Verdict with Ted Cruz

Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck
Original Release: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Buck Sexton & Clay Travis | Guest: Rep. Jim Jordan

Episode Overview

In this special bonus crossover, Senator Ted Cruz's Verdict podcast partners with radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton for an energetic rundown of the day’s biggest political and cultural stories. Their major focus: explosive news on an NBA gambling and sports rigging scandal involving high-profile players and alleged mafia involvement. The trio also discuss Democratic primary dramas, the looming threat of a government shutdown, the political calculus behind leadership decisions within the Democratic Party, and debates around hot-button culture war issues like transgender participation in sports. Rep. Jim Jordan joins mid-show for extended perspective from Capitol Hill.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NBA Gambling & Mafia Corruption Scandal (04:53–17:15)

• Story Unpacked: The episode’s first segment delves into the FBI’s blockbuster takedown of an illegal gambling and sports rigging operation involving current and former NBA players and coaches, the mafia, and high-stakes poker games.
  • FBI Director Cash Patel announced coordinated raids in 11 states, netting 30+ arrests, including NBA coach Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and player Terry Rozier.
  • Mafia contractors allegedly rigged poker games using elaborate methods: “contact lenses that could look through cards, X-ray machines to know what cards were coming, cameras in chandeliers...” (Clay, 05:56)
  • On March 23, 2023, Terry Rozier, then with the Hornets, told associates he would leave a game early, facilitating $200,000 in “under” prop bets—all for the payout of “tens of thousands of dollars in profit.” (Clay, 09:33)
  • Clay’s take: Legalized gambling helps catch such corruption, as sportsbooks notice “irregular wagering patterns. Almost like stock market, SEC stuff, right?” (Buck, 14:48)

Notable Quotes:

• Clay: “This is like maybe my most epic wheelhouse. I’ve been on Fox News all morning...some of the details are just so crazy.” (05:56)
• Buck: “You’re going to risk a $26 million salary for 200, 300 grand...That’s one of the dumbest criminal capers I’ve heard in a very long time.” (10:53)
• Clay: “They put limits in place...usually it gets flagged. That’s why the line is adjusting constantly. There’s a market, and if tons of sharp money comes in on one side or the other, they wonder about injuries, they wonder about things like that.” (15:01)

Segment Timestamps:

• FBI Press Conference & Details: 04:53–09:25
• Rozier/Game Rigging Detail: 09:25–11:07
• Analysis of Motive & Methods: 11:09–14:12
• Implications for Sports Gambling: 14:12–17:15

2. Political Showdowns: Virginia, New York, and Democrat Dynamics (23:01–37:40)

Virginia Governor’s Race Drama

• Buck and Clay take aim at the narrative that Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s struggles are due to sexism, pointing out “she’s running against a black woman” and that previous governor’s races have featured two women. (Buck, 25:33; Clay, 25:48)
• Clay: “There are women winning elections all over the country, and sometimes women lose elections all over the country just like men do.” (27:31)
• Critique of identity politics and Democratic messaging: “They’re not even doing the research that’s required to even make the argument very well.” (Clay, 28:09)

Transgender Sports Controversy

• Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of a male powerlifter competing as a woman, sparking outrage from the hosts and connection to broader left-wing “toxic empathy.” (Clay, 32:09; 33:31)

Notable Quotes:

• Buck: “If somebody is affecting that clear marketplace [sports] because of individual gain, illicit profit...you gotta have laws against people shaving points or doing these prop bet things.” (16:55)
• Clay: “The whole purpose of being a politician is to tell people what you’ll do with power. I think it’s possible Mamdani will get power and not be remotely what Mamdani to get power said Mamdani would be.” (72:13)

3. Government Shutdown & Democrat Party Infighting (39:21–49:14; 61:25–65:08)

• Guest: Rep. Jim Jordan (39:21): Talks about the narrative and strategy around the government shutdown, linking it to Democratic leadership’s fears of progressive primary challengers—especially Chuck Schumer fearing AOC, and Hakeem Jeffries facing threats from the left.
• Suggests shutdown is motivated more by internal party politics (“the hard left has control of that party,” 41:14) than the health care subsidy fight.
• Notes parallels to previous Democratic strategies and warns about left wing’s use of crises to advance agendas.
• Adds House Judiciary Committee is referring former CIA Director John Brennan for lying to Congress (44:04).

4. Reflections on Trump’s Second Term & the State of the GOP (46:48–50:09)

• Jim Jordan heaps praise on Trump’s “amazing nine months.”
  • Attributes increased effectiveness to Trump’s focus, more loyal appointees, and “doing what he said he would do.”
  • Claims: “No one has done it better than President Trump. He said he would cut taxes. He did. He said he’d get men out of women’s sports. He has…” (47:13)
• Predicts the GOP will buck historical trends in upcoming midterms, citing redistricting and Trump’s realignment of the party’s base.

5. New York City Mayoral Race – Mamdani vs. Cuomo vs. Sliwa (66:52–73:22)

• The race is a microcosm of national Democratic struggles:
  • Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer avoid endorsing Mamdani, fearful of being outflanked by further-left rivals after Andrew Cuomo’s upset primary defeat.
  • Curtis Sliwa, considered the best candidate by the hosts, is unlikely to win—his staying in the race may hand victory to Mamdani.
• Mamdani accused of political slipperiness: “He is an incredibly articulate, glib, smiley, glad handling politician...but unlike Andrew Cuomo, for better or worse...Mam Donnie is an articulate shadow.” (Clay, 70:58)
• Debate moment: Mamdani refuses to take a stance on ballot initiatives, to the chagrin of Cuomo and Sliwa (69:53).

Notable Quotes:

• Buck: “Their plan is to ride this out until they can force the insanity on you via the state...They will use state power to make you do this.” (32:09)
• Clay: “I think this is all rooted to fear, provoked by Mom Donnie...all of this is a direct result of the surprise upset victory of Mamdani...” (62:54; 64:27)

Memorable Moments

• On NBA Corruption: “If you put it in a movie, a lot of us would say there’s no way that could actually be true.” (Clay, 11:16)
• On Dems' Messaging: “Mika Brzezinski is playing right into that by claiming that a woman losing to a woman is because of sexism. There is neither reason nor accountability in that analysis...” (Buck, 28:09)
• Clay on Democratic Party: “There’s a desperate attempt here to try and make themselves victims and the sign of oppression...” (27:31)
• Ref on Trans Sports Debate: “Seven members of the supreme court of the state of Minnesota just said it’s a violation of this dude’s human rights for the powerlifting association to say, you’re actually a man, you’re not allowed to compete as a woman.” (Clay, 33:14)
• On Internal Dem Calculus: “Whatever it takes. I think they looked at Cuomo and said, wait a minute. He had all the resources...and Cuomo got steamrolled by Mom Donnie.” (Clay, 65:09)

Major Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Timestamps | |---|---|---| | Opening | NBA Gambling Scandal & FBI Arrest Details | 04:53–17:15 | | VA Governor Race & Dem "Sexism" Narrative | Gender/Identity Politics | 23:01–29:40 | | Trans in Sports/MN Ruling | Gender Debate, "Toxic Empathy" | 32:09–37:40 | | Rep. Jim Jordan Joins | Shutdown, Dem Infighting, Trump’s Wins | 39:21–50:09 | | NYC Mayor Race, Party Crises | Mamdani, Political Calculus | 66:52–73:22 |

Tone and Style

• Lively, irreverent, adversarial: Clay and Buck pull no punches, mock Democratic talking points, and dissect headlines with sarcasm and skepticism. Their rapport is quick, bantering, and full of cultural references.
• Analysis-forward: While heavy on partisan takes, they regularly back up points with specific examples, policy details, and firsthand observations.
• Pop culture infused: References to movies (“Rounders,” “As Good as it Gets”), sports betting lingo, and media figures abound.

For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• The NBA gambling scandal is far more extensive—and bizarre—than prior sports corruption stories, involving mafia rigging, millions in losses, and players/coaches allegedly throwing games.
• Legalized sports betting may actually help reveal such schemes, rather than cause them, due to greater transparency and monitoring.
• Much of Washington’s current gridlock, especially the shutdown, is driven less by national policy priorities than internal Democratic Party fears of being outflanked by the left—most visible in New York political power struggles.
• Culture war battles like transgender athletes in women’s sports continue to animate conservative critiques of the judiciary, media, and Democratic politicians.
• The NYC mayor’s race is a proxy for broader Democratic identity and generational conflict, with high anxiety among power players about populist left challengers.

Notable Quotes (with Attributions & Timestamps)

• “This is like maybe my most epic wheelhouse...some of the details are just so crazy.” — Clay Travis (05:56)
• “You’re going to risk a $26 million salary for 200, 300 grand...That’s one of the dumbest criminal capers I’ve heard in a very long time.” — Buck Sexton (10:53)
• “Legalized gambling makes it more likely that we catch people for this, because the sportsbooks...catch illegal irregular wagering patterns.” — Clay Travis (14:12)
• “There’s a desperate attempt here to try and make themselves victims...” — Clay Travis (27:31)
• “Seven members of the supreme court of the state of Minnesota just said it’s a violation of this dude’s human rights for the powerlifting association to say you’re actually a man, you’re not allowed to compete as a woman.” — Clay Travis (33:14)
• “Their plan is to ride this [trans agenda] out until they can force the insanity on you via the state.” — Buck Sexton (32:09)
• “He’s been through this before. He knows how crazy the media is going to be...He’s focused on the mission.” — Rep. Jim Jordan on Trump 2.0 (47:13)

Conclusion

This episode is a sweeping, humor-laced tour through political scandal, horse-race coverage, and culture war analysis—anchored by a rare real-time sports corruption story with national implications. Travelers along for the ride will be treated to media-savvy takes, inside-the-Beltway gossip, and the hosts’ relentless challenges of the establishment narratives—both Democratic and sporting.

For political junkies, conservative listeners, or anyone trying to keep up with the swirl of headlines in late 2025, this episode is must-listen infotainment.