Podcast Summary: "They Just Said the Quiet Part Out Loud" | VINCE Episode 213

Host: Vince Coglianese
Date: January 28, 2026
Podcast: VINCE (Cumulus Podcast Network)

Overview

In this episode, Vince Coglianese investigates breaking developments from Minnesota following the controversial death of activist Alex Preddy and the escalating political and law enforcement crisis in the state. The episode covers the evolving Trump administration response, the shifting stance of local officials, the recent incident involving Rep. Ilhan Omar, and a detailed interview with retired Green Beret Eric Schwam, who warns of insurgency tactics taking root domestically. Vince's tone is incisive, direct, and frequently sarcastic, providing listeners with both critique and analysis of current events.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Truth About Alex Preddy (05:35)

• Vince dives into new details about Alex Preddy’s activities leading up to his death in Minnesota, contradicting initial mainstream media portrayals.
  • Preddy was not just a “peaceful ICU nurse” as reported, but a routine left-wing rioter known to federal law enforcement.
  • Memorable Quote:
    "So. Wait a second, I'm sorry, pause. Wasn't it just a few days ago that we were told his only interaction with law enforcement is that he had received parking tickets?...This guy was known to federal law enforcement. He was getting into physical scuffles with them." — Vince (05:35)
• Preddy’s insurgency-links and involvement in command-and-control structures underpin his presence at the site of his death, as revealed by Signal chat leaks.
  • Suggestion that organized left-wing networks mobilized individuals like Preddy for targeted street actions.

Timestamped Segment

• [04:39] CNN audio clip: Preddy's altercation with ICE where he suffered a broken rib – presented as a humanitarian intervention by mainstream media.
• [05:35] Vince’s reaction: Critiques media for downplaying Preddy’s confrontational actions and likens him to an insurrectionist.

2. Federal Intervention & Local Power Struggles (08:10)

• President Trump personally intervened after Preddy’s death, prompting meetings with Minnesota officials Governor Tim Walz (“Tampon Tim”), Mayor Jacob Fry, and newly appointed federal officer Tom Homan.
  • Homan, characterized as "tough as frigging nails," is tasked with restoring law and order.
• Local resistance:
  • Minneapolis Mayor Fry and Gov. Walz resist full cooperation, refusing to enforce or even assist in federal immigration enforcement efforts.
  • Vince harshly criticizes Fry's and Walz's statements as “dishonest” and “cowardice.”

Notable Quotes

• “Sending in Tom Holman is not the way you give up the immigration mission. It's the way you say, I want to see this done correctly. I want to win.”
  — Vince (09:10)
• “Jacob Fry is already under investigation for obstructing federal law enforcement...Prosecute him then. Would you prosecute him, Mr. President?”
  — Vince (16:46)

Timestamped Segments

• [09:10] Analysis of Tom Homan’s appointment and approach.
• [11:30] Tom Homan’s statement about meeting with local officials: “While we don't agree on everything, these meetings were a productive starting point…”
• [13:40] Mayor Fry’s public statement: Resistance to “fear tactics” and maintaining Minneapolis’ non-cooperation stance.
• [20:10] Vince’s suggestion that the Trump administration could invoke the Insurrection Act if local resistance persists.

3. Mocking Political Theatrics: Governor Walz and JD Vance (18:32)

• Vince lampoons Gov. Walz's bravado on a left-leaning podcast after claiming he could "beat the shit out of" Vice President JD Vance.
  • Calls out Walz for backpedaling post-debate and capitulating to pressure from the political left.
  • Sarcastic proposals for a UFC-style match between Walz and Vance to “settle” their dispute.

Notable Quote

• “Tim Walls could not fight his way out of a paper bag. The idea that he's gonna kick J.D. vance's ass...I'd love to see that.” — Vince (18:32)

4. Ilhan Omar Incident: Attack or Hoax? (22:05)

• Vince recaps the incident at an Omar town hall where she was sprayed with an unknown substance.
  • Points out Omar’s counterintuitive reaction—“runs toward” the attacker, refuses medical attention, and resumes speaking.
  • Raises skepticism about the authenticity, referencing Omar’s “career defined by fraud,” including her marriage controversy and financial disclosure anomalies.
• Breaks down timeline and suspicious financial filings, noting Omar's reported net worth jumped from ~$51,000 in 2023 to nearly $30 million the following year, centering around a dubious “winery” business claim.
• Discusses the Biden DOJ’s apparent stalling of their investigation into Omar’s finances.

Notable Quotes

• “When I first watched this, I had the same reaction. Hold. Dude, that dude just sprayed you with something. You have no idea what that is...And instead she's just like, no, no. She rushes at him to try and strike him, and then she goes back to the lectern and refuses all of the good advice she's getting around her to go get this taken care of.”
  — Vince (22:48)
• “Her wealth has been skyrocketing...How do you go from being worth $50,000 one year to being worth $30 million the next year?”
  — Vince (27:15)

Timestamped Segments

• [22:05] Omar attacked at town hall; Vince analyzes the event, audience, and Omar’s reactions.
• [27:15] Deep dive into Omar's financial disclosures and suspicions of money laundering through a non-existent winery.

5. Eric Schwam Interview: "This is an Insurgency" (35:01–56:14)

Retired Green Beret Eric Schwam gives his first exclusive interview on recognizing, from a professional military perspective, the coordinated tactics of Minnesota left-wing protest networks as a domestic insurgency.

Key Points

• Schwam sees clear parallels between command-and-control structures (especially via encrypted chats like Signal) used by radical groups and classic insurgency tactics he encountered overseas.
• The speed and professionalism of activist mobilization (e.g., producing protest materials, rapidly assembling crowds) signals the presence of substantial resources, funding, and hierarchical leadership.
• Schwam stresses the necessity for law enforcement and federal authorities to recognize they are not dealing with scattered protestors but with an organized network, potentially supported by foreign adversaries and using advanced intelligence/gathering techniques.

Notable Quotes

• “A weapon is what in insurgencies can be anything which produces the effect that you're looking for.”
  — Eric Schwam (38:43)
• “You have to have an organization to deal with an organization and you have to have leadership, you have to have authorities, you got to have funding, you've got to have command and control and all of it has to be organized to go against the network that you're dealing with, wherever the network is showing up.”
  — Eric Schwam (41:25)
• “They're exploiting a seam there...I would not surprise me to find that they've got a database out there for probably, you know, maybe 50% of the policemen that they're encountering out there...That level of intel has to cut. Like again, your average person on the street doesn't know how to do this stuff; you have to have somebody, some sort of cadre in there who is teaching them.”
  — Eric Schwam (44:36)
• “Please look at Matt Larson who ran the U.S. army combatives program, and Sergeant Major Mike Vining. They're talking about moral injury right now...and as veterans, we need to take care of each other. 22 a day is just way too many.”
  — Eric Schwam (54:17)

Timestamped Segments

• [35:01] Schwam opens the interview: Explains military background and why viral tweet struck a nerve.
• [36:24] Explains typical insurgency structure and how U.S. activists’ operations mimic these protocols.
• [40:07] Emphasizes sophistication and necessity of hierarchical leadership for coordinated action.
• [44:36] Discusses activist information gathering and weaknesses in U.S. intelligence hampered by legal restrictions.
• [46:38] Raises possibility of compromised local officials, paralleling experiences in Iraq/Afghanistan.
• [51:30] Advice on counterinsurgency: Watch for network “movement” in response to pressure.
• [54:17] Final remarks on “moral injury” among veterans and need for community support.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Preddy’s Activism:
  “This dude is an insurrectionist, as has been established by a never ending public record...He lost his life as a result of it.”
  — Vince (07:12)

• On Minneapolis Leadership:
  “Fry is a cuck. So it goes. Yeah. Alpha, beta, cuck. I think that's the way it goes. Is it the Greek Alphabet? Is that it? I don't remember that. But I guess cuck is now the proper order of things.”
  — Vince (15:20)

• On Ilhan Omar's Net Worth Jump:
  “What does this look like? To me, it looks like a front to me. It looks like she put a winery on her financial disclosures to pretend that some kind of ill gotten income was actually from a legitimate business enterprise. But then when you go check it out, nobody's ever heard of the winery, nobody's ever bought it, and yet it's worth millions and millions and millions of dollars. Something's not adding up here.”
  — Vince (29:10)

Key Takeaways for Listeners

• The Alex Preddy case illustrates the deep disconnect between media narrative and actual facts on the ground, according to Vince.
• Federal-local friction in Minnesota is emblematic of the broader national dispute over immigration enforcement and public safety.
• Political posturing and performative outrage (especially from figures like Gov. Walz and Mayor Fry) are ruthlessly satirized.
• The Ilhan Omar spray incident is widely doubted as authentic and serves as a springboard for broader commentary on political fraud.
• Retired military intelligence identifies hallmarks of insurgency and professional protest organization, cautioning that law enforcement must adapt with comparable sophistication.

Useful Timestamps

• 05:35 – Vince exposes new facts about Alex Preddy’s law enforcement confrontations.
• 09:10 – Analysis of Trump administration intervention; focus on Tom Homan’s strategy.
• 13:40 – Vince unpacks Fry and Walz’s statements and the political fallout.
• 18:32 – Vince mocks Tim Walz’s braggadocio and the left’s infighting.
• 22:05 – Vince details the “attack” on Ilhan Omar and questions its authenticity.
• 27:15–32:00 – Discussion of Ilhan Omar’s financial disclosures and DOJ investigation.
• 35:01–56:14 – Eric Schwam interview: Domestic insurgency, protester coordination, intel, and what law enforcement must do next.

Closing Thoughts

Vince’s episode delivers a raw, unapologetic view of chaos in Minnesota as a microcosm of wider American unrest. His interview with Eric Schwam provides a chilling and credible analysis of professionalization among activist groups, urging authorities and the public to take the threat seriously and look to experienced military professionals for guidance. Listeners are left with a sense of urgency, skepticism toward official narratives, and cautious optimism that expertise can help restore order.