Shocking Evidence in Thwarted Attack Uncovered

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And now your host, Logan, Secular. The Secular is a Friday, phone lines are open for you at 1-800-684-3110.

Going off the air yesterday, just shortly after we went off the air, the first of the two terrorist attacks that happened yesterday.

One was completely thwarted. One sadly had a loss of life. Let's talk about those, so you have an understanding of what we're talking about. Of course, a lot of you may have heard of the potential attack. In Michigan, where a car was driven into a large synagogue, you could almost consider this to be like a mega church of a synagogue.

It had 10,000 plus members, a really big reform synagogue reaching a lot of young people. And drove in with weaponry and a school, with weaponry and explosive devices. Thankfully, and you could say that there was a very well-trained team. Security teams, not unlike what happened at Lakewood Church last year, who were able to neutralize that threat pretty quickly. That's right, Logan.

As we heard from the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer this morning, if this attack had been successful in Michigan, it would have been the likes of a Sandy Hook type situation. It was young children, very heavily armed with explosives, attacker. It would have been extremely devastating, not just for that community, but for the entire country.

The second one also happened at Old Dominion University.

This was an individual that went into specifically an ROTC classroom. And confirmed with a student there, said, "Is this one of the ROTC classes?" They said, "Yes." And then he began to open fire killing the professor who is a decorated military veteran. Lieutenant Colonel had served in multiple campaigns in Iraq, and was killed by someone whom had previously been convicted of terrorism.

Yeah, let's slow this one down. Because, look, where the other one was taken care of, and we're very thankful for that. Look, the university professors and teachers in general, we know are under a big threat right now. I taught last year, and I'll be honest, then it rarely left my mind that the security can't really be high enough. It would be the great security team, but you're talking about individual classroom.

You know the size of these schools, doors are left open, there's a lot going on to get in and out of these rooms. And a lot of times it sounds bad, but you become, you start feeling as a professor or you start feeling as even the students that you're just like a sitting duck at this moment. And what do you do in these situations? So I feel so bad for these, obviously for the teacher lost his life and for the students have to deal with this.

“But this was one of those attackers that didn't have to happen, right?”

This is some of we had apprehended, we knew the issues. They had already been working with terrorist regimes. This again is a moment of, where we have to start re-evaluating how our, I guess how our prison system works even. That's right, this individual had previously been convicted of support of ISIS wanting to carry out an ISIS attack here in the United States had purchased a rifle back in the time to carry out an attack. But when to prison was convicted in 2017 or late 2016, sentenced in 2017, the government, the Justice Department under the Trump administration at the time, was wanting 20 years.

The judge in this case, cut that almost in half, gave the individual an 11 year sentence, plus time served for being in jail during the trial. And then he was released almost two years early from that sentence. And that was December of 2024 and just over a year later, that individual carried out what they had wanted to do all along. This was a person who, it was killed by another student actually an ROTC student. So I'll just show his, thankful for we have some training there as well.

We get, we have packed show. Jordan's here also, we have a lot of guests. You're going to want to stay tuned. Don't go anywhere.

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One in Michigan, of course, that was the one that was going to be at a, I guess I wouldn't be considered a mega church version of a set of God with a large school.

It's about this area. I mean, this is a very, very nice area. It's about 25 miles from Detroit.

“It's where most like auto executives live.”

It's it's beautiful area in bluefield hills township and this was in West bluefield. A quarter of the population there's Jewish. So it out of the 65,000 people live in this very nice community. Right.

I mean, they're very much a part of the community.

So to be so, again, probably felt relatively safe because they've been in this community for so long. They've had security that they've needed. And still, this was right on the edge of a mass, a massacre because you had a preschool, so very young children, 150. So it's a big preschool. I like you said, this is on the size of like a very large synagogue. And the work that they do with the education to it.

“And I just want to say this, I think that one of the issues.”

It's not just the fact that we're in a conflict with Iran. I think that that's part of it. But I think when the rhetoric from the left, the rhetoric from the Candace Owens Tucker Carlson right, and then the targeted work that Islamic radical groups and Iran do online to reach people, you have three different avenues to try and convert people into carrying out attacks to kill Jews and to kill Americans.

So you have the leftist version, they target them out, we're on the left. You have the right wing version, and then you've got the religious version. So that is a dangerous combination because you're talking about kind of the most radicalized people in every kind of political side in the United States, but also religiously.

So they don't care who cares about these attacks ultimately.

It's a liberal leftist, a right winger, or a devoted Muslim who is radicalized. They don't care so long as Jews and Americans die.

“Well, in Jordan, I think to that point, what we saw yesterday was horrific.”

We are thankful one that the security at that synagogue was able to neutralize that threat quickly, tragically at Old Dominion University, which the high school I went to was right down the street, like blocks from ODU have many friends that attended university there. But the fact that they were even able to minimize what could have been much, much worse as a classroom. It was open fire upon those heroic ROTC members at ODU that were able to take down.

And tragically their professor was killed, but they minimize what could have been much, much worse. When you talk about that, we see that from both these, all the accounts point two. One, the one at ODU had already been convicted of supporting ISIS. So we know that ideology there, radical Islam. The individual in Michigan, the media's already trying to put out almost a me, a copa for the person that he had family that died in air strikes in Lebanon.

And he's a naturalized individual from Lebanon. And so he was taking out his anger on a synagogue, once again, that is that twisted mentality. But at the same time, when you have on the same day that this happened, this is what Candice Owens put up about the air strike on that hit that school in Iran. She responded to something that the Tucker Carlson network had put up by saying this, it was not a mistake.

Israel is required to mass murder children because they worship bail. Trump does as he is instructed by Jared Kushner and BB Netanyahu. When you have that on the same day that an attack on an American mosque, I'm sorry, an American synagogue, whatever it is. No matter the religion, there should not be an attack on a house of worship. But on that same day that she puts that up, this happens.

The Iranians that have been so good at their propaganda on places like X, they are celebrating that now. The American conservative right has voices like this doing their hard work for them. It's a lot easier for a conservative who is who listens to Candice Owens and likes what she has to say to accept a statement like that. Then it would be if it was coming from the new eye at all who may not be even awake or alive. But when it comes from her, it's a very different kind of message because it's a fellow American.

It's someone they trust, they listen to every day, they feel like they have this personal relationship with. And then when you say that a group of people, Jews are required to just kill children because they worship Baal. I mean, this is this again, it's blood liable, the worst of the worst blood liable that was out in Europe and not during the Nazis.

I mean, this goes back to really a lot of the thousands of years. Thousands of years. When you've seen the beginning of any kind of persecution of Jews, it started with that kind of blood liable as they killed children. They treat their blood. That is literally what she's now posting on X is something that is totally normal.

They can't say that as a military, that they were, by the way, conducted with the US that they had made a mistake. Or that, you know, it's part of the fog of war. When you go in with this much fire powers, they're going to be casualties of citizens that are non-combatants.

“But overall, do you see the Iranian people rejecting what we're doing?”

Do you see Iranian people in America rejecting what's going on right now? No.

They understand that there will have to be loss of life, unfortunately, to see a change in leadership in Iran that ultimately the people there will have to bring about.

Yeah. When you have a moment where you have a DHS that's also not being funded. It gets very concerning. Well, and I went to see Madness Yahoo last week. I know, probably the most known Jewish artist musician.

And the man, we were, look, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that we didn't have a question of whether we should go. Eventually we decided to go, I'm wearing a shirt now. Honestly, someone out of support, and we're fans. So we decided to go. The Madness Security, this is a national tendency.

The Madness Security, they put extra security, did make me feel better.

But it was so sad that it had to happen that you knew that.

We were in New York City, my wife and I over the last couple days. We went to places that are predominantly known where Jewish people are, different famous restaurants, different areas of the city. Where there are a lot of Jewish people who are very publicly Jewish, if you will, as Jeff Balabad would say. You know, wearing, you know, these are Orthodox Jews or these are even mainstream Jews that were, you know, because if you see them around town, big groups of areas. And I'm not going to lie to you and say that in the current situation, that though it felt good to be to see them all out and to be around.

“Jewish people, that there wasn't in the back of your head thinking about, well, are we just asking for it at this point?”

That's not where we should be in America. Certainly not where we should be in Nashville, Tennessee or in New York City. Where areas where, you know, we're one here in Nashville, you know, it's obviously a multicultural city. But a city that has, you know, I would say the birthplace of American Zionism. A lot of it happened right here in Nashville, Tennessee because of a little man.

You may know of named Johnny Cash who really brought Christianity and the support of Israel together in the 70s.

And then you have an area like New York City where there are the most Jewish people outside of Israel living. And I'm just having to walk around being concerned about the safety of my family and the safety of all these people around me. Just because I'm eating at a Jewish delicatessen or I am walking through a district that is primarily a Jewish people or an area Jewish people. It is a really bizarre world to be living it right now. And I don't know if you fully can grasp it if you aren't visiting these areas.

And the, the shocking part is it's not unwarranted. This is not an unwarranted fear. Two attacks happened yesterday for this reason. Okay, a bomb was put was nearly put off from an ISIS-inspired kids teenagers while we were there. It just didn't go off because they failed to put it together correctly.

Right. They had all the components. Yeah, no, I mean, it's not like this was a dummy. This is just thank God you had a great in YPD and a great moment of failure that this would happen. These are not unwarranted concerns.

And then you have the DHS defunded. You have the Department of Homeland Security not able to operate. Well, and I want to play this real quick. This is from Chris Hayes and Katie Turr on MSNow. And they're talking about the Department of Homeland Security being defunded.

We spent a lot of time on yesterday and the Democrats in the Senate once again blocked a test vote from moving forward. Let's go ahead and play bite seven on their take on the DHS.

“I think if you think about, you know, the nature of focus is that it can only be in one place.”

That's definitely our focus works. If you look at the Department of Homeland Security as an entity and to a certain extent of the Department of Justice, right? Bernal Williams Security was created in the aftermath of 9/11 quite famously as a response to what was perceived as the failures that led to 9/11. There is no way that anyone plausibly could say that it has the focus on stopping terrorist attacks. Its focus is on immigration and mass deportation.

That's not even a controversial statement. Well, that's going to link that with stopping terrorism. Yes, but descriptively it is the case. That what that agency has turned itself to do is to do that. That is the most ridiculous commentary I've ever heard in my life.

Because one, the immigration and customs enforcement, yeah, their focus is on just that. That's definitely the umbrella of Department of Homeland Security. That's one division. They've got thousands of staff that then could focus on a terror working with the FBI working with the Department of Justice and all that combined.

So you can't win with the left on MS now.

It just doesn't work.

“They're going to hit you every way and they do it in a really dumb way because he knows that ISIS just a component of DHS.”

Jake Tapper had a pretty good statement. I wonder if I could find it and play it for the next segment. We actually said it's time for the right and the left to both fully come out there, it's time to just say we are done with kind of going around the issue here. Condemned, what is happening right now? We have to do it.

And I was coming from CNN. Maybe it's coming from a new CNN. Yeah.

They say it's what he said.

1-800-6-8-4-31-10. We got some special guests coming up the back half. Well, let's know about them. We get right back. Welcome back to secular.

“We're only going to be able to take your calls really in this segment and possibly in the next.”

So give us a call at 1-800-6-8-4-31-10. Again, I want to actually give you a little bit of preview. What's coming up in the back half hour? We're going to keep talking about obviously the terror attacks and some of the new information that just come out of course. The motivations are now clear.

And the clip I want to play with you from Jake Tapper is kind of before he had the information we didn't know the background of the people. And that's one of the topics of conversation we've had here, which is. You used to be able to jump to a conclusion in some ways. Whether you feel like that's the right thing to do with the wrong thing to do. If there was a terror attack on a Jewish community center,

sadly you could probably start to picture what that looked like. That is changed. That is right. And we will have that momentarily and we can get into that a little bit more. But also, I do want to quickly bring up because we are in our seven days of global impact.

Something that the ACLJ is doing today to fight back against a lot of the rhetoric that is awful. That you're seeing around the world. And some of that, as we have known for decades, begins at the UN. And right now, the UN special repertoire for the occupied Palestinian territories is what her official title is. It was put on a sanctions list.

Many people were connected with their work at the ICC targeting using law fair against Israel. And at the beginning of this administration, President Trump put these people through executive order and through the State Department on sanctioned entities lists. The special repertoire is using her daughter to sue the government to get these sanctions removed saying it creates a hardship on their family.

Basically, my mom is doing something awful, but it's really hard on us.

It'd be like trying to petition the court to have a criminal parent out of jail because they can't work and make money for the family. In this is something that this individual posted in the aftermath of October 7th. And I want everyone to see this. This is one of the reasons why this individual was sanctioned. This is a tweet that was put on X by this individual.

And it was in response to a statement that was published in a French newspaper about Emmanuel Macron saying that this was the biggest anti-Semitic massacre of our century talking about October 7th. Pretty non-controversial factual statement. Her response to this article, the quote, "biggest anti-Semitic massacre of our century?" No, Mr. Macron, the victims of October 7th were not killed because of their Judaism, but in reaction to Israel's oppression. France and the international community did nothing to prevent it by respects to the victims.

Trying to say and completely rewrite history of what happened on October 7th, who was targeted and why? And who is this? And this is the UN Special Rappator for the Palestinian Occupied Territories. She has been sanctioned by the Trump administration. She is suing through her daughter to get those sanctions removed. We are filing a very important brief today in support of the government's position. That the president and the Department of State can use these tools in their toolbox without someone going to court and getting it overturned.

There is a reason that this type of rhetoric is being sanctioned. And her work and warfare against Israel, our ally, is being sanctioned and should continue to be in Jordan. We are filing an important brief today to ensure that that stands.

“You know, and I think this is so key folks that we are engaged in this battle because this is part of the war, the rhetoric.”

We talked about the rhetoric in the last segment. When you have rhetoric like that at the UN, you're spreading that out to the world. As if it's okay to say, no, this is nothing to do with the other being Jews and justifying the attack. This is a UN employee who is supposed to specialize on reporting on human rights. How about the human rights violations carried out by Hamas on a daily basis?

But instead justifying this attack by saying they were attacking Israel because they are the oppressors and occupiers.

“They happen to be Jews. And so again, when you use this rhetoric like I'm saying, she's talking to the radical Islamic community.”

And then you take the rhetoric of the Kandisoans and Tucker Carlson stuff that you read that they're putting out on the same days these attacks are occurring. And then you take a rhetoric on just the left in America, the AOCs of the world. And this anti-Israel Hayden throw in Ilhan Omar in the squad. You go from elected Democrats to influential Republicans, at least they are big voices on the conservative far right now. And then you've got the UN. I mean, that is a dangerous combination, Logan, of rhetoric that turns into violence.

Yeah, and it's happening. It's happening in real time. This is not something that is theoretical. This is not a threat anymore. This is actual violence that is happening in the streets of America. Around the world. Sadly, we may become a little immune to it because we know there has been these sort of attacks throughout Europe and throughout the Middle East. But now it's here. And it's been here for the last few years, but it feels like it's been ramping up a lot more over the last few months again as the conservative side, the right wing has decided to embrace this kind of hate as well.

So much so, I'm about to play a clip from Jake Tapper. And again, this was as things were unfolding yesterday, so I don't want it to seem like he's talking about. He's unclear who, or what the, or what the shooters motives were. This was when it was happening in real time. And you can tell in his voice. And this again, it's from seeing it.

We just played GMS and we see MSM and MSM is now. They're never going to be on that side, probably. They're never going to be this honest.

But at least you have some people who are willing to say these things. And I got to give it up to Jake Tapper for this. You don't hear us say that a lot. Here's Jake Tapper on CNN yesterday. We're seeing the real life consequences to the elevation and platforming and legitimizing of anti-Semitic voices. To be crystal clear, we do not know the motivations of the attacker. This would be mass murderer of Jews. We don't know their political views.

But the overturn window, the measure of acceptable discourse, has opened to some of the most hateful anti-Semitic voices out there on the left and the right. And he goes on from there. We're only able to pull that clip. He goes on from there to go even more into how we have seen now the expansion of it. He even said, kind of more started with the left wing. But now we have seen it not just creep into the right. We have seen it take a loud voice in the right. And again, they will say it's just Israel.

It's not the Jewish people, but we know that's not true. You know why? Because you see what they post. You see the way they talk. Because they've combined it, and all of a sudden you have a threat to where you were concerned to go outside.

“And I think it's important here as well, because a lot of conservative outlets have shared this clip and are taking the wrong message from it.”

They're trying to say, he says, we don't know the motivations of the attacker at this point. And then correct, like, add sense as we don't know his political ideology. We know this would have been the plan with mass murder of Jews. In a lot of people in the right have used that to to pounce and say, look, Jake Tapper is trying to cover up. We know the motivation. And now we also know who the individual was. At the time, when that was being reported, as it was ongoing, 100% I agree with Jake Tapper.

Because the problem is now, the voices are so loud on the right that are saying some of the most despicable things.

Like, can a so insane that it was not an accident hitting a girl's school in Iran saying it is required of Israel to sacrifice children. Those are the voices on the right. So Jake Tapper, I'm glad you're calling it all out when you don't know at that point. Because at that point, we were watching it, and I was concerned that it may be someone that is listening to those voices as well. And as you look at it, when it's a radical islam attack, you go, well, it's sort of in the doctorate of radical islam. So you would not be supportive of Americans or Jews.

When it's the right, it's almost more extreme because it's this like completely made up conspiracy theory. And we have second half hour coming up. This could be very different second half hour. Jordan's got a guess coming on. I've got a guess coming on. I guess you may remember with stuck in space for almost a full year, but which will more, he's going to be joining us in the last segment of the show.

“And then my brother, Jordan, you've got a segment coming up to you got ten sections to say, Tees who it is?”

Yes, it is the attorney general candidate Oklahoma John Ecclesby. He's also going to update us on who's going to fill that city to see that Mark Wade Mullen is going to be the part.

The second half hour coming up, aclj.org if you don't get it on your station.

Keep in you informed and engage now more than ever. This is secular. And now you're host Logan secular. Welcome back to secular second half hour. We got a packed second of our two guests are coming up and we are able to take some calls in this segment.

Let's go to Scott and South Carolina to go ahead Scott.

Hey guys, I just wanted to point out the campus shooting. When are they going to use or how many of these have to take place before they modify not get rid of but modify the gun free school zone laws. Because we all know that criminals don't follow laws. Scott, it brings up an interesting question because you could arm at the school because like a security, a student RTC member. I don't know how the person was killed used to weapon. You can use their weapon against them.

And they had of course you do have security that is typically involved on campus. Now I have to say again that someone who has taught you feel very vulnerable in those moments. These are huge places. They're hard to secure whether you're talking about a large synagogue or a large private school. It's certainly when you don't even know who the students are. So especially at a university.

“So I think the question is on schools campuses using taxpayer resources.”

We all pay taxes in each of our states in some way or form. Whether you have an income tax or not, you pay tax otherwise. So should more of that money be diverted each year to getting more arm security on campus it's trained.

Yes, and that second question is should there be teachers who have law enforcement backgrounds potentially military backgrounds who should be trained?

And can have like in their room in a very safe way a weapon if necessary. That's a bit more difficult to bait because a lot of the teachers then have to take on a serious amount of liability because they've got to then be making life for death questions about who they're firing at. And so you can understand why I think the best route to go is we know it's a serious problem. We have to use taxpayer resources. And if we have to divert some of those to make sure kids are safe at school and people are safe at places of worship in America.

If they are then we're not the America we're supposed to be. Well, and as well as we have a lot of smart people in this country that can figure out security issues.

And and once again, those individuals, those ROTC members that were brave enough to encounter go after the perpetrator the terrorist that had just shot their professor.

He was armed with a rifle and they were not. They one individual had a knife on them and was able to neutralize this terrorist pretty brutal that is one. Some of the most brave souls in America were in that ROTC room and I think that they should be proclaimed as the heroes they are that they were able to put aside their own fear and charge after a terrorist that was armed and had just murdered their professor. They were able to neutralize that in save so many lives that that attack could have continued.

“I think one of the big pushes this week we want to do is a seven days of global impact.”

You know, our work around the world. You've done understand that work around the world isn't now. You know, when I talk about outside of our country, that work around the world is not having direct impact on what's going on within the country that we have to be. Outside of the United States to hopefully protect and to support our values around the world because this is what happens. Yes, and I mean, we have that work on going up and on the phone with our team in Europe because this is obviously an issue that they've been facing almost not because of the growing radical communities in their own country.

And the population growth has been really intense in Western Europe specifically. And then you go into Central Europe and they've done the opposite approach and you go to places like Hungary and you feel like it's a lot safer on the ground because you haven't had complete takeover of areas where, you know, Sharia law is being practiced in areas just out around London and in the UK. Is that they've probably got a lot of more work than we have to do, but they're much smaller countries.

“So the United States, we've got to double down on our security and I think we have to start having the conversation again and it's not Islamophobic about radical Islam and how the attacks are not again military based.”

But attacks on civilians, they are terrorists, it's terrorism. And we are now going to have to have that conversation with a new generation of Americans. The part of it right now at aclj.org again, we have a packed next part of the show. Don't miss it. Be a part of the chat even though on YouTube, on a Rubble, it's a great way to interact during these segments. I want to hear what your thoughts are coming right up.

Welcome back to Secular. You do a very special guest today, a couple of special guests. You want to stay tuned for this segment in the next segment. It's jam packed, next segment we're going to be joined by Bush Wilmore, who was stuck in space.

But Jordan, we got a special guest for you. We do a great friend of ours, John Eccles from Oklahoma, who is an AG candidate there and I will tell people in my personal capacity. I've endorsed John and made that clear online through my social media accounts. But I wanted to have him on to talk about a couple of things. One and update on his race.

But to start off first with that vacancy that is coming about in the Oklahoma and the US Senate. And John, because Mark Wade Mullin has been tapped by President Trump to take over DHS. There is a vacancy and it's an interesting fill. And I want you to kind of fill people in because this discussion's gone back and forth. Because whoever takes this seat, John, they get to serve for about eight months.

And they're going to have some critical votes to take.

So who's chosen is very key.

“But they also sign a pledge to the state legislature that you were a key part of that says they are not going.”

They don't run against. So it then it opens the field back up for to have a normal primary and race for that Senate seat. So tell people about where that stands right now because it's so important as the Senate is so closely divided. Absolutely, I'm happy to do it. Thanks for having me on.

Thank you for supporting him. It's fun to talk on Southwest Oklahoma getting off campaign trail to talk to people on the ACLJ radio. Here's what's going to happen. So Senator Mark Wayne Mullin has been appointed the director of Homeland Security. Senator Mullin is a close Trump ally.

In the state of Oklahoma, well, I was floor leader. We passed a bill that said whoever is appointed by the governor has to swear and oath with the Secretary of State that they won't run again. Well, I get asked why didn't you just say they can't run again. Well, unfortunately, our US Supreme Court has said something like that would be unconstitutional.

“So they'll serve for the next eight months.”

And there's some critical votes that are coming up specifically to say that.

I mean, whoever is in needs to be pushing that hard voter ID makes all the sense of the world. Oklahoma has it the rest of the country should have it. And there are some big names that are popping up to potentially take that position. And we'll see who the governor picks. I mean, we talk about those names.

Again, these are folks who would not be the long term candidates. But, but it gets short term replacements. Where do you think that stands right now? People've heard a lot about the close Trump ally Harold Ham, who's an oil and gas billionaire. He was very involved in as an outside advisor to President Trump on those kind of issues.

His name has been in the news a lot this week, but there are others. There are others. Harold Ham is an incredible American and an incredible Oklahoma. He owns continental resources. He has an incredibly close ally of President Trump and is got to be towards the top of the list.

And would make an excellent senator. Governor Kevin Steader points, Dustin Hillary, who is a very, very close-stit ally. Really big in southwest Oklahoma. Their family owns a telecommunications company. And then there are other people like say that dark horse candidates David Ostro, who is a close ally of Kevin Stead.

Good friend of mine. And then Nathan Dahm, former state senator, chair of the Republican Party. His name has been floated out there. Those are probably the big four right now that with Harold Ham and Dustin Hillary kind of one A and one B. But whoever it is, it needs to be somebody who is a close-Trump ally who is not afraid to take on the swamp.

And to make the really hard votes in a very close Senate. And can raise money to help us keep the majority in these next mid-terms. And that's critical. The reason we passed the bill and the crowd, we did it the way we did it, is so the citizens get to choose their long-term senator. They get to decide who it's going to be.

And I will point out, it's up anyway. So filing for that next six-year term, that happens in April 1st. Congressman Kevin Hurn, close ally, Trump ally, member of the Conservative Party. Member of the Conservative caucus in the House from the Tulsa area. He is already announced, probably viewed as the front runner.

And there's rumors that Governor Kevin's did. Manned up, running for that United States Senate seat. So we'll see. There's a lot happening in Oklahoma right now. John, I didn't want to go back to that law that you mentioned that was passed while you were in the state legislature.

“And I think it's interesting because many people hear that.”

And they're like, I've never heard of a state where the governor appoints the senator.

And then that senator doesn't go on to run. But I think it's a interesting contrast. When we look back at the 2024 election cycle where the Democrats decided they didn't want people to vote for their candidate. When Joe Biden stepped aside, the party chose the next person who is running for president. And did not allow the people that support their party to pick.

Here, you're seeing in living color the way that it can be done that a yes, the governor will pick the successor as is stipulated by the Constitution.

So was that kind of the reason behind that?

“And did you even know that you would have something so contrasting on the other side?”

Well, this is actually the second time that it's happened.

I mean, Senator Jen Altman, Jim and Hoff was the first time. And it's exactly why we did that. You know, one of the things I talked about my campaign, I wasn't politically connected. I mean, I'm third generation from poverty. My parents drew up dirt, dirt, poor in southwest Oklahoma city, which was the poor part of the city.

I believe government power is for the people. And it belongs to the people. Unlike, for example, the Democratic party who knew they had bad candidates and wouldn't let anyone vote on common. Harris just forced forced or down our throat. And we saw what happened there.

So the thought process was, I don't like kings and I don't like kingmakers. What that seat belongs to the citizens of the state of Oklahoma to go do what's best for the entire country. So we came up with this very creative solution. Because we were bound. We cannot say, I wish we could have just said, you're appointed.

You can't run. You're only beholden to the people. Not to not to political special interests, but we can't do that.

So we came up with this very creative solution with an oath of second file with the Secretary of State.

The idea to state like Oklahoma. I mean, we are good. God fearing people. You break your oath that quickly. You're not going to get elected.

I mean, you don't have that ability. And that's why we did it. And it is a contrast to what the national Democrat party did and what's so wrong with the Democrat party. And what we're doing right here in the state of Oklahoma. And I've got you all on it definitely want to ask about your race as well.

And the primary there for attorney general in Oklahoma. The primary election a date is June 16th. So it's coming up quicker and quicker as we pass forward each month. And we're already almost into spring. Some of us are getting into that spring break time period.

Which is kind of wild to think about. And a couple of major things that have happened in your campaign since you've announced. And one is that you've got that you received the highest award from the NRA. The NRA freedom award. Tell people about that.

I was so honored to receive it. I just received the defender of freedom award for my rights. For my work fighting for the first, for the second amendment. I mean, as you know, all of the things I've done with the ACLJ fighting for our religious freedoms. I mean, I'm a proven conservative fighter.

And it was so honored for a kid that didn't come from a political background that was just a father and a father and a husband.

“And I believe very Christ to get involved in this to get the defender freedom award, the highest award they give.”

And we've also been announced. Jordan since I've been on. We've picked up our 57th Sheriff endorsement out of 77, which is just overwhelming law enforcement support. And that's the conservative record that we bring. And I'm going around the state talking about their different types of lawyers.

And if you want an ACLJ, a defender of religious freedom, a justice Scalia type, then I'm your guy. And that message is resonating. We're winning in the polls. But but if you're watching for vocal home, we need your vote.

That's the scary part. I mean, we need to make sure people go up the polls. Don't take it for granted.

Yeah, and John, I mean, what they I want to always remind people that if they're saying,

"Why do you have this one candidate on?" So regularly, you are you are been our kind of main local council in Oklahoma. For many years, the issues of pro-life issues, issues of speech and religious liberty. You've been our go to never, never took a dime for that work that you did. Even though you could have.

And so really you've been a part of the ACLJ legal team working with our team of lawyers for a very long time. And so we've already have that relationship. And then on top of that, getting into that position like attorney general. We've got one of those right now in West Virginia that we're able to work with. I'll tell you when you have those personal relationships.

You can get so much done both for the state and for the country nationally. And that is why we keep having John on for these updates again. The primary in June. So the people who want to maybe find out more about your campaign and support you. John, where can they go?

They can go to www.Johnackels.J-o-n-e-c-h-o-l-s.com. You can check us out on Facebook. You can check us out on Instagram. I'm not on Instagram, but that's where my kids are. And I appreciate you saying that Jordan, it's been an honor.

I mean, we've been fighting for long before I was ever elected. Fighting with the ACLJ on the abortion issue. I was able to outlaw surgical abortions in Oklahoma. We fought for president Trump.

“And I did never take a dime because I believe in what you're doing.”

And that was my way of giving back. And when I win this race, we're going to work together. And when I'm out of politics, we're going to work together. I believe in the mission of the ACLJ. I believe in what they do.

So check us out on our website, Johnackels.com. And we need your prayers. Number one, and we need your vote.

Thank you, John. Thank you, John, for joining us.

“Hey, and the next segment you're not going to want to mess this.”

Do you remember? Much will more. The astronaut stuck in space. He's got a new book out. But you're not going to believe the conversation we had.

And this is just the small snippet of our full conversation, which I had with him. It's going to be on the CC magazine YouTube channel a little bit later today. Do not go anywhere. Just trust me.

You're going to want to see this. Which will more? The man stuck in space on secular coming right up. We have a lot of different random celebrities and things that come through this studio space.

I've never seen more interest.

I mean this genuinely. I said that you were coming in because we're you aware even of how big of a story that this had become. Aware in that I knew my brother, family, keep you informed. But there was occasionally I could get short clips and get connection with local television

and national TV. And I was head a little break from the work day. And I floated over and I turned on Fox News and it turned out to be outnumbered. I think was the show. And then all of a sudden my picture was there.

And they were talking about me. That's kind of unique. That's kind of a first. Was there a moment? This is just a kind of kick us off maybe a little more light-hearted where.

I imagine as an astronaut someone that's been training your whole life and you've already been to space but you've already done this before. But go, oh, I may be here a little bit longer. This is kind of cool. I have to spend a little bit more time experiencing what I've before you knew it was going

to be 10 months gone. Oh, if it's an extra week, or are you already aware of if this doesn't happen? We're here for it.

“Yeah, the only way to answer that question is go back to six as June when we're out in front of this”

base station attempting to rendezvous and to make it as short as I can. Take your time. Yeah, so we're losing thrusters. We actually lost the ability to fully control the spacecraft. Though we were able to maintain.

I was able to maintain control but losing six degree of freedom control.

That's really never happened in that flight regime ever in the history of human space flight.

And so in that situation, not knowing what the future held, I knew that we had the dock. Just the controllability of the spacecraft in my hands, it was very difficult to maintain that and to think about controlling it during a de-orbit burn if we weren't able to dock. I thought that might not be something that we were capable of doing.

It was not easy to control anyway, so in that moment we must dock. If we don't dock, I'm not sure we can make it back to Earth. And the third thing I thought, even then, if we do dock, I don't see us coming back home on the spacecraft. So it wasn't like it got longer and I realized more and realized more.

I knew it from the very beginning because I understand the business. You can't go out on a spacewalk and inspect the thrusters and see what the problem is. The only way you can do is to testing on the ground with similar thrusters and how much we're how robust as you're testing, how much time do we have, and all that goes through your mind. And just realizing how difficult it is, I knew early.

I knew before we docked that we probably wouldn't come back on the spacecraft. Yeah, you bring out the visibility side of it, obviously. I guess that this becomes nationwide story. You pretty quickly start talking about your faith. Pretty openly in the conversations that are ahead,

whether those, like I said, press conferences or anything that we need to be talked about. Whenever whatever you would take the mic, it felt like it would go somewhere about your faith. Did you feel like that was necessary? Do you feel like you were given that opportunity or was that a prayer yourself? I appreciate you asking that.

The very first time was a reporter that asked me a question.

And I gave an answer, very, very short about what the faith. I don't use my position to cross a light.

“I don't think that's what I don't think the Lord had me do that.”

Unless I get asked to write questions. Then about halfway through, another reporter, we're just looking at a camera. We don't see anybody, but there's people across the nation reporters. And he asked the question, he says, Captain Wilmore, "What is your number one biggest takeaway from all this?"

I don't know what I'm like. When you can't separate, it's not my faith. It's the Lord within us, right? He gives us the faith. I can't separate that from who I am.

You know, the Lord is working out his plan and his purposes. For his glory and our good, I know that. And the word is very clear. I believe the word is true. And therefore, I am content.

It doesn't mean that you don't have to deal with the situation. But in it, I'm content because the Lord is running the show. And I know that. And that, the Lord laying that question on that reporter's heart is really what started. They say, "What in me?"

Lord laid on his heart. And we had a press conference. I had questions along those lines. So I didn't come out planning to do that, as I said, but the Lord orchestrated it where,

because you can't separate who you are from what you do. And that kind of opens up even a bigger question, because in your line of work and dealing with space and dealing with science, and everything goes into it.

and how they meet or how they don't meet.

I've read countless interviews and conversations with people who are involved in that whole world. Some of them come out with an experience of going to space and feeling connected. Some go out of the space and feel like I'm in a void of nothingness.

“And that there is no point to why we're here and maybe that's what they've learned.”

How did you reconcile sort of science and your faith? Because again, in some worlds, now it may be just the way it's perceived. Sometimes those two things don't meet. Obviously as a Christian and as a space fan,

as someone who's followed these stories, even to the Apollo 8 reading the Genesis story. All of those things, I've followed these careers, but I have seen some of that as well. They're going to space the crisis of faith.

Let me ask you a couple questions.

Knowing your background, I'm like, I know your answers. Is the Bible Lord a God? Yes. I believe so. Do you believe the creation count of Genesis?

Yes, I do. So God created everything. You know, John the Baptist in John 3, 27, he said, a man cannot receive even one thing unless it comes to him from heaven. So God is created, giving all things.

So this is a lie of Satan that science and faith don't mix. God is the creator of everything, including science, and to say that the creator of science and the faith don't go together is just a lie.

“And honestly, that's sad, but that is the reality.”

And we just got to be boldly say, hey, God created it. He's opened up knowledge to us as we go forward. We can see that just as he said, he said it in Daniel and other places. And we praise him for it. He gets the glory for all of this knowledge that we understand.

And it's just another lie of Satan saying, "Oh, those things don't mix." Well, the creator of it and the faith that he gives us, obviously they do mix. Yeah.

Did you realize it in that moment that these stories all would kind of weave together? Or was that something you got back and you're like, "Wow, this is the journey we've lived." Because you were tired fairly, fairly quickly after getting back, right? You feel like that was it.

You hear was enough in 10 new months? I think we've had our fill. Let me give you a couple of paragraphs of why the book is here. I started writing chapters before this mission ever happened. My wife and I had our daughters, Darren and Logan.

We were in our 40s. We lived a life and I was going to write a little bit of a memoir for them. To have about their dad, their mom, our lives together, but you know before they were here. I wrote the book for my daughters.

We published it because let me ask you another couple of questions. Do you deal with life day in and day out? Of course.

“Do you focus on the end of your life and what happens after that?”

That's a good question.

Not more like we always happen to it.

I think sometimes we spend time thinking about the end of our lives. You're going to die. You're aware. And then is there an after going beyond what is that? I think people do that.

They look, they got to deal with the now. You got to deal with issues now. I want this book. Hopefully it is encouraging and it is with perspective. It's encouraging because of the now, dealing with the now.

And with perspective, we deal with the now, but we also focus on things eternal. This book deals with the now and points you towards eternal hope. And that comes only in Jesus Christ our Lord. And that's why I published it. Written from my daughters published with the purpose of helping people,

hopefully deal with the now with a biblical perspective in mindset that stepping stone takes them to eternal hope that comes only through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's why the book is is public. It answers the why am I here? I guess situation that maybe a lot of astronauts are a lot of people in space and science are searching for.

Yeah, they are. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks to butch will more pick up his book. Stuck in space.

It comes out next week. You can pre order it now at butchwillmore.com. I want to thank him. We're going to have an extended version also on our YouTube channel. So stay tuned for that.

But that makes sense. Thank you all for supporting us during these seven days of global. Impact. You can still be a part of it at aclj.org right now and have your donation double again aclj. .org.