Verdict with Ted Cruz

Episode Summary: Minnesota AG Crashes & Burns in Senate Testimony Covering up Fraud plus Dems Cause Largest Sewage Spill in History
Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson

Overview of the Episode

In this episode, Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson dissect three major stories:

1. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s explosive and combative Senate testimony concerning massive fraud in his state.
2. The largest sewage spill in US history—nearly a billion gallons of raw sewage dumped into the Potomac—and the silence from Democratic officials and media.
3. The current status of the “Save America Act,” a GOP-backed election integrity bill, and Ted Cruz’s push to force a talking filibuster in the Senate.

Throughout the episode, Cruz and Ferguson focus on government accountability, Democratic leadership, and election laws, applying a pointed, often humorous conservative critique of their subjects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Keith Ellison’s Senate Testimony & Minnesota Fraud

(Main Segment: 05:38–18:55)

• Context: Minnesota’s AG, Keith Ellison, answers questions in the Senate regarding billions in fraud from programs like “Feeding Our Future.”
• Josh Hawley’s Interrogation: Senator Hawley aggressively confronts Ellison with allegations—based on tapes and transcripts—that Ellison pledged to help fraudsters evade investigation and accepted a $10,000 donation from individuals later indicted in the scheme.

Memorable Exchanges & Quotes:

• [07:23] Josh Hawley: “You familiar with the $9 billion in historic fraud out of your state, including the $250 million in the Feeding Our Future program alone?... Every single sentence is caught on tape. Here’s what you said…”

• [09:09] Josh Hawley (to Ellison): “I will tell the truth.”
  Hawley: “Good. Be a nice change.”

• [12:27] Hawley: “You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion. And you got a fat campaign contribution out of it. You ought to be indicted.”

• [13:16] Hawley: “Because we were in the hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorist groups, to transnational criminal organizations, to the drug trade, to drug trafficking, to child trafficking. And you took $10,000.”

• Ellison repeatedly denies the allegations as “lies,” leading to repeated verbal sparring.

• Cruz's Take:
  [10:33] Ted Cruz: “The reality is Keith Ellison doesn’t want anything resembling the truth. Josh is right. That entire conversation is on tape… And the Attorney General, this left wing Democrat… said, sure, I’ll help you.”

• Antisemitism Questions: Later, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno grills Ellison on his refusal to explicitly condemn Louis Farrakhan’s antisemitism. Ellison dodges, insisting the hearing should stay on immigration policy.
  [15:58] Moreno: “Will you condemn Louis Farrakhan’s comments saying that Judaism is a dirty religion?”
  [16:03] Ellison: “No, no, no, I thought I was talking about immigration policy.... I think there should be some scope to this hearing.”

• Immigration Discussion: Moreno presses Ellison on whether Mexico and Canada are “safe countries” for asylum.
  [18:21] Moreno: “So that somebody seeking asylum could certainly be safe in Canada and Mexico?”
  [18:27] Ellison: “No. Now, so like if somebody… we do know that in Mexico… there have been cases of persecution.”
  [18:50] Ben Ferguson: “He didn’t like answering those questions at all, did he?”

Tone & Takeaway:
Cruz and Ferguson underscore Ellison’s evasiveness, labeling his testimony as “angry, bitter, and partisan,” and a “train wreck.” They highlight how he dodged responsibility and refused to address serious allegations.

2. The Largest Sewage Spill in US History

(Main Segment: 18:55–26:30)

• Story:
  A sewer pipe failure in Maryland released nearly a billion gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac—the largest such spill in US history.

• Key Points:

  • No prominent Democrat official addressed or acknowledged the incident.
  • Major media coverage is absent, in contrast to how similar disasters are reported when they occur in conservative-run cities.
  • Texas and Florida are supplying pumps for the cleanup, underscoring DC’s lack of preparedness.

Memorable Exchanges & Quotes:

• [19:56] Ben Ferguson: “This is like a massive oil spill except it’s raw sewage in the Potomac River. …But on this one they’re like, let’s just be quiet and act like it’s not happening…”
• [20:31] Ted Cruz: “Billion gallons of human waste of human excrement was dumped into the Potomac River. And Democrats, look, Democrats’ answer to everything is government… And the dirty little secret… is Democrats are really, really bad at government.”
• [24:45] Ted Cruz: “...But fortunately the government is in charge, so it’s cheap and efficient. Give a listen.”
• [25:21] Ben Ferguson: “[The number] is still going up, by the way, as we’re speaking. I just want to be clear about that.”
• [25:56] Ben Ferguson: “If this happened in a conservative run city, it would be on the nightly news. PETA would be out there losing their minds. …But because it’s Democrats, no one knows what’s going on. And probably unless you’re listening to this.”

Discussion Tone:
Cruz and Ferguson deploy sarcasm and hyperbole, railing against Democratic incompetence and the lack of accountability or media outrage when the error happens “on their watch.”

3. The Save America Act & Senate Filibuster Strategy

(Main Segment: 29:55–37:46)

• Story:
  The House passes the Save America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to vote. Only one Democrat voted in favor.

• Ted Cruz’s Stance & Filibuster Plan:
  Cruz describes his plan to force Democrats into an old-fashioned “talking filibuster” (using the two-speech rule), with the aim of outlasting their resistance and passing the bill. He emphasizes the popularity and common sense behind election ID laws.

Key Quotes & Explanations:

• [30:13] Ted Cruz: “Passed [the Act] with only one Democrat vote. Every Democrat but one voted against it. …Requires proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and it requires a photo ID to vote. It’s a very simple, straightforward, common sense bill.”
• [32:30] Ted Cruz (video, paraphrased):
  • “The vast majority of Americans support photo ID, and yet Senate Democrats are doing everything they can to block it because they want more voter fraud.”
  • “We should require them to talk as long as they can. …Go back to an old style talking filibuster like Jimmy Stewart did, and Mr. Smith goes to Washington… force them to keep talking and talking and talking. And when they can’t talk anymore, then we should pass the Save America Act.”
• [35:56] Cruz: “[If] the Democrats had succeeded in nuking the filibuster… they would have passed legislation… making every illegal alien … a U.S. citizen… given them immediate voting rights.”
• [37:46] Cruz: “I’m urging my colleagues, let’s stand and fight for voter integrity.”

Ferguson's Questions Clarify:

• What is “nuking” the zombie filibuster vs. regular filibuster?
• Would this procedural stand-off be “worth it” and could it be applied just once or on every vote?

Takeaway:
Cruz appeals to GOP senators to use every procedural weapon, cast the fight as central to the future of election integrity, and frames Democrat resistance as an agenda to “rig the game” for permanent power.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• [07:38] Josh Hawley to Ellison:
  “You familiar with that? Don’t turn to the pages in your book to get your potted answers… Are you familiar with it? Yes or no?”

• [10:09] Hawley:
  “You tell the truth and I’ll let you answer.”
  Ellison: “I will tell the truth.”
  Hawley: “Good. Be a nice change.”

• [12:27] Hawley:
  “You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion. And you got a fat campaign contribution out of it. You ought to be indicted.”

• [16:02] Ellison:
  “I thought I was coming here to talk about immigration policy.”

• [20:31] Cruz:
  “Billion gallons of human waste of human excrement was dumped into the Potomac River. And Democrats… are really, really bad at government.”

• [24:00] Cruz & Ferguson:
  “They’re going to save the liberals from their own, like, feces. Got it.”
  “They’re sending large pumps to pump liberal feces.”

• [32:30] Cruz:
  "The vast majority of Americans support photo id, and yet Senate Democrats are doing everything they can to block it because they want more voter fraud... We should require them to talk as long as they can…"

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Podcast start & banter: 01:20–05:32
• Minnesota AG Keith Ellison testimony: 05:38–18:55
• Largest sewage spill in US history: 18:55–26:30
• Save America Act and Senate filibuster: 29:55–37:46

(Sponsored messages, show credits, and non-content sections are omitted.)

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is fast-paced, combative, and often dripping with sarcastic humor. Cruz and Ferguson use pointed jokes and cultural references (e.g., “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” and “pumping liberal feces”) to underscore perceived hypocrisy, government failure, and the stakes of partisan legislation.
Attribution is clear throughout; major allegations and exchanges are read almost verbatim from Senate testimony and news sources, with Cruz and Ferguson providing color commentary.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a trenchant critique of Democratic governance, with particular focus on accountability in government welfare fraud and emergency response, juxtaposed with a robust defense and explanation of conservative election reform proposals. The Keith Ellison Senate testimony is laid bare through dramatic, verbatim exchanges, and the sewage spill is described in detail, with reflections on media double standards and government competence. The segment on the Save America Act provides a clear civics lesson on filibuster strategy and the bill’s intent, while urging grassroots pressure and political will.

For an unfiltered take on these headlines, this episode delivers high-energy play-by-play, memorable soundbites, and clear arguments for conservative listeners.