VINCE Podcast, Episode 227: "Poop-TOMAC Disaster Sparks Federal Takeover"

Host: Vince Coglianese (Cumulus Podcast Network)
Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of VINCE dives into a major but underreported ecological disaster: the massive Potomac River sewage spill that recently led to a federal takeover of the crisis response. Vince Coglianese dissects the scale of the disaster, political finger-pointing, media bias, and the roles of both local and federal authorities. Alongside this, Vince provides updates on the SAVE Act legislative battle and critiques Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s record and public persona. The episode closes with analysis of a tragic shooting by a mentally ill transgender individual and reflections on media coverage. Throughout, Vince’s tone is energetic, irreverent, and combative, especially towards Democratic leadership and mainstream media narratives.

Key Topics & Segment Timestamps

• [03:10] The "Pooptomac" Disaster: Scope and Political Fallout
• [10:00] Trump's Federal Intervention & Media Silence
• [18:00] Governor Wes Moore's Response and Controversial Record
• [24:37] Wes Moore Responds to Biography Controversies (CBS Townhall Clip)
• [29:45] Pattern of Misrepresentations by Wes Moore
• [34:30] Senate Battle over the SAVE Act and GOP Dynamics
• [50:15] Redistricting, Gerrymandering, and Election Integrity in Maryland
• [58:50] Horrific Rhode Island Shooting by a Transgender Individual

Detailed Summary

The "Poop-TOMAC" Disaster: Raw Sewage Inundates the Potomac River

[03:10–10:00]

• Vince opens by describing the catastrophic spill of approximately 300 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River after a major pipeline burst on Jan 19, 2026.
• Quote: “The swamp just got a lot swampier over the last month. And we’re talking about a lot of raw sewage. It’s disgusting.” – Vince [03:45]
• E. coli levels are up to 2,000 times the safe threshold, making the river hazardous for humans and pets.
• Health and environmental agencies from DC, Maryland, and Virginia have issued warnings; EPA data is cited, highlighting the persistent danger.

News Comparisons:

• Vince draws comparisons to historic ecological disasters:
  • Exxon Valdez (1989): 10 million gallons of oil.
  • Deepwater Horizon (2010): 210 million gallons of oil.
  • Quote: “This is 300 million gallons of raw human waste. The scale of this is historic.” – Vince [09:00]

Trump, Federal Response & Media Dynamics

[10:00–18:00]

• Donald Trump, using Truth Social, calls for federal intervention and criticizes Democratic officials (D.C.'s Bowser, Virginia’s Spanberger, Maryland’s Wes Moore) for “gross mismanagement.”
• Quote: “It is long past time for somebody to do something about this.” – Trump (quoted by Vince) [10:15]
• Vince notes that FEMA involvement is being escalated and asserts that the media is “actively ignoring” the story to shield Democrats.
• Vince highlights that the EPA was actually engaged immediately after the spill (per spokesperson Kelly Offner).
• He frames the issue as a classic case of local Democratic failure requiring Republican-led federal action.

Media Blackout:

• Vince criticizes the disproportionate media attention given to other stories, like the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, compared to this "historic" spill.
• Quote: "How come we haven’t had immense coverage of a 300 million gallon spill of raw sewage into the Potomac River? ... It’s because Wes Moore is a Democrat. That's why." – Vince [16:45]

Maryland Governor Wes Moore: Silence, Deflection, and Character

[18:00–29:45]

• Vince spotlights Governor Wes Moore’s conspicuous silence; Moore had not commented on the disaster until the day prior, instead tweeting about climate change and EPA regulations.
• Moore eventually responds on X (Twitter), blaming the federal government for the spill; Vince calls this “passing the buck.”
• Quote: “Wes Moore doesn’t have time for the people who are suffering in his own state as a result of an open sewage leak… That’s who Wes Moore is. Wes Moore is a liar. He’s a fabulist.” – Vince [21:40]

Media Coverage as Political Cover:

• Vince asserts that lack of media scrutiny is due to Democratic control of all relevant jurisdictions.
• The issue, according to Vince, is emblematic of a pattern where media and Democratic officials divert, delay, and ultimately blame conservatives when crises escalate.

Wes Moore’s Biography Under Scrutiny

[24:37–34:30]

• Coglianese details investigative reporting by Andrew Kerr (Washington Free Beacon) debunking Moore’s family story of fleeing the KKK in the 1920s.
• Historic church records show Moore's great-grandfather left the US for Jamaica to fill a pastorate, not as a Klan fugitive.
• CBS Townhall Clip:
  • Norah O’Donnell: “You talk about [your family story]; the Free Beacon is casting doubt... Can you address that?” [24:37]
  • Wes Moore: “I know my family’s history. So if some blog has a question about the Klan’s history, maybe they should ask the Ku Klux Klan.” [25:42]
• Vince points to a pattern of Moore’s embellishments or fabrications about his upbringing, academic, and military record.
• Quote: “Wes Moore has this ridiculous fictional biography... and you get these media goons who just nod along enthusiastically.” – Vince [29:45]

Senate GOP Divisions Over the SAVE Act

[34:30–50:15]

• Vince updates listeners on the SAVE Act, emphasizing a pathway to passing the bill with a simple majority, no filibuster change needed—as outlined by Rep. Chip Roy.
• Quote: “You can get this passed with a simple majority. No rule changes, ladies and gentlemen. No rule changes.” – Vince [37:12]
• He outlines tactical Senate quirks—if 51 GOP senators show up, Democrats would be forced to debate nonstop; if they stop, the vote happens automatically.
• Accuses GOP leadership, particularly John Thune, of foot-dragging and planning symbolic rather than substantive votes.
• Quote: “Stop dressing up some abdication of your responsibility as something that’s good for me. ... Fight for something for once.” – Vince [45:25]

Redistricting, Election Rigging & Maryland Politics

[50:15–58:50]

• Reports on Democratic efforts in Maryland to gerrymander and potentially eliminate the state’s last Republican-held House seat (Andy Barr’s).
• Cites state Democratic leadership’s own warnings that overreaching could backfire, given Republican-appointed Maryland Supreme Court justices.
• Vince recounts prior court rulings, arguing that valid redistricting could result in GOP gaining representation if Democrats push too far.
• Quote: “Go ahead, try this fight. It could dramatically blow up in your face.” – Vince [56:22]

Transgender Shooter Incident & Mental Health Debate

[58:50–end]

• Vince analyzes a recent mass shooting in Rhode Island committed by a transgender individual, Robert Dorgan, who killed two and wounded three before taking his own life.
• Notes prior social media threats and altercations involving Dorgan.
• Includes audio from Dorgan’s daughter, who bluntly attributes her father’s actions to “mental health issues.”
• Quote: “There’s a million red flags in this guy’s life before he opened fire on his family. ... Where’s the national conversation on mental health, on transgender violence?” – Vince [62:10]
• Criticizes media outlets—particularly the New York Times—for omitting the shooter’s identity and background in headlines.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The swamp just got a lot swampier over the last month. And we’re talking about a lot of raw sewage. It’s disgusting.” – Vince [03:45]
• “This is 300 million gallons of raw human waste. The scale of this is historic.” – Vince [09:00]
• “It is long past time for somebody to do something about this.” – Donald Trump, quoted by Vince [10:15]
• “Wes Moore is a liar. He’s a fabulist… He hasn’t said a thing about the Potomac being polluted by raw sewage from his state, over 300 million gallons of it.” – Vince [21:40]
• CBS Clip:
  • “You talk about on the campaign stump that your great grandfather was run out of South Carolina in the 1920s by the KKK. The Free Beacon is casting doubt on that...” – Norah O’Donnell [24:37]
  • “I know my family’s history. So if some blog has a question about the Klan’s history, maybe they should ask the Ku Klux Klan.” – Wes Moore [25:42]
• “Stop dressing up some abdication of your responsibility as something that’s good for me. ...Fight for something for once.” – Vince [45:25]
• “Go ahead, try this fight. It could dramatically blow up in your face.” – Vince [56:22]
• “Where’s the national conversation on mental health, on transgender violence?” – Vince [62:10]
• “Two killed and shooting at high school hockey game in Rhode Island” – Vince reading NYT headline, critiquing passive, vague reporting [64:00]

Tone & Style

• Direct, Combative, Sarcastic: Vince pulls no punches, especially on the perceived failures of Democratic officials and the media “mainstream.”
• Reportorial: Willing to cite multiple news sources, original investigative reporting, and even official statements.
• Pop Culture References: Jabs at politicians (Wes Moore as “Obama-esque”), and discussion of sporting events (Olympic hockey).
• Audience Engagement: Encourages listeners to become “information warriors” and keep pressure on politicians via social media.

For Listeners Who Missed It

If you haven’t caught the show, this episode provides a thorough, opinionated breakdown of an environmental disaster with vast public health implications, while also weaving in lessons about political accountability, media narratives, and the mechanics of senate legislative battles. It’s an episode for those who want “real news” with a conservative edge, but also a window into how major crises can become tools and casualties of modern U.S. political trench warfare.

End of Summary.