Trump dukes it out w Maine, Time Frame on a Big Beautiful Budget Bill & Assassin may have had Help Week In Review

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Trump Dukes It Out with Maine, Budget Bill Timeline, & Assassination Attempt Review
Release Date: March 1, 2025
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson
Produced by: Premiere Networks

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1. Donald Trump vs. Maine Governor: The Battle Over Transgender Athletes in Sports

Overview:
In a heated exchange, President Donald Trump and the Governor of Maine clashed over the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports. President Trump asserted his commitment to protecting women in sports, threatening legal action and withholding federal funding if states do not comply with his directives.

Key Points:

• Federal Compliance: President Trump emphasized that states must adhere to federal laws prohibiting men from competing in women's sports. Failure to comply would result in loss of federal funding.
• Public Opinion: Ted Cruz highlighted that "overwhelmingly 80-90% of Americans agree" with restricting male participation in female sports, citing a specific case in Maine where a transgender girl won the girls' pole vaulting title.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (03:14): "Trump is not backing down... The Democrats, that seems they've learned nothing from the election here."
• Governor of Maine (Ben Ferguson, 03:35): "I'm complying with state federal laws."
• Ted Cruz (04:03): "The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it had initiated a compliance review of the University of Maine, and the state could be in jeopardy of losing $100 million in federal USDA funding over non-compliance."

Implications:

• Legal Front: The ongoing legal battle may set significant precedents for federal-state relations concerning transgender rights in sports.
• Political Ramifications: Cruz criticized Democrats for ignoring voter preferences, suggesting their stance on this issue could cost them politically.

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2. The Big Beautiful Budget Bill: Timeline and Taxpayer Impact

Overview:
The House has passed a substantial budget resolution, sparking discussions about the timeline for its passage through the Senate and eventual signing into law. The bill aims to address key areas such as border security, military rebuilding, energy independence, and tax cuts.

Key Points:

• House Majority Dynamics: With a slim majority, the House faces challenges in maintaining necessary votes to move the bill forward.
• Legislative Process: The budget resolution is only the initial step, directing House committees to draft the underlying legislation.
• Trade-offs and Challenges: Cruz anticipates difficult negotiations and significant compromises to secure the necessary support.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson (14:48): "So what's the timeline on this? So we limit expectations or be realistic."
• Ted Cruz (15:32): "We're in the game."
• Ted Cruz (16:52): "If we fail, if we don't secure the border, if we don't rebuild the military, if we don't unleash energy, if we don't extend the tax cuts, we'll get killed in November of next year."

Implications:

• Taxpayers: The budget's passage will have direct effects on taxation and government spending, impacting American taxpayers.
• Political Stakes: Success or failure in passing the budget could influence the upcoming midterm elections, with Cruz warning of dire consequences if key legislative goals are not achieved.

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3. Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump: Possible Accomplice and FBI Investigation Concerns

Overview:
New revelations suggest that the 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, may have involved an accomplice, raising questions about the FBI's transparency and effectiveness in the investigation.

Key Points:

• New York Post Report: Indicates that the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, might have had assistance, potentially from a criminal network.
• Investigation Frustrations: Private investigators allege FBI obstruction, citing limited information and lack of progress over nine months.
• Government Response: Senator Cruz expressed disappointment in the FBI's lack of transparency and criticized the Department of Justice for politicizing the investigation.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (25:03): "I don't know if it is true but, but, but if there is evidence that... he was used for this assassination attempt, that would be a big damn deal."
• Ben Ferguson (30:13): "Pam Bondi made at the White House with many of these conservatives, which is we're doing everything we can now to be transparent, but there is still a very deep state rebellion."
• Ted Cruz (31:49): "I think the FBI's attitude has been... they don't know the publican answer. You don't get to know anything if they don't want to tell you."

Implications:

• Public Trust: Allegations of FBI obstruction could erode public trust in federal law enforcement agencies.
• Political Fallout: The handling of the investigation may become a focal point for political criticism, particularly towards the Department of Justice and the FBI.

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4. Border Security and Cartel Activity: Escalating Threats to Ranchers

Overview:
The rise in cartel violence along the Texas-Mexico border poses significant threats to local ranchers and agricultural communities. The administration is intensifying efforts to classify cartels as terrorist organizations and disrupt their operations.

Key Points:

• Recent Incident: A Texas rancher, Antonio Gaspedes Saldierna, was killed by a suspected cartel IED in Tamaulipas, Mexico, highlighting the increasing dangers faced by ranchers.
• Government Action: The Department of Agriculture urges vigilance among agricultural workers and collaborates with law enforcement to combat cartel activities.
• Economic Impact: Escalating violence threatens local economies and the safety of communities near the border.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (20:15): "We're going to go after them directly... The days of the cartels terrorizing Americans, those days are ending as before."
• Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner (19:59): "We encourage ranchers to exercise extreme caution in the area... refrain from touching unfamiliar objects that could be explosive devices."

Implications:

• Policy Enforcement: Strengthened border security measures and federal interventions aim to reduce illegal crossings and dismantle cartel operations.
• Community Safety: Enhanced protection strategies are crucial for ensuring the safety and economic stability of border communities.

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5. Media Smear Campaign Against Elon Musk and Dogecoin

Overview:
Elon Musk faces intensified media scrutiny and smear campaigns from Democrats and mainstream media outlets, despite his positive impact on the economy and taxpayer initiatives like Dogecoin.

Key Points:

• Public Approval: Recent polls indicate strong public support for Elon Musk's initiatives, contrasting with the negative media portrayal.
• Media Tactics: Outlets like "The View" have launched personal attacks against Musk, questioning his loyalty and legitimacy as a U.S. citizen.
• Government Alignment: Cruz criticized Democratic Congress members for aligning with the media's negative stance on Musk, undermining his contributions.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson (32:57): "The first step was, well, maybe we can drive a wedge here. That hasn't worked."
• Ted Cruz (34:05): "Well, look, I spent a good chunk of this morning with Elon over at the White House... we are taking masculinity back."

Implications:

• Public Perception: The discrepancy between public approval and media criticism may influence future support for Musk and similar entrepreneurs.
• Political Strategy: Cruz views the media's actions as attempts to weaken influential figures who support Republican agendas.

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6. Trust in Institutions and the "Deep State" Concerns

Overview:
The podcast delves into growing concerns about trust in federal institutions, citing examples of perceived deep state interference and lack of transparency in government operations.

Key Points:

• Department of Justice and FBI: Allegations of politicization and obstruction in high-profile cases undermine public confidence.
• Transparency Issues: Calls for greater openness from government agencies to restore trust among American citizens.
• Legislative Accountability: Emphasis on the need for elected officials to hold federal agencies accountable for their actions.

Notable Quotes:

• Ted Cruz (30:48): "The people who did so were either federal agents or some type of private security."
• Ben Ferguson (30:13): "We're doing everything we can now to be transparent, but there is still a very deep state rebellion."

Implications:

• Policy Reform: Potential push for legislative changes to enhance oversight and accountability of federal agencies.
• Public Trust: Rebuilding trust requires consistent and transparent actions from government institutions to address and rectify misconduct.

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Conclusion

In this episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," the hosts tackled significant political and social issues, including the ongoing clash between President Trump and the Governor of Maine over transgender athletes, the complexities surrounding the passage of a major budget bill, and concerns about the handling of an assassination attempt on President Trump. Additionally, they addressed the rising threat of cartels along the Texas-Mexico border, the media's negative portrayal of Elon Musk, and overarching issues of trust in federal institutions. Through in-depth discussions and critical analysis, Cruz and Ferguson provided listeners with a comprehensive overview of the week's most pressing topics, underlining the importance of accountability and alignment with public sentiment in governance.

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Notable Advertisements Skipped:
Advertisements for Chumba Casino, Hyundai on Amazon, Maximus Tribe, and American History Podcast were present in the transcript but omitted from this summary as per instructions.

Transcript

[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

Welcome. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz, Weekend Review. Ben Ferguson with you. And here are the big stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week. First up, Donald Trump and the governor of Maine, they come to blows over men in women's sports. The president making clear he's going to protect women in sports no matter what. So what happens on the legal front next? We'll have that for you. Also, there's now a big question. After the House passed a huge budget resolution and a big beautiful bill. So what does the time frame look like to actually we have a real budget that is passed and what does it mean for the taxpayers? Will there be a chance that this can get through the Senate and to the president's desk to sign it? I'll explain that in just a moment as well. And finally, there's new information out of Butler, Pennsylvania, and an accusation the New York Post, that the attempted assassination on Donald Trump, that shooter may have actually had help from others. It's the week in review and it starts right now. There was a Badass moment, the White House, where the president straight up called out a governor who was in attendance for the governors. They had a bunch of governors come to the White House. They had their big governors meeting. Uh, they invited these governors to come to the White House. And, and the president just straight out called out one of the governors for the plan that had leaked, in essence, that he was going to defy the. The, The. The directive from the federal government about protecting women from men playing in their sports, transgender, you know, individuals claiming that they're chick. And the president just said like, I don't care. You're here. Glad you're here. Are you going to not go along with what I told you to do? And it was one of those flashpoint moments, just showing you, I think the difference is time and the mentality of this president.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, no, that's exactly right. Trump is not backing down. And I got to say, the Democrats, that seems they've learned nothing from the election here. Give a listen to the exchange between the governor of Maine and. And President Trump. The NCAA has complied immediately, by the way.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's good.

[Ted Cruz]

But I understand Maine is Maine here.

[Ben Ferguson]

The governor of Maine.

[Ted Cruz]

Are you not going to comply with it?

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm complying with state federal laws.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, we are the federal law. Well, you better do it. You better do it, because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. And by the way, your population, even though it's somewhat liberal, although I did very well there, your population doesn't want men playing in women's sports. So you better come. You better comply, because otherwise you're not getting any. Any federal funding. Every state. Good. I'll see you in court. I look forward to that.

[Ben Ferguson]

That should be a real easy one.

[Ted Cruz]

And enjoy your life after, Governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, the trash talking. I just got to say, looking at the female governor, Maine saying, like, hey, the people there want this too. You should listen to the people. I'll see you in court. All right, great. Look forward to it. I don't think you're gonna be in politics much longer either if you keep this up. This is just a different Donald Trump this time around.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, it is. And by the way, there's also real teeth to it. So, simultaneously with this exchange, the U.S. department of Agriculture announced that it had initiated a compliance review of the University of Maine, and the state could be in jeopardy of losing $100 million in federal USDA funding over non compliance with the Executive order on keeping males out of female sports. And at the end of the day, and by the way, this is not hypothetical. This is happening in Maine. In Maine, there was a transgender boy who identifies as a girl who took first place in the girls pole vaulting at Maine's Class B State championship. And it's a win that helped the high school take first place overall. And so how would you feel if it's your daughter who's in second and she's the best pole vaulter in the state, who's a girl, but there's a dude who says, no, I'm a girl who beats her and dominates. It's just fundamentally unfair. And I gotta say, overwhelmingly 80, 90% of Americans agree with that proposition. And what's striking is this is not Democrats fighting on some issue where the voters are with them. I promise you, even in Maine, the voters don't want this. They're not happy about this. And today's Democrat Party this election, if there is an elected Democrat who learned anything from this election, I don't know who it is. Because not only are they doubling down.

[Ben Ferguson]

This has become like the new litmus test, though, of the extreme left. Right, you must.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, but they're also doubling down on open borders. They're also doubling down on anti Israel. Look, the Democrats in the Senate voted against sanctioning the icc, the International Criminal Court, which has gone after Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. Every Democrat but one, Every Democrat but John Fetterman voted against Israel. And they did that after the election. They did that just a few weeks ago. I mean, that's where the Democrats are right now, is they're still open border, they're still anti Israel, they're still pro boys and girls sports. And it's. Look, this is the same issue we started with. Fundamentally. I think the Democrats love to prattle on about democracy, but when they prattle on about what democracy, what they really mean is they want power and they don't care what the voters want. They don't care about respecting the will of the voters. Instead, they want to fight against the will of the voters. It's why they indicted Trump not once, not twice, not three times, but four times. It was designed to stop democracy. It's why you had multiple Democrats, judges, and state officials trying to remove Donald Trump from the presidential ballot. Because nothing says defending democracy like stopping the damn voters for voting for your opponent and making it impossible. This is all intertwined, which is. It is a lack of humility, a lack of understanding that you have a boss and the boss is the men and women who elected you.

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm trying to figure this out. Is this pure arrogance or is this a political move by the radical left to say we're not going to comply and we think it's going to be good for us to raise money and for our base, break this down for us? What do you think?

[Ted Cruz]

Well, listen, unfortunately, elected Democrats remain radical. They have not learned any lessons from the November election. So if you look at Democrats in Congress, if you looked at Democrat governors, they continue to support open borders. They continue to support releasing murderers and rapists and child molesters into this country. You look at, we talked about this in last week's pod, how Massachusetts is literally releasing violent child rapists who are illegal immigrants rather than turn them over to ICE to be deported. And, and, and I gotta say, look, this is not a 6040 issue. It's not a 7030 issue. This is an 8020 or a 9010 issue. I mean, if you ask any rational, insane person, a violent child rapist, should we release him into our community? Any rational person, most normal Democrats would say, hell no, that's a dumb, dumbass idea. And yet the elected Democrats in Massachusetts, their answer is, let them go. We are opposed to deporting anyone, no matter how vile. They're continuing the same position they continue to support. The Democrats in Congress continue to support sterilizing and castrating children for sex change operations. Again, that's an 8020 issue. They're on the wrong side of it, but they're listening to their radical base. And when it comes to men and women's sports, this is another 8020 issue. The American people don't want boys competing against their daughters. They don't want men competing against women. And yet the Democrats are all in on that. And I've been amazed. Normally when your party gets clobbered in election, you go and reassess, gosh, maybe we miscalibrated. Maybe we should change where we stand. The Democrats are not doing that. And so what happened this week is Pam Bondi, the new Attorney general, targeted in particular three states targeted, Maine, California and Minnesota. And she issued a warning to them that those states have to comply with federal anti discrimination laws that required them to keep boys out of girls sports. And here's what Pam Bondi said, quote, this Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law. We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law. And President Trump's executive order protecting women's sports. And she continues the Department of Justice says, quote, as President Trump's Recent Executive Order 14201 on this subject explains, allowing men and boys to compete in women's and girls sports is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls. This practice is also illegal under federal law. It denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports in violation of Title 9 of the Educational Amendments of 1972. And so understand the Department of Justice is making clear they intend to sue these states and they intend to cut off federal funds to these states if they continue to embrace the radical notion that they're going to let boys compete in girls sports. We talked about in Monday's pod how the governor of Maine is in open defiance saying, to hell with you. We'll see you in court. It's amazing Democrats continue to embrace these radical positions.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, you can go back and listen to the full podcast from earlier this week.

[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

Millions and millions of Jews were slaughtered during the Nazi reign of terror. Now today, we are witnessing the rise of global anti Semitism, the constant attacks on Israel, showing us that it is more important than ever to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and to ensure it never happens again. We have proudly partnered with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Now they provide food, shelter, safety to so many Israelis in Israel as they fight against radical Islamic terrorism in our time, including those remaining Holocaust survivors. Your donation today will help provide food, water, medicine and other bare necessities to Jewish communities. Go to their [e-mail], that's supportifcj.org or.

[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

That's maximus tribe.com now on to story number two. So for people that say, okay, this passed, how quick is this going to move forward or how long is this going to take?

[Ted Cruz]

There's a long way to go.

[Ben Ferguson]

So what's the timeline on this? So we limit expectations or be realistic.

[Ted Cruz]

So the budget resolution just starts this process. Now what's happened in the House is they've directed each of the House committees to draft the underlying bill. So what was voted on tonight was not securing the border, it was not rebuilding the military, it was not cutting taxes. It was the opening resolution to say go draft that legislation. That was a real fight.

[Ben Ferguson]

So this is the first sitting, to use a baseball analogy.

[Ted Cruz]

Yes. Now it actually gets your batter at the plate. Like if they failed, they don't even get a batter at the plate. So now we can start swinging.

[Ben Ferguson]

We're in the game.

[Ted Cruz]

But, but they're going to be harder steps forward. And I believe we're going to get this done. I believe we're going to get this done. We're going to secure the border, we're going to rebuild the military, we're going to unleash American energy and we're going to extend the tax cuts. But, but it is going to be a lot of trade offs. It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard because the House majority is so excruciatingly tiny that on any issue, if you lose two votes, you're, you're out of luck. But, but I think we will get the job done. And I will say both Mike Johnson, the speaker, and Steve Scalise, the majority leader, they're both good friends. I work very closely with both of them. And I think we will go through some difficult paths to get there. But also all of us, from the most conservative Republican to the most moderate, squishy, wobbly Republican. All of us want to produce these victories. We get there was a mandate from the election and we can't fail. And by the way, if we fail, if we don't secure the border, if we don't rebuild the military, if we don't unleash energy, if we don't extend the tax cuts, we'll get killed in November of next year.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ted Cruz]

And that's, I'm a big believer, probably.

[Ben Ferguson]

A lot of what Donald Trump said on the floor.

[Ted Cruz]

Right.

[Ben Ferguson]

Like, hey, you don't want to be involved in this.

[Ted Cruz]

Right. Get it done. We made a promise to the voters. Let's deliver on the voters. And I think today was an important step to doing that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Let's talk about the border for a second. There was, there was another big story. And I want you to just read part of this for people because it truly is heartbreaking. It makes me angry. It's what you see in war in the Middle east and it's happening now against ranchers and people in agriculture. The warning is very real now that the cartels are acting like what they are, terrorist organizations. I think this is another example of the president getting it right, saying we're going to declare them as terrorist organizations because that's what they do, they are terrorist organizations. And now we have another data point of saying, here's the proof.

[Ted Cruz]

So let me read from a story in the New York Post. Texas rancher killed by suspected cartel IED on Mexican border as authorities warn of growing threat here's what the New York Post reported. Quote, a Texas border rancher was killed near the border by a suspected cartel IED earlier this month, the Texas Department of Agriculture told the Post Tuesday as officials issued an urgent safety warning for the Rio Grande Valley rancher. Antonio Gaspedes Saldierna, 74, who worked on both sides of the border along with Horatio Lopez Pena, was killed in the blast in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which was just south of Brownsville, Texas. Lopez's wife, Ninfa Griselda Ortega, was hospitalized with injuries. Saldierna was driving on his ranch when he hit the explosive device, causing it to detonate, according to krgv. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the deadly explosion is part of a, quote, growing threat posed by cartel activity along our southern border and encourages ranchers to, quote, exercise extreme caution in the area. Quote, I encourage everyone in the agricultural industry to stay vigilant, remain aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. Additionally, you can avoid dirt roads and Remote areas. Refrain from touching unfamiliar objects that could be explosive devices. Limit travel to daylight hours, stay on main roads and avoid cartel controlled regions. Said Miller. This is happening right at the Texas Mexico border. It, I gotta say, it is dangerous and it shows. You know, some in the media say, gosh, it's hyperbole, it's rhetoric to call the cartels terrorists. They are terrorists and they're murdering Texans.

[Ben Ferguson]

What does this mean moving forward if they continue this? And how could this change the way that we interact with them? Because I think there's a lot of Americans right now, they're like, look, if we're going to call them terrorists, let's go after them like they're terrorists. How dare them be allowed to do this?

[Ted Cruz]

Well, I believe we're going to do that. I believe we're starting with we saw on January 20th President Trump securing the border. We've seen the numbers of Illegal crossings plummet, drop 90%. We're gonna go after them. We're gonna go after them. We're gonna go after the people who are here, the murderers, the rapists, the child molesters, the gang members. We're arresting them, we're deporting them, we're gonna send them back. But we're also stopping the traffic coming in, the human traffickers, the drug traffickers, that is impacting the cartel's bottom lines. But I think we're gonna use leverage to go after the cartels directly and try to. Joe Biden and the Democrats gave billions of dollars to the cartels, a stat you and I have talked about multiple times. But it's a stunning stat. In 2018, the Mexican drug cartels made roughly $500 million from human trafficking. $500 million is a lot of money. Last year they made $13 billion, a 2,600% increase that is ending now. And I have every confidence the Trump administration is going to go after their money. It's going to go after them directly. And you are going to see the cartels targeted just like we target Al Qaeda and Hamas and Hezbollah. The days of the cartels terrorizing Americans, those days are ending as before.

[Ben Ferguson]

If you want to hear the rest of this conversation on this topic, you can go back and download the podcast from earlier this week to hear the entire thing.

[Ted Cruz]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ben Ferguson]

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[Ted Cruz]

Now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary vgw group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply on January 27, it is international Holocaust Remembrance Day.

[Ben Ferguson]

We remember the great horrors, the evil of the Holocaust.

[Ted Cruz]

Millions and millions of Jews were slaughtered during the Nazi reign of terrorists. Now today we are witnessing the rise of global anti Semitism, the constant attacks on Israel, showing us that it is more important than ever to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and to ensure it never happens again. We have proudly partnered with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Now they provide food, shelter, safety to so many Israelis in Israel as they fight against radical Islamic terrorism in our time, including those remaining Holocaust survivors. Your donation today will help provide food, water, medicine and other bare necessities to Jewish communities. Go to their [e-mail] that's supportifcj.org or.

[Ben Ferguson]

Call toll free 888-488ifcj 888-488ifcj Today, America has spoken and we are taking masculinity back. Let Maximus help you become your best self with their testosterone protocols, Maximus is helping Americans like you increase their Testost percentile. MaximusTribe.com's testosterone solutions are clinically proven to at least double your testosterone. But Maximus doesn't treat numbers, they treat symptoms. Your primary care doctor might think average T levels are okay, but their doctors know that increasing your testosterone will often lead to increased lean muscle mass, better moods and more energy to succeed at work, at home and in the gym. The economic forecast is looking sunny. Invest in yourself and in just three weeks you can be your best self, even if you don't necessarily suffer from low t. Visit maximus tribe.com today to get started. Maximus tribe.com results may vary and outcomes aren't guaranteed.

[Ted Cruz]

Claims may not have been reviewed by FDA and Maximus does not claim to treat or prevent disease.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's maximus tribe.com I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. There was another shocking headline that also came out today and that deals with the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The headline for the New York Post is quote would be Trump Assassin may have had an accomplice and data shows as investigators say FBI suppressed info. I wouldn't believe that headline if I would have just had the conversation with you for the last 10 minutes that we just had about the FBI covering up Epstein information as well.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, this is a stunning article. I do not know if it is true but, but, but if there is evidence that, that the, the attempted assassin, the, the, the man who shot Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania had an accomplice or multiple accomplices, that would be a big damn deal. And, and you know, I gotta say it has been a long time. It has been 229 days since President Trump was shot at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania and yet we know next to nothing about the shooter. It's almost as if it just dropped into a memory hole and disappeared. And I wanna read some of this article from the New York Post because it has some interesting information in it. It's not clear, uh, it's not clear what's, what's true or not, but let me read from the New York Post. Quote, it's been almost nine months since a seemingly mild matter 20 year old attempted to assassinate then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a rally in Butler and we still have no good reason why. Sources told the Post the FBI has obstructed efforts to solve the mystery of why Thomas Matthew Crooks who left no manifesto, did what he did. It's left local law enforcement as well as Crooks former friends, classmates and teachers frustrated those who may know Crooks. His parents Matthew and Mary have refused all interviews and remain in their small three bedroom home sealed off from the world like hermits. Neighbors say they only leave the house at 3am to buy groceries. Quote, by the way, why do we know nothing about that guy in Butler? Elon Musk yelled out to the audience at, at CPAC last week before warning that FBI Director Cash Patel is going to get to the bottom of it. A veteran private investigator from Erie, Pennsylvania who was hired shortly after the fateful July 13 event at Butler Farm to look into Crooks by a private client, told the Post he believes a quote, criminal network was operating with him at the time of the assassination attempt, is still in existence and still wants to kill President Trump. Doug Hagman, whose team of six other investigators have been working the case for months and have interviewed more than 100 people, said they also conducted extensive geofencing analysis of cell phones and tablets not belonging to crooks that were found with him at his home at the rifle range where he took target practice at the rally and at Bethel Park High School where he graduated in 2022. Quote we don't think he acted alone. Hagman told the Post. Quote, this took a lot of coordination in My view, crooks was handled by more than one individual and he was used for this assassination attempt. And I wouldn't preclude the possibility that there were people at the rally itself helping him. Hageman said one of the electronic devices geolocated with crooks at several different places at the time of the shooting is still pinging today at Bethel Park High School. Look, I don't know if this is true or not. I don't know any background about this private investigator, and I don't know if his allegations are right or not. But it is frustrating that the American people. Look, I'm on the Senate Judiciary Committee. I have no information that isn't public about who this would be assassin was, what, what his motivation was, what evidence there is of anyone else being involved. And I'll tell you, when I sat down with both Kash Patel and with Pam Bondi when they were preparing for their confirmation, I had an extensive conversation with both of them about the need for transparency. That when you've had four years of both the Department of Justice and the FBI politicized and weaponized, the result is that people don't trust the FBI. I mean, this article in the Post repeatedly argues that the FBI is obstructing efforts to the get to the bottom of what happened. That that's infuriating if true. And it is very much my hope that we'll see Pam Bondi and Cash Patel make significant information about this assassination attempt public. The American people have a right to know, have a right to know if anyone else was involved with this. And I don't know if the FBI, if they didn't put a priority on it, I don't know if they didn't investigate, I guess it is possible this kid acted alone. But the absolute dearth of information is frustrating and infuriating.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, and it goes back to the point that I think Pam Bondi made at the White House with many of these conservatives, which is we're doing everything we can now to be transparent, but there is still a very deep state rebellion and they are hell bent on not letting the American people know what's going on. They're above us. They think they're more important than us. They don't believe they have to play by the rules. They don't have to be transparent. And until you get that fixed, there's going to be a lot of doubting in the American from the American people in these institutions.

[Ted Cruz]

I think that's exactly right. You know, the article says that Hageman, this private investigator, said that he was personally escorted to the Butler county line and told to leave twice during the course of his team's investigation. The people who did so were either federal agents or some type of private security. And so look, and I actually, I actually, I can understand an FBI investigation that they would be frustrated with having a private investigator interviewing the same people. So, so, so that actually the, the fact that the FBI was telling this guy, you know, buzz off, that's not shocking to me. Uh, but I don't know what investigation the FBI conducted. I certainly don't know the results of the investigation. They haven't made anything public to the American people. And I think the FBI's attitude has, has been in recent years, they don't know the publican answer. You don't get to know anything if they don't want to tell you.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, great point. I want to move also to another story, and this goes back to the issue of trust. Elon Musk and Doge. New poll numbers are out saying that the majority of American people actually approve of what Elon Musk is doing. And they think that Doge is having a real impact in a positive way for this country and for taxpayers and the waste, fraud and abuse they want them to keep moving forward. What we're also seeing center at the exact same time is I would now describe it as a clearly well organized, orchestrated effort by the media and the Democrats to ramp up their smears against Trump early on, or I should say against Elon. And early on they were trying to drive a wedge between Elon and Trump. You could see it in their rhetoric where it's like, well, you know, Elon, it thinks he's the president.

[Ted Cruz]

Oh yeah. The Time magazine cover story that put Elon at the Resolute desk in the Oval Office was obvious in a clumsy attempt to piss Trump off and get Trump mad at Elon. And it was so transparent that I think it did not remotely have the effect they were trying to have.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, it backfired, but that was where you could tell they were. The first step was, well, maybe we can drive a wedge here. That hasn't worked. So now what we're witnessing is just a full on smear campaign against Elon Musk, even on the View. And this was an interesting moment for me because it's like you're getting real close to slander and libel when you, when you do what the View does against Elon Musk. I don't know if they care. They have to apologize pretty regularly now for things they say on the air. With legal notes they keep having to make. But Joe Behar had this to say on the View about Elon Musk. And I want to play it and then get your reaction to it. And Elon Musk kisses his butt and strokes his. His tiny ego or big ego, whatever it is. And. And he doesn't get to do. He can take a nap. While the guy was not born in this country, who was born under apartheid.

[Ted Cruz]

In South Africa, so has that mentality going on. He was pro apartheid, as I understand it. He was a naturalized citizen. Right.

[Ben Ferguson]

He's a natural. Now he's a naturalized citizen. Oh, really?

[Ted Cruz]

How did he do that?

[Ben Ferguson]

Did he come over the board illegally?

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah, he allegedly overstayed that visa.

[Ben Ferguson]

But I think this is just perfectly wonderful for Trump. He's been take a nap and let this foreigner foreign agent, you know, an enemy of the United States, do his job. I mean, not only does she say he's an enemy, but then she says, in favor of apartheid, by the way. Not true. Came back on the air later in the show and tried to undo that and said, elon, don't sue.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, look, I mean, the View, they are unhinged lunatics, and they don't care about truth, but they. You know, the crazy thing is Joy Behar believes what she says. You know, it's amazing. Apparently, Elon Musk is the only immigrant that Joy Behar and the crazies on the View dislike. If you're an MS.13 gang member, if you're a murderer or a rapist, they're perfectly fine with you. They don't have a problem with Joe Biden and the Democrats releasing millions of criminals into America that they have no problem with. But if someone comes legally to this country, if someone builds multiple incredible companies, creates thousands and thousands of jobs, is an incredible innovator, and then volunteers his time to serve his nation, that merits being called a foreign agent and an enemy of the United States. You know, at the end of the day, what the View was saying doesn't say much about Elon Musk, but it says a lot about the media and the left and how terrified they are of him. And I'll tell you, Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat congresswoman, had very similar comments. Listen to what she said about Elon Musk. Apparently she and Joy Bahar reading from the same talking points.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. And this was in front of the United States Capitol where she said it.

[Ted Cruz]

Mr. Musk has just been here 22 years, and he's a citizen of three countries. I always ask myself the Question. With the damage he's doing here, when push comes to shove, which country is he loyalty to? South Africa, Canada or the United States? And he's only been a citizen, I'll say again, 22 years, by the way.

[Ben Ferguson]

I thought it was Democrats for the last four years that were obsessed with illegal immigrants coming into this country and saying, who is anyone else to say that they aren't Americans and we don't even call them illegals. You must call them immigrants. And they're just like you and I. But. But all of a sudden, a guy by the name of Elon Musk is actually getting things done, and now they're just going to slander him and say which countries are really loyal to, like he's some sort of secret agent or bad actor for another nation.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, look, I spent a good chunk of this morning with Elon over at the White House, and he met with a number of senators talking about what he's doing on Doge. And it was a very interesting meeting. And it's stunning. Some of the things that they're finding. They're finding, for example, they're going into agencies and finding agencies that have more electronic subscriptions than they have employees, and in many instances, thousands and Thousands more. Like 30,000 licenses for different electronic applications. 30,000 licenses and 15,000 employees that order of magnitude. And so they're going in and canceling the ones that aren't used. They also went and checked, and they said hundreds and hundreds of them had never been open, had never even been installed. So even of the employees, not everyone is using them. They've never logged in. And so they can go and check. All right? And so anyone who's not using it, they're canceling those. Those are the sorts of things they're finding that are really just astonishing.

[Ben Ferguson]

When you met with him today, does it seem that he's even shocked by what he's finding?

[Ted Cruz]

You know, there are things like he talked today about ghost payments, about the treasury has computers that transfer funds that make federal payments. And he says that there are ghost payments that are going out that a program officer puts in for a payment to a contractor, to somebody, and then the program officer retires, dies, leaves, is gone, and the payments just keep on going. And, you know, he said it's stunning. The treasury computers have a field where you categorize, okay, what is this payment for? And what in the congressional appropriation is it going for? And he said routinely that field is left blank. He said usaid, they always left it blank. He said. So there's no way, he said. Many ways it's incredibly difficult, if not impossible to audit the billions of dollars that are going out the door because they don't keep the records. And it was interesting Elon's comments. He said if any public company did this, he said they would be massively fined and the executives would be put in jail.

[Ben Ferguson]

As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. Don't forget to download my podcast and you can listen to my podcast every other day. You're not listening to Verdict or each day when you listen to Verdict afterwards. I'd love to have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here on Monday morning. It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend.

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[Ted Cruz]

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