Rep. Jared Moskowitz on GOP Crashing Over Trump Cover Up

Summary

Summary of The MeidasTouch Podcast Episode: "Rep. Jared Moskowitz on GOP Crashing Over Trump Cover Up"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The MeidasTouch Podcast
• Host/Author: MeidasTouch Network
• Episode: Rep. Jared Moskowitz on GOP Crashing Over Trump Cover Up
• Release Date: July 26, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers engage in a compelling discussion featuring Democratic Congressmember Jared Moskowitz and Republican Congressmember Mike Johnson. The primary focus centers on the GOP's reaction to the Democratic maneuver in the Oversight Committee, which successfully subpoenaed the Epstein files from the Department of Justice (DOJ). The conversation delves into the implications of these revelations, the internal dynamics within Congress, and broader concerns about democracy and governmental accountability.

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GOP's Reaction to Subpoena of Epstein Files

Progressive Narrator initiates the discussion by highlighting the panic among MAGA Republicans following the Democrats' move to subpoena the Epstein files from the DOJ. The expectation is that the DOJ might obstruct and refuse to produce these records. This move has led some Republicans to question the necessity of accessing these files, with remarks such as, "Why do we even need to see these files? Could we just move on?" (05:00).

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Statements from GOP Congressmembers

Congressmember Zink draws parallels between the current situation and the Russian collusion investigation, asserting, "There's nothing there, I can assure you, with the President United States, that would lead to any other conclusion that he knew him" (02:32). This statement suggests skepticism about the contents and relevance of the Epstein files concerning former President Trump.

Congressmember Jimenez emphasizes the American public's focus on more immediate issues, stating, "The American people are more worried about... their economy, how much they're paying for gas..." (03:36). He implies that the Epstein files diversion distracts from pressing concerns affecting citizens' daily lives.

Senator Roger Marshall shifts the narrative towards Hillary Clinton, suggesting that external interference, such as Russian meddling, was pivotal in her electoral defeat. This aligns with the broader strategy to delegitimize electoral outcomes by attributing them to foreign interference.

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Introduction of Jared Moskowitz and Mike Johnson's Exchange

As the discussion progresses, Progressive Narrator brings in Congressmember Jared Moskowitz to counter the GOP's narrative. Mike Johnson criticizes his Republican colleagues for seemingly fleeing the Epstein investigation, sarcastically noting, "Well, I mean, you know, Mike Johnson sent us away. He sent us on vacation to try to escape the Epstein thing" (05:17).

The exchange intensifies as Johnson accuses Republicans of fabricating or exaggerating threats to divert attention from substantive issues. He mocks the GOP's attempts to blame Democrats and figures like Hillary Clinton for various political challenges, highlighting inconsistencies and a lack of substantive evidence.

Jared Moskowitz counters by pointing out that Republican supporters are being misled by unfounded claims, saying, "My Republican supporters have bought this hook, line and sinker. I don't want their support anymore. They're buying into this hoax" (09:55). He expresses frustration over the adoption of baseless theories within the GOP base.

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Discussion on FEMA's Handling of Texas Floods

Transitioning from the Epstein files controversy, the conversation addresses FEMA's response to the recent Texas flash floods. Jared Moskowitz raises concerns about the lack of preparedness and accountability within FEMA, detailing how the agency's leadership under Kristi Noem has been ineffective. He cites specific failures, such as withholding $10 billion in disaster aid and hindering the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from promptly responding to emergencies (13:56).

Mike Johnson elaborates on systemic issues within FEMA, noting, "Homeland was using FEMA to run all of the grants and the 22 other agencies. And FEMA got away a little bit from being a core response agency and became a giant grant agency" (14:17). He highlights bipartisan efforts to reform FEMA, emphasizing the necessity to detach it from Homeland Security to restore its primary emergency management functions.

Jared Moskowitz introduces a bipartisan bill aimed at restructuring FEMA's governance, reflecting a rare moment of cross-party collaboration to address agency inefficiencies.

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Impact and Implications for Democracy

The episode underscores the fragility of democratic institutions when faced with internal conflicts and misinformation. The GOP's approach to the Epstein files is portrayed as a distraction from genuine issues affecting citizens, potentially eroding public trust in governmental institutions. Jared Moskowitz warns, "This is the threat to democracy. This is the truth that threatens democracy" (05:06), emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability to uphold democratic values.

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Concluding Remarks

The podcast concludes with a critical view of current political dynamics, emphasizing the need for informed leadership and responsible governance. Both Congressmembers stress the importance of focusing on substantive issues like disaster preparedness and economic stability over partisan conflicts and unfounded conspiracy theories.

Jared Moskowitz expresses hope for improved hurricane seasons through effective FEMA reforms, while Mike Johnson reiterates the urgency of addressing bureaucratic red tape to enhance emergency responses.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Congressmember Zink (02:32): "There's nothing there... that he knew him."

• Congressmember Jimenez (03:36): "The American people are more worried about... their economy, how much they're paying for gas..."

• Congressmember Mike Johnson (05:17): "He sent us on vacation to try to escape the Epstein thing."

• Congressmember Jared Moskowitz (09:55): "My Republican supporters have bought this hook, line and sinker. I don't want their support anymore. They're buying into this hoax."

• Congressmember Jared Moskowitz (13:56): "And so we're only talking about it because their base is talking about it..."

• Congressmember Mike Johnson (14:17): "Homeland was using FEMA to run all of the grants and the 22 other agencies..."

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Conclusion

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast provides an insightful exploration of the GOP's maneuvers surrounding the Epstein files subpoena and the broader implications for American democracy. Coupled with a critical analysis of FEMA's preparedness and response to natural disasters, the discussion underscores the necessity for accountable governance and the dangers of political distractions from pressing national issues.

For listeners seeking comprehensive coverage of political dynamics, bipartisan challenges, and the intersection of governance and democracy, this episode offers valuable perspectives and in-depth analysis.

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the moments in the provided transcript where the quotes and discussions occur.

Transcript

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[Progressive Narrator]

MAGA Republicans in Congress are absolutely panicking right now after Democrats successfully did this maneuver in the Oversight Committee to get other MAGA Republicans to join and actually subpoena the Epstein files from the Department of Justice. Now look, I think the DOJ is going to try to obstruct and not produce these records. But now you have the Republicans who are trying to come to Donald Trump's defense trying to say why do we even need to see these files? Could we just move? Just move on. There's nothing that is even going to be in here. You've got Congressmember Zink. Here's what he had to say today. Let's play it.

[Congressmember Zink]

You know, it reminds me actually of the Russian collusion. Look, I've talked to Pam Bondi. The list, as I understand it, is a victim list. Remember, you have horrendous crimes with children. And Chief Justice Roberts is mentioned, I understand, because he took a flight that Epstein owned. So just necessarily knowing someone is not criminal, but you also have to protect the innocent. So as I understand that Trump, you know, asked the Trump administration, asked the judge to, to intervene, take a look at what, what should be sealed, what is not sealed. But I just don't think that everyone's looking for this golden nugget. And it just reminds me of the Russian collusion. There's nothing there, I can assure you, with the President United States, that would lead to any other conclusion that he knew him. That's it.

[Progressive Narrator]

How are these human beings? How are these human beings? Let's just start there. How is this even real? And you've got Congressmember Jimenez. Here's what he's got to say heinous.

[Congressmember Jimenez]

Things and to young girls. And he paid the ultimate price, I guess with his own suicide. But we need to move on. Again, the American people are more worried about, you know, tabletop issues, kitchen table issues, their economy, how much they're paying for gas, you know, how much money can they put keep in their pockets once the effects of the big beautiful bill take effect with no tax on tips and overtime. Social Security, you know, lowering gas prices through energy dominance. I think the American people are a lot more interested in that than in.

[Progressive Narrator]

The literally just saying words. Social Security. What about Social Security? What do you even mean? All right, and then you have MAGA Republican Senator Roger Marshall saying the real thing we need to focus on is Hillary Clinton. Hillary.

[Barack Obama]

Minimal impact on the election. And Barack says, oh no, let's change that narrative. Let's go out there and delegitimize the election and tell the American people that Russia interfered with the election. Otherwise how in the world could Hillary Clinton be beaten? Never mind that she was on tranquilizers at the time and, and to her wits end and was thrive was craving for all the power she can get. Look again. This is the threat to democracy. This is the truth that to democracy. When the, when the President United States weaponizes the entire intelligence agency and the legacy media against the future President of the United States. The duly elected future President of the United States.

[Congressmember Zink]

Yeah, that.

[Progressive Narrator]

What let's pray. What let's bring in Democratic Congressmember Jared Moskowitz. Congressman Moskowitz, where are you?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Congressman Good afternoon.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Well, I mean, you know, Mike Johnson sent us away. He sent us on vacation to try to escape the Epstein thing. So I. I'm on an island. Not. Not that one. And I had this ridiculous shirt. No, look, I'm in my office. I'm still wearing the ridiculous shirt for you.

[Progressive Narrator]

Let's bring you believe.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Can you believe they sent us home?

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

So I listened to my colleagues, with all due respect to them, and if what they were saying were true, why are we home? Why are we here?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Why did they send us out of Washington early?

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Why did they cancel committees? Why did they cancel votes? If they weren't running away, what are they hiding?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so it is ironic the reason.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

We'Re talking about this is because Donald Trump talked about it and Don Jr. Talked about it, and Cash Patel talked about it, and Dan Bongino talked about it, and Pam Bondi said the list.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Was on her desk and then turned.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Out no list, no desk. Okay. That's why we're talking about it. And then the reports come out, obviously, about a big, beautiful secret. And then it comes out that Pam Bondi briefed the president that his name was on the list, which, by the way, I don't know, is shocking to me, that his name is on the list or in the boxes or in the files.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I mean, based on his behavior the.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Last 10 days, I can't believe that his. That his name is all over these things. I mean, he's not acting that way.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Right.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

You don't see that? I don't see it.

[Progressive Narrator]

You know, I would say of the overall files that exist, maybe 10% have already been released based on the civil cases, FOIA requests, some other releases that happened in some of the other cases.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

And.

[Progressive Narrator]

And you brought this up last year and more like 18 months ago, when the MAGA Republicans were trying to kind of weaponize Epstein against Democrats and do all this stuff in the Oversight Committee. I remember that moment. You brought in a big poster of Trump and Epstein and you went on a rant when not a lot of. We were talking about it on the network, but you said, hello, do you know the connections? Then you went through the connection. So this has been something that you brought up consistently to show the hypocrisy, but to show who Trump is.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Yeah. When Republicans are saying that Democrats weren't talking about this.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

It's not true.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

I was talking about it and others were talking about it. I made that poster because Marjorie Taylor Greene had been going on a rant about pedophiles and Democrats and pizza parlors and all this other bullshit that comes out of her mouth.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

So I said, you know what?

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

I'm gonna make a poster. My staff was like, please don't. But I made the poster and put it in the back, and I was like, let's see what Marjorie does. And like clockwork, right? Marjorie's talking about pedophiles. And so I just decided to hold up the poster, not knowing, obviously, we.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Would be where we are today. But it's nice to see my Republicans.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

You know, breaking out the records, you know, the 30s and the 40s, getting out their old albums. You know, Hillary's emails. Now she's on tranquilizers, okay? You know, Barack Obama. We're going to arrest Barack Obama. He apparently was, you know, in charge of Russiagate. Not like they didn't have four years, you know, when. When Trump was president, okay. And could have, of course, brought this to America's attention. You know, the dni, Tulsa Gabbard was asked about that, and she said, oh, well, there were people in the Trump administration that kept it from coming out. Well, really? Well, then if what they're saying is a crime, then those people should be arrested because that was obstruction of justice within the Trump administration. So I'd like to hear the names of those Trump people that kept it from coming out.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

So this is just all, you know, this is just like.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

It's like the wizard of Oz, okay? Pay no attention to the man behind a curtain. Look at the. Look at the show. Look at the fire and the fireworks. And, you know, my. Listening to my colleagues, you know, it's.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

They.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

They don't even believe the shit coming out of their mouth. I love them.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Love them to death, but they don't.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Believe any of that stuff coming out of their mouth. They know he's in the files.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

They don't know necessarily that he did anything wrong.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

And there's no evidence of that, of course, so we're not going to just jump to conclusion.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

But he clearly was very close with Mr. Epstein.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

His name is all over this file, all over the files. And so it's embarrassing.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And if you just look at the President's behavior of, oh, yeah, we'll release them. And then all of a sudden, it's a hoax. Or Joe Biden, while he was in.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

The basement, was putting Trump's name into the files, by the way, if that were true, then the Democrats would have released it in the last four years of the Biden administration. And then it's.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

My Republican supporters have bought this hook, line and sinker. I don't want their support anymore. They're buying into this hoax. Meanwhile, literally, the people he appointed in the FBI, the two top people, are there because of the Epstein thing. Cash Patel and Dan Bongino rose to prominence because they were going to expose.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

All the Democrats on the Epstein list.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so, look, I agree that there.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Are way more important issues going on in America. There are kitchen table issues, unaffordability, the tariffs, the horrible, big beautiful bill taking people's health insurance away, right?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

What they're doing with citizens in this.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Country that come from different countries.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so there are lots of more.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Important things to talk about.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

But this is a disaster of their own making.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Probably needs a FEMA declaration if we still had a fema.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so we're only talking about it.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Because their base is talking about it, and we're just trying to help them out, you know, to figure out how to solve this.

[Progressive Narrator]

But doesn't it also go to all those other issues as well? Because it's just the American people are being lied to. And here it's.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Well, we've known that for a long time, right?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And I know this is like the first time that some people, you know, in the maga verse are like, oh.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Well, if he's lying to us now, how long has he been lying to us?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

But I know they're, they're, they're struggling with that, right? We've known this for a long time that part of what he does in.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

His marketing brilliance is just lie and lie and lie and exaggerate and make up stories, right? Like, you know, his uncle was a professor with the Unabomber, which isn't true, Right?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

There's just hundreds of those.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Okay?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And this is the first time that the bubble has popped because they really thought for the first time they were going to get the deep state. And now their guy is part of.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

The deep state, and it's awkward for them.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I get it.

[Progressive Narrator]

By the way, do you know who told stories about teaching with the Unabomber and where that actually came from? It seems that actually came from Epstein. And Epstein, when he was for real, when he was a teacher, he would be telling other people's stories about when he studied or taught with the Unabomber. And so people had been connecting that and going, wait a minute, was that the Epstein story and not your uncle story? Because obviously Epstein didn't go. I mean, obviously the Unabomber didn't go to MIT and wasn't Trump's uncle wasn't alive when the Unabomber was the Unabomber.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I love it. I love it.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Trump just dropping little Easter eggs, right? Like I'm going to tell Epstein stories. No one's going to know little Easter eggs. Love it. Good for him.

[Progressive Narrator]

Will you go back to his 2004 book as well, by Trump? And he's like, I have a special friend named Jeffrey who could just goes by Jeffrey. And everybody thinks that he has all of these magical powers. There's all of that coming up. But look, you mentioned, you know, these other cover ups you talked about fema, you are the head of emergency management in Florida before becoming a member of Congress. One of the things that just happened recently as well, and I don't want to all this news to deflect from again what took place in Texas, the flash floods and the lack of warnings that were given and what could have been done better there and the total lack of accountability by the Trump administration. But the head of Urban Search and Rescue at FEMA resigned. You know, and this was a career person over at fema, you know who. And as our audience may recall, Urban Search and Rescue was ready to go right away. But, but because Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, required her sign off on any cost above $100,000. And obviously urban Search and Rescue would cost more than 100,000. Urban Search and Rescue said that they were inactivated for 72 hours and that was critical time. And then she kind of just says, oh, this is fake news. But now the head of Urban Search and Rescue resigns. How big of a deal is that? And what should our audience know?

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

First, let me say, as I was listening to you, I'm looking at myself thinking to myself how ridiculous I look in this shirt for the opening bit. Okay, the situation with FEMA is worse than people know. In fact, I actually think people on the West Wing are finding out in real time how bad the situation is at FEMA and what Kristi Noem did there.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Look, the industry has known for a.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Long time that there needed to be FEMA reform. FEMA had been disabused by Homeland. This goes back to several administrations. They were using FEMA to run all of the grants and the 22 other agencies. And FEMA got away a little bit from being a core response agency and became a giant grant agency.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

So I actually have a bipartisan bill.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

With Byron Donald to get FEMA out.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Of Homeland because there is a bipartisan recognition.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

It's bipartisan, bicameral. We got Thom Tillis and Senator Padilla in the Senate that has that bill.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Because we got to Get FEMA out.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Of Homeland is to survive.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And now I got to get it.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Away from Kristi Noemi if we're going to have an emergency management agency anymore.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

So let me tell you what she's.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Done since she's been there. First of all, she fired 20% of the workforce, the experienced people. Then she gave people buyouts, forced the more of the experienced people to leave. Because if you're being told every day, we're going to close this agency, you're going to take a buyout.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

So you got regional offices, which are.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Really the offices that respond first to these local disasters. They're 20, 30% empty. You got areas where they're regional administrators have resigned. You know, those are the folks that would call up the emergency management director and start moving assets, trying to figure out, you know, what the immediate needs are, pushing resources down, even stuff you didn't ask for.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Then she held on to $10 billion.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Of previously declared disaster aid from previous presidential declarations. What's the impact of that? Well, if you're not reimbursing cities, counties, states, vendors, municipal co ops, they can't be ready. They don't have the capital for the next hurricane season. Florida's owed $4 billion that we're waiting on, even though it was previously approved.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

She then says, we want states to develop more resources.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

She then cuts the program, the EMPG program that actually sends money down so states can develop more capability. They get rid of the BRIC program, which help builds resiliency, helps bring costs down for future disasters. She fires the first interim FEMA administrator that they appointed, not Senate confirmed, of course, because no one wants to work for Kristi Noemi, then wants to be sent and confirmed. No one's leaving their emergency management job to go do that. She fires that guy because he said we should keep fema.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

She brings in this new guy. He's got no emergency management experience. He really looks like he got came.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Out of a strip club. Okay, he just did a hearing. Looked like the big Lebowski has no idea of anything, emergency management, any FEMA related. His background is in weapons of mass destruction. Makes sense. They dropped the bomb on the agency.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so, you know, this is what we have. The situation in Texas, which was the first disaster under the new regime of.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Kristi Noem, because she's really running fema, not this guy.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

It's heartbreaking.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

The news out of Texas is just terrible. I've seen what it looks like when parents have to bury their kids because of what happened at my high school at Martyrs, Tillman, Douglas. A mile from my home.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

It's the absolute worst.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Absolute worst. I can't believe what went on in that community. And there should be an after action review.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

We got to know what worked in.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Response, what didn't work in response. There's going to be things that didn't work well at the local level. There's always going to be those. And they'll look at the state and they'll look at the federal.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

But I can tell you the two.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Things that stand out to me right.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Away that are different from any other.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Disaster that I can remember in modern history. And to be clear, this was not FEMA's best performance in the history of performances. Like Kristi Noem says, this is their worst performance since Katrina. Okay?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

It's why the USAR director just left, okay?

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

He just resigned. Another person with experience leaving.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Why? Because Kristi Noem wouldn't put the USAR teams, the urgent Urban search and rescue teams, these are the professionals that, that go into the water and save people. She wouldn't put them on the road for three days. I have never heard that in the.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

History of fema and knowing this industry, and I've been doing this since my.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

20S, okay, you put them on the road immediately. In fact, you push them into the area, move them from the Omaha area, you move them from the New Orleans district. If you want, you can pull Task.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Force 1 and Task Force 2 from Florida.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

You pre position that equipment. As soon as they knew there was an issue, move them, get on the road. Even if the state doesn't request it, you move it. It's an insignificant cost to the billions.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Of dollars they're going to spend on response and recovery due to this disaster. She didn't do it because of this rule that we're not going to do anything. If it's $100,000 or more, it has to come to the secretary. Is that making FEMA faster?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

No, that's bureaucracy. That's red tape. That's exactly the opposite of what they said they wanted to do after North Carolina, when the President complained FEMA wasn't fast enough, Kristi Nomas made it slower.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Okay?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And so you know, the USAR director.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Resigns because he can't believe that the teams weren't there in time.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

And then the second thing, that is just totally abnormal. Never seen it before. The FEMA administrator again, the interim one.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Not Senate confirmed because he can't be.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Senate confirmed because he doesn't. He doesn't meet the statutory requirements because.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

He has no experience.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

He doesn't go to Texas for nine days. I have never seen a president and.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Secretary go to a disaster area without their FEMA administrator.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Never, never, never. In fact, sometimes most of the times the FEMA administrator goes on the ground first to get the situation under control and to brief the president. And so look, I'm sure they're very.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Worried about hurricane season and they should be. And states are going to be in for a rude awakening. I think FEMA is in worse shape.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Than any other agency in the Trump administration. And so my hope is that we.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Have an easy hurricane season. Right?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Because if the system is tested, and.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

I'm not talking about for Texas or.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Florida, talking about Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, states that would go bankrupt if they.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Have a big storm.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I'm worried that they're not going to.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Do pre landfall tax fema, which they give the declaration out before landfall.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I'm worried that that money is not going to come. They used to do expedited reimbursement, sending that money down.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

What's the money for?

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

If cities and counties don't know if they're going to get reimbursed, they don't respond fast enough. They don't put that capital right. They don't go get the equipment, they don't pre position stuff.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

And so I'm deeply worried about states that don't have the significant budgets of Florida and Texas and have the big emergency management department. South Carolina, North Carolina, you can go up the whole east coast until you get to New York.

[Progressive Narrator]

So it took like 10 days for the interim head of FEMA with no emergency management experience to even show his face. And this is what he looked like when he showed up. I mean, that's the reference that you made. That's him showing up after not being there. And here's how.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

I mean, I have a question.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

I mean, I know I say this while I'm wearing a lemon shirt, so.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

You know, but does that shirt even have buttons?

[Progressive Narrator]

Yeah. And here was his appearance before the House of Representatives, I mean, which was just a complete. And he didn't look at anyone's faces. Like he was like looking down the whole time.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

He looks like, he looks like Mickey.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

Rourke in that Spider man movie.

[Progressive Narrator]

What the hell's going on, man?

[Expedia Narrator]

What's going on?

[Progressive Narrator]

Congressman, thanks for joining us as always.

[Congressmember Jared Moskowitz]

Thanks.

[Congressmember Mike Johnson]

I'm gonna go change my shirt, everybody.

[Progressive Narrator]

Well, thanks for wearing that for this interview. Now you can dress professional. Everybody hit subscribe. Let's get to, let's get to 6 million subscribers. The truth is more important than ever check out our new Truth over lies [e-mail] touch.com All 100% USA Union made.

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