USAID 'aiding' only Themselves, What can the US do to Help the People of Israel & FBI Dir Confirmation Hearing Week In Review

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz: Episode Summary Release Date: February 8, 2025

In this episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson delve into three major topics: the misuse of USAID funds, U.S. support for Israel, and the confirmation hearings of FBI Director nominee Cash Patel. The hosts provide critical analysis, backed by notable quotes and discussions, offering listeners an in-depth understanding of these pressing issues.

---

1. USAID: Misuse of Funds and Government Oversight

Overview: Cruz and Ferguson begin by addressing the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse within USAID, highlighting how taxpayer dollars have been misallocated to questionable projects and even terrorist organizations. They commend Elon Musk and Dogecoin (referred to as "Doge") for exposing these malpractices.

Key Points:

• Exposure of Corruption: The revelation of USAID's misallocation of funds is attributed to whistleblowers like Elon Musk.
• Political Implications: Democrats are portrayed as resistant to cutting USAID funding due to vested interests in maintaining power through continued expenditure.
• Examples of Misuse: Ferguson cites several instances where USAID funds were reportedly misused, including:
  • $1.5 million for advancing DEI in Serbia's workplaces.
  • $2 million for sex changes in Guatemala.
  • $6 million for tourism in Egypt.
  • Funding meals that went to Al Qaeda-affiliated fighters in Syria.
  • Support for opium production in Afghanistan benefiting the Taliban.
  • $1 million for disabled climate leaders in Tajikistan.
  • $15 million for contraceptives in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson: “USAID engages in all sorts of abuse... hundreds of thousands of meals that went to Al Qaeda affiliated fighters in Syria.” [04:51]
• Ted Cruz: “They’re not upset... they just lost their power.” [03:52]

---

2. U.S. Support for Israel: Military Aid and Strategic Partnerships

Overview: The discussion shifts to U.S. aid for Israel, emphasizing that the assistance provided is strictly military, not economic. Cruz and Ferguson assert that this military support is crucial for America's national security and the preservation of its interests in the Middle East.

Key Points:

• Nature of Aid: The U.S. provides approximately $3 billion annually in military assistance to Israel, with no direct economic aid.
• Strategic Importance: Military aid to Israel is presented as beneficial for America, citing Israel's effective intelligence network and its role in combating terrorism.
• Shared Foreign Policy Goals: Both the U.S. and Israel aim to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, highlighting cooperation in military operations against threats like Hezbollah and Hamas.
• International Criminal Court (ICC) Concerns: Ferguson criticizes the ICC's indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling it as an anti-Semitic attack. He warns of potential risks to American officials if the ICC targets the U.S.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson: “We provide military assistance to Israel because it keeps America safer.” [15:10]
• Ted Cruz: “Everyone who hates Israel hates America.” [15:26]
• Ben Ferguson: “AOC Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went off on Elon Musk this week... she doesn’t know there is a box.” [06:25]

---

3. FBI Director Confirmation Hearings: Cash Patel Under Scrutiny

Overview: The final segment focuses on the confirmation hearings of Cash Patel for the position of FBI Director. Cruz and Ferguson critique the Democratic opposition and defend Patel's qualifications and integrity.

Key Points:

• Democratic Opposition: Democrats are described as aggressively opposing Patel, attempting to tarnish his reputation by linking him to the events of January 6th.
• Preparation and Strategy: Ferguson shares his experience in preparing nominees for hearings, emphasizing the importance of resilience and composure under partisan attacks.
• Patel's Performance: During the hearing, Patel calmly addressed accusations, firmly stating his role and responsibilities during the January 6th events at the Pentagon.
• Legislative Process: The hosts discuss the anticipated timeline for Patel's confirmation, predicting a successful vote despite Democratic resistance.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson: “The Democrats did not get any traction. They were foaming at the mouth.” [28:26]
• Cash Patel: “The FBI’s motto... is to protect American citizens and uphold the Constitution.” [36:48]
• Ted Cruz: “Wouldn't it be nice if the media would fact check the Democrats on the committee...” [37:03]

---

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson offer a critical lens on government spending, international alliances, and the integrity of key governmental appointments. By highlighting specific instances of misuse within USAID, defending military aid to Israel as a strategic necessity, and supporting Cash Patel's confirmation amidst partisan challenges, the hosts aim to inform and engage their audience on significant national issues.

Listeners are encouraged to access the full episode for an extended discussion on these topics and to stay informed on the developments that shape America's political landscape.

---

Note: Timestamps correspond to the provided transcript for reference.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ryan Seacrest here. When you have a busy schedule, it's important to maximize your downtime. One of the best ways to do that is by going to chumbacasino.com Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino games like spin slots, bingo and solitaire that you can play for free for a chance to redeem some serious prizes. So hop on to chumbacasino.com now and live the Chumba life. Sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law 18 terms and conditions apply.

[Leesa]

Tired of restless nights at Leesa? They know good sleep is essential for mental, physical and emotional health. From memory foam mattresses to hybrids that keep you cool all night long, Leesa's mattresses offer exceptional comfort and support with free delivery and 100 nights to try out your mattress in the comfort of your home. Go to leesa.com today and get 20% off all mattresses and two free pillows. That's leesa.com and use code iheart for an extra $50 off your purchase. Remember, no matter who you are, there's a Lisa just for you. Did you know you can now buy a Hyundai on Amazon? The same place where you order yoga mats, a toothbrush, and pretty much everything else, all from the comfort of your home. Just locate a nearby dealer, pick your color, your options, check the price, and with a few dotting of some I's and crossing of some T's, voila, Your Hyundai is ready for pickup. It's that easy. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for more details. Limited availability Pick up through a participating Hyundai dealer in select markets.

[Ted Cruz]

Welcome to this Verdict with Ted Cruz. The Weekend Review. Ben Ferguson with you. And we had some very big stories that you may have missed that we talked about this week. First up, usaid. The abuse that has been found out of our government, tax dollars, going to corrupt organizations, even to terrorists, is now all being exposed because of Elon Musk and Doge. So what have we found out? We'll give you the list in just a moment. Also, what are the needs of Israel? Well, Benjamin Netanyahu sat down with Senator Ted Cruz for about two hours talking about exactly what's happening in Israel and what they need from us. We'll break all that down for you as well. And finally, it's going to be a new day at the FBI if Cash Patel can get the votes needed this week. So what did he have to say to Senator Cruz? We have that for you. It is the Weekend Review and it starts right now. People that listen to the show and conservatives out there said, okay, let's let everybody know where your tax dollars is going. After Elon Musk and Doge, yet again blowing the whistle. They're gonna, I mean, they're, they gotta be exhausted because they're finding so much waste, fraud and abuse in our government. And a perfect example of this is USAID and some of the abuse that they found. Walk us through it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, I gotta say, Elon Musk is doing a fantastic job. He is working around the clock at Doge and really focused on reining in government spending and reining in the absolute abuse. The abuse that you would never see in a private company, but yet in government is commonplace and is a result of politicians funding their own political hobby horse, their own political pet project. And so I gotta say, one of the areas that Doge and the new White House has done is freeze funding at usaid. And Democrats in the media have been losing their minds over this, have been lighting their hair on fire. In fact, a bunch of Democrats went to the USAID offices to storm the offices this week, which was really pretty ridiculous. But they're very, very upset about it.

[Ted Cruz]

They're not upset, by the way, about the abuse of the money and the fraud at all. They're just upset that they've lost their power. Right.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, they're upset that the abuse is stopping. But you know, when reporters have asked me about it, I've said, listen, the President got a mandate from the American people and part of the mandate is to stop the out of control spending and debt. And USAID engages in all sorts of abuse. Let me give you some of the examples. USAID spent $1.5 million for advancing DEI in Serbia's workplaces. They spent $2 million for sex changes in Guatemala. They spent $6 million for tourism in Egypt. They paid for, quote, hundreds of thousands of meals that went to Al Qaeda affiliated fighters in Syria. They gave funding for the production of opium, the primary ingredient in heroin in Afghanistan, which benefited the Taliban.

[Ted Cruz]

Yeah.

[Ben Ferguson]

They spent $1 million to help disabled people in Tajikistan become, quote, climate leaders. They spent $1 million for Hamas linked charity and they spent $15 million for, for contraceptives and condoms in Taliban controlled Afghanistan. This is all nonsense. This is a waste. And there's a reason Elon Musk is going after it. There's a reason President Trump is going after it. And there's a reason Democrats in the press are horrified that this gravy train is stopping.

[Ted Cruz]

It is a gravy train and it's a very, very big one. That's costing taxpayers massive amounts of money. Elon Musk said early on that he thought there was probably like 10% waste in our government. He's now changing those numbers. I want to get your reaction. He's saying it could be well above 20%.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, there's massive waste and it is by design. Understand, it's not just that they picked things out of a hat. These are all ideological. This is, this is the agenda of the radical left. They're funding the agenda of the radical left. But it shouldn't be the taxpayers paying for this nonsense. And let me give you an example of one of the ones that I found frankly funniest. AOC Alexandria Ocasio Cortez went off on Elon Musk this week and listen to what she says. Her argument is that Elon Musk is a dummy. Give a listen.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

This dude is probably one of the most unintelligent billionaires I have ever met or seen are witnessed. Which, you know, you can probably even glean that from watching these people on tv. Anyways, all of that is to say is that they don't do their homework clearly. Like they're putting 19 year olds in at the treasury. This dude is not smart. And the danger in not in the lack of intelligence and the lack of expertise that Elon has. I mean, this guy is one of the most morally vacant but also just least knowledgeable about these systems that we really know of. But the point is, is that what that means is that they are going to hit a button. Inevitably they are going to hit a button and things can go side.

[Ted Cruz]

I mean, this is one of those moments where you actually get to watch the, you know what the sausage being made in her brain. She's making it up and pausing as she goes to try to figure out a way to hit a guy that's having massive success at saving taxpayers dollars.

[Ben Ferguson]

Look, I got to say, I laughed out loud when I, when I listened to that and watched that. Um, it should be a Saturday Night Live skit. Of course, Saturday Night Live wouldn't actually make fun of liberals, so they wouldn't show it. But listen, you can criticize Elon Musk on all sorts of fronts, but the one front you can't criticize him on is being a dummy. I've spent a ton of time with Elon. Listen, I've been blessed, Ben. I have known a lot of brilliant people. I've known Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice William Rehnquist. I have known brilliant, brilliant scientists and world leaders. And I Believe Elon Musk, this is without exaggeration, is the most brilliant man I've ever met. And I've spent a lot of time with Elon. If you think about the distribution of intelligence, you assume roughly 8 billion people on planet Earth. Intelligence is distributed along a bell curve. Someone is at the bleeding edge of that bell curve. And I think Elon Musk is that person. And I mean, I've sat with him for two, three, three and a half hours talking with him. And it's fascinating watching his brain work, because the guy, it's not even that he thinks outside the box. He doesn't know there is a box. And so listening to AOC say he's unintelligent, I gotta say, it reminded me of a scene from my favorite movie.

[Ted Cruz]

And I know where we're going with this one.

[Ben Ferguson]

And so give a listen to what AOC was saying. And she was really. She was channeling Cassini. Give a listen. You're that smart.

[Cash Patel]

Let me put it this way.

[Ben Ferguson]

Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?

[Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

Morons.

[Ted Cruz]

Really?

[Ben Ferguson]

So that's AOC Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Elon Musk, Morons. Aoc she knows what's right.

[Ted Cruz]

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.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ryan Seacrest here. When you have a busy schedule, it's important to maximize your downtime. One of the best ways to do that is by going to chumbacasino.com Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino games like spin slots, bingo and solitaire that you can play for free for a chance to redeem some serious prizes. So hop on to chumbacasino.com now and live the Chumba Life. Sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary VGW Group void where prohibited by law 18 + terms and conditions apply.

[Unknown]

On January 27, it is international Holocaust Remembrance Day. We remember the great horrors, the evil of the Holocaust. 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 website. It's supportifcj.org that's supportifcj.org or call toll free 888-488-IFCJ 888-488 ifcj Today, America is.

[Ted Cruz]

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 testosterone to the top percentile. Maximus Tribe.com's testosterone solutions are clinically proven to 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.

[Ben Ferguson]

Maximus tribe.com results may vary and outcomes aren't guaranteed. Claims may not have been reviewed by FDA and Maximus does not claim to treat or prevent disease. That's maximustribe.com this ain't the little itty.

[Bobby Bones]

Bitty teeny tiny bowl. This is Super Bowl 59. Get in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of Super Bowl L. Scoring touchdowns is key to hoisting the trophy, and you have a shot to score big by betting betting on them at DraftKings Sportsbook, the number one place to bet touchdowns. New DraftKings customers can bet $5 to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code BOBBY SPORTS. That's code BOBBY SPORTS for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings Sportsbook, the crown is yours. GAMBLING PROBLEM. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Available for problem gambling, call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill casino in Resort, Kansas. 21 plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction.

[Ben Ferguson]

Void.

[Bobby Bones]

In Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio.

[Ted Cruz]

Now on to story number two. Let's talk about the humanitarian side of this and and and the real need. What did Bibi say from that standpoint? Because there is obviously a great humanitarian Need. We're talking about all this money with Doge that we're finding that we're giving to all these people, many of them that are. It's just waste and fraud and abuse and absurd things like transgender plays in certain countries when, you know, as an American, I don't mind helping our allies in times of need. Israel is a great example of this. There is so much money, though, that's being used in such fraudulent ways that I do think there's a hesitancy now to just say, okay, what do you need? Because it seems like everyone was taking from us and abusing it. I think Israel is very different, and that's why I want to bring this up. But what are the needs?

[Ben Ferguson]

So let me say, do you know what the amount of economic aid and assistance is that we give to Israel?

[Ted Cruz]

How much?

[Ben Ferguson]

$0.00. We do not provide economic aid to. To Israel. Israel's not asking us for money to feed its citizens. Israel's not asking for money to provide housing or clothe its citizens. Israel's not asking for money for relief. The only assistance the United States provides to Israel is military aid. Each year, we provide roughly $3 billion in military assistance, but that's. We do no economic assistance. We're not paying welfare. We are providing military assistance. And do you know why we do that?

[Ted Cruz]

Why?

[Ben Ferguson]

This is something critically important to understand. We provide military assistance to Israel because it is good for America. Israel. Think about this for a second. Everyone who hates Israel hates America.

[Ted Cruz]

Bingo.

[Ben Ferguson]

And by the way, those who hate Jews hate Christians. And everyone who Israel is fighting against, they're doing so to protect Israel. Of course.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, there's a reason why it's almost simultaneous. You hear death to Israel chants and death to America chants. A lot of times they're intertwined.

[Ben Ferguson]

The Ayatollah refers to Israel as the Little Satan and America as the Great Satan. And so listen, one of the things I said to Bibi, and I've said this to him many times, I said, thank you. Thank you for killing terrorists, for taking out Hamas, for taking out Hezbollah. These are lunatics that want to murder Israelis, and they want to murder Americans. And they have. Look, October 7th was a horrific terrorist attack against Israel, but it was also a horrific terrorist attack against America. Many Americans were killed. Many Americans were taken hostage. And so we provide military aid to Israel because it keeps America safer. And it also is incredibly frugal as a monetary matter, because the benefits we get from Israeli intelligence. The Mossad is one of the most effective and potent intelligence networks. In the world. And the Mossad has incredible intelligence on Hezbollah, on Hamas, on Iran, on Al Qaeda and ISIS and all enemies of Israel, but also enemies of America. And historically, they have shared that intelligence with us. If we tried to recreate the benefits we get from Israeli intelligence and their military, it wouldn't cost us $3 billion a year, it would cost us tens of billions of dollars a year. And so we make that investment because it keeps America safe. And they spend that investment, to be very clear, on taking out the people who want to kill Americans.

[Ted Cruz]

When you look at the money and you look at what's happening and you look at the meeting today that you had and the needs that are there, I think there's a couple of just overall themes. One, Israel now knows that America does, in fact, have their back. Two, they can start sharing intelligence and talk about honest plans to protect Israel and America because they can trust this administration. And that seems to be maybe the most valuable part of this. Three, we both have a true, genuine agreement in our foreign policy that we must stop Iran from gaining that nuclear weapon. And that also means now you gotta figure out how you're gonna stop it from happening. And that could be using military prowess to do it. Which brings me to my final question to you. Donald Trump's a guy that has been very proud about saying, I haven't started any wars. I get us out of wars, and I try to end them. Would you look at this as a war or more of a just a straight up attack on a nuclear weapons site? How should Americans look at this?

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, listen, it's important to understand President Trump is right. He has not started any wars. We did not have. And in fact, he ended wars. He inherited the war with ISIS from Barack Obama. ISIS had a caliphate, had territory about the size of the state of Indiana, and Trump, within months, defeated ISIS altogether and ended that war because they were defeated and conquered the caliphate. There are some who try to say that America first foreign policy is isolationist, is just withdrawing from the world and not engaging with our enemies. That has not been the foreign policy of Donald Trump. It's worth remembering that when President Trump, in his first term, he gave the order to take out General Soleimani, the Iranian leader responsible for the murder of over 600American servicemen and women. The Iranian leader, who had played a critical part in planning, planning terrorist attacks against the United States and against Israel for years, and Soleimani, along with Nasrallah, were probably the two most important terrorist leaders on the face of the planet. And President Trump ordered General Soleimani taken out, and Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered Nasrallah taken out. And now neither one of them are able to threaten America or Israel.

[Ted Cruz]

It's incredible. I'm glad that you guys got to have this meeting. I also just am really thankful, as you described it, that now I think Israel can trust that they have a partner in the US and they're not trying to. They're not having to hide from the United States what they're trying to accomplish. And we have the same goals.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes. And by the way, another aspect of it. So look, the efforts to attack Israel, you saw them directly through terrorism through October 7th. You saw them through Hamas and Hezbollah. And to be clear, the Biden administration was responsible for a very substantial part of the funding for that October 7th attack. But you also saw it through lawfare, through using international institutions to go after Israel. And one of the most profound examples of that is the International Criminal Court, which has indicted Bibi for committing war crimes. And that decision is grotesquely false. It was an anti Semitic attack on Israel. But it is also a profound threat to America. Israel is not a party to the International Criminal Court, neither is America. And the International Criminal Court, there's a real risk of it being used to go after American officials and American soldiers. The same enemies of Israel want to use the ICC to accuse American soldiers of committing war crimes when we stand up to terrorists. And so, you know, just a few days ago in Congress, we voted on legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court. And I'll tell you, it was really sad. Every Democrat in the Senate, except one, except John Fetterman, voted no. They all voted against Israel.

[Ted Cruz]

Amazing.

[Ben Ferguson]

And to be clear, is there going.

[Ted Cruz]

To be hell to pay politically, you think, for this? I mean, the Democratic Party has become really, a lot of their leaders are just straight up anti Semitic. Is there going to be hell to pay for that at some point?

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, there hasn't been so far. And the Democrats feel that there are no consequences. Chuck Schumer was among the leaders who met with Netanyahu and was trying to give excuses for why he and all the other Democrats voted against sanctioning the ICC Today. President Trump issued sanctions as president, and they were very strong sanctions. That's one thing Bibi was very happy about, is you. He now had a president that would stand up to the International Criminal Court for going after him. Look, Bibi is not able to travel to much of Europe because they're European nations who have threatened they will arrest Bibi if he steps foot on their soil that is a profound attack on the government of Israel. Think about it that there are many European countries that he simply won't go to. Now let me ask a simple question to anyone listening. Trump sanctioned the ICC today. Why didn't Joe Biden the ICC did this under Biden's presidency. And the answer is I think the Biden administration wanted the ICC to go after Benjamin Netanyahu. And I think we're going to see facts come to light in the weeks and months ahead that show some real complicity of the Biden administration for the lawfare attacking Israel. And that really underscores the difference one election can make. And thank God we have a president now who will stand up for America and who will stand up and stand alongside Israel as before.

[Ted Cruz]

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.

[Unknown]

On January 27, it is international Holocaust Remembrance Day. We remember the great horrors, the evil of the Holocaust. 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 call toll free 888-488ifcj 888-488ifcj Today, America.

[Ted Cruz]

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 testosterone to the top 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.

[Ben Ferguson]

Maximus tribe.com results may vary and outcomes aren't guaranteed. Claims may not have been reviewed by FDA and Maximus does not claim to treat or prevent disease. That's maximus tribe.com did you know you.

[Leesa]

Can now buy a Hyundai on Amazon? The same place where you order yoga mats, a toothbrush and pretty much everything else, all from the comfort of your home. Just locate a nearby dealer, pick your color, your options, check the price, and with a few dotting of some I's and crossing of some tees, voila. Your Hyundai is ready for pickup. It's that easy. Visit Hyundai USA.com for more details. Limited availability Pick up through a participating Hyundai dealer in select markets have you.

[Unknown]

Ever wondered what it would be like to have supervision, enhanced hearing, extraordinary reflexes? To be, dare we say, superhuman? Well, Roku's new Pro Series TV can't do any of that for you, but with a 4K screen, side firing speakers and a blazing fast refresh rate, it'll sure feel like it. Elevate your entertainment using all your favorite apps like iHeart and Play all your music, radio and podcasts. With the new Roku Pro series, your senses aren't better.

[Ted Cruz]

Your TV is I want to get back to the big story number three of the week you may have missed. I want to move on to another big issue and that is confirmation hearings. Cash Patel's was was at the end of last week as well, and we are now seeing a lot of people that are getting their adios. See you later. Thanks for serving. You're out of a job in the deep state. This is another reason why we need to get Cash Patel in there quickly. Let's talk about where that is. And also you had a very interesting back and forth with him over some of the things that the left is trying to attack him on.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, the hearing. The Democrats went after Cash Patel furiously. As I said on Hannity last week, the hearing reminded me of Shakespeare's Macbeth. It was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing. The Democrats did not get any traction. They were foaming at the mouth. They were coming after him ferociously. And yet I don't think they moved a single vote. I think Cash Patel will get confirmed. Now. Every Democrat on the committee is going to vote no, and my guess is every Democrat in the Senate is going to vote no on him. But I think we will get we might get to 53, but we will at a minimum get to 50 with JD Vance breaking the tie. And I don't think the hearing moved a single vote. When my questioning Occurred, you know, the week before. I had spent a couple of hours helping Moot Cash Patel, helping get him ready. I actually got to play Sheldon Whitehouse, who's a very liberal senator, in the Moot. And I gotta say, it was fun. Just raving at him, screaming at him. I tried to insult him. I was a total jerk in the Moot, which, if you're doing a Moot.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, explain for people that don't know how this works. You get people. And I've gotten to do this a couple times, it's really fun. You get somebody ready for a confirmation hearing and, and, and many people like you just described, you play the other side. You try to get them ready for what they're going to face. And. And the setting that you do it in, was this more relaxed or was it more formal?

[Ben Ferguson]

I don't know. It was done exactly like a hearing. He was sitting at a table. We were around him, like, firing questions at him. And sometimes you do it this way, sometimes you don't. But in this instance, they gave me the role of Sheldon Whitehouse, who's one of the most partisan Democrats on the committee. I've served with Sheldon 13 years. I know him well. And so, you know, I mean, I was screaming at him. I mean, I. And my questions were wildly unfair, but you gotta get ready for wildly unfair questions. I was not trying to be nice to him in the mood, because that if you're doing that, you're not doing your job. In a mood. And I gotta say, he did. So it was interesting in the mood. A couple of times, like, Cash would try to pop back and we would stop and say, look, it's not your job to punch the Democrats in the face in this hearing. My advice, by the way, to every hearing nominee is be boring right now. Today you've got the votes to be confirmed. From the Democrats perspective, the only way they can change that is get you to say something in the hearing where you step on a landmine and blow yourself up. If you don't do that, you will be confirmed and you will go do the job the President has asked you to do. And so a good role of a hearing, you know, someone you know very well is John Ashcroft. So when I was a young baby lawyer, I was part of the team that helped prepare John Ashcroft for his confirmation hearing to be Attorney general. And I was, you know, 30 years old, a baby lawyer. But I'd been on the Bush campaign, and Ashcroft gets nominated to be ag. So I remember we're prepping him and just like with Cash Patel, we were asking horrible questions. We were asking. I mean, we were just. Just. And in the prep session, Ashcroft would get pissed, and he yell at us, and we'd say, senator, you're exactly right. That question was terrible. It was unfair, fair. It was dishonest. It was abusive. Senator, can we remind you, you have the votes right now, like, they want you to get pissed. And so I was glad he yelled at me and he yelled at the other people in the moot because that. It got it off his chest. And I still remember. You go back and watch Ashcroft's confirmation hearing, and there was one exchange, and I'm paraphrasing, it was 24 years ago. But. But he had given a speech about the Second Amendment, and he had talked about the Second Amendment that the framers had intended as a second Amendment, as a check on tyranny from. From the government. And Ted Kennedy, who was questioning him, goes, tyranny from our government, the American government. You know what? That is treason, man. I say, you're a traitor. And he, like, screams at the top of his lungs, calling Ashcroft a traitor. And at the actual hearing, Ashcroft, I don't think his heartbeat exceeded 65 beats a minute. And he very calmly said, senator, if I'm confirmed as Attorney General, I will.

[Cash Patel]

Follow the law and I will enforce the law.

[Ben Ferguson]

And it got confirmed. So Kash Patel, likewise. He got some of his yelling out at the mooters, actually, though not much. He did a good job of not losing his cool in the moot and then in the hearing. I think he did an excellent job when it came to my turn. They had been beating him up a lot on January 6th, and so I wanted to give him a chance to get out some basic facts. So give a listen to my cross examination of Cash Patel this past week on his confirmation hearing for Director of the FBI.

[Cash Patel]

You will be and have been accused of just about everything they can. But I want to focus on what several Democrats have done recently, which is trying to blame you for the violence that occurred on January 6, which even in the annals of ridiculous attacks, this one really takes the cake. So let's just focus on some facts. Let me ask you a question. What role did you occupy in the days immediately before January 6th?

[J]

Chief of Staff of the Department of Defense.

[Cash Patel]

You were the Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense?

[J]

Yes, sir.

[Cash Patel]

So, so to be clear, you were not rioting at the Capitol?

[J]

No, sir.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Cash Patel]

Where were you physically on January 6th?

[J]

In the office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon.

[Cash Patel]

And what were you doing on that day?

[J]

On that day, specifically responding to preparing to mobilize and deploy the National Guard once we got the lawful request from the local governing authority, which was the mayor of D.C. and the speaker of the House.

[Cash Patel]

Now, how many days in advance were you working to prepare the Department of Defense to help secure the Capitol on January 6?

[J]

Days in advance, Senator, we were in the Oval Office on an unrelated national security matter with the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and myself. And the President authorized up to 20,000 plus National Guardsmen and women to secure any security measures necessary related to the Capitol. So we were moving to the fullest extent of the law before the requisite request came from a local governing authority days ahead of time.

[Cash Patel]

And while you were Chief of Staff at dod, how many times did DOD approach Capitol Police and ask if they needed National Guard assistance?

[J]

I believe those letters are well documented. Numerous instances. And in numerous of those instances they were. Those requests were shut down.

[Cash Patel]

Now am I correct that the Capitol Sergeant at Arms said assistance was unnecessary?

[J]

That's correct, Senator.

[Cash Patel]

Who did the Sergeant at Arms report to?

[J]

The speaker of the House.

[Cash Patel]

That would have been Nancy Pelosi at the time, is that correct?

[J]

Yes, Senator.

[Cash Patel]

And would that also be Chuck Schumer.

[Ben Ferguson]

Then the Senate Majority Leader, The Sergeant at arms?

[J]

Yes, Senator. Reports up there.

[Cash Patel]

Did Mayor Bowser, the Democrat elected mayor in D.C. either request or allow National Guard assistance?

[J]

She put in writing on the days leading up to January 6, a declination for National Guard additional support. And that letter is available publicly to the world.

[Cash Patel]

So. So. And just to speak English for folks at home, a declination meant she said no, don't send National Guard. Is that right?

[J]

Yes, sir.

[Cash Patel]

Let me ask you a simple question, because from the questioning from my Democrat colleagues, they might think otherwise. Do you condemn violence against law enforcement?

[J]

All of it.

[Cash Patel]

And by the way, is that true whether the violence is right wing or.

[Ben Ferguson]

Left wing or anywhere else, there is.

[J]

No discriminating between types of violence against law enforcement.

[Cash Patel]

And do you believe those who assault and commit violence against law enforcement should be prosecuted and should be sent to jail?

[J]

Especially those that kill him?

[Cash Patel]

Mask. You. How many years have you worked in public service?

[J]

About 16, Senator.

[Cash Patel]

And how many years have you worked in particular in law enforcement and prosecution and national security?

[J]

Over a decade, Senator.

[Cash Patel]

You know, I have to say it is ludicrous but sadly predictable that Democrats are endeavoring to tarnish you to paint a false caricature based on innuendo and smoke. And so you're working to protect the Capitol on January 6th, and yet they're trying to blame you for the violence that occurred. Let me ask you this just as a straightforward matter. What is the job of the FBI and what will the FBI's role be if and when you are confirmed as its director?

[J]

The simple motto on the website of the FBI's homepage is to protect American citizens and uphold the Constitution. If I am confirmed as the next director of the FBI, that's what we're going to do and redirect resources and making sure that occurs every single day.

[Cash Patel]

Thank you for your willingness to do so. And this committee will hold you to account on restoring integrity at the FBI. And I thank you also for your commitment to transparency. I think that is incredibly important to bringing back integrity, and I'm grateful for it.

[Ted Cruz]

Wouldn't it be nice if the media would fact check the Democrats on the committee that were trashing him, trying to connect him to January 6th like he was an insurrectionist in their words, and just tell the story of what he was actually doing? I'm so thankful that you asked those questions.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, don't hold your breath on that. The media has their story to tell and they're not going to get let facts get in the way.

[Ted Cruz]

So, last question on this. This is a really important position, being in charge of the FBI. When are you guys going to actually get to vote on this?

[Ben Ferguson]

So we will vote on Cash Patel in a week. So this week there'll be a markup, but the way the Senate Judiciary Committee works is the minority has a right on on any vote to hold it over for a week and delay it for a week. So they will do that this week and so they'll delay that. Now, Pam Bondi will be confirmed on the floor of the Senate this week. So by the end of this week, she'll be Attorney General. Next week we'll vote on Cash Patel and Judiciary Committee and then we'll go to the Senate floor after that.

[Ted Cruz]

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.

[Unknown]

Roku has what you need to make your college home away from home feel more like your own. Make your dorm the place to Be with Roku TV or bring a Roku streaming stick to easily access all your favorite free and premium content like iHeartradio. Stream your favorite playlist with the Roku vibes, setting smart light strips to sync your music to millions of colors and make your dorm feel more like you. Make your dorm the place to be with Roku TV streaming players and smart lights. Head to roku.com or your favorite retailer to deck out your dorm.

[Leesa]

Deciding on what to listen to is hard. Using Xumo to stream music from iheart 90s radio is easy or play Iheart country or hip hop beats your choice. All for free. Stream easy with Zumo Play get live and on demand entertainment with no logins, no signups, no accounts, no hassle. This February, stay in and watch Glory starring Denzel Washington and Matthew Broderick or the rom com Breaking all the Rules with Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle Union. All streaming free on Zumo play go to play.zumo.com now. Life is hard. Zumo is easy.

[Unknown]

The following is a high five moment from high five casino.com welcome to Burger Yippee.

[Ben Ferguson]

Would you like a hot apple pie today? Yes.

[J]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. I won. Woohoo. So that's a yes on the apple pie. I just went big time playing High Five Casino on my phone. Real cash prizes, free daily rewards, over 1200 games. So yes or no on the apple pie? Whoa. I won again. I'll take that as a yes. Drive around. Have you had your High5 moment today? Download the High5 app or visit High5casino.com High5casino is a social casino. No purchase necessary point where prohibited play responsibly. Conditions apply. See website for details. High Five Casino.