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The wait is almost over. Get ready for the NFL season like never before with the highly anticipated 2025 NFL Schedule release. Every rivalry, every rematch, every rookie debut, every game revealed, the dates will be set, primetime matchups will be known, and the road to the super bowl starts here. The full NFL Schedule Wednesday, May 14th. Get all of the details@NFL.com ScheduleRelease I'm Rodney Williams.
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I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.
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Senator Ted Cruz
Welcome in his verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. It's so nice to have you with us on this Monday morning. And Senator, Harvard sure is making you proud right now.
Ryan
It really is extraordinary. President Trump has publicly announced that the administration is going to end Harvard's tax exempt status. This administration is going to war with the nation's oldest and most prestigious university. The stakes are massive. They're tens of billions of dollars. The stakes are, can a university getting federal funds discriminate based on race? Can they promote anti Semitism? The establishment will roar back mightily. It's going to be a serious legal fight. We're going to break down what's likely to play out, what the basis is of what the administration is doing and what the risks are of what the administration is doing. We're also gonna break down a really amazing story we've covered previously. Elon derangement syndrome and how it's led to domestic terrorism. Firebombing of Tesla factories. Well, we now see a story where Elon derangement syndrome is merging with just out of control wokeness. And one of these domestic terrorists that firebombed a Tesla dealership has been released from federal custody. Why is that? Because the terrorist is transgender. And the judge ruled, well, the, the, the gender transition treatment was more important than punishing domestic terrorists. So you gotta let him out of jail. It really is astonishing. We're gonna walk you through those facts as well.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, it is. It is amazing to see what can get you out of jail. If I ever get arrested, I'm just letting you guys know I'm gonna identify as a chick. So just want to get that on the record. You can use it America how you want.
Ryan
And I for one find, I for one find that very plausible. Ben, you look cute. Cute in tennis skirts.
Senator Ted Cruz
Just wait. If you ever get arrested, I'm just saying there's a good chance you'll do it too, if this is how the system's gonna work.
Ryan
Martina Ferguson.
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Ryan
Well, Harvard is the oldest university in America. It was founded in 1636. It is the wealthiest university in America. It has a $53 billion endowment, and for a long time it's been the most prestigious university in America. And I think President Trump is exactly right going after Harvard because it is the birthplace of Woke. As you know, my last book, how to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America, I describe colleges and universities, and especially Harvard, as the Wuhan lab of the Woke virus. It's where it was invented, it's where it mutated, and it's where it spread. Now, going after Harvard and denying them their tax exec exempt status, what does that mean if their 501c3 status is revoked? It means Harvard pays taxes, just like a for profit institution. It also means contributions to Harvard are no longer tax deductible. So if you give money to Harvard, you Can't deduct them from your taxes. Both of those are a huge, huge deal. If that happens, if the Trump administration follows through, Harvard will litigate, they will go to court, and this will be a battle that will go to the U.S. supreme Court. And on one level, the Trump administration's legal arguments are very strong, but at another level, it's an uphill fight given who the Supreme Court is. So we're gonna break down both pieces of that. Why is the legal argument strong? Well, I'll tell you, the case that would be front and center if, if we. If this goes to the court is a case called Bob Jones University versus United States. And it was decided by the Supreme Court in 1983. And what happened in 1983 is the IRS revoked the 501C3 status of Bob Jones University because Bob Jones University had a policy that prohibited interracial dating. There was another school, Goldsboro Christian Schools, that had a racially discriminatory admissions policy. And likewise, the IRS revoked Goldsboro's 501C3 exception. That case went all the way to the Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 that the IRS could revoke the 501C3 exception. And they did so by concluding that it was contrary to public policy to promote racial discrimination was contrary to public policy objectives in the United States. And that will be the basis. It was 8. 1. Chief Justice Berger wrote the majority opinion. There was only one dissent. The dissent was William Rehnquist, who. Who wrote a dissent and said, look, under the terms of 501c3, under the statute, they don't specify whether the purposes are good or bad. And. And so we shouldn't allow them to do that. But eight justices said, well, yes, we should, and that's what we do. That will be the basis. Now, under that case, Harvard has a real difficult time. And it has a real difficult time because it has for a long time openly and brazenly discriminated based on race. And it is also openly and brazenly created an environment that discriminates against Jewish students and promotes antisemitism. Both of those are huge, huge, huge factual problems. And the facts, particularly at Harvard, there was just a scathing report on anti Semitism that walked through the incredible pattern of anti Semitism that Harvard has promoted, welcomed, and used to persecute Jewish students. And that, on the face of it, is contrary to federal civil rights laws. And so the Trump administration's legal argument on the merits is quite strong.
Senator Ted Cruz
You look at the illegal arguments here, and there's a lot of people that are going to just be angry about the story itself and the fact that you're rewarding people for going after Jewish students. I mean, how is this not an award to the student by saying, hey, we're sanctioning what you did, we know you're taking a bag of rat, but hey, here's a bunch of money for you to go ahead and say, we're behind you. That seems to be what the university is saying. Otherwise, why on earth would you give this cash?
Ryan
Yeah, look, and there are twin issues here. The Trump administration has already cut $2 billion, frozen $2 billion in direct federal funds that it was sending to Harvard. That's a big deal. The 501c3 status is an even bigger deal. And so both of those, the basic principle is if a university is violating federal civil rights law, if they're discriminating based on race, if they are discriminating against Jewish students, if they're discriminating against Anglo students, if they're discriminating against Asian students, all of which Harvard has been doing, why should the federal government be giving them money? And why should they get a special benefit under the tax laws? Now, why is it that I say this is an uphill fight? Because the Supreme Court is an institution that is elite and that is very much birthed of the establishment. Let me ask you, Ben, of the nine Supreme Court justices, how many of them do you think went to Ivy League schools?
Senator Ted Cruz
I'm going to go with eight. Of the nine.
Ryan
You would be correct. Eight.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah.
Ryan
How many went to Harvard Law School?
Senator Ted Cruz
Pause. I finally got one right, because this is what you do in this show if you're new. I know he likes to haze me every episode with something he knows I don't know the answer to. And I just. I.
Ryan
You just got it right.
Senator Ted Cruz
In this moment. Eight out of eight. I'm one for a thousand right now.
Ryan
Well, let's keep going. How many do you think went to Harvard Law School?
Senator Ted Cruz
I'm going to go with seven. Out of nine.
Ryan
Four. Four went to Harvard Law School, four went to Yale Law School. And we're so. Of the eight justices, of the eight justices, four went to Harvard Law School, four went to Yale Law School. Of the 18 degrees, they have college degrees and law degrees. Of the 18 degrees, how many of them do you think are Ivy League? Degr.
Senator Ted Cruz
I'm gonna guess nine out of nine.
Ryan
15. 15 out of 18. The only one that doesn't have an Ivy League. Yeah, the only one that doesn't have an Ivy League degree is Amy Coney Barrett, who went to Rhodes College in Notre Dame. But if you look at it, this is an institution that is steeped. Steeped in Harvard and the institution. In fact, Elena Kagan was the former dean of the Harvard Law School. And so I think they are going to be highly resistant to the notion that Harvard's 501C3 status can be revoked. And I will tell you, they're also going to be concerned about the slippery slope of what happens with the next administration.
Senator Ted Cruz
All right, so, Senator, here's the question that I think a lot of people listening are going to want me to ask. And that is, it sounds like this would be much of an uphill battle for the President. I think he probably knows that his staff does. But is this also as much about sending a message to other universities that if you think that we're gonna turn a blind eye to this, you're wrong, and we're gonna be watching you closely?
Ryan
Of course it is. Look, Harvard is the big kahuna. And so going after Harvard is meant to send a message to every other school that violating the civil rights law, discriminating based on race, discriminating against students on their skin color, on their race, on their religion, is contrary to federal law, and there will be real consequences. You look, for example, Harvard just released a scathing report on antisemitism on campus, and it found that politicized instruction in four Harvard schools had, quote, mainstreamed and normalized what many Jewish and Israeli students experience as antisemitism. And the four schools were the Graduate School of Education, the TH Chan School of Public Health, the Divinity School, because, of course, if you're studying divinity, you're going to be a racist. And the medical school, all of which have been targeted by the Trump administration for, quote, egregious records of antisemitism or other bias. And the report concluded that at those schools, Jewish students and Israeli students were routinely ostracized and subject to instruction that effectively made a specific view on the Israel Hamas conflict, a litmus test for full classroom participation. And let me give you one example that's just an amazing thing. A required course in the School of Education taught something called the Pyramid of White Supremacy. And. And this document is. Is. Is really. It's a chart. If you look at it on Twitter or online, it'll. It'll blow your mind. But it's a pyramid of white supremacy. And here are all the things that it's describing as white supremacy. The. At the top is the kkk. Okay, we're agreed. KKK very bad. I'm against lynching. Terrible. I'm against burning crosses. Very, very bad. Racial slurs jokes. Terrible. Hate crimes. Terrible. Antisemitism. Kind of interesting. Bombing black churches. Japanese incarceration. Operation Wetback. Now, Operation Wetback was an Eisenhower federal government program deporting illegal aliens. So that is now white supremacy. To deport illegal aliens. And the Muslim ban, which was President Trump's policy in the first term, that, that was restricting immigration from countries with, with high percentages of radical Islamic terrorism. All right, so that's the first part of the triangle. You can agree with some of it, you can disagree with some of it, but then it starts to get really loony. You know what the next one listed is?
Senator Ted Cruz
What is that?
Ryan
The Anti Defamation League. The adl. The Anti Defamation League exists to fight against anti Semites. So the Anti Defamation League is, according to these radicals, an example of white supremacy. What's the next one? All lives matter. So if you say all lives matter, that's white supremacy. You know what the next one was? You're gonna love the next one.
Senator Ted Cruz
What's that one?
Ryan
Maga.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, of course you gotta add that one to the list.
Ryan
That just make America great again is white supremacy. This is what Harvard's teaching. I'm going to just go through some of the more of these illegal aliens. That's white supremacy. Thugs, read, redlining, Hussein Obama, Confederate symbols, life after hate, cve, welfare queens, the war on drugs. If you're opposed to illegal drugs, that's white supremacy. Reverse racism, anti affirmative action, anti bds. So if you are opposed to boycotting, divesting and sanctioning Israel, then you're a bigot, black identity extremist, community policeman. All right, you know what else is white supremacy?
Senator Ted Cruz
I can't wait liking Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan or Ted Cruz. I'll go with one of those three.
Ryan
Well, those are all clearly on their chart, although they don't specify. MAGA was up right up top. Color blindness. Now, mind you, that is literally what Dr. Martin Luther King said on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. That we want a nation where people can be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. But according to these radicals, Martin Luther King is apparently a white supremacist.
Senator Ted Cruz
This is like a food pyramid for hating conservatives. Isn't.
Ryan
Is. I'm gonna give you some other examples. Mass incarceration, tsa, random searches, police apologists. So if you defend the police, you're a white supremacist. U.S. military Rescue Operation Stop and frisk the myth of meritocracy. Understand if you believe in merit. These lunatics say that is racist English only the school to prison pipeline victim blaming anti Kaepernick. So if you don't like Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem, you are a white supremacist. Columbus Day mind you, it is a federal holiday, but never mind that. And then it gets to the bottom of the pyramid and it lists things like settler colonialism, slavery, Wall street, the Great Recession, corporate interest, the stock market, greed, nafta. Did you know NAFTA is white supremacy?
Senator Ted Cruz
Unbelievable.
Ryan
According to this chart, outsourcing McCarthy is a migrant workers Manifest destiny, the very settlement of America. Oil pipelines are white supremacy. The war on terror and the corporate media are all white supremacy. This is wackadoodle stuff. And this is taught in a required course in the Harvard Education school.
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I'm Rodney Williams.
Travis Holloway
And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break.
Wealth Break Host
Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger.
Travis Holloway
And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins.
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We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories.
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And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities. Like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same.
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So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place.
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Senator Ted Cruz
So let's talk about the mindset of Harvard for a second and these other universities. It does seem pretty clear that they believe that they're never going to be touched. And even if they are, their endowments are so big that they think they're probably going to be just fine and liberals will continue to give. Does that not go back to the point the President's bringing up? Which is why the hell are we giving all of these places this money? They're fine on their own. They're acting like they don't need us. They are hard hardcore against conservatives and others that don't basically go with this pyramid of hate of conservative ideals. So let's just decouple and say you guys do you and we'll keep our tax dollars.
Ryan
Well, look, there's real value to that. I will say that there is research money that is spent in colleges and universities that that is worthwhile, that is useful. There's scientific research. There's research, say at medical schools where you're trying to research the cure for cancer, you're trying to research a cure for Alzheimer's, you're trying to cure deadly diseases. There is scientific research that the Department of Defense pays for, for example, that is developing high tech lasers or other equipment that has significant defense needs. And so there is a role for scientific research. And much of the scientific research that happens in our nation happens in research universities. All of that would be fine if, and this is a big if, universities were not flagrantly violating federal civil rights laws. Let me give you more from this report. At Harvard, at the Divinity School, Jewish students were subject to, quote, the embrace of a pedagogy of de Zionization in which instructors attribute to Jews two great sins. First, in the Levant, the establishment of the State of Israel and the Palestinian Nakba, and second, in the United States, participation in white supremacy. So the Harvard Divinity School teaches Jews the existence of the state of Israel is racist. And Jews also, they teach, are white supremacists. That is flagrantly in violation of Federal civil rights laws. And sadly, it is, it is something that Harvard openly embraces as they fight.
Senator Ted Cruz
This final question. Is there an opportunity through this legal challenge for us to even be able to find out more about what Harvard is doing? Is that part of what could happen in. The upside here is, hey, we get to ask more questions. We get to see more behind the books. We get to see more of the propaganda that we are talking about right now.
Ryan
That is absolutely right. And I'm going to say the facts are going to get worse and worse as they come out. Harvard doesn't want people to know the facts. So, for example, there were a whole series of stories that came out about the Harvard Law Review. Now, what is the Harvard Law Review? The Harvard Law Review is a legal journal that's at Harvard Law school that has 80 students who are student editors. And getting on the Law Review is incredibly prestigious. It is incredibly difficult to do. Typical Harvard Law School class is about 560 people. So you have about 40 people out of 560 that make it on the class, make it on the Law Review. When I was there, I was on the Law Review. When I was there, roughly half of the editors on the Law Review made it from a combination of grades and a week long, incredibly arduous writing competition. Another roughly half made it from purely the writing competition. But when I say roughly half, at the time it was 32 were grades in writing, 32 were just writing, and then 8 were reserved for affirmative action. That's when I was there. Now, by all appearances, it has gotten much worse. It was brazen then, it was racially discriminatory then, but it is now much worse. The Harvard Law Law Review now uses race explicitly to, number one, select their editors. And by the way, becoming an editor at the Law Review increases your chances of getting a judicial clerkship, dramatically increases your chances of getting a Supreme Court clerkship dramatically increases your chances of getting hired by a big prestigious law firm that pays lots of money, dramatically increases your chances of becoming a professor at a prestigious university. Dramatically so. The Law Review is a major gateway to elite success in the legal world. And the Harvard Law Review now in writing, they are quite open in saying that they will discriminate for editors based on race and they will also discriminate on the articles they pick. So, for example, in a 2024 memo, one journal article argued that the fact that the author was, quote, not from an underrepresented background was a negative when it came to evaluating the piece for publication. There is a, quote, holistic Review Committee, which now selects nearly half the student editors and has made the inclusion of, quote, underrepresented groups its first priority.
Senator Ted Cruz
So to be clear, what you're saying.
Ryan
Is violates Title 6.
Senator Ted Cruz
So to be clear, you're saying there's a chance now that if you were at Harvard, you wouldn't get picked? Is that what you're telling me?
Ryan
You know, I don't know, and you don't know. So I say that what's interesting about it is you genuinely don't know. It was one of the things that they're very clever in how they discriminate, because you don't know on what basis you were admitted. I had the grades to get in on grades, and I think I did well in the writing competition. But I have no idea which of the slots I was in. Cause nobody does. They don't tell you. They just announced the 40 editors that have gotten in. So I don't know. But I'll tell you a story I've told before. So when I was on the Law Review, there were a number of conservative editors. And we made a run at ending affirmative action in the Law Review. And I have to admit, I sat back. We were. All 80 of us were gathered in a classroom, and we were debating this. And there were some other students that were really kind of leading the charge, some other conservatives. I agreed with them. But I also could count votes. And out of the 80 students, there were maybe eight or 10 of us that were conservatives. We were a tiny minority. So I was like, look, we ain't gonna win the vote, but all right, this is fine. Let's have the debate. So we're having the debate. And I was sitting in the back. It was fairly quiet. And I remember this one supercilious liberal stood up and said, if we eliminate affirmative action, the Harvard Law Review will be nothing but. But white men. And I have to admit, I was kind of a little bit checked out in the back of the room. And I heard that, and that pissed me off. And I said, you know what? You want to understand why affirmative action is so insidious? The arrogance of that imbecile just showed it. His belief as an enlightened leftist is that if merit were the only criterion, only white men would get in that. No one who is African American would get in. No one who is Hispanic. And let's be clear, I'm Hispanic. He's sitting there. And in fact, I told him, I said, all right, big guy, you want to pull your transcript out and my transcript and drop Them on the table right there. Let's see what pure merit produces. But there was something even more dripping in his leftist condescension, which is at the time, the Harvard affirmative action program did not include gender. So there was not affirmative action for women. And I said to all the women editors, do you hear what he just said to you? He believes if it's pure merit, no women would make it. And by the way, historically, all the women editors who are liberals voted against adding gender to affirmative action because they recognized that if it was added to it, that, that, that people, it would devalue what they had accomplished. But it showed the, just the, the absolute arrogance of the left when it comes to embracing racism because at the end of the day, they look down on the poor benighted people that will only succeed in life with their beneficence. And by the way, the price for that beneficence is for them to be loyal and obedient for the rest of their lives. I mean, that is the very explicit left wing charter that affirmative action is based on.
Senator Ted Cruz
Which brings us to another story where this stuff started on college campuses and now it's made our way into courtrooms. The Tesla arson suspect, one of them. And there's a lot of them out there. Right, but this one specifically. And we'll get to the story of, of what happened here in a second. But has been quote, released because of gender transition would be at risk if they didn't release. So if you're going to jail, just say you're doing a gender transition, apparently, then the law cannot hold you accountable for your terrorist actions.
Ryan
So there's an individual named Owen McIntyre who was on spring break in Missouri and he firebombed two Tesla cybertrucks. He threw Molotov cocktails, He firebombed it, he got caught and he was charged, charged with domestic terrorism. And then what happened is his federal public defender argued that going to jail will disrupt his gender affirming medical care, which began in March of this year and is likely to be interrupted or terminated entirely if he remains in pretrial detention. And the federal magistrate judge bought that argument and let him go. And let me say one of the craziest things about this story you and I, Ben spent 20 minutes trying to figure out if this defendant is male or female.
Senator Ted Cruz
By the way, he's not lying. I want to be clear about that. Literally are googling everything like, is it, where is it a dude is a chick and we don't know what it is. Like that's the insanity of the world.
Ryan
We live in and we can't tell. And you and I actually disagree. So I think this is a person who was born female who has decided that she is a he and wants to be a man. Yeah, the reason I think that. The reason I think that is we've googled it and every damn story uses hehehe. And given the insane Orwellian world we live in, I think if ABC is referring to this person as a he and the person is transgender, that that to me means the person was born a she. Now your argument is, Ben, this is.
Senator Ted Cruz
A dude that grew out his hair and looks like a chick.
Ryan
Then why does all the media refer to this person as a he?
Senator Ted Cruz
I think everybody's lost their damn minds. That's what I think. And I think. I mean, the. The fact that we even are at the point where we have to have this discussion tells you how insane the world is.
Ryan
You literally every story I clicked on, I googled it and clicked on story after story, and there's not one that actually describes the facts one way or the other.
Rodney Williams
So.
Ryan
Damned if I know. But either way, look, the federal prosecutors argue this person is a domestic terrorist. They're throwing Molotov cocktails. And it is woke politics taken to the level of insanity that to get a sex change treatment is now reason to be forgiven for domestic terrorism. Although, to be fair, it's not forgiven. It's released from pretrial detention, but it is still insane.
Senator Ted Cruz
Well, but it's helping you, right? It's helping you not be held accountable for your actions. And it's also, I think, pretty clear that we're saying if you wanna not be held accountable for your actions, just claim something that's woke and these radical judges will be like, oh, we totally understand. Let's just change the rules for you because you're in our. You're in our special protected class and we wanna see you succeed in your transgenderism, which is not supposed to be the job of the court.
Ryan
Well, I gotta say this, this insanity is a big part of the reason Donald Trump won in November and we got a Republican House and a Republican Senate. Cause I think a lot of people are looking at this and saying this stuff is crazy.
Senator Ted Cruz
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Let's be honest, building weft doesn't look the same for everyone.
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I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.
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Verdict with Ted Cruz: Trump vs. Harvard & The Tesla Terrorist Release
Release Date: May 5, 2025
In this compelling episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, hosted by Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson, the discussion delves into two significant and controversial issues: President Trump's administration's move against Harvard University and the recent release of a Tesla arson suspect on the grounds of being transgender. The episode provides an in-depth analysis of these topics, exploring their implications for higher education, federal policies, and societal norms.
[02:40] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz opens the discussion by highlighting President Trump's unprecedented decision to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status. He emphasizes the magnitude of this move, noting the substantial financial implications and the potential for a fierce legal battle ahead.
[04:10] Ryan:
Ryan outlines the reasons behind the administration's action, labeling Harvard as the "birthplace of Woke" and accusing the university of promoting anti-Semitism and racial discrimination. He references his book, How to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America, to underscore his argument that Harvard has been a central hub for what he terms the "Woke virus."
Legal Foundations and Supreme Court Implications
[06:37] Ryan:
Delving into the legal aspects, Ryan draws parallels to the 1983 Supreme Court case Bob Jones University vs. United States, where the IRS revoked the university's 501(c)(3) status due to its discriminatory policies. He explains that if Harvard's tax-exempt status is revoked, the university would be required to pay taxes and donations to it would no longer be tax-deductible.
[10:32] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz raises concerns about the potential backlash and the messaging this action sends to other universities. He questions the administration's motives, suggesting it serves as a warning to institutions that do not align with conservative values.
[11:02] Ryan:
Ryan acknowledges the uphill battle against Harvard's substantial influence and vast endowment but stresses the importance of holding institutions accountable for violating federal civil rights laws. He argues that the administration aims to set a precedent, ensuring that other universities cannot evade accountability due to their financial prowess.
[12:01] Senator Ted Cruz:
Highlighting the elite composition of the Supreme Court, Senator Cruz points out that eight out of the nine justices attended Ivy League schools, particularly Harvard Law School. He insinuates that this affiliation may bias the Court against reversing the administration's stance on Harvard.
Contentious Practices at Harvard
[13:35] Ryan:
Ryan presents evidence from a recent Harvard report on anti-Semitism, detailing discriminatory practices within various Harvard schools. He cites the Graduate School of Education, the T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Divinity School, and the Medical School as environments where Jewish and Israeli students face ostracism and biased instruction.
[16:46] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz expresses frustration over Harvard's blatant discrimination against conservative and Jewish students, questioning the university's integrity and the fairness of rewarding such discriminatory behavior with financial resources.
[17:12] Ryan:
A particularly alarming point is raised concerning a required course in the School of Education that includes a "Pyramid of White Supremacy." Ryan enumerates various controversial topics labeled as white supremacy, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and phrases like "All Lives Matter" and "MAGA," illustrating what he perceives as the extreme indoctrination at Harvard.
[20:06] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz criticizes the curriculum, suggesting it serves as a "food pyramid for hating conservatives," and underscores the need to challenge such educational indoctrination.
[27:14] Senator Ted Cruz:
Transitioning to the second major topic, Senator Cruz introduces the story of Owen McIntyre, a transgender individual charged with domestic terrorism for firebombing Tesla Cybertrucks. Cruz highlights the controversy surrounding McIntyre's release, attributing it to his gender transition status.
[34:00] Ryan:
Ryan provides details of the incident, explaining that McIntyre was released from federal custody to continue his gender-affirming medical care. He criticizes the judicial decision, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent where personal identity choices can influence legal accountability.
[35:03] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz voices his discontent, asserting that the judiciary is allowing individuals to evade responsibility for terrorism by claiming protected statuses. He emphasizes that gender transition should not exempt one from facing the consequences of their actions.
[37:07] Ryan:
Ryan connects this incident to broader political dynamics, suggesting that such judicial decisions contribute to the Republican resurgence by illustrating perceived overreach and favoritism toward progressive causes.
[13:35] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz poses critical questions about the administration's strategy, pondering whether targeting Harvard is intended to serve as a deterrent to other institutions and reinforce conservative values in education and governance.
[27:34] Ryan:
Ryan agrees, stating that Harvard's exposure is meant to signal to other universities that federal funds and tax benefits will not be withheld if they violate civil rights laws. He predicts that more unfavorable information about Harvard's practices will emerge as the legal battle progresses.
[30:05] Senator Ted Cruz:
Pressing further, Senator Cruz asks Ryan to clarify the legal ramifications of Harvard's practices, specifically addressing affirmative action and its impact on meritocracy and diversity in academic institutions.
[36:00] Ryan:
Ryan recounts his personal experiences with affirmative action at Harvard Law Review, illustrating how race and other factors can influence selection processes, often to the detriment of merit-based evaluations. He criticizes the system for masking discriminatory practices under the guise of inclusivity.
In wrapping up, the hosts reinforce the significance of holding powerful institutions accountable and the broader impact of these issues on American society. Senator Cruz encourages listeners to engage with the topics discussed, advocating for policies that uphold fairness and meritocracy.
[37:20] Senator Ted Cruz:
Senator Cruz concludes by urging listeners to subscribe to Verdict with Ted Cruz, share the episode on social media, and stay informed through additional content on his personal podcast.
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz offers a critical examination of the intersection between federal policies, higher education, and individual rights. By dissecting the Trump administration's actions against Harvard and the controversial release of a transgender individual involved in domestic terrorism, Senator Cruz and Ryan provide listeners with a perspective that underscores the ongoing cultural and political battles shaping the nation.
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz [04:10]: "If I ever get arrested, I'm just letting you guys know I'm gonna identify as a chick. So just want to get that on the record."
Ryan [06:37]: "Harvard is the Wuhan lab of the Woke virus. It's where it was invented, it's where it mutated, and it's where it spread."
Senator Ted Cruz [20:06]: "This is like a food pyramid for hating conservatives."
Ryan [34:00]: "Elon derangement syndrome is merging with just out of control wokeness."
This summary encapsulates the core discussions of the episode, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the debates surrounding institutional accountability and the implications of federal interventions in higher education and the judicial system.