Government Busted Paying Media Millions while Dems Move to Impeach Trump as he De-funds Sanctuary Cities

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary

Title: Government Busted Paying Media Millions while Dems Move to Impeach Trump as he De-funds Sanctuary Cities
Release Date: February 6, 2025
Host: Senator Ted Cruz
Co-Host: Ben Ferguson
Produced by: Premiere Networks

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, Senator Ted Cruz along with co-host Ben Ferguson delves deep into a series of explosive revelations shaking the foundations of the U.S. political landscape. From uncovering government payments to media giants to the Democratic Party's renewed efforts to impeach President Donald Trump, and the bold moves to defund sanctuary cities, this episode provides a thorough analysis of the most pressing issues of the day.

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1. Government's Secret Payments to Media Outlets

Overview:
The episode kicks off with a monumental revelation: the U.S. government has been funneling millions of taxpayer dollars to major media organizations, including the Associated Press, Politico, and The New York Times. These payments, initially described as subsidies for media subscriptions, are now alleged to have been quid pro quo arrangements aimed at influencing media coverage against political opponents, specifically targeting President Trump and the conservative movement.

Key Points:

• Exposure by Elon Musk: The scandal was brought to light by Elon Musk, who uncovered that federal agencies allocated substantial funds to media companies.
• Government's Justification: Caroline Levitt, then White House Press Secretary, confirmed that over $8 million was directed towards subsidizing media subscriptions, which she admitted were essentially funds to influence coverage.

Notable Quotes:

• Caroline Levitt (02:31): “The more than 8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime will no longer be happening.”
• Ben Ferguson (05:51): "This may become the biggest scandal in news media history."

Implications:

• Media Integrity: Raises serious questions about the impartiality and integrity of major news outlets.
• Political Influence: Suggests a systematic effort by the Biden-Harris administration to manipulate media narratives against political adversaries.
• Financial Mismanagement: Highlights potential misuse of federal funds, diverting them from their intended purposes to serve political ends.

Detailed Analysis: The assistant highlights how departments such as Health and Human Services, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce funneled millions into Politico under the guise of subscriptions. However, investigative findings suggest these funds were used to orchestrate negative coverage of Trump and other conservatives. Moreover, similar patterns were observed with The New York Times and the Associated Press, indicating a widespread scheme to control media narratives.

Notable Quotes:

• News Anchor (03:11): “Departments such as the Health and Human Services, the Interior, Energy department, Agriculture and Commerce were among the, quote, primary subscribers.”

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2. Democrats' Renewed Effort to Impeach President Trump

Overview:
In the wake of these revelations, the Democratic Party has intensified its efforts to impeach President Trump for the third time. Representative Al Green has spearheaded this movement, framing it as a response to the exposed corruption and loss of political leverage previously held through government payments to media.

Key Points:

• Representative Al Green's Announcement: Green publicly declared the initiation of impeachment proceedings, emphasizing a grassroots movement driven by public demand for accountability.
• Motivation Behind Impeachment: The Democrats aim to capitalize on the scandal by holding Trump accountable for alleged misconduct and perceived threats to national integrity.
• Conspiracy Theories: The episode suggests that the true mastermind behind the political maneuvering is Elon Musk, albeit still under Trump's administration.

Notable Quotes:

• Representative Al Green (07:42): “I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”
• Representative Al Green (07:42): “On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all. On this issue, I stand alone, but I stand for justice.”

Implications:

• Political Turmoil: Signals heightened political tensions and potential instability within the current administration.
• Public Perception: Could sway public opinion either in favor of Trump, seeing the impeachment as politically motivated, or against him, viewing it as necessary accountability.
• Legal Battles: Anticipates a series of legal challenges and prolonged impeachment hearings that could dominate the political discourse.

Detailed Analysis: The assistant discusses how Democrats, facing the exposure of their manipulative tactics, are now eager to impeach Trump to distract from their own corrupt practices. Representative Al Green frames the impeachment as a moral imperative, suggesting that past failures did not stem from a lack of effort but perhaps from strategic miscalculations. The episode underscores the cyclical nature of political vendettas and the use of impeachment as a tool for political retribution.

Notable Quotes:

• News Anchor (08:35): “The media jumping all over this, excited about the fact that Donald Trump, who's been impeached twice, well, will more than likely, as they described it, be impeached yet again.”

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3. Attorney General Pam Bondi's Directive to Defund Sanctuary Cities

Overview:
The final major topic centers on Attorney General Pam Bondi's aggressive stance against sanctuary cities. In her inaugural actions, Bondi has ordered a halt to all federal funding for jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, marking a decisive move to enforce stricter immigration laws.

Key Points:

• Immediate Actions: Bondi issued directives to pause fund distribution to sanctuary cities, initiating a 60-day review of existing agreements to terminate those deemed non-compliant or abusive.
• Broader Strategy: This move aligns with the Trump administration's longstanding efforts to dismantle sanctuary policies and ensure federal immigration laws are upheld.
• Potential Legal Challenges: Anticipates lawsuits from affected jurisdictions, mirroring past conflicts during Trump's first term.

Notable Quotes:

• Pam Bondi's Directive (10:00): “The DOJ attorneys responsibilities include aggressively enforcing criminal laws passed by Congress, but also vigorously defending presidential policies and actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges.”
• Pam Bondi's Directive (end): “Pam Bondi is going on offense doing exactly what the American people gave Donald Trump a mandate to do, which was to crack down on illegal immigrants all over the country.”

Implications:

• Financial Strain on Cities: Major sanctuary cities like New York, California, and Connecticut may face significant budget cuts, impacting public services reliant on federal funds.
• Legal Uncertainty: The directive is likely to be met with legal challenges, creating a protracted battle over federal versus local authority in immigration enforcement.
• Public Safety and Policy Enforcement: Aims to enhance national security by ensuring local jurisdictions comply with federal immigration laws, though critics argue it could lead to overreach and strain community relations.

Detailed Analysis: The assistant elaborates on how Bondi's directives are a clear signal of the administration's commitment to stringent immigration enforcement. By defunding sanctuary cities, the administration seeks to ensure that local and federal immigration policies are not at odds, thereby streamlining efforts to combat illegal immigration. However, this aggressive approach is expected to face pushback from affected cities and advocacy groups, leading to potential legal entanglements that could define the administration's tenure.

Notable Quotes:

• News Anchor (09:34): “Pam Bondi's directive also stipulates that the DOJ shall not enter into new contracts, grants or agreements with non-governmental organizations known as NGOs, that support or provide services to illegal aliens.”

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Conclusion

This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz presents a deep dive into what could be one of the most significant political scandals in recent history. The alleged misuse of federal funds to influence media narratives, coupled with the Democratic Party's renewed push to impeach President Trump and the aggressive defunding of sanctuary cities, paints a picture of intense political maneuvering and power struggles. Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson provide incisive commentary, challenging listeners to consider the broader implications of these developments on American democracy and governance.

For those seeking to understand the intricate dynamics at play in today's political arena, this episode serves as an essential resource, offering detailed insights and compelling arguments that underscore the importance of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

• Donald Trump (00:01): “My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes. Going to end. And it's ending right now.”
• Representative Al Green (07:42): “I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”
• Pam Bondi (10:00): “The DOJ attorneys responsibilities include aggressively enforcing criminal laws passed by Congress, but also vigorously defending presidential policies and actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges.”

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Disclaimer:
This summary is based on the provided transcript and aims to encapsulate the key discussions and viewpoints presented in the episode. For a comprehensive understanding, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz.

Transcript

[Donald Trump]

He just left Panama. We're trying to take back the Panama Canal, little things like that. My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes. Going to end. And it's ending right now. And nobody's going to be able to do a damn thing about it because when I speak, we speak with authority.

[Ben Ferguson]

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

[News Anchor]

Happy Thursday morning. It is February 5th, 2025. And here are the big stories we're covering Today on the 47 Morning Update. First up, the state sponsored media, those covering for the Democrats and shocking news have actually been paid for years millions of dollars of your tax money, including the Associated Press and Politico. It's all been uncovered by Elon Musk. So what will happen next? I'll explain it to you. Also, the Democrats are furious at what's happening in our government, the downsizing and the corruption being exposed. So what did they decide to do? They're now moving to impeach Donald Trump for a third time. I'll explain who's behind it in just a moment. And finally, on the very first day on the job, the attorney general, Pam Bondi orders the Department of Justice to pause all federal funding for sanctuary cities. It is the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now. Story number one, this may become the biggest scandal in news media history. The United States government handing over millions and millions of dollars to independent news companies. The question now is what was the government getting in return? And the second question that everyone should be asking is why did the money skyrocket? To the New York Times, the Associated Press, Politico and many others after they started criticizing Donald Trump. Well, the answer may be very simple. The United States government under the Biden and Harris regime were bribing the media to attack their political opponents and giving them millions of dollars in the process. Now, the White House press secretary, Caroline Levitt confirmed reports that millions in federal funding went to Politico and other media organizations declaring that taxpayer dollars would no longer essentially subsidize subscriptions. That's how they titled the payments to news outlets to prop them up and in reality, paying for coverage that they wanted to attack opponents, which was Donald Trump and the conservative movement.

[Caroline Levitt]

And I can confirm that the more than 8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime will no longer be happening. The Doge team is working on canceling those payments.

[News Anchor]

Now.

[Caroline Levitt]

Again, this is a whole of government effort to ensure that we are Going line by line when it comes to the federal government's books. And this president and his team are making decisions across the board on do these receipts serve the interests of the American people? Is this a good use of the American taxpayers money? If it is not, that funding will no longer be sent abroad and American taxpayers will see significant savings because of that effort.

[News Anchor]

So let's talk about this scheme and how it worked. Well, between the years 2024 and 2025 alone, federal agencies allocated more than $9.5 million to POLITICO for what they described as subscriptions. The reality, Politico was writing articles that Donald Trump and other conservatives. You could say this was a pay to play scheme. Departments such as the Health and Human Services, the Interior, Energy department, Agriculture and Commerce were among the, quote, primary subscribers. The question American taxpayers should ask is how many subscriptions did you need, $9.5 million worth to do your jobs at those departments? Or were you buying attack ads, in essence, to attack the people that may be asking questions about what you're doing in those different departments of. We also found out Politico wasn't the only one on the take, apparently the New York Times, they could be purchased as well. And the Associated Press. Since 2022, the New York Times has received more than $350,000 annually from federal agencies, with total contributions amounting to millions and millions. Since 2008, the Associated Press has also secured tens of million dollars for its news wire services. And then there was another problem, and that is the fact that when these companies started writing really nasty articles about Donald Trump, just like politico did when they said that the Hunter Biden laptop story was fake news and not real. The money started to flow in at record pace. Now, it wasn't just political attacks that seemed to jump as the money flowed from the democratic government under Biden and Harris, but also when they needed cover on other issues like Covid. How do we know this? Well, here's a great example. The bulk of the funds, for example, that went to the New York Times, the tens of millions of dollars over just the past five years. Well, the bulk of it came from the u. S. Department of health and human services at 26.9 million, followed by the national science foundation at 19.15 million. Why would the New York Times be receiving that much money? Well, I'm sure we won't get a straight answer, but you could guess it had something to do with the coverage of COVID 19. And you may be asking about the other government departments that were paying out massive amounts of money to these private media companies. Well, there were some other big stories they need some help on as well. Maybe promoting pro Ukraine war funding or writing stories that were anti Trump in the run up to the election or even now, maybe the anti Elon Musk propaganda. The moral of the story is it all makes a lot more sense now when you follow the money.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, story number two, the conspiracy in.

[News Anchor]

Government for control and power is now being exposed at a level that none of us, I think, even could have imagined before Doge got a hold of the government's receipts. And I never would have thought I could say this in my lifetime, but in government right now, Donald Trump may not be the most hated man by the Democratic Party or the liberal media. It may actually be a guy by the name of Elon Musk. But the person who's giving him his power is still Donald Trump, the president. Now, there's some new US Aid spinning that has also been uncovered. I'll give you a few of the highlights real quick before I explain exactly why they're now calling for Donald Trump to be in peach for the third time. $2 million for Moroccan pottery classes has been exposed. Another 2 million of your tax dollars promoting tourism to Lebanon. 20 million for a Sesame street show in Iraq. Sending Ukrainians to Paris for Fashion Week you paid for as well. 1.5 million of your tax dollars for DEI in Serbia, 70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland, 47,000 of your tax dollars for a transgender opera in Colombia, 2 million for sex change operations in Guatemala, and 6 million for you to pay for tourism to be exciting in Egypt and 1 million to help disabled people in Tazakhstan become, quote, climate leaders. This on top of the 15 million for contraceptives and condoms that were going to the Taliban controlled Afghanistan. Now these are just some of the things that we know about. Much more is coming out and what this means is, is the kickbacks that the Democrats were able to use to control people. Well, that gravy train is now stopped. So what have they decided to do? Impeach Donald Trump for a third time. Representative Al Green went to the floor of the House to explain exactly why Democrats are moving to impeach Donald Trump.

[Al Green]

I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done. I also rise to say that the impeachment movement is going to be a grass up movement, not A top down. The people have got to move forward. The people have to demand it. And when the people demand it, it will be done. I did it before. I laid the foundation for impeachment and it was done. Nobody knows more about it than I, and I know that it's time for us to lay the foundation again. On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all. On this issue, I stand alone, but I stand for justice. I yield back the balance of my time.

[News Anchor]

Representative Al Green making it clear, quote, the movement to impeach the president has begun and I rise to announce that I will bring the articles of impeachment against President Trump. The media jumping all over this, excited about the fact that Donald Trump, who's been impeached twice, well, will more than likely, as they described it, be impeached yet again. This move marks a continuation of the Democrats previous efforts to get rid of Donald Trump during his first term, none of which were successful despite resistance from top House Democrats who are currently not prioritizing impeachment was how it was described to the media. Green stressed the moral imperative that it is time that we go ahead and start the process. Other Democrats coming to his aid, saying, we all know Donald Trump's going to get impeached again. It's just a matter of time. This time, however, it seems to be a little bit different. They are forced to do it now because they've lost the kickbacks they need to control so many around the world.

[Ben Ferguson]

And lastly, story number three.

[News Anchor]

We finally have a new Attorney General in this country, a woman by the name of Pam Bondi. And she wasted no time after being sworn in at the Oval Office with Clarence Thomas, giving her the oath to get right down to business on several major directives in her first hours leading the Justice Department. What was included was orders to combat the weaponization of the legal system, make prosecutors seek the death penalty when appropriate, and work with the Department of Homeland Security to completely eliminate cartels and and transnational criminal organizations. Now, Bondi was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday night as the Attorney General and sworn in on Wednesday. What we now know is that memos are outlining Bondi's first aid directives, which will lay the groundwork for the Justice Department. Under her leadership, Bondi issued a directive regarding zealous advocacy, saying the DOJ attorneys responsibilities include, quote, aggressively enforcing criminal laws passed by Congress, but also vigorously defending presidential policies and actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges. The discretion afforded Justice Department attorneys with respect to those responsibilities does not include latitude to substitute their personal political views or judgment for those that prevailed in the election, the memo states in translation. Pam Bondi says do your job and leave your politics at the door. Now this isn't all that Pam Bondi pushed. One of the biggest things was making sure that sanctuary cities were defunded by the federal government. Yes, Pam Bonnie also issued a directive to halt all federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions, cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This order mandates an immediate 60 day pause on fund distribution, during which the Department of Justice will review existing agreements with these jurisdictions. Now, this review aims to identify and terminate agreements that violate federal law or are deemed wasteful, fraudulent or abusive. In other words, if you're protecting illegal immigrants and not working with ice, do not expect to get federal funds. Bondi's directive also stipulates that the DOJ shall not enter into new contracts, grants or agreements with non governmental organizations known as NGOs, that support or provide services to illegal aliens. This move aligns with the Trump administration's broader strategy to enforce federal immigration laws and compel sanctuary jurisdictions to comply with federal law. Now the decision has significant implications for sanctuary jurisdictions such as New York, California, Connecticut, which may face major budgetary challenges due to the potential loss of federal funds. These areas rely on federal funding for various services and the pause could strain their resources, especially especially amid ongoing challenges related to being a sanctuary city with all of the costs and overhead for dealing with the illegal immigrants. Now the move to defund sanctuary cities is expected to face legal challenges. This is something the White House knew going into the decision. This is similar to the efforts during President Trump's first term led to lawsuits from affected jurisdictions. The outcomes of these legal battles remain uncertain and will likely influence the implications of Bondi's directives. But the bottom line is Pam Bondi is going on offense doing exactly what the American people gave Donald Trump a mandate to do, which was to crack down on illegal immigrants all over the country.

[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.