New Year's Resolutions plus Minnesota Shooting, Riots & Fraud

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Episode: New Year's Resolutions plus Minnesota Shooting, Riots & Fraud
Date: January 9, 2026
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson
Co-guests: Brandon Gill, JD Vance

---

Overview

In this episode, Senator Ted Cruz and host Ben Ferguson kick off 2026 by sharing their personal New Year's resolutions before diving into a detailed and impassioned discussion of a recent police-involved shooting in Minnesota, the political fallout surrounding it, the rhetoric from left-wing politicians, and pervasive fraud scandals in Minnesota’s government. The tone alternates between light-hearted banter and sobering commentary on national issues, blending personal anecdotes with political analysis.

---

I. New Year's Resolutions: Personal Goals for 2026

Timestamps: 03:04 – 09:16

Key Points:

• Both hosts candidly share health- and faith-related resolutions, creating a relatable and motivational opening.
• Resolutions include:
  • Ted Cruz:
    1. Lose 30 pounds in 2026 (currently at 236 lbs, goal is 206 lbs)
    2. Do “dry January” (no alcohol) to support weight loss
    3. Commit to daily Bible reading for the year
  • Ben Ferguson:
    • Already lost significant weight (from 298 lbs to 209 lbs); goal is to gain muscle and maintain healthy habits
    • Commits to daily Bible reading with Ted as shared accountability

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (03:22): “I like too damn fat... I weighed in this week at 236. That is too damn fat... My target for 2026 is to drop 30 pounds.”
• Ben Ferguson (07:00): “I was 298. I went to the doctor, scared the living snot out of me. I’m now down to I think 209... I want to put back muscle on.”
• Ted Cruz (05:15): “Resolution number three is I am committing to myself that I am going to read the Bible every day in 2026.”
• Ben Ferguson (06:10): “The idea of just reading it every day, I actually will take that challenge with you.”

---

II. Minnesota Shooting: Law Enforcement, Rhetoric, and Political Fallout

Timestamps: 09:16 – 17:30

A. Incident and Initial Reactions

• A woman attempted to run over an ICE agent in Minneapolis, leading to a fatal police shooting.
• Hosts emphasize that this is a tragic event, but highlight that lethal force was used because of the direct threat to the agent’s life.
• ICE and law enforcement agents are depicted as frequently demonized by left-wing politicians and activists.
• Cruz calls out Democratic leaders for what he sees as deliberately inflaming anti-police sentiment.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (09:48): “What we’re witnessing in Minnesota is the natural culmination of several years of just increasingly heightened rhetoric from Democrats demonizing ICE agents, demonizing Border Patrol, demonizing law enforcement...”
• Ted Cruz (11:10): “If someone attacks law enforcement, you see instances where sometimes someone is pulled over and they reach for... a police officer’s Taser or his weapon. An awful lot of those instances end up with a fatality.”

B. Political Responses and Escalating Rhetoric

Timestamps: 14:30 – 15:45

• Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s Direct Message:
  • Frey publicly tells ICE to “get the F out of Minneapolis,” blames ICE for the death, and accuses them of terrorizing local communities.
  • Cruz and Ferguson react with disgust, labelling it “repulsive” and political grandstanding.

Notable Quotes:

• Mayor Jacob Frey (clip, 14:40): “ICE, get the F out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here... Now somebody is dead. That’s on you.”
• Ted Cruz (15:45): “What a repulsive, partisan swine. I’m physically sick listening to and watching Jacob Frey.”

---

III. Defending Law Enforcement: Best Practices and the Public’s Role

Timestamps: 17:30 – 26:38

• Cruz and Ferguson urge mutual respect in encounters with law enforcement, stressing that civil obedience and clear communication (e.g., showing hands during a traffic stop) reduce risk for all involved.
• Both reflect on their own parenting, teaching their children to comply with police and seek redress in court, not on the street.
• Cruz jokes about Sen. Mike Lee suggesting “9 and 3” hand position vs. “10 and 2.”

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (22:05): “Anytime you interact with law enforcement, I believe you should interact respectfully and understand... if a police officer pulls you over, that officer, every day, it is potentially a deadly encounter for that officer.”
• Ben Ferguson (23:36): “My dad was in law enforcement... he said, I want to make it clear, you never argue with law enforcement. If they’re wrong, you get to go to court.”
• Ted Cruz (24:21): “Mike Lee brought it up. Although what he said is, you should put your hands at 9 and 3 instead of 10 and 2. I’m like, 9 and 3? Who drives like that? What are you, Mario Andretti or something?”

---

IV. Violence, Escalation, and the Role of the Left

Timestamps: 18:33 – 23:36

• Cruz and Ferguson allege that the political left is increasingly tolerant of violence if it supports their agenda, citing examples where surveys suggest rising left-wing support for violence against political opponents.
• Argue that much of the activism against ICE is encouraged at the rhetorical and sometimes grassroots level by Democratic politicians.
• Cruz explicitly condemns violence from any political side.

Notable Quotes:

• JD Vance (20:09): “You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator... It’s a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers.”
• Ted Cruz (21:22): “Violence is always, always wrong. Whether I agree with your politics or disagree... And the Democrats are deliberately pushing this.”

---

V. The Broader Context: Fraud, Welfare, and Political Strategy in Minnesota

Timestamps: 26:38 – 36:47

A. Cars as Deadly Weapons and Legal Precedents

• Discussion of the legal classification of vehicles as deadly weapons, noting famous cases like the Waukesha Christmas parade attack and prior prosecutorial leniency as dangerous precedents.
• Cruz blames progressive “Soros prosecutors” for contributing to escalating violence through lax policies.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (27:40): “Back in 2022, the man in Waukesha, Wisconsin... drove his SUV into a Christmas parade and murdered multiple people... he had previously used his car as a deadly weapon... and [was] let out of jail on a nominal... bond.”

B. Minnesota’s Fraud Crisis and Somali Community Welfare Stats

Timestamps: 29:10 – 34:48

• The hosts tie the shooting’s political response to the wider crisis of fraud in Minnesota, especially relating to Somali immigration and the administration of welfare and grant programs.
• Cruz claims this is the “worst instance of fraud” in US history—$9 billion stolen from taxpayers.
• Segment includes audio of Rep. Brandon Gill grilling a Minnesota witness in a congressional hearing about welfare reliance among Somali-headed households.
  • Gill presents stark numbers: 54% on food stamps, 73% on Medicaid, 81% on welfare; after 10 years in the US, 78% still on welfare, and 50% do not speak English “very well.”
• Cruz argues this mass immigration was intended to create Democratic voters and political patronage networks.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (29:10): “Democrat politicians in Minnesota are in crisis right now because this Somali fraud, it is the worst instance of fraud that has ever been uncovered in American history. $9 billion and counting...”
• Brandon Gill (32:15): “Does large scale Somali immigration make Minnesota stronger or weaker? Certainly stronger. Do you know what percentage of Somali-headed households in Minnesota are on food stamps? ... 54%.”
• Ted Cruz (34:48): “The Somali immigrants come here... because of birthright citizenship, which is a really foolish policy... and you’ve got 81% of them on welfare.”

---

VI. Political Strategy, Distraction, and “Calls to Violence”

Timestamps: 30:31 – 36:47

• The hosts allege that Democratic leaders (e.g., Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey) are using incendiary language to intentionally distract from fraud scandals by fomenting unrest and riots.
• They argue that talk of “civil war” and war with the federal government is an intentional political strategy.
• Cruz previews a forthcoming Senate hearing on the Minnesota fraud scandal.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (31:08): “If you’re an angry left wing radical, you already hate ICE, you already hate Donald Trump and then you hear the elected Democrat governor say Minnesota is at war with the federal government. That is a call to violence.”
• Ben Ferguson (30:31): “You have a governor... whose job is to back law enforcement... and he’s like, maybe this is an opportunity for a civil war. He’s saying that Minnesota is at war with the United States federal government.”
• Ted Cruz (36:47): “They allowed them to commit fraud, to steal $9 billion and then to bundle those votes for the Democrats to bundle cash for the Democrats. And the Democrats covered it up.”

---

VII. Standout/Memorable Moments

• Cruz and Ferguson’s personal honesty about resolutions, health journeys, and family (03:04 – 09:16)
• Mayor Frey’s expletive-laden call for ICE to “get the F out” (14:40 – 15:45)
• JD Vance’s blunt assessment of left-wing violence (20:09 – 21:12)
• Brandon Gill’s live congressional “fact dump” about welfare reliance and fraud in Minnesota (32:15 – 34:26)
• The recurring theme: Alleged democrat orchestration of unrest to deflect from scandal (throughout, especially 29:10 – 36:47)

---

VIII. Conclusion

The episode excels as an example of conservative talk radio’s blend of personal connection and pointed political critique. Cruz and Ferguson are united in their anger toward what they see as leftist demonization of law enforcement, policy failures, and the enabling of both violence and historic fraud, especially in the state of Minnesota. The tone is sometimes caustic, often earnest, and always aimed at rallying their audience for shared values and political engagement.

---

Transcript

[Ben Ferguson]

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The NFL playoffs are here, and it all starts with wild card weekend powered by Verizon. Man, it all comes down to this. 12 teams, six games, three days, and one epic weekend. My goodness. It's win or go home and every moment counts on the road to Super Bowl 60. It's a touchdown wild card weekend powered by Verizon. January 10 through 12. Visit watch.NFL.com for the full schedule.

[Ben Ferguson]

Being a nurse means being focused on others. At Post University, our advanced nursing degree programs are focused on you. With 100% online classes, monthly start dates and accredited programs for BSN, MSN and DNP degrees.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Apply now at Post.

[Ben Ferguson]

Edu.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Reggie, I just sold my car online.

[Brandon Gill]

Let's go, Grandpa.

[Ben Ferguson]

Wait, you did? Yep.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

On Carvana. Just put in the license plate, answered.

[Ben Ferguson]

A few questions, got an offer in minutes. Easier than setting up that new digital picture frame.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You don't say. Yeah, they're even picking it up tomorrow.

[Ben Ferguson]

Talk about fast.

[JD Vance]

Wow.

[Brandon Gill]

Way to go.

[Ben Ferguson]

So, about that picture frame.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Ah, forget about it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Until Carvana makes one, I'm not interested. Car selling made easy on Carvana. Pick up fees may apply. Welcome. It is verdict with center Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. It's so nice to have you with us on the radio wherever you are around the country. And as a reminder, if you like the show, you'll love the podcast that we do three days a week. And you can grab it wherever you get your podcast. Center. It's a new year, and this is our first show in the new year for many on the radio that are listening and center. So let's have a little fun with New Year's resolutions. You've got three, and I've got a few as well. I don't know if I have three, but we're going to have those for you in a minute. But before we get to that, I want to tell you about our great friends over at Compassion International.

[Compassion International Narrator]

Right now, somewhere in the world, a kid you've never met is writing you a letter. They're telling you about their day, their dreams, the goal they scored, the test they passed, the new friend they made at school. Maybe they're drawing you even a picture. Maybe they've asked you about your family, your favorite color, what makes you laugh. They're wondering who you are, this person who cares enough to be part of their story. And you, you're not just sending money. You're writing back. You're showing up month after month, letter after letter. You're celebrating their victories, encouraging them through challenges and reminding them that they truly matter. Now, this isn't a transaction. It's an incredible relationship that spans continents and changes everything for both of you. That is where Compassion International connects you directly with one child.

[Brandon Gill]

Right?

[Compassion International Narrator]

Real letters, real relationships, and real change. Because poverty isn't solved with donations alone. It's solved by showing up. Impact the world one child at a time. And learn [e-mail] that's compassion.com.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right, center. So you've got three New Year's resolutions. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that of my New Year's resolutions. I'm going to be at 33% of your new Year's resolutions. I do not know what they are, but I'm just going to see if we are aligned on this. So give me your top one for the year. I'm ready.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right, so number one, in 2026, I'm going to lose some weight. I like too damn fat. You know, I weighed in this week at 236. That is too damn fat. You know, when I graduated from college, I was a buck 35, 135 pounds. I was skinny as a rail. Yeah. And My target for 2026 is to drop 30 pounds. I want to clock in next January at 2:06. I'm at 236 right now. Ben and I are in a weight loss group. We got several guys that are, are trying to lose weight together. And so my objective over the next 12 months is drop those £30 and be at 206 one year from now.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, now my question is, hold on. How are you going to, what's your plan for this? Is this going to be like water polo or are you going to get a trainer? I got to give you a little, a little hard time here. I want to know.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, it's, it's kind of all of that. It's diet and exercise at the end of the day. And you know what? We're going to talk over the course of the year about how to do what's working and what's not. We're going to have some of those conversations over the course of the year on the podcast. The objective, which, which I've decided on Is to drop 30. And so we'll see if we can do that and get to that point.

[Ben Ferguson]

I love it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

My second resolution is actually related to my first, which is that I am doing a dry January. As you know, Ben, I enjoy red wine with dinner. It makes for a fun dinner. The problem is it's like injecting calories straight in your gu. And, and, and so if, if you want to drop some weight, having wine with dinner is not conducive to that. So I've decided for the month of January, I'm going to go dry. And I'll tell you, just a few days into it, I'm already feeling. I'm sleeping better and feeling better. I think that's just a. A good. It's healthier. I mean, at the end of the day, it's a lot healthier way to live. And, and, and so that is resolution number two.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And then rip. Resolution number three is I am committing to myself that I am going to read the Bible every day in 2026.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

That's strong. That's something I've done at different periods of my life. When our girls were younger, we would do devotion at night with them. So we read through the Bible, the New Testament with them every night. We would read and talk about it and pray together. And you know, when you're being a parent, that gives you an excuse to do so, but life pulls you a million different directions and sometimes it eats away at the time you would have to otherwise just sit down and study the Word. And so I'm making a commitment to myself also that every day I'm going to read the Bible. And those three things together I think are really. They have me excited about 2026 because I think all three of them are the right thing to do for this year ahead.

[Ben Ferguson]

Dude, I love that by the way, the Bible one, that's cool because I literally tried a couple different times and it. Life gets busy to do that one year Bible where you read every day and you read the whole Bible in a year. And I got through it a couple times where it was like you get about halfway and then things get happen the year. But the idea of just reading it every day, I, I actually will take that challenge with you. I will, I will actually commit to, to getting on board with that one. So my. The 33%. By the way, I was right because I. My weight. So my weight journey. I was two, you know, this August 26th I was 298. I went to the doctor, scared the living snot out of me. I'm now down to I think 209. And my goal for this year is. I know. See that's. I'm glad I didn't look as bad as you just said. Right. Like, so I'm like I'm down about 90. My goal this year is.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I didn't realize you're down at 209. That that's impressive, Ben. That is a lot of weight.

[Ben Ferguson]

A lot.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And that's really impressive.

[Ben Ferguson]

So yesterday I was like, what is my goal? And my goal for this year is I want to put back muscle on. And because I've been so focused on weight. So I'm going to work out lifting weights with a neighbor three days a week at least, just weights, do the other stuff I've been doing. But I put on a shirt yesterday to kind of motivate me. I had one of my old shirts. I pulled it out. I swear to you, it's this far in front of my chest. Like, I was able to pull it out this far. And I kept one. I got rid of all the other clothes, but I didn't want to go backwards, but I kept it. And it's like, my motivation. I was like, all right, I can do this this year. So I'll take. I'm at 66% with you. You know me, I laugh. I really don't care about alcohol. It's never been a thing. I'm allergic to sulfa drugs, which means red wine gives me the worst headache in the world. It's probably the biggest blessing God's ever given me because I've never. I've never cared. It makes me feel horrible. Like, two sips and I feel like I want to die of red wine. So it's never been a thing. But I'm 66% in with you. But I'll encourage you on the other 33%. So I like it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, look, it's a journey, and I expect that a lot of our listeners are making your own commitments in a new year. And maybe the. Maybe the resolutions Ben and I are doing are resolutions you'll decide to do in your own life. Maybe you're already skinny and in great shape, and so that's not a resolution you need to make, but maybe there's some other aspect of your life that it's a chance to think about what you want this next year, 2026, to be, to make a real investment in your own quality of life in your wife or your husband or your kids, in your family. You know, I think all of that really, really matters. And, you know, both of us are dads, and I think both of us. Look, I'm facing. Caroline is 17. She's a senior in high school. So we're getting ready to have one leave the house, which is a terrifying moment. And Kathryn is 15. She's a freshman. We just got a couple of years till she's gone, too. I'll tell you, the first day we're an empty nester. I'm going to go into the girl's room and probably just cry and miss them. You've got a few more years till that happens, but my guess is you're going to feel the same sentiment.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right, Senator, I want to get into Minnesota. And what happened in Minnesota there is a rallying cry because of a woman who tried to run over an ICE agent that she is somehow a victim. And the left is wanting to have a civil war over this. You have the mayor there telling ICE agents to literally get the F out. You have civil war. The words being used by the governor. They're seizing on this like it's an opportunity to derail ICE in law enforcement. It is truly sick and shocking to witness what we're watching right now.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You're right. And what we're witnessing in Minnesota is the natural culmination of several years of just increasingly heightened rhetoric from Democrats demonizing ICE agents, demonizing Border Patrol, demonizing law enforcement, just attacking them. We have Democrats who call ICE agents Nazis. They call them Gestapo. And listen, as you know, I was on the ground in Dallas within minutes of when the deranged shooter in Dallas opened fire at ICE agents there because he had listened to all of the left's horrible anti ICE rhetoric. We're seeing that pattern. We're seeing acts of violence over and over and over again. And listen, what happened in Minneapolis, anytime someone dies in an interaction with law enforcement, it's tragic. We don't want to see anybody die. But I will say, look, this woman had a very easy way to avoid fatal consequences, which is when law enforcement detains you, you follow the instructions of law enforcement. If you're pulled over at the side of a road and law enforcement pulls you over, you follow their instructions. And, and you don't drive your vehicle, in this case, a big SUV right at law enforcement, because that, look, that potentially can be fatal. And I have to say, it's systematically true that if someone attacks law enforcement, you see instances where sometimes someone is pulled over and they reach for and try to grab a police officer's Taser or his weapon. And an awful lot of those instances end up with a fatality, because if you, if you present, present what could be a deadly threat to a law enforcement officer, in many, many instances, that's gonna be the last thing you do. And, and, and unfortunately, this woman, I'm sure if she could, could go back in time. She would have changed her behavior. But, but the decision she made in that split second cost her life. And, and now we're seeing Democrats deliberately stoking the fire and just, just pouring gasoline on, on the divisions and anger. And it's incredibly cynical and incredibly harmful what they're doing.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's so sad to see them look at this. Almost like an opportunity to score political points. It was like, yes, we've got someone that's passed away. We can now seize on this, make our political statements. It is a tragedy, as you said earlier, that this woman died. I hate that this woman died. But you gave this law enforcement individual no other choice. When you have a car coming right at you. And thank goodness, by the way, if you watch the video, there was some ice on the street there. It's winter. And the, and the, and the, the tires spun a little bit. If there wouldn't have been the ice there, there's a very good chance he'd be dead right now. It gave him the moment to be able to defend himself that he may not have had otherwise. And I think that's the part about this that I look at it and I'm like, no one wins in this situation. But you don't get to go out there when you don't like law enforcement and just decide, I, I don't have to listen to them or I can run them over. And they said, Christine Holmes said it Yesterday. More than 100 incidences of people using their cars to go at ICE agents in the last 30 days. This is happening all over the country because the left has organized for this exact reason.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah. And look, anytime there's an officer involved shooting, there will be an investigation. That's standard procedure. So they'll go and examine the facts and after the facts, and then that's the way law enforcement operates. Anytime you've got a particularly a shooting involving a fatality. But it is amazing that this particular ICE agent, Kristi Noem, the DHS secretary said, had previously in recent months been hit by a car previously and dragged behind a car. So this is the second time this very same agent faced this threat. And that's. We are seeing the extreme left that are threatening ice. They are in extreme cases, shooting at ICE agents and using their cars as weapons. And I just wish you would see even a couple of Democrats. Yeah. Demonstrate some restraint, demonstrate some prudence and not just. All right, the mayor of Minneapolis.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Left wing radical. Here was his calm, sober reflections on where to go from here. Give a listen And I have a.

[Ben Ferguson]

Message for ICE to ice, get the out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart.

[Ben Ferguson]

Long term, Minneapolis residents that have contributed so greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy are being terrorized. And now somebody is dead. That's on you. And it's also on you to leave. It's on you to make sure that further damage, further loss of life and injury is not done. I never thought I'd see a day where I would witness a mayor be so political after something like this happens. To tell law enforcement who were just sent in to do their job, to enforce the laws of the land, to get the F out and then say it's their fault.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

What a repulsive, partisan swine like I. That is. I'm physically sick listening to and watching Jacob fry. You know, we talked about before how he, you know, dances with glee, waving the Somali flag, and the massive fraud that has happened, he has presided over and profited from. And here he is. You know what? This woman, a 37 year old woman, she's the mother of three. Look, she was there in part because of rhetoric like that, because of rhetoric attacking ice. And by the way, this woman, she was married to another woman. Apparently her wife was there videoing the entire incident. That, that, that is a level of radicalization. And it is radicalization the Democrats have caused, they want, and they're deliberately inflaming that passion.

[Compassion International Narrator]

I want you to meet Maria. In 15 years, she'll be a nurse bringing health care to her village. Right now, she's eight. And she just needs someone to believe she can get there. Someone to help her stay in school. Someone to tell her she's capable of extraordinary things. I want you to meet James, a future engineer. He'll design clean water systems for his community. Today he's learning multiplication and dreaming big. But he needs more than dreams. He needs nutrition. He needs mentorship and someone who won't give up on him. Meet Sophia. She'll become the first. First in her family to graduate university. She'll teach dozens of children who remind her of herself. But right now, at age 10, she's at a crossroads. And your support could be what tips the balance. Through Compassion International. You're not helping a child survive poverty. You're investing in who they'll become. The teacher, the leader. The parents who will change their family story forever impact the world. One child at a time. Learn [e-mail] that's compassion.com the NFL playoffs.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Are here and it all starts with wild card weekend powered by Verizon. Man, it all comes down to this. 12 teams, six games, three days and one epic weekend. My goodness. It's win or go home and every moment counts on the road to Super Bowl 60. It's a touchdown card weekend powered by Verizon. January 10th through 12th. Visit watch.NFL.com for the full schedule.

[Ben Ferguson]

Senator, let's go back to to just the rhetoric that is coming out of the left. And we're going to talk about the governor waltz in a moment. But there's been also, I think, a very back law enforcement mentality that's been clear across the entire Trump administration. I'm glad that's their line. And they're not backing down from ice, doing their job.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, that is absolutely right. President Trump has the back of ice, has the back of Border Patrol agents and law enforcement. You know, I view my job as having the back of law enforcement. I'll tell you, as I travel the country, I see whether it's Border Patrol agents or ICE agents or sheriffs or local police. And I tell them all the time, I just say thank you and it's my job to have your back. And that's a big part of why President Trump was reelected in 2024 is law enforcement. Were tired of having elected politicians who threw them under the bus at any excuse. And a lot of people across the country were tired of politicians who were letting violent criminals into this country and not standing with law enforcement. This week, J.D. vance, the Vice president, did a press conference at the White House. He did a very good job with it. Here's what he had to say about the shooting that happened in Minneapolis. Thank you for taking questions today. Is there a risk with you describing her as a deranged leftist talking about very specific facts of these events when an investigation is just beginning? Are you preempting a thorough investigation by drawing such conclusions? And have you received any information beyond the videos we've seen publicly about this individual, her specific acts, that has informed.

[Ben Ferguson]

Your point of view?

[JD Vance]

Well, first of all, the Department of Justice is going to investigate this. The Department of Homeland Security is already investigating this. But the simple fact is what you see is what you get in this case. You have a woman who is trying to obstruct a legitimate law enforcement operation. Nobody debates that. You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator. Nobody debates that. I can believe that her death is a tragedy, while also recognizing that it's a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers. I think what is clearly happening here, and it's going to keep on happening unless the Democrats wake up and say, you know what? You don't have to agree with our immigration policies. You don't have to agree with what the president or the vice president believe about immigration enforcement. But why don't you take this to the ballot box? Why don't you vote? Why don't you organize instead? What some of them are doing. What some of them are doing is encouraging people to get violent with our law enforcement officials. It's disgraceful, and it's got to stop.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's sad that you have to have that type of clarity. But he's absolutely right in what he's saying. If you don't like something, you can vote and change, but you don't just get to make up the rules and target people you disagree with.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, and more and more, the left is condoning violence, violence on a partisan basis. And let me be clear, violence is always, always wrong. Whether, whether I agree with your politics or disagree with your politics, nobody has a right to engage in violence. And we're seeing on the left more and more. We've seen that the poll numbers of growing numbers of people on the left think violence is justified, think violence is justified against Donald Trump, think violence is justified against Elon Musk, and think violence is justified against ice. And it's fundamentally wrong. And the Democrats are deliberately pushing this. And listen, I will say for this woman, she had complete control to avoid this happening.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And, and, and, and anytime you interact with law enforcement, I believe you should interact respectfully and understand. Look at, look, if, if a police officer pulls you over on the road, that officer every day, it is potentially a deadly encounter for that officer. And every year, you have officers who are shot and killed on the side of the road by, by some lunatic who's packing. They don't know when, when they're coming up, coming up to the driver's side. In most instances, they have no idea who they're going to encounter. I'll tell you, you know, again, you and I are parents. What, what, when your kids start driving with, with my kids, what I tell them is if you get pulled over, pull over, put the car in park and put your hands on 10. On the steering wheel. On the steering wheel visible. Because the, the officer coming up doesn't know if you have a firearm, doesn't know if you're a deadly threat. And by the way, the officer sees your hands at 10 and 2 and realize you're showing the hands for a reason. The officer comes and says, let me see your license and registration. It's a good idea to tell the officer, okay, my license is in my wallet. Can I get it? So the officer doesn't think you're reaching for a gun beneath the seat or something. Look, all of that is prudent. It's the advice that I give my kids. It's the advice that every responsible parent I know gives their child, that. Don't put yourself in a position where law enforcement has reason to be afraid. Even if you're not a threat, don't give them reason to be afraid.

[Ben Ferguson]

My dad was in law enforcement. He said to me, so clearly, he said, I want to make it clear, you never argue with law enforcement. If they're wrong, you get to go to court. But you always make sure you do not argue and you follow the orders given. And if you've been wronged, that's why we have a judge. That's why we have a court system. And he was very clear, you're my son. I always want you to be safe. You turn your dome light on, you turn the car off, you put your hands up there. It goes back to respect. But the left is now saying, if you don't like them, for whatever reason, you don't have to abide by the rules. You don't have to respect the law. And if you don't like a law, instead of going in and actually voting and trying to change a law, they're saying, just be a vigilante. And that's how we've gotten to this point.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And by the way, Ben, at lunch Thursday, several of the senators were talking about exactly this topic, and Mike Lee brought it up. Although what he said is, you should put your hands at 9 and 3 instead of 10 and 2. I'm like, 9 and 3? Who drives like that? What are you, Mario Andretti or something? That's a little bit weird, the 9 and 3. I don't know if that's a Utah thing or what exactly that means, but. But I at Least was taught 10 and 2, but I don't know. How about you? Are you a ten and two guy?

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm a ten and two, but my dad always said, he's like, if you. He said, when you get pulled over, cross your hands on the top of the steering wheel because it's showing that you're not trying to grab anything. And I'm like, every time I do it, almost 99% of the time, law enforcement always said to me, thank you. I turned the dome light on, I roll down all four windows because if they come on the left side of the right, I don't want them to have to worry about anything with me. They've had a hard enough day and they've done this. And like you said, they walk up to a traffic stop, they don't know if you just robbed a bank. That's what my dad always told me. They don't know if you just killed your wife. They don't know if you just ran over someone. They don't know if you have drugs in the car. They don't know who you are. So make them comfortable with you. And I wish we lived in a society where that was like the common denominator. Now, unfortunately, it's not.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And that naturally de escalates when you do that. You can see law enforcement kind of just, you know, take an extra breath and okay, this is not going to be confrontational. And listen, the reason that didn't happen is this woman didn't want to de escalate. This woman was there to provoke a confrontation with law enforcement. She was there because the rhetoric on the left was stand up and fight ice. And she was there to do that. And so it was the opposite of de escalation. She was looking to escalate. And tragically she escalated too far and she may, look, we may never know her intention. She may have just thought she was fleeing. But, but the officer. If you drive a vehicle right at somebody, particularly an officer who's already been run over once just a few months ago by some another leftist, you are posing a real and present threat. And if you pose a real and present threat to law enforcement, that predictably can result in deadly force as a consequence.

[Ben Ferguson]

By the way, side note, just I was talking to somebody in law enforcement. They said, would you please just remind people that we will charge you with major crime as a deadly weapon if you use your car to hit somebody. We do it every day in America. This isn't some new rule. You use your car as a deadly weapon, you will go to jail for that, whether you're going after law enforcement or an innocent person. And I think that's the important point for people to remember. If I was in front of that car, I could easily been run over. You could have anybody. That's why we have laws in the books. That say you cannot use your car as a deadly weapon, and if you do, you will be charged with major crimes. It's sad that we even have to have this conversation. But the governor, by the way, Senator, he's not backing down. He's seeing a political opportunity here. The same disgraced governor, because of the scandal that's happened in Minnesota, he's now out there calling like this, in essence, a civil war, trying to ratchet things up instead of bring down the temperature, which is also, I think, really sick.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And by the way, you remember back in 2022 that the man in Waukesha, Wisconsin, who drove his SUV into a Christmas parade and murdered multiple people did so very deliberately, using it as a deadly weapon and killing children, killing the elderly. And it was horrific. And the grotesque irony is that he had previously used his car as a deadly weapon against, if I remember correctly, his pregnant girlfriend. And he had been charged with it and then let out of jail on a nominal, I think was a $500 bond, because you had one of those George Soros prosecutors who lets people go and they let him out of jail for attempting to kill someone with a car as a deadly weapon, and he went out to the Christmas Day parade and committed mass murder. A car can be a very deadly weapon.

[Ben Ferguson]

Senator, I want to go back to just the rhetoric here. And we mentioned the governor earlier. The governor, Tim Waltz, is now a disgraced governor. He had to drop out of his reelection campaign because of the frau that is just continuing to grow in the dollar amount and the different sectors of the government. I'm not sure there's any sector in Minnesota that wasn't involved in fraud and corruption at this point. We're seeing it in transportation, childcare, the list goes on and on. But the governor now seems to think this is like a moment to seize on, and he's now wanting to go to war with the federal government. It's very odd.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah. Look, the Democrat politicians in Minnesota are in crisis right now because this Somali fraud, it is the worst instance of fraud that has ever been uncovered in American history. $9 billion and counting, massive theft from the taxpayers. It is so bad that Tim Waltz, I mean, remember like 12 minutes ago, the Democrats said he was going to be vice president of the United States. And now he's ended his campaign for reelection even as governor, because, look, I think he's facing potentially very real criminal liability for the fraud that unfolded under his leadership. And it is and Waltz and the mayor in Minneapolis that they're not the only ones. I think there's an entire array of Democrats who are responsible. And one of the reasons why they are so eager to foment riots, I mean look, they are rooting for a replay of the Black Lives Matter and the antifa riots we saw all over the country. They want people going to the streets, they want them looting stores, they want them firebombing police cars. They are rooting for violence because they want to energize their voters and get everyone not talking about the fraud. Here's Tim Waltz, the governor, and here was his response, calling for all out war.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, I said this yesterday. We've never been at war with our federal government. I think in this case that the National Guard is, is their main mission. They have a dual mission. When he said that and it went viral, I'm like, let me get this straight. You have a governor who is in a crisis situation. I'm talking about the Christ on the ground whose job is to back law enforcement and his job is also to ratchet down the rhetoric so we don't have a civil war breakout. And he's like, maybe this is an opportunity for a civil war. He's saying that Minnesota is at war with the United States federal government. The governor just said that. Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And listen, if you're an angry left wing radical, you already hate ice, you already hate Donald Trump and then you hear the elected Democrat governor say Minnesota is at war with the federal government. That is a call to violence. That is a call in war. People get killed, people get injured. That is Democrats very deliberately calling to violence. It is not we disagree over policy with the federal government. It is, we are, we are at war. And I think a huge part of this is a CYA instinct. Yes. Because the fraud is so bad. And I want you to listen. The House of Representatives had a hearing on the fraud in Minnesota. By the way, I'm going to be chairing a hearing on the same topic in just a couple of weeks. So we'll cover that in verdict when that happens. But I want you to listen to Brandon Gill. Brandon Gill is a good friend. He is a congressman from Texas. He's cross examining this left wing witness from Minnesota. I want you to listen to this exchange. It's really powerful.

[Brandon Gill]

Thank you for being here. Let me ask you, does large scale Somali immigration make Minnesota stronger or weaker? Certainly stronger. Certainly stronger. Do you know what percentage of Somali headed households in Minnesota are on food stamps?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

No.

[Brandon Gill]

54%. Do you know what that number is for native Minnesota headed households? Well, to be clear, a majority of the seven. It's 7%. There's a big difference between 54% and 7%, is there not? Excuse me, sir, could I, could I answer the question? Let me move on. We've got a lot of questions here. What percentage of Somali headed households in Minnesota are on Medicaid? I don't know. It's 73%. Do you know what that number is for Minnesota native households? Again you're using the phrase Minnesota native households. But the majority, if the number is 18%, that's quite an astounding difference. I think we would. Can I answer the question, please? Let me ask you one more and then we can go on to that. What percentage of Somali headed households are on welfare in general? I don't know. It's 81%. What about, let me just ask you, after 10 years of being in the United States, what percentage of Somali immigrant households are on continue to be on welfare? I don't know. The number is 78%. So even after 10 years, 78% of Somali immigrant households continue to be on welfare. Do you know what that number is for native Minnesota headed households? Again you're using non Somali immigrant immigrant headed households. If I can just answer the question. You're using the phrase native Minnesotans. The majority of Somali Minnesotans are as Minnesotan as any of us. They were born in the United states. It's only 8,000 of the 108,000 Somalians. Nevertheless, the welfare usage is astoundingly different. Let me ask you again, does that make Minnesota stronger or weaker? Again, I'd like the opportunity to answer the question here. So again, the majority of Somalian Minnesotans are born in the United States as I understand it. Okay. What percentage of working age Somalians who have been in the US for 10 years or more? 10 years or more. How many of them speak English very well? I don't know. About half. The answer is about half. That seems pretty low, doesn't it?

[Ben Ferguson]

I love just the facts there, Senator. Like the way that he handled that. It's the reason why you're good friends with the reason why we played it because he's just laying out the reality of the situation on the ground and how we got to a point where virtually every government program in Minnesota has been compromised by the Somali community in this way where they could grab money and create fraud with it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

But by the way, Brandon got elected, he had a rough primary. He had a bunch of primary opponents. He had millions of dollars spent against him. Brandon is a conservative actually. His father in law is Dinesh D'. Souza, who's a good friend. And I endorsed Brandon early, went and campaigned with him, and he overcame a ton of money coming against him. And part of what I told the voters of Texas is, listen, if y' all elect Brandon, he's going to go and fight for you and make you proud. He's doing that. You know, I want to make a point about the back and forth because that, that, that weaselly Minnesota lefty witness, he kept saying, well, the majority of Somalians are, are, are born in America. Now, now noted, note what Brandon Gill was asking Somali immigrant headed households. And the guy says, well, they have a bunch of anchor babies. In other words, we bring over Somali immigrants. Yeah, they have tons of babies here. And, and because of birthright citizenship, which is a really foolish policy. And my hope is that the Supreme Court will side with President Trump in ending it. But, but the, the Somali immigrants come here. They have a lot of babies here. That guy's focusing on the babies and Brandon's saying, all right, how about the person who heads the household and the person who heads the household are these Somali immigrants and you've got 81% of them on welfare. And I tell you, the stat that was really powerful was 10 years later, they've been here 10 years, it's 78% still on welfare. This is a scam. The Democrats did it deliberately and they did it to buy votes. They were importing votes to vote for Democrats. They allowed them to commit fraud, to steal $9 billion and then to bundle those votes for the Democrats to bundle cash for the Democrats. And the Democrats covered it up. And it's why Tim Waltz and Jacob Frey and so many other Democrats are trying to enrage the left about this shooting with ice because they want to cover up from, from the incredible theft and fraud they are responsible for.

[Ben Ferguson]

Amen. I couldn't agree with you more. Don't forget, we do this show three days a week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday is a podcast. Make sure you download Verdict with Ted Cruz wherever you get your podcast. It's free. You'll never miss an episode that we do. We also put it out on video so you can watch on YouTube as well and, or on Facebook and the center and I will see you back here on the podcast this week. This is an Iheart podcast, guaranteed human.