The Tony Kennett Cast (Ep. 462)

Title: Democrat Governors Facing Fraud & Crime Investigations, Liberals Campaign for Creeps
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Tony Kennett (with guest Rob Bluey, The Daily Signal)
Length: ~82 minutes (ads and non-content excluded)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tony Kennett dives into mounting fraud and crime scandals brewing around prominent Democrat governors, critiques current trends in progressive politics and campaign staffing, and lampoons the mainstream left's defense of controversial figures and “cultural creepiness.” Co-host Rob Bluey joins to provide insight into Congressional gridlock, judicial confirmations, and administrative overreach. Kennett’s signature irreverence, sharp analogies, and flagrant criticisms set the tone throughout the episode.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The “End” of the Democrat Old Guard

[00:39–01:35]

• Kennett opens by declaring the era of “old white men” in Democratic leadership over, pointing at scandals plaguing leading figures such as Tim Walz (MN), J.B. Pritzker (IL), and Gavin Newsom (CA).
  • “...it is with great sadness and reluctance that I bring to you this news. The age of old white men in the Democrat party has, in fact, ended.” — Tony Kennett [00:39]

Theme: The downfall is likened more to corruption, fraud, and dereliction than natural rotation or generational turnover.

2. Minnesota’s Expanding Fraud Scandal

[01:36–09:38]

• Tim Walz’s Response to Scandal:
  • Instead of confronting the $8–10 billion fraud allegations (connected to Somali migrants), Walz appears more on podcasts (notably Gavin Newsom’s) discussing masculinity than facing questions about the fraud.
  • Kennett satirizes Walz’s avoidance: “Wall’s media strategy is go on the Gavin Newsom podcast and complain about masculinity.” [01:55]
• Policy Refusals:
  • Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vow not to cooperate with ICE, sending a message of support—irrespective of legal consequences.
• **Layers of Corruption – “Minnesota is an onion.”
  • Drawing from Shrek: “Minnesota is an onion. The more we are pulling back different layers, the more we find...massive levels of property tax fraud.” [05:02]
  • FOIA request “cork” is suddenly popped, revealing, per a new report, $38.4 million in property taxes sent from Ramsey County to 213 NGOs (many not legally eligible).
  • Speculation on state/county money laundering through backdoor grants and the extent of possible widespread fraud (“could be $10 or $14 or $16 billion.”).

Notable Quote:

“The more we are pulling back different layers, the more we find... Minnesota is an onion.” — Tony Kennett [05:02]

3. J.B. Pritzker & Illinois Sanctuary Scandals

[09:40–14:37]

• Release of Violent Criminals:
  • Pritzker accused of ordering the release of over 1,700 criminal illegal aliens—including murderers and pedophiles—to prevent federal ICE pickup.
• Overlapping Federal Investigations:
  • Recap of multiple Pritzker probes: a 2018 workers’ compensation scheme, “Toiletgate” property tax fraud, and now a fresh 2025 ICE detainer refusal investigation.
• Constitutional Questions:
  • Raises the specter of a new federal/state “Fort Sumter” clash over refusal to comply with federal law enforcement.
• Pritzker’s Rhetoric:
  • “Over the past few months, the Chicago region has been subjected to a relentless campaign of cruelty... at the hands of ICE...” — Pritzker, as paraphrased [13:38]
  • Kennett mocks the contradiction of decrying ICE “cruelty” while releasing repeat offenders.

4. Liberals “Campaign for Creeps”: New Wave Appointments and PR

[15:22–20:28]

• Hiring of Controversial Advisors:
  • NY Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani hires a convicted armed robber as a security advisor, which Kennett skewers as:

    “Suggesting that he picked him to be his law enforcement advisor because he was arrested for armed robbery, that’s insane.” [17:35]

• Jasmine Crockett’s Senate Bid:
  • Critique of her glitzy, substance-free campaign and tone-deaf soundbites (“I need a bigger voice. Give me money.”). [20:15]
  • Lampoons Crockett's production values as emblematic of unseriousness in modern Democratic campaigns.

5. “Identity Over Substance” & Notable Quotes

[21:52–28:39]

• Rhetoric vs. Policy:
  • Kennett reprises and ridicules Crockett’s history of inflammatory comments (comparing conservative Hispanics to “slave mentality,” [23:10]) and lack of legislative accomplishment.
  • Highlights “the theme of the [Democratic] campaign: ‘I need to be louder, give me money.’”
• Quote Parade:
  • “We done picking cotton,” – Jasmine Crockett [25:03], offered as a real example of her unfiltered race-baiting and policy shallowness.
• No Real Substance:
  • Repeatedly calls out her absence of tangible legislative proposals, slamming the performative focus of “new wave” Democrats.

6. Congressional Dysfunction: Confirmations & Filibuster

[30:32–33:45]

• Rob Bluey Segment:

  • Explains delays in judicial/prosecutorial confirmations due to blue slip traditions, packed voting, and Democratic obstructionism in the Senate.
  • Frustration over unfilled prosecutorial offices, exacerbating the country’s law enforcement challenges.
  • “[Trump] has no patience for that...He wants to drain the swamp, as he so often says.” — Rob Bluey [32:11]

• Debate on Filibuster Tradition:

  • Value of maintaining filibuster for future conservative protection versus President Trump’s push to scrap it for expediency.
  • Recap of lost power of recess appointments post-Harry Reid.

7. Bureaucratic Overreach & The Administrative State

[38:05–41:27]

• Supreme Court poised to challenge the “expert class” era—debate over independent agencies.
• Bluey contends that skepticism of “experts” grew post-COVID; Trump’s appointments bring power back to voters.
• Kennett lampoons “men in skirts” running federal health agencies as a sign of technocratic decline.

8. The “Campaign for Creeps”: Progressive Empathy and Scandal Excuses

[44:45–57:58]

• Cultural Rot:
  • Kennett riffs on the mainstreaming of formerly fringe behaviors—using standup comic Sebastian Maniscalco’s bit (“...if you’re an adult and you like to dress up as a baby...now you’re at the Hilton with 863 people that like to do this”) [45:27].
• Crime and Fetishization:
  • Points to perpetrators of major crimes increasingly seen to harbor offbeat or “creepy” obsessions.
  • Critiques left-wing defense and normalization of these behaviors (“Now it’s a feature. It gets a spot in the pride parade.” [47:10])
• Outrage as Performance:
  • Satirizes performative “faux empathy” in leftist politics, using Tim Walz’s daughter as an example of privileged, patronizing online scolding (“No one will ever love you like my dad loves me.” [49:38])
  • The Salt Lake Tribune is lampooned for painting a child sex abuser as an ICE victim.
• Supreme Court Raises Alarm:
  • Ketanji Brown Jackson’s “pearl-clutching” opposition to executive power:

    “She lost her ever loving mind over the idea that the President...has the constitutional chief executive authority...” — Kennett [55:24]

9. Identity Politics on the Right

[57:58–62:27]

• Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Gender Complaint:
  • Kennett ridicules Greene’s complaint that she (and Republican women) aren’t taken seriously, arguing it’s because of the poor quality of her legislation, not her gender.
  • Contrasts with respected conservative women (Carolyn Levitt, Pam Bondi, Harmeet Dhillon) respected for competence.
  • Dissects her failed “Protect Children’s Innocence Act” as case study in performative, ill-prepared lawmaking.

10. Congressional Theater, War Scandals, Venezuela

[63:17–78:59]

• Democrats Target Hegseth Over Caribbean Narco Terrorist Strikes:
  • Schumer’s melodrama over classified boat strike footage, with sarcasm about “junior high theater notes.” [64:31]
  • Even Democratic senators dismiss video controversy on MSNBC (Sen. Chris Coons admits it isn’t about the footage but narrative).
• Impeachment as Kabuki:
  • Rep. Sri Tanadar’s introduction of articles of impeachment against Sec. Pete Hegseth is mocked as political opportunism.
• Social Media & Cartel Hiring:
  • Kennett describes cartel “We’re hiring!" campaigns on social media following U.S. boat strikes, further ridiculing media and Congress for downplaying the real threat.
• Venezuelan Military Propaganda:
  • Ridicules a Venezuelan military video, noting their rainbow assortment of weapon types as a hallmark of an unprepared, unserious force:

    “A classic sign of a military that is deeply, deeply unprepared... is if you see the guys wearing a French flag or carrying a motley assortment of equipment.” — Tony Kennett [79:02]

Notable, Memorable Quotes

• On Minnesota’s Fraud:
  “Minnesota is an onion. The more we are pulling back different layers, the more we find.” — Tony Kennett [05:02]

• On Performative Empathy:
  “No one will ever love you like my dad loves me. That’s how I’m gonna ins—gotcha.” — Tony Kennett mocking Walz’s daughter [49:38]

• On Modern Identity Politics:
  “The theme of the [Democrat] campaign: I need to be louder, give me money. Exciting stuff.” [20:15]

• On Supreme Court Drama:
  “She lost her ever loving mind over the idea that the President...has the constitutional chief executive authority...” — Tony Kennett on Ketanji Brown Jackson [55:24]

• On Venezuela’s Military:
  “A classic sign of a military that is deeply, deeply unprepared... is if you see the guys wearing a French flag or carrying a motley assortment of equipment.” [79:02]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening & Decline of Dem Old Guard: [00:39–01:36]
• Minnesota Scandal Deep-Dive: [01:36–09:38]
• Pritzker Sanctuary State Scandal: [09:40–14:37]
• Liberal “Campaign for Creeps”: [15:22–20:28]
• Jasmine Crockett Critique: [21:52–28:39]
• Rob Bluey Segment: Senate & Confirmations: [30:32–36:44]
• Bureaucratic Overreach/SCOTUS Trends: [38:05–41:27]
• “Campaign for Creeps," Cultural Commentary: [44:45–57:58]
• Identity Politics on Right & MTG: [57:58–62:27]
• Congressional Theater/War/Narco Strikes: [63:17–78:59]

Conclusion/Moral

Tony Kennett wraps with a broadside against “clueless” progressive and populist antics, warning that unserious policy and posturing from left and right alike yield only chaos. The episode is a parade of fraud, identity politics, and what he deems as performative insanity—offering listeners a scathing, satirical, and detail-crammed tour of the present political landscape from a “Middle American” conservative’s vantage.

End of Summary.