Al-Shabaab & the Minnesota Taxpayers, University Declares ‘Whiteness’ a Pandemic plus Texas Takes Aim at Terror Week In Review

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Al-Shabaab & the Minnesota Taxpayers, University Declares ‘Whiteness’ a Pandemic plus Texas Takes Aim at Terror – Week In Review"

Verdict with Ted Cruz – November 29, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson

---

Episode Overview

In this "Week in Review" episode, hosts Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson break down three significant stories:

1. How Minnesota taxpayers’ funds ended up bankrolling the terrorist group Al Shabaab.
2. The University of Minnesota’s declaration of ‘whiteness’ as a “pandemic” and the pushback on racialized academic activism.
3. Texas’s recent designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, with discussion on national implications and legislative battles.

The tone is unapologetically conservative, sharply critical of progressive institutions, and focused on the intersections of governmental waste, terrorism, and culture wars in America.

---

1. Minnesota Taxpayer Money Flows to Al Shabaab

[03:08–15:03]

Key Points

• Story Origin: Report from City Journal reveals Minnesota taxpayers have, through welfare fraud, inadvertently become the “largest funder of Al Shabaab,” a Somali Islamic terrorist group.
• Government Waste & Radicalization: Cruz argues this scandal sits at the intersection of “waste, fraud, and abuse in government,” and the unchecked growth of radical Islam in America.
• Fraud Mechanism: Billions in Minnesota’s generous welfare funds were stolen, with much attributed to members of the state’s Somali community. These funds were funneled to Somalia via remittances through informal money networks (“hawalas”), then on to Al Shabaab.
• Program Breakdown:
  • HHS Housing Stabilization Services program's costs exploded from an estimated $2.6 million (2020) to $104 million.
  • Most of these funds paid out to fictitious companies created solely to defraud the system.
  • Some money was filtered through stacked schemes involving other Medicaid programs.
• Scale of the Issue: Federal counterterrorism sources confirm “millions in stolen funds” reached terrorist hands. Cruz and Ferguson allege government officials and mainstream media looked the other way.
• Political Incentive: Cruz asserts Democrats, especially Governor Tim Walz, allowed or ignored the abuse due to political alliances with voting blocs in the Somali community.
• Quote:
  • “The largest funder of Al Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer. Our investigation shows what happens when a tribal mindset meets a bleeding heart bureaucracy.” — Senator Ted Cruz (05:09, reading City Journal)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ben Ferguson: “It’s obvious that people knew there was fraud. Then you find out it’s going to a terrorist organization and so we’re funding the terrorist organization. How the hell do people not go to jail for this?” (09:33)
• Senator Cruz:
  • “These are often just purely fictitious companies solely created to defraud the system, and that’s unique in the extent to which we have that here in Minnesota.” (08:20)
  • “There is unfortunately a network of corruption where many of those engaged in fraud are also writing checks to elect Democrats.” (13:30)
  • “You would think that would be news.” (12:17), referring to mainstream outlets ignoring the story.

---

2. University of Minnesota: ‘Whiteness’ as a Pandemic

[18:40–26:05]

Key Points

• Controversial Study: The hosts discuss material from a University of Minnesota web page claiming there is a "whiteness pandemic" underlying all of racism, implying white culture itself must be dismantled.
• Direct Excerpts (Read by Cruz):
  • “Racism is an epidemic that can also be considered a pandemic... However, there is another pandemic lurking behind and driving the racist pandemic, the whiteness pandemic.” (19:56)
  • “The centuries old culture of whiteness features colorblindness... Passivity and white fragility were all covert expressions of racism...” (20:06)
  • “Naming the whiteness pandemic shifts our gaze from the victims and effects of racism onto the systems that perpetrate and perpetuate racism, starting with the family system.” (20:26)
• Critique:
  • The hosts argue that this ideology openly demonizes white students and families as inherently racist, fostering anti-American and anti-family sentiment.
  • Cruz equates these teachings with Marxism, asserting they are attacks on core American values and constitutional principles.
• Use of Tax Dollars: Discussion on taxpayer dollars funding universities accused of promoting divisive and harmful ideologies.
• Parental Concern: Both hosts advise parents to scrutinize where they send their children for higher education.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Senator Cruz:

  • “Are you white? Then apparently you are an evil, noxious scourge on America. You are a pandemic. You are a virus. You are a disease and woke leftists are going to re-educate the whiteness right out of you.” (19:06)
  • “This is open, 'We hate families,' is what the University of Minnesota is saying.” (21:00)
  • “The fix for the whiteness pandemic is to discriminate against anyone who is white — to institutionalize racism. And that is grotesque, it is wrong. It is contrary to the 14th amendment...” (24:18)

• Ben Ferguson: “I tell this all the time to parents when they ask — be careful where you send your kids to college because they could be indoctrinated to literally hate this country.” (25:41)

---

3. Texas Designates the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Terrorist Organizations

[29:47–45:05]

Key Points

• Texas Steps Forward: Governor Greg Abbott designated both the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations, barring land ownership and sending a political message.
• Basis for Designation: CAIR described as an “Islamist organization” with ties to Hamas, according to the FBI and cited court cases. The Muslim Brotherhood designated as a terrorist group by several Middle Eastern countries.
• Legislative Battle:
  • Ted Cruz has attempted for 10 years to get Congress to officially designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
  • He outlined the resistance from the State Department and how he has revised his legislation from a “top-down” to a “bottom-up” approach to circumvent bureaucratic roadblocks.
• Bipartisan Collaboration:
  • Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has joined Cruz on this bill, signaling rare bipartisan cooperation.
  • Both Cruz and Ferguson express surprise and respect for Fetterman’s willingness to defy his party on Israel and this issue.
• Strategic Focus: Cruz reveals that he now aims for public pressure and executive action (expecting a potential Trump administration to make the designation) rather than a purely legislative route.
• CAIR’s Campus Activity: CAIR was identified as awarding financial grants to pro-Palestinian students disciplined for activism on colleges, raising concerns about foreign or extremist influence on campus protests.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Fox News Excerpt (Read on Podcast):
  • “The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s mastership of the world.” (30:22)
• Senator Ted Cruz:
  • “When President Trump got elected in 2016, it broke the heads of the Democrats. Their minds are melted. They just hate him. And so there's much less middle ground.” (41:15)
  • “The whole purpose of the legislative push is to build the momentum, to provide the air cover for the Trump administration to do so. And I think that's going to happen.” (42:27)
• Ben Ferguson on Fetterman:
  • “He may be the biggest surprise in the last decade for me of a true Democrat statesman that is willing to come to the table on sane issues.... I’m really impressed because [...] he says politics aside, I don’t care the heat I’m going to get from my party for this. I’m going to do the right thing.” (35:35)
• Cruz on Senate Partisanship:
  • “If you disagree with the Democrat Party line on even one issue, but especially on an issue like the current Democrat Party's embrace of Hamas and their anti-Israel animus, they turned on him [Fetterman] viciously.” (39:26)

---

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Minnesota fraud and Al Shabaab story: [03:08–15:03]
• Reading and critiquing University of Minnesota’s ‘whiteness pandemic’ content: [19:06–26:05]
• Abbott and Texas's new terror designations; legislative process and Fetterman’s role: [29:47–41:15]
• Follow the money in campus protests (CAIR financing): [43:02–45:05]

---

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers a pointed conservative critique of progressive governance — from state welfare fraud to university culture and federal legislative inertia. The show’s language is blunt, the tone adversarial, and the focus is on linking issues of security, identity politics, and governmental responsibility. Notably, bipartisan moments (Cruz and Fetterman) are highlighted as rare bright spots. The takeaways are cautionary warnings about the unintended consequences of government largesse, campus liberalism, and political gridlock around confronting terrorism.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Anabe Sofa Advertiser]

Guaranteed Human Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Anabe. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made with performance fabric. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoall allergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Shop washablesofas.com for early Black Friday savings up to 60% off site wide backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return, shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may app.

[NordicTrack Advertiser]

The only thing between you and your best self is a start button this Black Friday Explore the world with NordicTrack from the peaks of Peru to the streets of Paris, every workout moves you somewhere new with ifit trainers leading the way. The equipment's amazing, smooth, quiet and those screens make it all feel real. Ready to start your next workout adventure with the number one treadmill brand in the US? Shop NordicTrack.com for Black Friday savings. NordicTrack Train Anywhere Explore everywhere this holiday season.

[Commercial Announcer]

Give the Gift Everyone will gather around a Vizio Smart TV now available at Walmart. From a super sized 100 inch TV to QLED TVs of all sizes, Vizio delivers breathtaking color and crystal clear picture quality that takes entertainment to the next level. Plus with Watch Free plus built in they can enjoy free live and on demand TV right out of the box. Have a music lover on your list. They can stream their favorite music on the iHeartRadio app ready to go on every Vizio TV. The perfect gift is waiting. Head to Walmart.com and discover Vizio TVs today.

[Whim Sound Advertiser]

Bring incredible sound into every corner of your home this holiday with the new Whimsound smart speaker. Get high resolution audio with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, smart control and modern design in one powerful speaker for just $2.99. From quiet mornings to lively holiday gatherings, Wimsound makes every moment sound better and feel better too. Get the gift of the season for the music enthusiast in your life or for yourself. Whim Sound Beautifully designed, effortlessly connected. Shop now at Amazon and search Whim Sound that's W I I M S O U N D. This is what.

[Sunday Yard Care Advertiser]

They call the hard sell. Sunday yard care Black Friday sale Limited time.

[Ben Ferguson]

Act now.

[Sunday Yard Care Advertiser]

Yelling about grass feels strange. Let's try that again. Sunday yard plans give you a thick, healthy yard without pesticides or weekend projects. We analyze your soil and climate. Send a simple plan and you spray it on. No drama. But wait, there's more. No, there isn't. For Black Friday, your Sunday plan is 30% off. Lock in your spring subscription. Sunday Smarter Lawn care for less getsunday.com welcome.

[Ben Ferguson]

It is verdict with Ted Cruz, Week in Review. Ben Ferguson with you. And these are the stories that you may have missed that we talked about this past week. First up, the largest funder of a terrorist organization, Al Shabaab, apparently is the American taxpayer. How did this happen? We'll explain it in just a moment. Also, whiteness is apparently a pandemic so dangerous that one university says it's a major study point that we have to talk about. And finally, Texas designates the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and the president follows suit. It's the week in review and it starts right now. There is a story that broke that is should make every American angry, and that is this story of the largest funder of Al Shabaab turns out to be an Al Shabaab is a terrorist organization. A Somali terrorist organization is actually the Minnesota taxpayers. Now, that may just seem like a weird headline to people, but what we're witnessing is tax dollars funneling directly to the Islamic terrorist organization. And it's been going on at numbers that were clearly warning signs when Joe Biden was president in the amount of funds that were leaving Minnesota. And, and no one seemed to bat an eye or no one seemed that this was happening. Break it down for everybody that doesn't know anything about this.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, this is a story that's really at the intersection of two issues that matter enormously. Number one is waste, fraud and abuse in government. And we see that at the federal government. We see that at the state level, particularly in big blue states. But secondly, the rise of radical Islam in America. And it's dangerous. It is threatening our liberty. And it is spreading. It's spreading often with the enthusiastic, cheerleading Democrat elected officials. This story is right at the intersection of both of them. And so the City Journal reported. I'm just going to read a portion of this article because it really is, it's a stunning report. And it begins, the largest funder of Al Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer. How some of the state's Welfare funds ended up in the hands of a terror group. Minnesota is drowning in fraud. Billions in taxpayer dollars have been stolen during the administration. Governor Tim Waltz alone, of course. Tim Waltz was Kamala Harris nominee to be VP Democrat. State officials overseeing one of the most generous welfare regimes in the country are asleep at the switch. And the media, duty bound by progressive pds, refused to connect the dots. In many cases, the fraud has allegedly been perpetrated by members of the Minnesota sizable Somali community. Federal counterterrorism support sources confirm that millions of dollars, millions in stolen funds had been sent back to Somalia, where they ultimately landed in the hands of the terror group Al Shabaab. One confidential source put it, quote, the largest funder of Al Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer. Our investigation shows what happens when a tribal mindset meets a bleeding heart bureaucracy. When imported clan loyalties collide with a political class too timid to offend. And when accusations of racism are cynically deployed to shield criminal behavior. The predictable result is graft, with taxpayers left to foot the bill. If you were designed to design a welfare program to facilitate fraud, it would probably look a lot like Minnesota's Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services Program.

[Guest/Analyst]

The HHS program, the first of its.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Kind in the country, was launched with a noble goal to help seniors, addicts, the disabled and the mentally ill secure housing. It was designed with, quote, low barriers to entry and, quote, minimal requirements for reimbursement. Nonetheless, before the program went live in 2020, officials pegged its annual estimated price tag at $2.6 million. Cost quickly spiraled out of control. In 2021, the program paid out more than $21 million. By the way, this is projected to be 2.6 million. In the following year, annual costs shot up to 42 million, then 74 million, then 104 million. On August 1, Minnesota's Department of Human Services moved to scrap the HHS program, noting that payment to 77 housing stabilization providers had terminated this year due to credible allegations of fraud. Joe Thompson, then the Acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, went even further, saying the vast majority. Let me repeat that the vast majority of the HHS program was fraudulent. On September 18, Thompson announced criminal indictments for HHS fraud against Mokhtar Hassan, Aiden Mustafa Daeb Ali, Khalid Ahmed Daeb Abdifita Muhammad Muhammad, Christopher, Adesoli, Falat. By the way, Ben, you try to go through those names.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm going to pass on that. You did a great job. I give you a B plus on that.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Okay? Six of whom, according to the U.S. attorney's office are members of Minnesota's Somali community. Thompson made clear this is the first round of charges for HSS fraud that his office will be prosecuting. Most of these cases, unlike a lot of Medicare fraud and Medicaid fraud nationally, aren't just overbilling, thompson said in a press conference announcing the indictments. These are often just purely fictitious companies solely created to defraud the system, and that's unique in the extent to which we have that here in Minnesota. Thompson said many of the firms enrolled in the program operated out of dilapidated storefronts or rundown office buildings. The perpetrators, often targeted people recently released from rehab, signed them up for Medicaid services they had no intention of providing, he noted. Many of the owners of companies engaged in HHS fraud had other companies through which they build other Medicaid programs, such as the EIDBI Autism Program, the Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services Program, the Integrated Community Services Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion Program, PCA services and other Medicaid waivered services. What we see are schemes stacked upon schemes draining resources meant for those most in need. It feels never ending. I have spent my career as a fraud prosecutor and the depth of the fraud in Minnesota takes my breath away.

[Ben Ferguson]

You read that and you just think about how much money this is that not only was stolen from the taxpayers and they go into how much it kept growing and growing and growing these programs, but it's obvious that people knew there was fraud. Then you find out it's going to a terrorist organization and so we're funding the terrorist organization. How the hell do people not go to jail for this?

[Guest/Analyst]

Well, they are.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

A number of people are being prosecuted. But you know what is striking is not just was there massive fraud, but the massive fraud was funding terrorism. Here's what the City Journal continues saying. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Somali fraud story is the scale. With total costs running into the billions of taxpayer dollars, that raises the question, what happened to all that money? The Somali fraud rings have sent huge sums and remittances or money transfers from Minnesota to Somalia. According to reports, an estimated 40% of households in Somalia get remittances from abroad. In 2023 alone, the Somali diaspora sent back $1.7 billion more than the Somali government's budget for that year. Our investigation reveals for the first time that some of this money has been directed to an even more troubling destination, the Al Qaeda linked Islamic terror group Al Shabaab. According to multiple law enforcement sources, Minnesota's Somali community has sent Untold millions through a network of hawalas, informal clan based money traders that have wound up in the coffers of Al Shabaab. According to Glenn Kearns, a retired Seattle police department detective who spent 14 years on a federal joint terrorism task force, the Somalis ran a sophisticated money network spanning from Seattle to Minneapolis and were routing significant amounts of cash on commercial flights from the Seattle airport to the hawala networks in Somalia. One of these networks, Kearns discovered, sent $20 million abroad and in a single year. So this is money that's coming from the Minnesota taxpayers. It is going through the Somalia Somali community in Minnesota back to Somalia on the order of magnitude of $1.7 billion a year. And millions of those dollars were flowing directly to Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda linked major terrorist organization. This is tragic. It is shocking. And by the way, I'm curious, have you seen it on cnn? No. NBC? Cbs?

[Ben Ferguson]

Nope. None of them, none of them touching it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Msnbc, Washington Post, New York Times?

[Ben Ferguson]

Nope.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You would think that would be news.

[Ben Ferguson]

I also look at the amount of money and how quickly it grew. That's something else that I do think is interesting. Here is how, I mean, you want to talk about warning signs, Senator? There was clear warning signs, like very, very clear warning signs that this was happening. And yet no one in government seemed to stop, pause, or ask a question. That part also to me is just like, is it always unlimited funds? Is that how it's now in government? Whatever you start, just keep making it grow and double and triple in size year after year after year and spending. And no one's like, hold on a second, this doesn't add up. This many kids with autism, that doesn't seem normal. Look how much it went doubled from last year, the year before, the year before that. I mean, there's a clear line here of like red flags that no one seemed to care about.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, and it's worth remembering, Tim Waltz is not someone at the fringe of the Democrat Party. Tim Waltz is who Kamala Harris thought should be Vice President of the United States. Presumably Kamala thought that she should, he should succeed her and become the President of the United States. And Tim Waltz, like many Democrats, but Waltz's is worse than many of them. Just look the other way, just turn to blind eye. And one combination, it's a combination of a number of factors. One piece of it is just the left wing view that the more money you're giving away in welfare, the better. And so it doesn't matter how much it grows, if you're giving a million dollars this year, they want it to be 2 million, then 4, then 6, then 8, then 12. They want it to grow without any consideration about, number one, bankrupting the state and the taxpayers, but number two, about the impact of spending all that money trapping people in dependency. But a second component of it, it's not just dependency. Dependency assumes someone's actually getting welfare payments. It is also blatant fraud. And there is unfortunately a network of corruption where many of those engage in fraud are also writing checks to elect Democrats. And if you look at the Somali community in Minnesota, it is a major voting network that votes for Democrats in Minnesota. And so at the end of the day, the Democrats, when it comes to buying votes, shoveling this cash into this maw of fraud, even though the taxpayers were being robbed and the money was going to a radical Islamic terrorist organization. If you're a Democrat, it made political sense on some level because you got money and you got votes. And it is astonishing that there's not. Do you know of a single Democrat denouncing this?

[Ben Ferguson]

No.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I mean, that's a striking thing.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week. In communities around the world, millions of children like Lucy face the crushing weight of poverty, hunger, illness and a lack of opportunity dim their bright futures. But through Compassion International and local churches and everything is changing. Lucy receives nourishing food, vital medical care and the chance to go to school. She learns life skills, develops God given talents and builds a loving relationship with Jesus. It's a journey from vulnerability to empowerment. And it's sparked literally by your love. This transformation echoes far beyond Lucy, impacting her family, the community in shaping the future of her nation. And you can make this profound difference right now. So join me in sponsoring a child. Visit compassion.com today. You'll empower life and change the world. That's compassion.com to learn more.

[Anabe Sofa Advertiser]

Life gets messy spills, stains and kid chaos. But with Anabe, cleaning up is easy. Our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out, so you never have to stress about messes again. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, Our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Get early access to Black Friday pricing Right now, sofas start at just $699. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[NordicTrack Advertiser]

The only thing between you and your best self is a start button this Black Friday Explore the world with NordicTrack from the peaks of Peru to the streets of Paris, every workout moves you somewhere new with IFIT trainers leading the way. The equipment's amazing, smooth, quiet and those screens make it all feel real. Ready to start your next workout adventure with the number one treadmill brand in the U.S. shop NordicTrack.com for Black Friday savings. NordicTrack train anywhere.

[Commercial Announcer]

Explore everywhere this holiday season Give the Gift of Incredible Sound with Vizio's full Soundbar lineup available at Walmart. Transform any living room into a home theater with rich, immersive audio that brings every movie, show and song to life. Whether you're gifting a loved one or upgrading your own setup, Vizio soundbars deliver powerful, crystal clear sound that turns ordinary watching into extraordinary experiences. Stream your favorite holiday Playlist with the iHeartRadio app and discover how good your music can truly sound. Head to Walmart.com and find your perfect Vizio soundbar today.

[Whim Sound Advertiser]

Bring incredible sound into every corner of your home this holiday with the new Whim Sound Smart Speaker. Get high resolution Audio with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, smart control and modern design in one powerful speaker for just $2.99. From Quiet Mornings to lively holiday gatherings, Wim Sound makes every moment sound better and feel better too. Get the gift of the season for the music enthusiast in your life or for yourself. Whim Sound Beautifully designed, effortlessly connected. Shop now at Amazon and search Whim Sound. That's W I I m S O.

[Ben Ferguson]

U n D Now on to story number two. Senator finally on the show, let's deal with a major problem. It's. It's huge. A university is now warning of a quote unquote whiteness pandemic. Not a problem, but a pandemic. A whiteness pandemic. This coming from the University of Minnesota. I'll let you take it from there.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, I gotta say this is gonna piss you off. Are you white? Then apparently you are an evil noxious scourge on America. You are a pandemic. You are a virus. You are a disease and woke leftists are going to re educate the whiteness right out of you. Like I wish I were making this up. Like When I say these words, you sound like a lunatic. You sound like you're wearing like a tinfoil hat and you believe in conspiracy theories. But I want to read to you from a website from the University of Minnesota. By the way, this is a state website. This is. All right, here's what the website says. Quote, what is the whiteness pandemic? Racism is an epidemic that can also be considered a pandemic given its large cross national proportion and spread.

[Guest/Analyst]

However, there is another pandemic lurking behind.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And driving the racist pandemic, the whiteness pandemic.

[Guest/Analyst]

Whiteness refers to culture, not biology.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The centuries old culture of whiteness features colorblindness. In other words, not being a racist. That is the whiteness pandemic. Passivity and white fragility were all covert expressions of racism common in the United States. Naming the whiteness pandemic shifts our gaze from the victims and effects of racism.

[Guest/Analyst]

Onto the systems that perpetrate and perpetuate racism.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Starting with the family system. In other words, families are racist. If you believe in families, if you.

[Guest/Analyst]

Believe in a mom and dad raising.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Kids, loving kids, that is the family system is part of the whiteness pandemic. At birth, young children growing up in white families begin to be socialized into the culture of whiteness, making the family system one of the most powerful systems involved in systemic racism. This is open. We hate families is what the University of Minnesota is saying. And okay, what's the next section? How do we halt and reverse the whiteness pandemic?

[Guest/Analyst]

If you were born and raised in.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The United States, you have grown up in the whiteness pandemic and you can play a role in halting or reversing this pandemic, especially if you are white because of the power and privilege you hold in this racialized society. If you were socialized into the culture of whiteness during your childhood, it is not your fault. But as an adult, it is now your responsibility to self reflect, to re educate yourself and act if you are a white adult.

[Guest/Analyst]

Anti racist action involves an ongoing process.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Of self reflection in order to develop a healthy positive white identity while encouraging courageous anti racist parenting caregiving. What utter and complete garbage. What racist leftist, communist dreck. And this is the University of Minnesota, by the way. Look, there are like great people in Minnesota. They're great people in every state and yet these people are racist radicals. And this is what they're indoctrinating our children with.

[Ben Ferguson]

Not only the indoctrinate our children, but this is where a lot of our dollars, our tax dollars, Go. Which is the other frustrating part, that this is what they're indoctrinating, undoubtedly.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And by the way, our podcast on Monday. So we do this podcast three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Our podcast on Monday talked about what is the number one funder of Al Shabaab, the radical Islamic terrorist group. And the answer, terrifyingly enough, is the taxpayers of the state of Minnesota. So Minnesota has a huge Somali community. Somalis have invaded the state of Minnesota. It's how you elect Ilhan Omar, who actively is anti American, racist, radical, embraces and supports radical Islamic terrorists. And the Somali community sends billions every year back to Somalia. And, and millions of that money sent back ends up directly in the pockets, in the coffers of Al Shabaab. And it is the Minnesota state taxpayers. So we detailed this on Monday how welfare fraud, fraudulent collection of welfare payments, an entire welfare system set up seemingly on the face of it to encourage fraud, to facilitate fraud, is resulting in Minnesota taxpayers sending millions of dollars to radical Islamic terrorists. This is the same ideology. Like what do you do if you happen to be a white kid at the University of Minnesota? You show up and be told, by the way, you're just, you know, you're 17, 18 year old kid, you show up as a freshman and if you're white, you're told you're a pandemic, you're a virus, you. And the only answer is re. Educate yourself. Because who you are, who America is, and understand this screed against, quote, anti whiteness is also a screed against America. That these Marxists hate the United States of America. They hate the Constitution, they hate our freedoms. And this garbage that is anti racism, this garbage that is dei. This garbage that says we must institutionalize. By the way, the fix for the anti, for the whiteness pandemic is to discriminate against anyone who is white is to institutionalize racism. And that is grotesque, it is wrong. It is contrary to the 14th amendment of the Constitution which protects, provides the equal protection of the law to all people, regardless of race. It is contrary to the founding notions of this country. The Declaration said, we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. Not some, not just white people, not just black people, not anyone. All men and all women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That's what this country was built on. And these Marxists who have taken over our institutions hate that notion. And this kind of garbage is being spewed to our children and being used to brainwash our children at a massive rate.

[Ben Ferguson]

I tell this all the time to parents when they ask be careful where you send your kids to college because they could be indoctrinated to literally hate this country. This is another example.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And to hate you to hate their mom and dad.

[Guest/Analyst]

But by the way, what I just.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Read the family system. They are attacking families. They're telling your kids family is evil. That's what Marxists believe.

[Ben Ferguson]

As before, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation on this topic, you can go back and download the podcast from earlier this week to hear the entire thing. For the next 60 seconds. Can you hit pause on your life and just think about this? Every day millions of children face a crushing reality. A constant defeating message echoes and their empty stomachs and their desperate eyes. It is that you don't matter. Poverty doesn't just steal food and shelter, it steals hope, dignity and the fundamental belief that they are loved. But there's another message, one of boundless love and hope. Through Compassion International you can change the child's story forever. You can sponsor a child just like I do. You can introduce them to a loving heavenly Father. You can equip them with education, health care and the support to overcome poverty. This isn't just about one child. It's about transforming families, revitalizing communities and changing nations. It's about proving that every child truly matters. So help give a child a future. Give them hope. Visit compassion.com today.

[Anabe Sofa Advertiser]

That's compassion.com tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Annabe. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made with performance fabric. Experience cloud like Comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Shop washable sofas.com for early Black Friday savings. Up to 60% off site wide backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[NordicTrack Advertiser]

The only thing between you and your best self is a start button this Black Friday Explore the world with NordicTrack. From the peaks of Peru to the streets of Paris, every workout moves you somewhere new with IFIT trainers leading the way. The equipment's amazing, smooth, quiet and those screens make it all feel real. Ready to start your next workout adventure with the number one treadmill brand in the U.S. shop NordicTrack.com for Black Friday savings. NordicTrack train anywhere.

[Commercial Announcer]

Explore everywhere this holiday season. Give the gift. Everyone will gather around a Vizio Smart TV now available at Walmart. From a super sized 100 inch TV to QLED TVs of all sizes, Vizio delivers breathtaking color and crystal clear picture quality that takes entertainment to the next level. Plus with Watch Free plus built in, they can enjoy free live and on demand TV right out of the box. Have a music lover on your list. They can stream their favorite music on the iHeartRadio app ready to go on every Vizio TV. The perfect gift is waiting. Head to Walmart.com and discover Vizio TVs today.

[Whim Sound Advertiser]

Bring incredible sound into every corner of your home this holiday with the new Whimsound smart speaker. Get high resolution Audio with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, smart control and modern design in in one powerful speaker for just $2.99. From Quiet Mornings to lively holiday gatherings, Whim sound makes every moment sound better and feel better too. Get the gift of the season for the music enthusiast in your life or for yourself. Whim Sound Beautifully designed, effortlessly connected. Shop now at Amazon and search Whim Sound that's W I I M S O u n D I want to.

[Ben Ferguson]

Get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. This is something that you've been talking about for a while. Yeah, designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. And Texas is now taking a big step. I think this is going to be a great example for the rest of the country. And talk about how big of a victory this is in Texas leading the way.

[Guest/Analyst]

Well, it's a big victory. Let me tell you about what Texas did and I'm going to take it more broadly into the national fight over designating the Muslim Brotherhood. So Texas this week declared CARE and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist groups preventing land purchases. Let me read from Fox News. Texas Governor Greg Abbott designated the Council on American Islamic Relations, CARE and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations Tuesday, preventing both groups from obtaining land in the Lone Star State. Abbott said in a statement that he made the move as quote, the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam's mastership of the world. The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation and harassment are unacceptable. Today I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas. A proclamation signed by Abbott claims that cair, quote, is an Islamist organization that, according to the FBI, was founded as a front group for Hamas and its support network in the United States. It added that, quote, cair and its members have repeatedly employed, affiliated with and supported individuals promoting terrorism related activities, including Ghassan Elashi, a founding member of the Texas branch for care, treasurer of the Holy Land foundation for Relief and Development charity, quote, who was sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison for financing terrorism in 2009. The proclamation also states that Hamas was, quote, formed in 1987 as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and that activities of the Muslim Brotherhood branches have similarly been eliminated or prohibited by the governments of Austria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In light of the Muslim Brotherhood encouraging terrorism or attempting to destabilize these countries. Look, this is real leadership from the state of Texas. It is what the federal government should be doing. The Muslim Brotherhood, I believe, is unquestionably a terrorist organization and we have yet to designate them. As Governor Abbott noted, many other countries on earth have, and I believe the United States during the Trump administration. We're going to do this. I've introduced legislation literally for 10 years to make this happen at a federal level.

[Ben Ferguson]

So what has been the holdup there? For people that are new to this subject we talked about before, maybe they missed an episode. How the hell is it so hard to get the Muslim Brotherhood to be declared a terrorist organization through the US Government? What is the holdup? You mentioned it. This is like a decades long fight now.

[Guest/Analyst]

So for five consecutive Congresses, I've introduced legislation designate the Muslim Brother Brotherhood. The holdup. We got very close during the first Trump administration. I thought we were going to get it done. During the first Trump administration, the resistance was from the deep state at the State Department, the career bureaucrats there. And I'll tell you the old versions of the legislation. The way I wrote it, it was top down. What does that mean? It directed the State Department to designate the global Muslim Brotherhood, which is the big umbrella organizations, the terrorist organization. Here's the argument. The career employees at State made. They said, look, there are lots of different affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood. We cannot definitively prove that every one of the affiliates meets the statutory criteria for being a terrorist organization. That's how they stopped it from happening in Trump 1.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Interesting.

[Guest/Analyst]

So in Trump 2, I rewrote the legislation and instead of being bottom down or top down, I rewrote it to be bottom up. And so what the legislation currently says is, it says that the State Department should designate every one of the Muslim Brotherhood affiliates for which the evidence is clear and unequivocal as terrorist organizations. For example, Hamas.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Guest/Analyst]

Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine. It is indisputable that Hamas is a terrorist organization. They carried out October 7th, murdered 1200 Israelis, raped and murdered women and little girls. Hamas is unquestionably a terrorist organization. That's true of multiple Muslim Brotherhood affiliates. Affiliates. What my new legislation said is designate those affiliates and then it directs the State Department to designate the global Muslim Brotherhood because it gives money to those affiliates and so designate the umbrella organization for material support of. For giving money to unquestionable terrorist organizations. Now, part of the reason I think we're going to get this done is that chain of reasoning. There's not a step in that reasoning that is assailable. The deep state can't fight that. Yeah, but at the end of the day, let me tell you, this is not going to be a fight. I think that is won legislatively. So I've introduced the legislation. I tried very, very hard in this Congress to get a Democrat to support me. I will tell you, I talked to num numerous Democrats. They said no. They said no. Look, the Democrat party is, is. Is very afraid, unfortunately, of disturbing the. The pro Hamas wing of their party in the House. The companion legislation to my legislation has four Democrats on board. So we do have some Democrat support. I was able to get one Democrat. So John Fetterman is supporting me. So the legislation is Cruise Fetterman. It is bipartisan.

[Ben Ferguson]

By the way. Can we just pause there and just talk about how cool that is? The more that we have interacted that you've interacted with John, the more respect I really do have for him as a Democrat. The way he stood up to his party on the shutdown. Look, there are some places where you don't win races. I never thought I would say I am thankful for John Fetterman and his leadership in the Senate when he was first elected. I gotta tell you, he may be the biggest surprise in the last decade for me of a true Democrat statesman that is willing to come the table on sane issues like the government shutdown or like this. And I think when this happens, we as conservatives should take that moment and say job well done to Senator Fetterman. I'm really impressed because there's a lot of issues. He says politics are side. I don't care the heat I'm going to get from my party for this. I'm going to do the right thing. We used to have a lot more of that in politics.

[Guest/Analyst]

Yeah, it used to be much more commonplace. When I showed up in the Senate 13 years ago, there was such a thing as moderate Democrats. They largely don't exist. Actually, someone before that was Kyrsten Sinema. Kyrsten Sinema was elected from Arizona. When she came in, there was not a whole lot of reason to believe she would be a moderate. And I will say Kirsten, I really like Kirsten. She stood up to her party. She demonstrated real courage. And you know what happened? The Democrats chased her out of the party. Both Sinema and Joe Manchin, who were the only two Democrats who said no to eliminating the filibuster. The Democrats chased both of them out of the party. They said, we don't want any dissent. You must obey the dictates of the radical left. Well, John Fetterman got elected. And listen, you and I both did not support him when he was running for the Senate.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

To begin with.

[Guest/Analyst]

He was a Democrat. And his prior record as lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania gave little reason to think that he would be anything other than a left wing Democrat. That's certainly what I anticipated. He has astonished me. I like John personally. He obviously, during the campaign suffered a stroke. He had serious medical issues. It was very difficult. His mind could not process the spoken word. So when he was newly elected, you would talk to him, but he would carry around an iPad that translated the words that are being said into text and he would have to read the iPad because it was just one of the consequences of the stroke that when you talk to him, his brain was operating, but the input of the oral spoken word did not make it through. I will say his health has improved significantly. He's now able to have a conversation and engage. So the aftermath of the stroke, thankfully, has gotten better. But Fetterman has shown real courage in standing up to his party on the shutdown. He stood up to Schumer and said, this shutdown is stupid. We need to end the shutdown. And on Israel, the level of courage he has shown by saying, the pro Hamas wing of our party is wrong. It is terrible. And I, John Fetterman, are proud to stand with Israel. It's been heroic. And I gotta say, he's been demonized by his own party. The Democrats, they treat him terribly. The Republicans in the Senate treat him much better than the Democrats do.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, and not only demonize him, this goes back to his civility. He had a fall this past week and Democrats were cheering his fall before we even knew, like his health. Now he put up a picture of himself. I was glad to see he's gonna be okay. But like, it just tells you about how much if you don't get in line with the Democratic Party. It doesn't matter if your name's Fetterman or Schumer at this point or Nancy Pelosi, like it is, off with your heads. In the Democratic Party as a leadership perspective from them, they are done with you if you are not going to the extreme left on every issue.

[Guest/Analyst]

So, Ben, it's worse than that. When Fetterman newly arrived in the Senate, the Democrats all assumed he would just.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Be a left wing, reliable vote.

[Guest/Analyst]

And so you had all the Democrats putting out statements, he's fine, his health is not a problem. And as I said, the stroke had very real and limiting effects on him. I mean, it was significant. But every Democrat defended him. And then as his health started to get better, yep, he was willing to buck the Democrats. And if you disagree with the Democrat Party line on even one issue, but especially on an issue like the current Democrat Party's embrace of Hamas and their anti Israel animus, they turned on him viciously. And I got to tell you, there have been dozens of articles written with quotes from Democrat senators, Democrat staffers just, just doing everything they could to shiv him, to say, to actually attack his mental capability and say, oh, he's not able to do the job. The irony is they attacked him once he had improved significantly, was recovering. But yet, in their view, the unforgivable sin was daring to deviate from what every other Democrat was saying. And I view Fetterman as the exception that proves the rule. That being said, this legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood at the national level, it's cruise Fetterman to pass, we would need 60 senators. That would mean we would need at least seven Democrats. I have no indication that seven Democrats are likely to support this. I'm going to try, I'm going to keep pressing it. We'll see, we'll put it for a vote. I would love to have that bipartisan support, but as of now, I have not been able to get any Other Democrats.

[Ben Ferguson]

How encouraging is it? I mean, when you ran for Senate, you know, several years ago, did you ever think you'd. You would govern in a body work with a group of people where you can't even get agreement on a designating a terrorist organization? A terrorist organization?

[Guest/Analyst]

Oh, look, partisan politics has already always been part of Washington. That being said, it's gotten much, much worse. And actually, when President Trump got elected in 2016, it broke the heads of the Democrats. Their minds are melted. They just hate him. And so there's much less middle ground. But anyway, my strategy on the Muslim Brotherhood legislation is not necessarily to pass it through Congress, although I'd love to. I'm going to continue trying to pass it through Congress. But it is instead to build the public case for this so that the Trump administration does so unilaterally. They have the authority to do so. There's no dispute, as I said in Trump won. We almost got it done. And I believe that President Trump will do so. I think he'll do so probably in the next year. I was in the White House just a couple of weeks ago. I talked with the president directly about designating the Muslim Brotherhood. I have met with Seb Gorka, who is the senior official in the National Security Council, who's handling this issue. I've talked with Seb about it. I believe the Trump administration will do it this time. I think the fact that we redesigned it to be bottom up is going to make it much harder for the deep state to oppose it. And I want to commend Greg Abbott in the state of Texas, because Texas is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and CARE as well, really helps for building the momentum. The whole purpose of the legislative push is to build the momentum, to provide the air cover for the Trump administration to do so. And I think that's going to happen. All right.

[Ben Ferguson]

I also want to bring up care. And this is another aspect of this, this, you know, legislation in Texas making it clear it's not just the Muslim Brotherhood, it's also care. This one's a little bit more of a complicated organization. Break that down. Why? They're also getting on the list.

[Guest/Analyst]

Yeah, it's, it's not actually that complicated. I mean, CAIR is a domestic organization. They have previously been implicated in supporting Hamas, supporting other terrorists organization. Let me read a story from the New York Post. It's entitled Muslim Group Care cutting $1,000 checks for anti Israel Agitators who have been Disciplined by colleges. And here's what the New York Post reported. Anti Israel agitators who spread disruption at U.S. college colleges and were punished by authorities were awarded checks for $1,000 by a Muslim nonprofit, the Post has learned. The money was given to students who faced penalties for leading pro Palestinian protests before and after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to a bombshell report by the network Contagion Research Institute and the Intelligent Advocacy Network. The cash was awarded from a Quote Champions of Justice Fund set up by a California chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, CARE as an institutional endorsement, the report claims. In California, the largest arm of the CARE web of nonprofits, affiliates San Francisco and Los Angeles raised more than $100,000 in donations for the campus radicals, while the Main Group solicited $64,000 in donations, records show. The money was then offered as interest free loans in grants of $1,000 to students who lost scholarships, housing or other support because of their advocacy, according to CARE's website. This is you have care literally. You want to know why you had anti Semitic protests on college campuses? I've been saying from the beginning, follow the money. There's clear money behind it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Follow the money, follow the money.

[Guest/Analyst]

The tents all matched and it's because this is being funded and this is being funded by Islamists, this is being funded by communists, this is being funded by foreign nations. This is being funded by left wing billionaire donors who frankly want to undermine America. And so Texas designating CARE as well. That's a big step forward.

[Ben Ferguson]

Also, as always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you. Don't forget to download my podcast and you can listen to my podcast every other day. You're not listening to Verdict or each day when you listen to Verdict afterwards. I'd love to have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here on Monday morning.

[NordicTrack Advertiser]

The only thing between you and your best self is a start button this Black Friday Explore the world with NordicTrack from the peaks of purple to the streets of Paris, every workout moves you somewhere new with IFIT trainers leading the way. The equipment's amazing, smooth, quiet and those screens make it all feel real. Ready to start your next workout adventure with the number one treadmill brand in the U.S. shop NordicTrack.com for Black Friday savings NordicTrack train anywhere.

[Commercial Announcer]

Explore everywhere this holiday season, give the gift of incredible sound with Vizio's full Soundbar lineup available at Walmart. Transform any living room into a home theater with rich immersive audio that that brings every movie, show and song to life. Whether you're gifting a loved one or upgrading your own setup, Vizio Soundbars deliver powerful, crystal clear sound that turns ordinary watching into extraordinary experiences. Stream your favorite holiday Playlist with the iHeartRadio app and discover how good your music can truly sound. Head to Walmart.com and find your perfect Vizio soundbar today.

[Whim Sound Advertiser]

Bring incredible sound into every corner of your home this holiday with the new Whimsound Smart speaker. Get high resolution Audio with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, smart control and modern design in one powerful speaker for just 299. From Quiet Mornings to lively holiday gatherings, Whim Sound makes every moment sound better and feel better too. Get the gift of the season for the music enthusiast in your life or for yourself. Whim Sound Beautifully designed, effortlessly connected. Shop now at Amazon and search Whim Sound. That's W I I M S O U N D I use Shipt Same.

[Anabe Sofa Advertiser]

Day Delivery to stay connected with my sister during the holidays.

[Commercial Announcer]

She lives across the country.

[Anabe Sofa Advertiser]

Shipt has tons of stores to order from. Groceries from Albertsons, crafts from Michaels, even pet supplies from petsmart. The list goes on. So when we have long distance movie nights, I turn to Shipt to get face masks, snacks and everything else we need delivered to her and to me same day. Download the app or visit Shipt.com that's.

[Sunday Yard Care Advertiser]

S-H I-P-T.com this is what they call the hard sell. Sunday Yard Care Black Friday Sale Limited time Act now. Yelling Grass feels strange. Let's try that again. Sunday yard plans give you a thick, healthy yard without pesticides or weekend projects. We analyze your soil and climate, send a simple plan and you spray it on. No drama. But wait, there's more. No, there isn't. For Black Friday, your Sunday plan is 30% off. Lock in your spring subscription today. Smarter Lawn care for less getsunday.com this.

[Commercial Announcer]

Is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.