BONUS POD: China’s 'New' Viral Outbreak Echoes COVID-Era Measures plus Democrats Face Removal Over Quorum Walkout

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: BONUS PODCAST SUMMARY

Episode: China’s 'New' Viral Outbreak Echoes COVID-Era Measures plus Democrats Face Removal Over Quorum Walkout
Release Date: August 7, 2025

Verdict with Ted Cruz, hosted by Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson, delves into pressing political and health issues impacting the United States and beyond. In this bonus episode, the discussion revolves around a new viral outbreak in China and significant political maneuvers in Texas involving Democratic lawmakers. The episode also features insights from Mark Levin on the nature of power in contemporary politics.

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1. China’s Chikungunya Outbreak and CDC Travel Warning

Timestamp: [03:48] - [09:13]

The episode opens with a grave announcement regarding a viral outbreak in China. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel warning for travelers to affected regions, particularly Guangdong province near Hong Kong, due to an outbreak of Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease.

Key Points:

• Outbreak Details: Over 7,000 confirmed cases reported across 16 countries, with approximately 90 deaths.
• Symptoms: Include severe joint pain, fever, headaches, muscle aches, joint swelling, and rash. While most recover within a week, severe cases can lead to prolonged joint pain and, in rare instances, death.
• Containment Measures in China: Utilization of drones to locate standing water, insecticide spraying, deployment of mosquito-eating fish, fines for stagnant water accumulation, and hospital isolation with mosquito netting.
• CDC Recommendations: Travelers are advised to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, stay in screened or air-conditioned accommodations, and consider vaccination prior to travel.

Notable Quotes:

• Unknown Co-Host: "These are the kind of draconian responses we saw with COVID. We're seeing it again." ([07:15])
• Jillian Turner (State Department): "Most people infected get better within a week. However, some can have severe joint pain for months to years." ([06:24])

Analysis: The hosts draw parallels between the current outbreak response and the measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, expressing skepticism about China's transparency and motives. They raise concerns about potential governmental overreach and the effectiveness of such containment strategies.

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2. Democrats’ Quorum Walkout in Texas and Legal Ramifications

Timestamp: [09:13] - [15:16]

The second major discussion centers on the political standoff in Texas, where Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to Illinois in an attempt to block the passage of a redistricting bill by breaking quorum.

Key Points:

• Governor Greg Abbott's Response: Filed a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court to initiate the removal of House Democratic Caucus Chairman Wu and other absent Democrats for dereliction of duty.
• Legal Actions: The lawsuit, citing Section 22 of the Texas Constitution, seeks to declare that these legislators have vacated their offices due to intentional quorum breaking. A response from Chairman Wu is due by August 8th.
• Democratic Perspective: Chairman Wu claims that denying quorum was a constitutional duty, not an abandonment of office. He accuses Governor Abbott of using a racist map to marginalize Black and Latino voters.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's Involvement: Pritzker rejects threats of arrest from Texas, emphasizing Illinois' stance on protecting individuals within its borders regardless of federal actions.

Notable Quotes:

• Governor Abbott: "The derelict Democratic house members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the house reconvenes." ([09:15])
• Chairman Wu: "I took an oath to the Constitution, not a politician's agenda. Denying the governor a quorum was not an abandonment of my office. It was a fulfillment of my oath." ([14:02])
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker: "Bring it on. He's more than happy to fight Donald Trump." ([14:02])

Analysis: The hosts highlight Governor Abbott's determination to hold absent Democrats accountable, portraying the move as a fight against political obstructionism. They criticize the Democrats for prioritizing political agendas over their legislative responsibilities, framing the situation as a battle for rightful governance versus partisan tactics.

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3. Insights from Mark Levin on Power and Political Strategy

Timestamp: [15:16] - [18:08]

In an enlightening segment, Ben Ferguson shares a conversation with political commentator Mark Levin about his new book, On Power. Levin discusses the nature of power, its historical applications, and its impact on liberty, especially in the context of current political events.

Key Points:

• Gerrymandering Concerns: Levin points out alleged mathematical errors in the 2020 census that he claims resulted in unfair congressional seat distributions favoring Democrats.
• Democratic Dominance: Citing states like Massachusetts, Maryland, California, and Illinois, Levin argues that the Democratic Party's control is pervasive and illustrates their embrace of Marxism and Islamism.
• Corruption of Public Debate: He contends that the Democratic Party manipulates public discourse through propaganda, slogans, and repetition, undermining substantive debate.
• Book’s Message: On Power emphasizes the necessity of checks and balances to prevent power from leading to oppression, urging conservatives to understand and counteract authoritarian tendencies.

Notable Quotes:

• Mark Levin: "They corrupt the public debate. So people don't even know what to debate... their purpose is to grab power." ([16:22])
• Mark Levin: "It is very dangerous what these people are doing." ([17:00])

Analysis: Levin reinforces the hosts' narrative of Democratic overreach and the dangers of unchecked power. By connecting historical uses of power to contemporary political strategies, he advocates for a vigilant and informed conservative movement to safeguard democratic principles and liberty.

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4. Conclusion and Call to Action

Timestamp: [18:08] - [18:58]

The episode concludes with a strong endorsement of Mark Levin's book, urging listeners to educate themselves on the dynamics of power and its implications for freedom and governance. Ben Ferguson encourages the audience to subscribe for more in-depth analyses and stay informed on ongoing political developments.

Notable Quotes:

• Unknown Co-Host: "The left, by the way, is bastardized power. And now we're witnessing it in real time with the Democrats in Texas." ([17:45])
• Ben Ferguson: "Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson." ([18:40])

Final Thoughts: The hosts emphasize the urgency of understanding and addressing the current political climate. They position the episode as a critical resource for listeners seeking to comprehend and respond to the strategies employed by opposing political factions.

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Overall Summary:

In this episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, hosts Ben Ferguson and an unknown co-host tackle significant issues that mirror past crises and highlight ongoing political battles. The discussion on China's Chikungunya outbreak draws unsettling comparisons to the COVID-19 pandemic, questioning governmental transparency and response strategies. Simultaneously, the intense political maneuvering in Texas showcases the escalating conflict between Republican leadership and Democratic lawmakers, with potential legal repercussions on the horizon.

The conversation with Mark Levin further deepens the analysis, offering a theoretical framework on power that underscores the episode's themes of political strategy and governance. Throughout, the hosts maintain a critical stance on Democratic actions, advocating for conservative resilience and informed activism.

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Note: This summary intentionally excludes the advertisement segment for Patriot Mobile ([00:28] - [03:48]) as per the outlined instructions to focus solely on content-relevant sections.

Transcript

[Unknown Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. The term that I use now to describe the Democrats and these Marxists and Islamists is authoritarian. Democrats, in other words, they'll go through the voting process as long as they win, but if they don't win, they'll try and sabotage, you know, a Trump or a Republican. They don't really care about the electorate except if it gives them power. They don't really care about the well being of the average person unless they can persuade them to support them.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

[Unknown Co-Host]

Good Thursday morning. It's nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update and we've got a couple of major stories for you this morning. This one is a story I hope I never have to talk about again, but it needs to be on your radar screen. The CDC has now issued a travel warning over a viral outbreak in China that is spread by mosquito bites. It is very eerie how close this is to the initial warnings we got with COVID 19 have that story for you in just a moment. Also, it is ratcheting up in Texas as Democrats refuse to come back to work. Now it's involving the state Supreme Court, the governor and the governor of Illinois. I also talk with Mark Levin, the Great One, about his new book on power and how it relates to everything that's going on in Texas. But first I got to ask you a question, or are you one of those that is just so tired of giving your money to radical left woke companies that actually are fighting against your values every day? Well, there are certain bills that you pay every month that if you can go with a conservative company, why not do it? In fact, why not go with a conservative company that actually takes part of your bill every month that you're going to pay to somebody and they give it back to organizations that support your first and your second amendment rights, that support the rights of unborn children, that stand with our military, our first responders and so many wounded warriors that need help. Well, that bill I'm talking about is your cell phone bill and I've been telling you for a long time about Patriot Mobile, but there's no better time to switch than right now. Not only does Patriot Mobile operate on all three major networks in this country. Yeah, all three. That means you get the same great coverage you're used to right now. But, but you also make a difference with every call you make and every text you make. And why would you want to give your money to Big Mobile? Big Mobile has been giving Big Donations to Democratic causes, Democratic candidates and radical left organizations. I'm talking about organizations that actually support abortion. That is why I want you to switch right now to Patriot Mobile. Go ahead and make the switch. And it's so easy. All you have to do is simply call Patriot Mobile's 100 US based team from the comfort of your home or your office and they'll have you activated in minutes. And if you're still locked in a contract, not a problem. Patriots Mobile contract buyout program covers up to 500 per device. Keep your same number, keep your phone or upgrade to a new one. So back to my point, what are you waiting for? Call Patriot Mobile today and make a difference in every single day with every call you make. Patriotmobile.com ferguson that's patriotmobile.com ferguson or 972-patriot and if you use the promo code Ferguson, you're going to get a free month of service on top of that. Patriotmobile.com ferguson or 972-patriot that's patriotmobile.com ferguson Or 972 Patriot it's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

[Ben Ferguson]

Story number one.

[Unknown Co-Host]

There is a major story that needs to be on your radar and it's one that concerns now China yet again and the CDC issuing a travel warning over a viral outbreak in China that is spread by mosquito bites. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issuing a level two travel notice. This is much like what we witness with the coronavirus for a province in China due to a quote, major outbreak, the agency is recommending travelers practice enhanced precautions. As of August 6th, if you believe the numbers coming out of China, over 7, 000 confirmed cases of Chikungunya have been reported with the outbreak spreading to Hong Kong and other provinces. Now what is this disease? Well, symptoms typically appear, they say, three to seven days after a mosquito bite and while most within a week. There are major problems that can happen because of this mosquito borne viral disease characterized as being major issues with fever, severe joint pain, severe headaches, muscle aches, joint swelling and a rash. There is also a concern over death even though it's being categorized as rare infants, they're very concerned about older adults. And people with certain health conditions will also face high risk of severe symptoms and and possibly death. Yet again, another concern of the similarities we're talking about here because of what happened last time when it came out of China. Now in 2025, this strand has affected approximately 240, 000 people across 16 countries, resulting, they say, in around 90 deaths. Chinese authorities have mobilized intense containment strategies, including drones to locate standing water, insecticide spraying, even targeting individuals before entering deployment of mosquito eating fish, fines or penalties for stagnant water accumulation and hospital isolation under mosquito netting. Here is more from Fox News Channel about the CDC putting out the warning for Americans tonight.

[Ben Ferguson]

A viral outbreak in China prompts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, to issue a travel warning. More than 7,000 cases of this disease have been reported so far. State Department correspondent Jillian Turner has details tonight live from the State Department. Good evening, Jillian.

[Jillian Turner]

Good evening. Good evening, Brett. The cdc, as you mentioned, is warning Americans traveling to China about Qikun Gunya. It is a virus that spreads to humans through infected mosquito bites. It can cause severe illness with symptoms that mimic pretty closely dengue fever and Zika virus, mostly found in Africa. Here's what the CDC says about it. They say most people infected get better within a week. However, some can have severe joint pain for months to years. Other symptoms include severe fever and fatigue. The outbreak now is in the Chinese province Guangdong. It's near Hong Kong with more than 7,000 cases reported so far, prompting some pretty dramatic measures to contain the spread, like mandatory insect repellent blasts for people entering the area, mandatory property checks for stagnant water which attracts mosquitoes and when found is now punishable by fines or even arrests.

[Unknown Co-Host]

If you happen to get this, they're quarantining you in hospitals with mosquito netting and not letting you out for a week. These are the kind of draconian responses we saw with COVID We're seeing it again.

[Jillian Turner]

The CDC says Americans traveling to eight other countries are also at elevated risk of exposure to the virus even if there is no current outbreak there. People at risk for more severe cases of chikungunya include newborns, seniors 65 years and up, as well as people with diabetes or heart disease. Now, the good news is that unlike COVID deaths from this disease are exceedingly rare. You can also protect yourself by getting vaccinated against it or by preventing mosquito bites in the first place through all the usual mechanisms, insect repellent, netting, wearing long sleeves and staying in air conditioning.

[Unknown Co-Host]

You listen to this warning and there's a couple of points here that need to be made clear. Number one, there's no specific treatment for this. So management focuses on symptom relief, rest, hydration, over the counter pain relief and vaccines, as they mentioned, are available in the US and recommended for travelers that are going to the outbreak regions. But then the question also comes up and this is why I want it on your radar screen. Why are they treating this in China? Very much the same way they treated Covid and are they telling us the truth now? They're saying to minimize the risk of exposure, the CDC advises the use of insect repellent, wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, staying in screened or air conditioned accommodation. They also have a warning for pregnant travelers, especially near delivery. They're encouraged now to quote, reconsider travel as infection near childbirth can pass to newborns. Vaccination should be discussed with the health care provider. The CDC is also saying so this is a story that I hope I don't have to talk about again with you. But when you're dealing with China and what they're doing right now, you have to wonder what are they hiding?

[Ben Ferguson]

Now story number two, I want to.

[Unknown Co-Host]

Move on to another major story and it deals with what's happening in Texas. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott has now filed a lawsuit to start the removal for dereliction of duty derelict Democrats and saying you're not showing up for work. You fled the state to block redistricting bill and now we're going to hold you accountable for exactly that. Governor Abbott filing the lawsuit Tuesday night with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to begin the process for the removal of House Democratic Caucus Chairman Wu and others. The chairman along with most of his Democrat House colleagues fled the state to block a quorum in protest of the GOP's efforts to carry out their duty of congressional se redistricting. Today I took emergency action the governor said to begin the removal from office of derelict Democrat Texas House members. He refused to show up for special session. Governor Abbott writing this saying quote, I filed the suit directly with the Texas Supreme Court to quickly make clear the authority I have to bring the lawsuit for removal of legislators from their office. Now on Sunday, Abbott or the House Democrats who fled the state to break quorum to return to work or he take action to vacate their legislative seats and appoint replacements. This truancy ends now. Governor Abbott said in a Sunday night statement the derelict Democratic house members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the house reconvenes at 3pm on Monday, Aug. 4. The governor said he will invoke the Texas attorney general opinion to remove the absent Democrats from their elected office. The governor stated, quote in that opinion the attorney general considered whether Texas law allows for a determination that a legisl has vacated office if they intentionally break quorum. The attorney general concluded that whether a specific legislator abandoned his or her office such that a vacancy occurred will be a fact Question for a court quote unquote Sunday afternoon, Texas House Democrats fled the state to Illinois to stop the state legislature from moving forward on plans to redistrict Texas congressional districts. Democratic Caucus Chairman Wu, a Democrat from Houston, said the governor is using an intentionally racist map to steal the voices of millions of black and Latino Texans, all to execute a corrupt political deal. The derelict Texas House members ignored the governor's order and did not return to the Capitol. Insert Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a notice with the Texas Supreme Court in support of the governor's lawsuit saying this Texas is taking every available avenue to force runaway Democrats to return to Texas and hold them accountable for breaking quorum. That's what the Attorney General Ken Paxton, said in the statement saying, quote, under the Texas Constitution and Texas law, the office of the Attorney General has the legal authority to bring these cases against the renegade House members. I have alerted the Texas Supreme Court that I will be making additional filings on Friday if the Democrats continue to abandon their legislative duties. Abbott also wrote a letter to the Texas Supreme Court about his action of filing directly with the state's top course, bypassing the district and appellate court system. The governor cited section 22 of the Texas Constitution and court precedent for those actions. And that's where we go to Late Tuesday night, the Supreme Court requests a response from the respondent, Chairman Wu, the Democrat, no later than Friday, August 8th at 5pm the case number for the emergency petition is 250674. Translation it's getting very real now for Democrats that there is a chance if they do not come back to Texas, they can lose their jobs. Texas Tribune reporter by the way, posting comments from Chairman Wu in response to the governor's latest action to remove him and fellow Democratic legislators saying, quote, I took an oath to the Constitution, not a politician's agenda. Denying the governor a quorum was not an abandonment of my office. It was a fulfillment of my oath. That is the latest from the Democrats. He said, I took that oath to the Constitution, not the political agenda, and he's hoping the American people will go along with him. One person, by the way, that definitely is going along with him is the governor of Illinois trying to turn this into his own political moment. JB Pritzker firing back at Trump's threat to arrest runaway Texas Democrats saying, bring it on. He's more than happy to fight Donald Trump. And here's the governor in his own.

[Ben Ferguson]

Words is that, you know, our local law enforcement protect everybody in Illinois, our state troopers protect everybody in Illinois and anybody who's here in Illinois. And so whether it's federal agents coming to Illinois or state rangers from Texas, if you haven't broken federal law, you're, you know, you're basically unwelcome. And there's no way that they can be, that our state legislators here, the Texas state legislators can be arrested.

[Unknown Co-Host]

So there's the governor of Illinois saying, hey, I stand up for illegal immigrants that are in my state and protect them all the time. Why not go ahead and protect some hardcore liberal Democrats from Texas as well? Now, governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, he has a very simple response to JD Pritzker and anybody else that's criticizing him. He says it's all about doing your job. And that's what the Democrats have abandoned.

[Ben Ferguson]

So the Democrats, when they return, they're going to be accountable for certain legal violations, but also for violations of Texas House rules. And so it's going to be a bad day for them. And the sooner they get back, maybe the lesser the consequences. But the longer they stay, the greater the consequences.

[Unknown Co-Host]

The greater the consequences. So now here we are at the Texas Supreme Court and there's a very good chance that the governors got this one right and Democrats may lose their jobs over all of this, refusing to come back to the state that they said they were representing and instead hanging out in Chicago. I also sat down and had a very interesting conversation with a dear friend of mine, a mentor, Mark Levin. He has a new book out called On Power, a book that I hope all of you will buy. And I asked him about what was happening in Texas and how his book relates to what we're witnessing. I want you to take a listen to what Mark Levin, the Great One, had to say. Speaking of power, I want to get your take on, on what Democrats have just decided to do in Texas. Flee the state. They have run to other states that are basically advocating for socialism and communism. Marxism. You've got the governor of Illinois saying, come on over, we'll house you, we'll love on you, yada, yada, yada. And they say this is what power now looks like to the left. How dangerous is that?

[Unknown Host]

Well, the gerrymandering, is that what you're talking about? Pretty much, yeah. Yeah, it's, it's very dangerous. But let's, let's point out I have a whole chapter on language and they're, and they're proving the point in the chapter and I'll let people read it themselves. But take a look at this. The 2020 census, they quote, unquote, mathematical errors which resulted in Democrats having five more seats than they should have had in the census admits it made a mistake. So let's start at that baseline. Then you look at Massachusetts. They don't have a single Republican member of the House of Representatives. Then you look at Maryland. They have one Republican out of eight in the state of Maryland. Then you look at California, 52 seats, 43 Democrats and nine Republicans. Then you look at Illinois, 14 Democrats and three Republicans. And I could go on and on and on. So this party, the Democrat Party, it embraces Marxism, it embraces the Islamists against the Israelis. It embraces propaganda of the worst sort. Again, I discuss this in the chapter in the book. And their purpose is what? They corrupt the public debate. So people don't even know what to debate. They come up with slogans and repetition, which is big deal for them like any other authoritarians do. So people get in their minds that it's the Republicans are trying to steal the midterm elections. They have a media behind them. And so so many people who don't focus on this day in and day out have no idea what's actually going on except the drumbeat that they hear over and over and over again. So it is very dangerous what these people are doing. But it has to be countered. We can't just wring our hands about it. Woe is me. Woe is me. And the way we counter it is again, we go to the core of this book and rather than making superficial arguments, we say, they want to grab power. This is why they want to grab it. And the book explains why and how they do it and how to respond to it.

[Unknown Co-Host]

I hope all of you, by the way, will grab Mark Levin's new book on power as explores the nature of power, its historical uses and its impact on liberty. The book argues that while power can be used for oppression, it is also essential for a thriving society when it's structured with checks and balances. The left, by the way, is bastardized power. And well, now we're witnessing it in real time with the Democrats in Texas. And this is exactly why I hope all of you will grab Mark Levin's new book on power.

[Ben Ferguson]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

[Unknown Host]

This is an I Heart podcast.