Podcast Summary: Verdict with Ted Cruz

Episode: Trump WINS as NY $500M Judgement goes to ZERO plus DEM Registration Plummeting, Sen Eric Schmitt on Fighting the Left in Court & Biden Auto-Pen Scandal Gets Worse
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz & Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Eric Schmitt
Date: August 22, 2025

Main Theme

This episode unpacks a significant week of legal and political developments impacting national politics. Topics include a major legal victory for Donald Trump in New York, data showing a massive drop in Democratic voter registration, an interview with Senator Eric Schmitt about legal strategies against left-wing litigation, and troubling revelations about President Biden’s auto-pen pardoning process.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s $500 Million Judgment Overturned in NY (03:09 – 15:21)

• Major Legal Victory: The New York Court of Appeals threw out the $500 million (now $550m with interest) civil penalty imposed on Donald Trump by NY Attorney General Letitia James.
  • Ted Cruz: Describes the penalty as "grotesque injustice from an abusive district judge" (11:49).
• Prediction Vindicated: Cruz and Ferguson revisit prior episodes where they predicted this outcome, emphasizing their willingness to make bold forecasts.
  • "One of the things about the Verdict podcast is we make real predictions... This is exactly right. And this is what we predicted on this podcast." – Ted Cruz (08:39)
  • Played back earlier clips as evidence (09:49, 12:00).
• Critique of Letitia James: Painted her as pursuing a political vendetta rather than impartial justice.
  • "Letitia James... ran for office promising to get Donald Trump." – Legal Analyst (09:49)
• Broader Impact: The ruling is seen as saving New York’s business environment and the rule of law, dissuading future legal “shakedowns.”
  • "If this had been upheld... a whole lot of people would say, 'this is not a place I could do business.'" – Ted Cruz (15:10)
• Letitia James’ Statement: Hosts mock Letitia James for “celebrating” a ruling that eliminated the monetary penalty.

Notable Quotes

• Ted Cruz (10:09): "How is that legal in America today, to run for office saying you’re going to lock up someone you disagree with politically?"
• Ben Ferguson (13:46): "Letitia James put out a statement today that I found side splitting funny..."

2. Democratic Party Registration Crisis (15:21 – 19:24)

• Plummeting Registration: Based on NY Times and NY Post analysis, Democrats lost more than 2 million registered voters in four years; Republicans gained more than 2.4 million.
  • "Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters... in every single state... between the 2020 and 2024 elections." – Ben Ferguson reading NYT (16:46)
• Root Causes: Attributed to lawfare, extreme policies, inflation, open borders, and the party catering to its most radical elements.
  • Ted Cruz: "The Democratic Party has let the extremists really come in and take over... The old Democratic Party is dead." (18:20)
• NYT Perspective: Even mainstream analysts quoted as calling it a “stampede away” from Democrats.
  • "There seems to be no end to this..." – Michael Pruser, Decision Desk HQ (18:39 quoted by Ferguson)
• Senate Democrats’ Attitude: Cruz claims Senate Democrats are oblivious to why they are losing support.

Notable Quotes

• Ben Ferguson (16:46): “The Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters long before they even go to the polls...”
• Ted Cruz (18:20): “Are we Marxists? Are we socialists? Are we Communists? The old Democratic Party is dead.”

3. Interview with Senator Eric Schmitt – ‘The Last Line of Defense’ (24:28 – 34:55)

• Book Overview: Schmitt’s book is a “field manual” for fighting “left-wing lawfare.” Covers standing up to COVID lockdowns, vaccine mandates, big tech censorship, and progressive activism in schools.
  • "We stood up, we fought back, and we won. And it’s a playbook moving forward." – Sen. Eric Schmitt (25:41)
• Fauci Deposition: Schmitt recounts deposing Anthony Fauci, who “could not recall” answers 174 times.
  • "He said, I can’t recall, 174 times, sort of simultaneously as declaring he was the science." – Schmitt (27:29)
  • Anecdote: Fauci demanded the court reporter wear a mask in late 2022 (29:34).
• Big Tech Censorship: Schmitt sued over government/tech collusion to censor conservatives and influence the 2020 election (e.g., Hunter Biden laptop story).
  • "We found shocking...secret portals...between government officials and big tech giants: take this down." – Schmitt (31:14)
• Fighting DEI & ESG: Investigated banks and schools for ideological initiatives, finding evidence of antitrust violations and radical curriculum efforts.
  • "We had a suspicion this was violating antitrust...they decided by 2050 they’d have a portfolio that was carbon neutral..." – Schmitt (32:46)
  • Discussed privilege walks and divisive “gender unicorn” activities in Missouri schools.
• Advice for Conservatives: Use legal discovery to get the facts public, be aggressive, and don’t be afraid to fight in court.

Notable Quotes

• Senator Eric Schmitt (27:29): "He said, I can’t recall, 174 times...he didn’t like to be challenged."
• Schmitt (31:55): "The FBI was lying and they knew they were lying."
• Schmitt (34:26): "We have to have the courage to stand up and fight. And we can't cede the courtroom to them."

4. Biden’s Auto-Pen Pardoning ‘Scandal’ (34:57 – 42:59)

• Auto-Pen Process and Legal Risk: Internal DOJ communications reveal deep concern about the legal validity of thousands of last-minute auto-pen pardons issued by the Biden administration.
  • "Joe Biden deliberately ignored his own DOJ’s warnings over legally flawed auto pen pardons..." – Ted Cruz (34:57)
• Substance of Pardons Misrepresented: White House claimed the pardons were only for “nonviolent drug offenses,” DOJ records show otherwise (some murderers included).
  • "You’ve got murderers on your list today. So I’m trying to figure out what the President wants here for this funky warrant." – DOJ official, cited by Cruz (38:40)
• Lack of Presidential Involvement: DOJ emails doubt whether decisions were actually made by the President, risking the legal status of the pardons.
  • "If it’s a staffer who made the decision, it is not valid and is legally void." – Ted Cruz (36:14)
• Potential Legal Fallout: Cruz urges a full legal review and possible invalidation of illegally-delegated pardons or directives.
  • "I think the possibility of a legal determination of that is rising significantly." – Cruz (41:51)

Notable Quotes

• Ted Cruz (36:14): "Only the President has the power to grant pardons... not the Sentencing Commission. Treating it otherwise would be an illegal delegation..."
• Ben Ferguson (40:33): "They knew it was a lie. Their own Department of Justice told them it was a lie. They didn’t care it was a lie."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Trump NY Judgment Breakdown: 03:09 – 15:21
• Democrat Voter Registration Decline: 15:21 – 19:24
• Interview with Senator Eric Schmitt: 24:28 – 34:55
• Biden Auto-Pen Pardons Controversy: 34:57 – 42:59

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• "This was a crushing loss for Letitia James. It was an enormous victory for President Trump and it was an enormous victory for the rule of law." – Ben Ferguson (13:46)
• Anecdote: Dr. Fauci’s deposition, demanding a mask from a court reporter in late 2022 (29:34)
• "The Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters long before they even go to the polls." – Ben Ferguson (16:46)
• "What New York is doing is the conduct of a banana republic." – Unidentified Legal Analyst (13:39)

Tone & Language

The episode maintains a combative, triumphalist conservative tone. Cruz and Ferguson, often with a sense of humor and mockery, highlight victories over liberal opponents and reinforce their stances with outside reporting and legal arguments. Guest Eric Schmitt brings a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at legal fights, echoed in the hosts’ narrative of conservative resurgence.

For listeners seeking a combative breakdown of recent major legal and political developments—with original predictions and behind-the-scenes context—this episode offers a thorough, unapologetically partisan analysis.