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- [00:01]
Mantis X Representative
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- [01:01]
Political Commentator
A good day for Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson, who was just thrown under the bus by his own party in a very public letter. In contrast, a very good day for House Democrats who just named a new ranking member to the Oversight Committee who is ready to start aggressively pursuing investigations into Trump and MAGA crimes. Let me show you what went down earlier today as MAGA Republican in the House who claim to be moderate, but we know they're not all that moderate, sent a letter to MAGA Mike Johnson. They then leaked the letter publicly where they excoriate MAGA Mike Johnson and the Majority Leader in the Senate, Majority Leader Thune, a MAGA Republican, for making the disastrous budget bill even a bigger disaster and having this murder bill kill even more people. And we already know the murder bill, which they call a big beautiful bill, it's a murder bill, is deeply, deeply unpopular among the American people. So here's what's being reported. Sixteen House Republicans write a letter rebelling against the Senate bill's Medicaid spending cuts. But this was all part of MAGA Mike Johnson's plan. It's all part of his and Donald Trump's fraud. Convince the so called moderate MAGA Republicans in the House to support the budget bill, then send it over to the Senate to make it even a worse budget bill, and then call upon Donald Trump to threaten and extort the MAGA House members to support it at the last minute under the threat of that they're going to be primaried. Let's keep reading this. The cuts to Medicaid by the Senate version of the disastrous budget bill are, quote, more aggressive than the House bill. And by more aggressive that means kills more people. Concerns include Provider taxes, state payments, harm to hospitals, and quote, cuts to emergency Medicaid funding. Let's take a look at this letter that was sent by these 16 House Republicans to Senate Majority Leader Thune and to MAGA Mike Johnson. They write the following. As members of Congress who helped secure a Republican majority, we believe that it is essential that the final reconciliation bill that's referring to the disastrous budget bill reflect the priorities of our constituents, most importantly the critical need to protect Medicaid and the hospitals that serve our communities. Throughout the budget process, we have consistently affirmed our commitment to ensuring that reductions in federal spending do not come at the expense of of our most vulnerable constituents. We write to reiterate that commitment to those we represent here in Washington. Oh, so you want to leak this publicly to pretend that you care about your constituents, that you're killing. The letter goes on to say from these MAGA Republicans to MAGA Mike Johnson and the MAGA Republican leader of the Senate, Thune. It goes on to say, we support the Medicaid reforms in HR1. That's the House version, which strengthen the program's ability to serve children, pregnant women, the elderly and individuals with disabilities. The proposal released by the Senate finance committee on June 16 includes provisions that go beyond HR1. The House approach reflects a more pragmatic and compassionate standard and we urge that it be retained in the final bill. The Senate proposal also undermines the balanced approach taken to craft the Medicaid provisions in HR1, particularly regarding provider taxes and state directed payments. The Senate version treats expansion and non expansion states unfairly, fails to preserve existing state programs and imposes stricter limits that do not give hospitals sufficient time to adjust a new budget, to adjust to new budgetary constraints or identify alternative funding sources. In other words, hospitals lose funding and people die immediately. That's what that word salad meant right there. This letter from the MAGA Republicans to MAGA Mike Johnson and Senate Leader Thune say the following. We are also concerned about rushed implementation of timelines, penalties for expansion states, changes to the community engagement requirements for adults with dependents, and cuts to emergency Medicaid funding. These changes would place additional burdens on hospitals already stretched thin by legal and moral obligations to provide care, folks. That's why we call this disastrous budget bill a murder bill, because it kills people. The Senate version does even a worse job than the House budget bill does, with even more people getting killed. So here's MAGA Mike Johnson though, after getting that letter and MAGA Mike Johnson brazenly lies and he goes, no, we're not Cutting Medicaid. The President says. The President says that we're not. Yeah, maybe when you start a sentence with the President says, and you're referring to Donald Trump, unfortunately, we know it's going to be a lie. The guy is a fraud. The guy is a felon, the guy is a sexual abuser, the guy is a bankrupter. How do you know Donald Trump is lying? He opens up his mouth. All this guy does is fraud and lie and fraud and lie. Here's what Mag and Mike Johnson says. They'll play this clip.
- [06:13]
MAGA Mike Johnson
You've look, you've got a number of provisions. We want to make sure that we hold by our commitment that we are not cutting Medicaid. The President has said that and I've said that. We've all said that. We are strengthening the program for the people who are the most vulnerable populations who really rely upon that. You're talking about the disabled, the elderly, young, pregnant women, for example. Those resources won't be available for those people who desperately need it and deserve it if young, able bodied men, for example, are on the program and not working. So we introduced a work requirement on the House side. It's wildly popular with the people because it follows common sense. If you're going to be on the public wagon and you're able, you should try to help pull it. And all we did was put in there, as you all know, a 20 hour work requirement per week. 20 hours. You guys work 80 hours, I'm sure, right? Give me a break. They're complaining about that. You either have to be working, you have to be looking for a job and a job training program or volunteering in a community, for heaven's sakes, do something constructive. That is, that is something that everybody nods their head in agreement at a town hall and says, yes, do that. Why didn't we do it already? Right. So what we've done, strengthen the program. I hope and believe, I pray that the Senate will follow that same theme and not do anything that we couldn't pass on the other side over here.
- [07:23]
Political Commentator
And how do you trust a word that MAGA Mike Johnson says, who's just Donald Trump, stooge and MAGA Mike Johnson doesn't even believe that the Congress should have any role at all. That he believes it should just be a puppet of the regime. That's what they view. Listen to him say right here. MAGA Mike Johnson is arguing that constitutional experts say that the House of Representatives should have nothing at all to do in the Congress in general, should have nothing to do with war. Powers. It's literally Article one, Section eight. It's literally, it's there it is your authority. But MAGA Mike goes, no, no, no. Why, why should we have any say over the war powers? That's for dictator Donald. Here, play this clip.
- [08:10]
MAGA Mike Johnson
It also requires that the President inform Congress within 48 hours of use of military force. Obviously, President Trump did that. Obviously in the modern era with the 24 hour news cycle and social media, nothing goes by unnoticed. This, this might have made some sense in 1973, but I'm not even sure it was constitutional. And I'll tell you about that as well. Many respected constitutional experts argue that the War Powers act is itself unconstitutional. I'm persuaded by that argument. They think it's a violation of the Article 2 powers of the Commander in Chief. I think that's right. If you look back at the founder's intent, you read the Federalist Papers, you read the records of the Constitutional Convention, I think that is right. And many more scholars believe the President is correct to use this executive authority in exactly the manner that he did over the weekend. I am a jealous guardian of Congress's Article 1 authority. We are the defenders of it here and we take it seriously and I always will be. But exercising the authority to declare war isn't something we've done since World War II. And everybody in this room knows since then we've had more than 125 military operations from Korea and Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. They have occurred without a declaration of war by Congress. Presidents of both parties have exercised that authority frequently. A few.
- [09:31]
Political Commentator
And then after Donald Trump claiming that he obliterated, obliterated all of the nuclear capabilities in Iran, MAGA Mike Johnson goes on Fox and says we're under no illusions that you can just kill all nuclear ambitions overnight. Wasn't that the claim? Here, play this clip.
- [09:50]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
After we crashed them. Can I just tell you that right now, Mr. Speaker, Reuters is reporting Iran's nuclear chief says we're going to immediately start reconstituting our nuclear program. I mean, that's. How do you negotiate that?
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Political Commentator
Are you kidding me?
- [10:07]
MAGA Mike Johnson
It's madness. I mean, we're under no illusion that you can just kill all their nuclear ambition overnight. But I think reality has set in over there. We have decimated the upper echelon of their military command as well as their nuclear scientists. I mean, there's not much left for them to rebuild upon. But the idea that they would put out a statement like that at this fragile moment is very frustrating.
- [10:29]
Political Commentator
And straight off the post victory Win the ranking member of the House, the Oversight Committee. We have Congressmember Robert Garcia. Democrat Congressmember Garcia, first off, congratulations on the victory. Now the ranking member of the Oversight Committee for the Democrats. I was just showing a bunch of clips right there before about MAGA Mike Johnson and what he's trying to pull. But let's talk more about what the Democrats are doing for moving the agenda forward, and specifically what you're gonna be doing now as the ranking member of the Oversight Committee. I mean, Democrats still in the minority, but what are you gonna do?
- [11:07]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
Well, look, first, I'm very grateful, of course, to the House Democratic Caucus just winning the election. As you all know, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is at the heart of keeping Congress working for the American public. It's about investigations. It's about taking on corruption. It's about investigating those that are in power, that are trying to damage the public and our institutions. At the same time, it's about government reform. It's how do we make government actually work for the public? How do we actually make it more efficient? How do we actually transform government to support the workforce? That's what oversight is. And as we know, oversight has always been that committee that is investigating corruption. And so it was an honor to work with Gerry Connolly. Obviously, Jamie Raskin was one of my heroes coming into Congress and to be able to take on this role as the lead Democrat on this committee. We are going to hold Donald Trump and his administration accountable. I'm grateful for the support, and I'm happy to be here with you.
- [12:08]
Political Commentator
I think a lot of people saw how the MAGA Republicans turned the Oversight Committee, which, as you just noted, is incredibly important to root out corruption. They used it as the source of corruption and as an enabler of corruption. And we've seen what people like James Comer and other people have done, how they've literally used fake whistleblowers, how they've basically just been a tool of the Trump regime to go after Trump's political enemy. So how do you. Right now, with the Democrats still not controlling the House, how do you push back on that at this stage?
- [12:44]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
Well, first we gotta call out their lies and their corruption every single day. Remember, this is a committee that has Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace and James Comer and Jim Jordan and Lauren Boebert and so many of the MAGA extremists that are lying to the American public and doing nothing to address the concerns of the American people. And so it's really important for us as a committee to get Together, lay out an agenda, and not only at the end of the day, push back on the lies, but also do our own investigative work. We've got to investigate the corruption of the government, take on and push back on Doge, ensure that Elon Musk is held accountable for everything that he did to try to harm the American public and the government and the large corporations that are trying to rip off the American taxpayer and do nothing to lower the cost of goods. That also has to be addressed. And while we do all that, we're going to work with our partners and people across this country to look at our agencies, to actually see how we can make them work better for the American people. And so I'm really excited about this opportunity and I'm grateful. Look, as you know, I'm in my third year in Congress. And to be elected, to be a ranking member this early in being in Congress, I know is unique, typically in Congress. But I'm just grateful that they were able to see that we had not just the experience, particularly serving as mayor of a big city, but that we're able to expand the tent, bring some more folks in, bring newer voices, new generation of Democrats to be a part of the solution, be a part of winning the House back. And we're gonna do everything we can to take on Donald Trump. And I'm really excited about it.
- [14:22]
Political Commentator
You know, that's what I'm hearing from all of our viewers here at the Midas Touch Network. They were so happy to hear that you won because it also represents, I think, a shift right now as well to younger generation of people rolling up their sleeves, fighting fire with fire, and really kind of pushing back. I think people are just done of seeing Donald Trump and the MAGA machine just throw everything against the wall and kind of see what sticks while Democrats are playing polite. Oh, maybe we try to do that. Let's listen to that. And so how do we fight right now? I mean, how do we, looking forward, what are going to be some of the biggest priorities? How do we fight and push back?
- [15:09]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
Well, look, I try to be fearless in the work. We know this is a moment where our country is in danger, our democracy is under attack, and we've got to fight like hell. Our constituents, the country is not only demanding it, it's necessary to protect our democracy. You all know that we push back. In fact, I had Donald Trump, as you know, try to investigate me for criticizing Elon Musk just a few months ago. We've taken on Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace and their lives in this committee and we've a talented group of House Democrats that are on the Oversight Committee. This is a committee, of course, that Alexandria Castro Cortez and Katie Porter and so many others use to take on corruption. And I think that I look at the new members that are on this committee, the freshmen, the senior members who have so much wisdom and mentorship to give to the rest of us. And we've got an all star team. And this is the team that is going to ensure that we hold the administration accountable. This is the team that's going to ensure that we make government work better for the American people. And so we're going to be going across, not just in the community room, but we're going to go across the country. We're going to have field hearings, we're going to do all sorts of ways to reach out to the public and remind folks that we've got a country worth fighting for and that Donald Trump is the worst person to ever serve as president. And we'd remind the American public of that.
- [16:28]
Political Commentator
You feel reason for hope right now? We saw the big no Kings protests, it seems, I mean, and you and I have been speaking since you got into Congress. But we've, we've had our highs, we've had our lows. And there was that moment after Trump was elected where I think a lot of people were down. We weren't sure how it was going to go. You and others kept on fighting. We tried to do our part here. How do you feel right now, June 24, 2025?
- [16:54]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
I do feel hopeful. I mean, look, let's be clear. I mean, this is a very difficult time for the country and the world. A lot of horrible things are happening. But there is, I think, a fire burning within the American public. They're pushing back against Donald Trump. They're pushing back against Elon Musk. They're organizing, they're peacefully protesting. They're out on the streets demanding a better country and better actions from our government. And when I see those recent rallies and then no Kings marches and activities all across the country, it does give you hope. And I think we're going to continue to see that happening in the weeks and months ahead. And the American public have to sustain that energy because as we know, Donald Trump is right now working on enriching himself and his family. He's accepting $400 million planes. He's creating meme coins where he can essentially funnel foreign money into his family's pockets. He's opening up hotels across the world in countries where we should be doing diplomacy. These are not just illegal, they're against the Constitution. And so we've got to make sure that we hold him and his family accountable for the crimes that they are committing and remind the American public what they're actually doing. That's going to be our job on the Oversight Committee and your viewers, the American public can rest assured that we're going to work every single day to hold these folks accountable and to make their lives better.
- [18:18]
Political Commentator
Congressman Robert Garcia, we're grateful for you picking independent media and the Midas Touch network as the first place to make your first basic address to the people after being named the ranking member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee. Thank you so much and congratulations.
- [18:35]
Congressmember Robert Garcia
Thank you for all you guys do.
- [18:37]
Political Commentator
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