← The MeidasTouch Podcast
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- [00:01]
Ron Filipkowski
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- [00:34]
Ron Filipkowski
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- [00:46]
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- [01:41]
Sponsor Announcer
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- [02:14]
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- [04:00]
Ron Filipkowski
Look at Maga Mike Johnson's face right there. He's a panicking he and Donald Trump are facing a nightmare scenario right now because that discharge petition that was being circulated in the House of Representatives to force a vote on on the release of the Epstein files and thus the uncovering of more disturbing information of Donald Trump's dark past. Well, it's about to get that 218 signature that was needed to force that House floor vote.
- [04:28]
Interviewer
How?
- [04:29]
Ron Filipkowski
Because in Arizona's 7th congressional district, they have a new Democratic Congresswoman elect. Her name is Adelita Grijalva. She won by like 40 points, outperforming former Vice President Kamala Harris's 2024 numbers by like an additional 20 points. She's now the Congresswoman elect and she's put out a statement right away that I'm planning to travel to Washington, D.C. on Monday to join my Democratic colleagues in demanding that Republicans come to the negotiating table to prevent a government shutdown and to vote on the release of the Epstein files. Congresswoman Elect Grijalva has confirmed that she will sign the discharge petition that was first circulated by Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna and Republican Congressmember Thomas Massie. That will be 218 votes. The discharge petition will be effectuated and that should force a vote on the House floor forthwith. Now, it's one of my theories, and I'm not trying to get all that conspiratorial here, but that one of the reasons MAGA Mike Johnson is telling the Republicans don't show up to work on September 29 and September 30, right before the government shutdown on October 1 is because if they show up and it's a work day, then they'll have to swear in Congresswoman Elect Grijalva. She will become a congresswoman, she'll sign the discharge petition and it will be effectuated. So one of the things I will posit is that the reason that we're getting even closer to this government shutdown I also think has to do in part, in part because Donald Trump wants to avoid the Epstein files coming to light. I also think Donald Trump wants to blame the economic calamity he's causing on Democrats and he's going to go back to his old bag of tricks and say transgender this crime that migrants this. Democrats want all of that. When all the Democrats have said regarding the impending shutdown is that the Democrats want to ensure that your Affordable Care act tax premiums are not raised and that the tax credit is extended. Let me just show you what's going down here as well, because I believe the COVID up of Donald Trump's dark past is also inextricably intertwined with the desire by Donald Trump to shut down the government with MAGA Mike Johnson. Just as a reminder, here's how MAGA Mike Johnson has been falsely talking about the discharge petition that was initiated by Republican Thomas Massie and Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna. Here, play this clip.
- [07:13]
Thomas Massie
The Massey and the Khanna discharge petition does not have adequate protections, for example, in the way that it was drafted. They cite that they don't want child abuse, sex abuse information uncovered. But they cite the wrong provision of the federal code. And so it makes it unworkable. It requires the DOJ to release grand jury testimony. They are prohibited by law from doing so. So it is not the right approach. There is another approach out there. The House Republicans on the Rules Committee have a resolution that is well drafted, that is thoughtfully drafted by lawyers that would make this workable. That's the approach we to protect the innocent. We'll do it at all cost.
- [07:52]
Sponsor Announcer
They do say that they want victims names redacted, though, just to be clear. Let me move on to Ghislaine, Matt.
- [07:57]
Thomas Massie
Yes, but, but their language doesn't adequately project produce that. Yes.
- [08:01]
Adelita Grijalva
Okay.
- [08:02]
Sponsor Announcer
Yeah, let me move.
- [08:02]
Ron Filipkowski
And then Donald Trump has been saying that it is a hostile act if you sign this discharge petition. Now, fortunately, the discharge petition has already been signed not just by Thomas Massie, but Marjorie Taylor Greene has signed it, Nancy Mace has signed it, Lauren Boebert has signed it. So that's the sufficient number of signatures on the Republican side in order to now with the Democrats get to that magic to 18 number to force a vote on the Epstein files. But here, just to remind you, is Republican Thomas Massie saying that Donald Trump has threatened Republicans that it is a hostile act to support the discharge petition to support the release of the Epstein files. And here Republican Congressmember Thomas Massie goes. I think pretty unprecedented that you have the President of the United States saying it's a hostile act in order to have transparency for the release of files relating to like a sex trafficking pedo ring. Here, play this clip.
- [09:05]
Adelita Grijalva
But you're confident you'll get this?
- [09:07]
Thomas Massie
I'm pretty sure. I mean this, it's a strong effort from the White House. They are literally calling it a hostile act to sign this discharge petition now. And I don't know if that's precedented in this country to have a president call legislators to say that they're engaged in a hostile act, particularly when the so called hostile act is trying to.
- [09:32]
Interviewer
Get justice for people who've been victims of sex crimes.
- [09:36]
Ron Filipkowski
And then more from Mag and Mike here trying to say, well, look, you know, Donald Trump's as transparent as you get. You don't get more transparent than this.
- [09:44]
Interviewer
Here, play this clip.
- [09:45]
Thomas Massie
I've spoken to the president myself about this many times and he is insistent as we are. He is the most transparent president in memory probably in the history of the country. As you know, he stops. If he was here now, he would stand here and take your questions endlessly. That's his mindset. And he wants the American people to have information so they can draw their own conclusions. I've, I've talked with him about this very subject myself. So I can tell you that his is his heart. Now, he also, just as we do, is insistent that we protect the innocent victims. And that's what this has been about.
- [10:18]
Ron Filipkowski
Now, I believe that one of the reasons that Donald Trump wants a government shutdown and why he's ordered maga Mike, not to allow Republicans to go to work on September 29 into September 30 is because those would be the days when the discharge petition would be officially signed and a vote would take place. And I think this indefinitely. What temporarily delays the swearing in of Adelita Gravala as the congresswoman. In the meantime, too, we know the news from yesterday. Donald Trump was pressuring and threatening all of the members of the Republicans who already signed the discharge petition to remove their names immediately. So I think it gives Donald Trump more time to try to bully them. But while all of this is going on, I just want to remind you, Donald Trump, in his own words right back in 2011 and 2013, said that if the president is not willing to meet with the leaders of the Senate and the leaders of the House from both political parties, that's failed leadership and the president should be blamed for the shutdown. So to me, I'm going to play that for you in a moment. When you put this all together, seems like Donald Trump wants the shutdown also to avoid the Epstein files being released. But here, play this clip.
- [11:35]
Thomas Massie
First question, Donald, we're having a hell of a time trying to negotiate here in Washington. So tell me, if you were president, what would you do? Well, very simply, you have to get everybody in a room. You have to be a leader. The president has to lead. I hear the Democrats are going to be blamed and the Republicans are going to be blamed. I actually think the president would be blamed if there is a shutdown. I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States.
- [12:00]
Sponsor Announcer
He's the one that has to get people together.
- [12:02]
Thomas Massie
They're not going to be talking who the head of the House was, the head of the Senate, who's running things in Washington. So I really think the pressure is on the president.
- [12:10]
Interviewer
So now I'm joined by Congresswoman Elect Adelita Grijalva from Arizona, 7th Congressional District Congresswoman elect Congresswoman, you will be the 218th signature on the discharge petition to release the Epstein files. Bipartisan in the sense that Republican Thomas Massie and Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna were the ones who put that forward. So, you know, a lot of sometimes, you know, a Congress member elect, they show up with their family, they do a nice little tour of the Capitol. You have a nice dinner nearby. I mean, you're stepping into a lot. We're on the eve of a government shutdown. You have MAGA Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, telling Republicans don't show up September 29th and 30th, the critical days before a shutdown would take place. You just posted a statement. You're saying, I'm planning on traveling to Washington, D.C. on Monday to join my Democratic colleagues in demanding Republicans come to the negotiating table to prevent a government shutdown and vote on the release of the Epstein files. We cannot allow Republican dysfunction to jeopardize the economy or block long overdue accountability. And Congresswoman Elect Even though you're the congresswoman. I mean, you won not just even by a little. You outperformed, significantly, your late great father. You outperformed Kamala Harris there. I mean, the people overwhelmingly said, we want Adelita in this congressional district. I'm also hearing, though, that MAGA Mike Johnson does not want to swear you in right away and says, ah, now we got to wait for the official results. We don't even know. So before getting to discharge petition, before getting to shut down, let's just talk about you being sworn in as your job as a congressman. What's the latest there?
- [14:06]
Adelita Grijalva
So the latest is, I was looking at the example of now Representative Walkinshaw from Virginia, who was elected two weeks ago Tuesday and that following Wednesday, less than 24 hours, was sworn in. And with unofficial results. It literally says so in, you know, the congressman who was introducing him, like, here's unofficial results, but it's not, not disputed, and it was approved without objection. So for me, this Chicana from Tucson, apparently the rules have now changed in two weeks and we're being asked for official results. And, and there's conversations with our Secretary of State, Fontes. And so I'm sort of wondering why in two weeks the rules are so different and maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm number 218. I don't know.
- [14:59]
Interviewer
Well, I mean, it wasn't you. You won in a overwhelming fashion as well. So this is not something like, oh, it could be close. I mean, you won by over 40, 43, 44 points. Yeah, 40 points in the latest count. But let's talk about, you know, we'll see what, we'll see what Mike Johnson does. But let's talk about the discharge. You know, it's already been announced that you're going to be signing that. And so already you're going to be having, you know, a major impact, which is probably one of the reasons that.
- [15:32]
Ron Filipkowski
It all kind of makes sense.
- [15:33]
Interviewer
And I was not trying to get conspirial. I'm like, they want to shut the government down because Trump doesn't want the discharge petition being signed. But then I put it together and I'm like, well, you know, they're not going to, they're not swearing you in. Then there's those two days where they shut it down. There at least feels like there's someone, there's some link there now. And again, not to be conspiratorial, but how else do you look at it?
- [15:57]
Adelita Grijalva
Well, I'm trying not to be, but you Know, I literally, two weeks ago, the rules were already established. This was going to be the process. And so initially, we votes were scheduled on the 29th and 30th, and now Johnson has canceled. Those Democrats are going to show up in Washington in full force, ready to work, ready to work for the American people. We don't want a shutdown, but, you know, when you don't have somebody willing to negotiate and talk and compromise, that's part of the problem. And so we want to make sure the Democrats want to make sure that the community sees and the nation sees that we want to get to work and we don't want to shut down. It's disruptive. It is causes chaos and instability. Many people out of work not knowing whether they're going to get, whether they're going to have back pay or not. And respectfully, I can't hire staff. I won't be able to hire staff. So there are a lot of moving parts here. And, you know, the community here in Arizona, CD7, overwhelmingly wants me to be their voice in Congress, and I want to do my job.
- [17:05]
Interviewer
You know, when I think when you and I talked last, one of the things that as you were touring the district, people were just upset at this whole mentality by MAGA and Trump and Mike Johnson that they didn't want to.
- [17:19]
Ron Filipkowski
Engage in government, like people were getting.
- [17:21]
Interviewer
It, that they, the fact that they didn't want to have conversations, that they said, why even speak to the other side? We're just going to do whatever Donald Trump wants. And that people are like, that's just not government in America. And here it is, as you're a congresswoman elect, they're saying, we don't want to have any conversations with Democrats about the funding bill. We don't need Democrats when you actually need Democrats to pass the funding bill. So it's kind of a microcosm of what you ran on.
- [17:50]
Adelita Grijalva
And, you know, in so much of what's happening right now in this nation, it feels like there's a for sale sign on the White House that, you know, if you have enough money, you can pay for justice. If you have enough money, you can be immigrated and the red carpet will be rolled out. If you buy some Trump crypto, we're going to make some accommodations for you. And, you know, your loved one that is currently serving time might be able to walk out. I mean, to me, this is such blatant corruption. And that is why so many people are so frustrated, because it doesn't seem like regardless of who is at the Table negotiating. Something doesn't seem to change, but we are going to make a change and we're going to let you know that this election is not about me. You know, as a border district, our community is so unique and I think that perspective is so important and it's been missing from the table in D.C. that's why I want to get to work.
- [18:52]
Interviewer
Right. For all of their talk about the border, border, border, they don't even want to swear in you right now and follow the rules when they've got a border district Congresswoman elect, they're going to change their own standards not to swear you in. Which to me is very talk about the discharge petition and, and why it's also, you know, you think, very important for you to sign this and kind of bring transparency to an area, frankly, that three months ago, Trump and MAGA were saying that they wanted to release.
- [19:24]
Adelita Grijalva
Right. You know, I think that this is as much about fulfilling Congress's duty as a constitutional check on this administration. And it's about demanding justice for survivors. The days of turning a blind eye to Trump must end. And so Congress needs to re establish itself as a co equal branch of government. And that's why I will immediately sign on to the discharge petitions that also aim to rein in Trump's authority to unilaterally impose inflation causing tariffs and other emergency powers. I think that it's really important that the American people see us fighting for them. It's not just fighting against Trump. It's like, what are we fighting for? And if you look at just the immoral and illegal things that are happening in this administration, the Trump's family's wealth has grown $3 billion since he's taken office. Why aren't we talking about that?
- [20:21]
Interviewer
I said it's a golden age for the Trump family. They're getting rich. Golden ballrooms, UFC matches, Trump's being driven in golden carriages by Windsor Palace. Bailing out Argentina, apparently, after they said that Argentina was going to make everything. You're going to be so rich. And Americans are on the precipice of there's some real bad indicators out. I mean, as I'm sure you're speaking to the people in your district, people living paycheck to paycheck, people scared things are getting more costly despite Trump saying he's eliminated inflation. So let's talk about you get sworn in when that happens, let's talk about what you're going to do, your priorities. And as you mentioned, kind of not just what we're doing against Trump, but what we're doing for the people. So let the people know. Again, your agenda in Congress.
- [21:10]
Adelita Grijalva
Yeah, well, right away, I'm going to co sponsor legislation that addresses the needs of Southern Arizonans. Advancing environmental justice for all and respecting tribal sovereignty, lowering costs for working people and investing in affordable housing, reversing the cost to Medicaid and snap and protecting social safety nets that our children and seniors rely on, defending public education by restoring federal funding and fighting attempts to expand this private voucher scheme and standing up for our immigrant communities against Trump's illegal ICE raids that are ripping families apart. Literally around the corner where I get my gas, there was two people in masks, nondescript clothing, but wearing bulletproof vests, driving around in a car that had no insignia, nothing there, and taking a woman out of her car and dragging her. So when you see people that, that are, you know, we don't know what's happening, it literally looks like a kidnapping. And then we have, you know, about what, 1500 people in Alligator Alcatraz alone. Where are they? They've just, like, disappeared. And families don't know where their, you know, where their family is. Who is, who is holding Trump responsible? And when we think about what this impact has had in the last, let's say, this year and what ICE is doing, what are they going to be like next year when they have 20 times the budget? And that's why it's so important for Congress to take this important step to say we're going to take those emergency powers and executive powers away from Trump. It is why I believe that our voice, my voice representing so many people here in Southern Arizona is important, because I don't know that many people understand what our average working families are going through and what our communities here on the border are experiencing. I mean, we have the devastation people, you know, keep talking and scapegoating our immigrant communities, but they are the reason this nation is in the position that we're in. And when you look at the jobs reports, you look at our economy, I mean, everything seems to be going in a direction, and that's not in the direction of America being great again.
- [23:36]
Interviewer
It's great to see again. Adelita Grijalva. Congresswoman, Elect. Let's take off the elect. Let's put Congresswoman Grijalva. Keep us posted on swearing in that should, that should happen immediately. You know, we'll see what games they play, but keep us posted.
- [23:53]
Adelita Grijalva
Thank you so much and thank you for having me.
- [23:56]
Interviewer
Everybody Hit Subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers.
- [23:59]
Ron Filipkowski
Want to stay plugged in. Become a subscriber to our substack@midasplus.com you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski ad free episodes of our podcast and more exclusive content only available@midasplus.com trip planner by Expedia. You were made to outdo your holiday, your hammocking and your pooling. We were made to help organize the competition.
- [24:28]
Sponsor Announcer
Expedia made to travel from the Cascades to PDX to your kitchen, we recycle like we live here. That's why governments, brands and recycling companies are all joining together to bring change to make recycling better. As in trusting that your recyclables end up in the right places to be made into new things and having brands help fund the cost of recycling. You can find the Latest updates at recycleon.org Oregon From Mount Hood to the bin under your desk. Together we can do this. From the Cascades to PDX to your kitchen, we recycle like we live here. That's why governments, brands and recycling companies are all joining together to bring change to make recycling better. As in trusting that your recyclables end up in the right places to be made into new things and having brands help fund the cost of recycling. You can find the Latest updates at recycleon.org Oregon From Mount Hood to the bin under your desk Together we can do this.