Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Schumer Shutdown Continues...How it will end, plus Biden Judge Gives Light Sentence to Justice Kavanaugh's attempted Murder—because the Killer is Transgender
Release Date: October 6, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson dissect two highly controversial topics dominating U.S. political discourse:

1. The ongoing government shutdown ("Schumer Shutdown"): The hosts explore the causes, political implications, and likely resolution.
2. Sentencing in the attempted murder case of Justice Brett Kavanaugh: Focused outrage over a light sentence reportedly influenced by the perpetrator's transgender status and the judge’s reasoning.

The episode is marked by strong criticism of Democrats and the Biden administration, animated banter, and some notable viral moments.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Schumer Shutdown: Blame, Politics, and Predicted End

• Democratic Responsibility & Internal Strife

  • Cruz asserts Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, are responsible for the ongoing shutdown (“The American people recognize that they have shut the government down in an act of petulance…” [00:22]).
  • Schumer is depicted as torn between appeasing far-left activists and preserving political viability.
    • “When he last kept the government open, he came very close to losing his job. The radical left wing rose up. They were furious.” [05:36]
    • No Democrat candidate, incumbent or challenger, publicly supports Schumer as Senate leader.

• Republican Actions

  • Cruz insists Republicans have repeatedly voted to reopen the government:
    • “I and every other Republican has voted repeatedly to open up the government. The House... has passed a clean CR, a clean continuing resolution that keeps the government open. And it's the Democrats who keep voting it down.” [04:50]

• What Democrats Want: Health Care for Illegal Immigrants

  • Cruz claims the sticking point for Democrats is insistence on government-provided health care for undocumented immigrants, which they downplay on TV but is “in the language of the bill they keep voting for” [05:17].
  • “...there's a level of incoherence in terms of what their ask is, but there's a reason for that—they don't actually have a real ask.” [05:56]

• Polling Data Reveals Political Vulnerability

  • Cites CBS poll: Democrats’ favorability at 34%.
  • 64% describe Democrats as “weak”; 46% as “extreme”; only 27% see them as “strong” [07:26–08:02].
  • Cruz’s interpretation: “That is the definition of a political crisis. You want to know why my colleagues are nervous?” [08:21]

• Viral Meme and Democrat Critique

  • Reference to a Trump-circulated meme of Democratic leaders in sombreros, which Cruz’s team extended to all 44 senators voting to continue the shutdown, set to “Margarita” parody music [09:09–11:40].
  • Tim Kaine’s social media response gets on-air banter [13:14].

• Senate Floor Gaffe: Schumer Accuses NY Times of Right-Wing Bias

  • Cruz recalls laughter erupting when Schumer dismisses New York Times polling as “biased.”
    • “We just like doubled over laughing. And Schumer, he stammered, he stopped... It was. Look, who knew Schumer could be so funny?” [14:24–16:07]
  • Quote:
    • Schumer: “The question in that poll is biased. Biased in the New York Times, but it's biased…” [15:18]

• Shutdown Impacts and Predicted End

  • Most government functions, including military and law enforcement, remain operational [16:54].
  • National parks and services (Smithsonian, Yellowstone) are closed, which may increase public frustration.
  • Cruz predicts Democrats will give in under pressure:
    • “My prediction is this week, the Democrats give in.” [18:39]

2. Kavanaugh Assassination Attempt & Sentencing Controversy

• Case Summary & Outrage

  • In 2022, Nicholas Roske flew from California to Maryland with plans (and tools) to murder three Supreme Court justices, including Brett Kavanaugh, also threatening his family [20:27].
  • DOJ sought a 30-year sentence; Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, imposed only eight years, citing the defendant’s transgender status as a mitigating factor.

• Judicial Reasoning Analyzed

  • Judge Boardman’s rationale included the defendant’s personal struggles and coming out as transgender, which Cruz heavily mocks:
    • “Ms. Roski came out to herself as transgender in 2020, but kept it a secret…. I am heartened that this terrible infraction has helped the Roske family accept their daughter…” [22:27]
  • Judge’s concern for harsh prison conditions and penitentiary assignment based on gender identity flagged by Cruz as absurd and dangerous [24:25].
    • Quote: “Any prison time is punishment for her. The length doesn't need to be particularly long…” [24:40]

• Pattern of Political Violence

  • Cruz argues that politically-motivated violence in recent years primarily emanates from the left:
    • “When it comes to politically motivated violence, it is almost exclusively a left wing phenomenon.” [25:52]

• Call for Impeachment

  • Cruz urges the House to consider impeaching the judge for ideological bias and dereliction of duty:
    • “I have to say, this judge…has demonstrated she is utterly unfit to be a federal judge. I think the House of Representatives should...impeach this judge.” [27:40]
  • Explains impeachment process and historic precedents [28:02].

• Public Attitudes & Law and Order

  • Both hosts argue there’s a public “pendulum” toward stricter law enforcement and order, in reaction to “Democrats letting criminals go” [30:12–30:27].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Democrat Weakness:

  • Cruz: “64% of Americans polled said the Democrat Party is weak. What do you think the number two word was? ...Extreme. 46% said extreme.” [07:26–07:41]

• On Schumer’s Senate Floor Gaffe:

  • Cruz: “He's like, okay, the microphone on the Senate floor, when you're speaking, you have a little microphone on your lapel. Nobody else is mic'd. That gives you a sense of how loud the laughter was.” [16:07]

• On Viral Meme/A.I. Video:

  • Cruz: “We took pictures of all 44 of those Democrat senators and we used a little bit of AI and we stuck sombreros and big old mustaches on them... Give a listen to the song that we put out.” [09:33–10:58]

• On Kavanaugh Sentencing:

  • Cruz: “Instead of 30 years, she sentenced him to eight years. And her reasoning was essentially, instead of 30 years, you get eight. Why? Because you're transgender.” [21:21]
  • Judge, as quoted by Cruz: “Any prison time is punishment for her. The length doesn't need to be particularly long.” [24:40]

• On Impeachment:

  • Cruz: “To impeach a judge, it takes a majority vote in the House of Representatives. And I actually think in this instance...that is a fundamental assault on our judicial system.” [28:29]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Key Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:22 | Introduction to major episode topics | | 04:50 | Government shutdown—votes, CR, party stances | | 07:20 | CBS polling: "Weak" and "extreme" Democrat Party image | | 09:09 | Trump meme, Cruz’s own AI video—Democrats in sombreros | | 14:24 | Prediction on end of shutdown; Schumer’s “biased” NYT gaffe | | 19:46 | Deep dive: Kavanaugh assassination sentencing controversy | | 24:25 | Judge's prison rationale, Cruz’s response | | 27:40 | Cruz: Judge should be impeached; process explained | | 30:12 | Broader law & order politics, public opinion |

Tone and Language

The conversation is energetically partisan, filled with humor, memes, and pointed sarcasm—particularly toward Democratic politicians and the federal judiciary. Cruz employs legal analysis and political strategy but infuses the discussion with personal anecdotes, culture-war rhetoric, and a highly skeptical view of mainstream media and Democratic intentions. Ferguson’s tone is supportive, incredulous at perceived “outrages,” and provides layman’s clarifications.

Takeaway for Listeners

If you haven’t heard the episode:
This installment of Verdict with Ted Cruz is an aggressive critique of recent Democratic actions: blaming them for the government shutdown, ridiculing their internal discord, and expressing deep anger at what the hosts see as a failure of law and order in the Kavanaugh assassination attempt sentencing. Humorous interludes, viral meme culture, and political strategy are all interlaced with legal and policy analysis—delivered in the characteristic combative, unapologetically conservative style of the show.