warrant.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Do not need a warrant.

[Concerned Bystander]

Yes, I do. Yes, I do. You. You know how you guys came in illegally?

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

No.

[Concerned Bystander]

You guys broke the window.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

Yes, we did.

[Concerned Bystander]

Good. You guys don't have a warrant.

[ICE/Border Patrol Agent]

We don't need one.

[Concerned Bystander]

Yes, you do. Hey, what the are you doing? I'm making sure he's safe. Excuse you.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Meanwhile, you had Greg Bevino partying it up in Las Vegas. Here he is in Las Vegas at the clubs while ICE and Border Patrol continue to terrorize people in this country. Also, the New York Times reporting how the Border Patrol leader, Greg Bevino mocked the Jewish faith of U.S. attorney in Minnesota during a call with lawyers, according to several people with knowledge of the conversation. Shout out to some of the celebrities now who are calling out ICE and Border Patrol terrorism. I showed you Bruce Springsteen before, Tom Morello of Rage against the Machine, Becky G. With her f. Ice fingernails. You even had Garcia, the boxer Ryan Garcia say that he's no longer. He said that he's recanting his. He said reclining, but he meant to recanting any support that he gave to Donald Trump. After the Epstein files were released, and Trump's name appeared on the Epstein files over 5,000 times in some of the most despicable ways, along with the cabal of Trump regime officials, Howard Lutnick's name appeared. Elon Musk's name appeared. The new guy that Trump appointed, Kevin Wash to the Federal Reserve chairman, his name appeared. Look, when we're talking about ICE terrorism, too, I think it's important to note, as I said, this is still happening every day in cities and towns across the country, so stop with the new tone crap. So I want to bring in Marnie Von Wilpert. She's a San Diego City Council member because San Diego is still under attack. Every day in San Diego, ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo are terrorizing people there. And Marnie's been fighting back with the City Council, and she's also running for Congress from California's 48th congressional district against Darrell Issa. It's a competitive primary with lots of Democratic candidates who are running. Um, Marnie, San Diego City Council.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

She believes that she'll be.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

She flipped a red seat to become that City council member.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Let.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Let's bring in Marnie. Here's the interview that I just did with Marnie.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And so while Greg Bevino is leaving Minneapolis and St. Paul, he's now heading, unfortunately, to San Diego. And the San Diego community has already been terrorized by Bavino's thugs and the ice, Border Patrol thugs and Gestapo. Before we've covered here last year, restaurants being raided and communities being terrorized. And now Bavino is back. I want to speak to a San Diego City Council member, Marnie Von Wilbert, who's also running for Congress against a MAGA Republican candidate, Darrell Issa, in the newly redrawn California's 48th district. It's an important district, redrawn after Prop 50, and this is one of the areas that Democrats need and many people believe Democrats will get. It's unclear what ICE is going to do. He's running away from all the members of the press when they try to ask him questions on Capitol Hill. But, Marty, let's talk first about Bavino and we'll talk about the race. But Bevino is coming into your city. You're a city council member. Previously you were a deputy city attorney there. You were a prosecutor in the city, and before that a labor attorney as well. But talk to us. How are you preparing for this and what are you doing to push back?

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Yeah. So we have been raising all the alarms, you know, here in the city of San Diego. We do not need to see what's happening. The chaos and terror on the streets of Minneapolis, and Bavino is coming back to Southern California. I've called on President Trump to fire Babino, not to give him a new post where he can wreak new havoc on our communities. I've also called on Donald Trump to fire Kristi Noem. She needs to go. She has failed and derelicted her duty to keep America safe. And we're preparing here in San Diego County. So I'm leading a vote on Monday at the San Diego City Council to join the lawsuit with Minneapolis against ICE and Donald Trump. We, too, have seen chaotic ICE raids here in San Diego where ICE officers are walking into the middle of a crowded restaurant on a weekend with their full riot gear on. And of course, it causes havoc and panic and just so they can arrest the kitchen staff.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So is that what's going on now?

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

One of the things, you know, we're.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Seeing that all these. It's.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

We have to keep track of everything.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

So, you know, because also, you know, authoritarianism spreads in silence. Like right now, are we still, like, on any given weekend, you know, is I still going into restaurants and. And terrorizing people? Maybe not with the visuals we're seeing in Minneapolis, but is that going on now?

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Oh, yeah. It happens all the time here in San Diego. And we are doing the best we can to fight back. We've also passed a due process ordinance requiring any federal agent to have a warrant, a judicial warrant, not one signed by their own officers, to come onto any city owned land. We have know your rights trainings going on. But you know, I'm running for Congress because this race is about the future of our democracy. This is one of the top five seats in the nation. We have to take back to get control of the House and we have to hold Donald Trump accountable. We have to restore Congress as a co equal branch of government that stands up for the Constitution and the American people. I've been a San Diego City Council member here for five years now. We're the eighth largest city in the country. So it's a big city that I govern. And just like I've been here, I've been a champion for working families. I started the first teacher down payment assistance program so that teachers, public school teachers could afford to buy homes in the communities where they teach. I wrote the first law in the nation requiring grocery stores to not require senior citizens to download an app and find digital coupons merely to get discounts on the food they buy. So while I'm doing everything I can to lower our cost of living, make the economy work for all of us, Donald Trump and Darrell Issa are raising all of our costs with this tariff war that's increasing the price of everything. And Darrell Issa just voted again to increase the price of health care by not joining Republicans to restore the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. So I'm going to get into Congress and fight back and make sure I'm a champion for working people across this country.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

One of the things that's really impressive about your background, among a lot of things, is you flipped a very, very right wing city council district blue that.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Nobody thought was possible.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

You and I were joking before we went on. I said, so you were the city prosecutor, you were a successful labor attorney, then decided to jump into this. But it's important to note he didn't just jump into any city council seat. I mean, that city council seat was kind of as right wing as it gets. And you, you flipped that one. So talk to us about that because I think the lessons there may apply now and may apply across the country right now about how you did that and kind of push back against this disinformation MAGA machine where they, you know, lie to, lie to the people all of the time and get some people to vote against their interests.

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Yeah, Ben, I Did you know I grew up in this district. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. And I knew it was ruby red because my parents only had Republicans representing them my whole life. But the first time Donald Trump got elected, I quit my job in the Obama administration and I flew home to San Diego. I was a labor lawyer enforcing workers rights and women's rights to equal pay around this country. And I said, we can do better. Let's get more women in office. And so I did, and I ran for the city council seat. And when I won it, people told me, you're never going to be effective because to stay in office in a purple district, you can't be bold. And I said, watch me. The first law I ever passed when I got elected was the first law in California banning the sale of untraceable ghost guns and the parts of guns people were buying and making guns at home and using in crimes. We had a horrific mass shooting in San Diego in April of 2021. And when I found out the shooter used a ghost gun, I wrote the first law in the nation in California to ban it instantly. Then within 10 minutes, I got sued. I was sued by the NRA. They came out me at federal court and I was six months into my first term in office facing a federal lawsuit by myself. And I honestly thought about giving up. But then I got an email from a father who wrote to me and said, marnie, I need to tell you what happened to my son. And he sent me a selfie of him standing in front of his 12 year old son's grave. And I could tell the grave was fresh because the flowers were still blooming and the candles were still lit. And he said, Marnie, my 12 year old son Max was shot and killed by a ghost gun two weeks ago. And I'm writing to you because you're the only politician doing anything about it. And so we did, we took Max's story in that email and I called the city attorney. I said, let's go to court. And we did. And we, we won. We beat the nra. The federal court upheld my law, and then San Francisco passed my ghost gun law. Louisiana passed the law. Oakland, the state of California has now taken action. And so I am able to move the needle on things like gun violence prevention, which has been so hard. And the way I did it, Ben, in my purple district is I brought people into the conversation. I had moms demand action at my press conferences. I had high school students who are sick and tired of the active shooter drills And I had uniformed police officers because they also don't like being shot on the street by legal guns. And so when people saw uniform cops alongside high school students in the moms groups, they said, wait a minute, this is something we all agree on. And I did. And guess what? I won my reelection with no opponent for my second term. So that is how you lead in a purple district. You are bold. You bring solutions, but you also bring people in. I am sick and tired of Donald Trump and Darrell Issa dividing this nation. Everybody wants their children to be safe at school and sitting at their desks learning, not hiding under their desks from gunfire.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Yeah. You know, and I think people like.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

Fighters and they want fighters right now.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

And sometimes people think, well, the way you deal with the purple district is you have to compromise on things, which some compromise is needed in government, but you can't compromise on certain values and principles is what I like to believe. And so when there are ICE and Border Patrol, mass Gestapo, and like a paramilitary force who are rolling into cities like San Diego, Minneapolis, L.A. portland, Chicago and terrorizing people, I just don't think that there's. All right, here's what we're going to do to try to negotiate with. I mean, it's get the hell out of our city right now and get rid of this leadership and get rid of them. You know, there are, to me, things like that where people want to know that you're fighting for them. And I think what Trump was able to convince people with fraud was that.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

He was going to do all of these things.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that on day one. And on day one, you're going to get this.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

And he didn't.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

On Friday, a report shows that inflation, core inflation surging to 3.3% above expectations, another government shut down, people's health care gone. And people are like, we want fighters. So you're going to be their fighter there. Talk to us about that as you run now for Congress, what's the fight ahead?

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

So the fight is through this seat. You know, California did redistricting. When Texas tried to change their districts to drown out Democrats voice, California stood up and fought back. And one of the things we did was change this particular district, congressional, district 48, to make Darrell Issa, who just nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize again, make him run on his heels. You know, Darrell Issa has never run a tough race in his life. He runs fleeing when he sees competition. We're calling him Dallas Darrell since he tried to run to Texas when he saw how hard it would be to run against me in this race. But I fought for my community my whole life. You know, as a deputy city attorney, I took on some of the toughest fights against big corporations who are ruining the American experience. I sued the opioid industry for the havoc and the addiction they've caused on our American communities. And I won $40 million back to San Diego to get addiction treatment into our emergency room. So if people survive that overdose and wake up in that ER bed, they have someone right next to them to hold their hand and get them into treatment. And guess what, Ben, it's working. We haven't seen a repeat overdose at the three hospitals we piloted this program with. I also took on environmental polluters. I sued Monsanto for polluting the San Diego bay, and we won $50 million to get them to clean up our bay. I know how to take on big fights, and I'll know how to hold Donald Trump accountable when I get to Congress. But we also need to remember what makes us safe. I'm the chair of Public safety, and we see Darrell Issa and Donald Trump wreaking havoc and chaos in Minneapolis. That's not public safety. That is not law enforcement. Our communities are safe when we live up to our shared American values of respect for our neighbors and life and liberty and dignity and fairness under law. Our communities are safe when we respect the Constitution and due process in the rule of law. So I am running to fight back against ICE's horrific tactics and actually rein them in. I am appalled that Republicans in Congress have rubber stamped everything Donald Trump has done, including Darrell Issa, and they won't even pass a funding bill to rein in ICE's horrible conduct. Right now, we need better people in Congress. I'm going to win this race, take on Donald Trump and get our country back.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Where can people learn more about the campaign, Marnie?

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Go to my website. It's marnievonwilpert. M A R N I V O N W I l P E R-T dot com. You know, my last name comes from my father. He's an immigrant to this country. My father was not born here. And when he came, he signed up to serve our nation in the United States Army. And now that he's older, we're relying on the Veterans Administration, the va, to help care for him and his elder years. And this is what the American dream is about. You know, you can come to this country, make an incredible life, and then we take care of our veterans. It's just this is the core American values I want to see back in our communities. This is not the America that I grew up in. You know, I'm a young LGBTQ woman. I just got engaged, Ben, to my girlfriend three weeks ago.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Congratulations. We should have led with that.

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Yeah. So we just got engaged, and we're fighting to make sure that we can still get married in this country. You know, Roe v. Wade was already turned, and I've lost my right as a young woman to reproductive healthcare in many states in this nation. I'm terrified of losing my right to marry the woman that I love. So I'm fighting for our freedoms. I'm fighting to make America a place where equal protection and dignity mean something again, and fighting to make respect and dignity the values of our government again.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Marnie Von Wilpert, City Council, San Diego running for 48th congressional district in California. Thanks for joining us.

[Marnie Von Wilpert]

Thank you so much for having me, everybody.

[Interviewer/Reporter]

Hit subscribe let's get to 6 million subscribers.

[Ben (Host/Narrator)]

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