Republicans are turning against Donald Trump in Congress and blocking major l...
that Donald Trump thought was absolutely going to pass. Republicans turning against Donald Trump is happening fast and it's happening furious. We previously reported how Republicans in the Senate join forces with Democrats. And in a 52-47 vote discharged a war power's resolution to block Donald Trump from engaging in further military operations in Iran.
“So it passed in the Senate, but the question is, is it going to pass in the House?”
This will go before the House of Representatives today. Jim Himes, the ranking Democratic member on the key military committee, says that they believe they have the Republican votes and they have a lingering Democrat for a main Congress member golden who was previously voting against the Democratic position to block Donald Trump from having war powers and Democrats believe indeed in the House of Representatives.
They will be able to discharge a similar war power's resolution as the Senate both chambers about to issue a stunning review of Donald Trump's unlawful and catastrophic war in Iran. Now, Donald Trump still has the ability to veto it. And he probably will veto it, but it will be sent to his desk. And it will become very clear that the American people, as Rick presented in both the Senate
and the House, want this war done.
This war should never have happened from the outset.
It is crushing the American people and Americans are sick and tired of it. We're going to follow the vote in the House. It's never done. It's never done deal. It's a done deal.
But we're going to be following that. There's other critical pieces of legislation where we see Republicans joining forces with Democrats to block Donald Trump's fascist and disgusting agenda. When it comes to Donald Trump wanting to create a $1.8 billion slush fund to pay January 6th insurrectionists, arising out of a purported $10 billion lawsuit that Donald Trump brought
in his personal capacity against the Treasury Department and the IRS for a purported leak of his tax returns in 2019 when he was in office as part of a broader tax return leak involving 450,000 other individuals whose tax returns apparently leaked. Who didn't sue because there is no valid claim to be brought. It would also be brought against Trump's 2019 IRS Trump filed this in January 2026.
And he also built in a provision that he can't be audited and that he's exempt from any liability from past tax fraud or any past misconduct and not paying taxes. Well, in that situation, Republicans are also joining forces with Democrats. They say, and they're going to try to come up with a mechanism to kill Donald Trump's ability to have this slush fund for $1.8 billion.
Republican Congress member Fitzpatrick literally used those words. I am going to work to try to kill this to make sure that this slush fund doesn't exist. And he told the mightest touch network, the mightest touch network has a whole DC bureau as
you know on Capitol Hill. And here's what Congress member Fitzpatrick Republican from Pennsylvania
told our Pablo Monriquez earlier in the day. Let's play this clip.
“Harris, what do you make at this $1.7 billion fund for?”
That news. We're going to try to kill it. We're going to try and kill it. Yeah. Okay. And how? Well, we're considering legislative options. We're going to write a letter. To the AG to start, but we're considering a legislative option. Okay. We're trying to unpack exactly, you know, what the legal machinations are, but
can't do that. Right. And to have you ever heard of any other Americans, like, other than Trump's and associates, I haven't heard of that. We're unauditable by the IRS. Never heard that. Okay. So that'd be part of the legislative. Of course. Of course. Yeah. You can't do that.
Okay. Thank you. Thank you for that. Yeah. Appreciate it. And you know, we have reporters everywhere on Capitol Hill. So then Fitzpatrick spoke with our head of our DC bureau, Scott McFarlane. And here's what Fitzpatrick told McFarlane here, play this clip. Slush fund for Crooks and rioters is at risk of melting right here right now at the Capitol.
“A key Republican here in the U.S. House, Brian Fitzpatrick of suburban Philadelphia, a front-line”
Republican says he is keen on killing this thing. His constituents do not like it. We also spoke with Republican Congress member Schweigert. Again, very right-wing guy. He's not
happy about this slush fund either. This $1.8 billion slush fund. Here's what he had to say play this clip.
Any thoughts on the $1.776 billion fund? Oh, it is. I'm very concerned about it.
Do you have concerns?
Thank you, sir. And then you had Republican Congress member Kylie saying basically the same that he doesn't understand what the heck this fund is about and nobody should be getting any money who would participate in an insurrection. This is a Republican. Here, play this clip. Of course, I'm concerned. It's very strange, very unprecedented. It's very concerning. I don't know why anyone is receiving money from this fund. That's not the way we typically
adjudicate claims if anyone has claims. And certainly I would think that those wouldn't be people that would be at the top of the list, even if there were a basis for such a payout.
“So I'm still learning about it. It's a very unusual arrangement. I think that there does need to be”
congressional oversight into exactly how this came about and what exactly is going to be the criteria for for any distributions. More on that slush fund in a moment. Now, the other area that Republicans have joined forces with Democrats to kill Donald Trump's ballroom,
$1 billion Trump mag a mic try to engineer this in a reconciliation bill to pay for this
golden ballroom. We're Donald Trump just rip down the east wing of the White House. And now he's saying that this golden ballroom is actually a quote, drone empire. Whatever that means, it's a shield against drones and ballistic missiles. And there's going to be an emergency room hospital right there. A Donald Trump's back in call. You've seen all the deranged things that he
“says. It's a gigantic drone empire. Well, the provision has officially been stripped from the reconciliation”
package that you may be saying. Ben, didn't you report on this over the weekend? Don't give me old news, not there's an update. So over the weekend, we learn that the parliamentarian who decides whether certain items, funding items, violate what's called the birdboat bird rule. It's called taking a bird bath that you see whether you can pass things through reconciliation. The parliamentarian makes these decisions about the impact of certain things on the deficit and how it impacts things
for purposes of a reconciliation. But anyway, the parliamentarian said that this $1 billion ballroom
funding violates the bird rule in the bird bath. And it needs to be removed, Democrats challenged the ability for it to be put into a reconciliation package. Then the question is, could Republicans try to revive it, make it less money, chop it up, and put it in other pieces of legislation, and Republicans decided at their lunch yesterday. We're not supporting this thing. We're done with this thing. We're out. And we're not going to help Donald Trump fund the ballroom. He said it was
going to be dealt with with private funds. So we are not jumping in this at all. Now, this is also
“I think one of the reasons that Republicans are doing this, it's also part of retaliation for”
Donald Trump, not endorsing Texas Senator Kornin, who's the current incumbent in Texas, Donald Trump instead endorsed Kornin's opponent, the very, very, very corrupt Texas attorney general, who lots of people think is going to lose in this upcoming election to the Democrat as the Democrat is significantly ahead right here. You'll see pack and pack stands in the name of the Texas A. G. Who was impeached. He's running against James Talary Gaugh. I'll get to this in a moment.
We've got some big news that is blowing my mind, and it's not getting nearly enough attention. So right now, more than 60% of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, and more than 20% of the country is in extreme drought. Honestly, have you heard about this anywhere, front page headlines, leading the nightly news? It seems like a pretty big deal to me, is all I'm saying. According to climatologists, this is one of the most severe and widespread drought events
that we have seen in decades. The main culprit is an unusual La Niña pattern, which shifted storm tracks farther north and left huge parts of the country, especially the south, southeast and rocky mountain regions, without the rainfall that they've
been done. And here's the critical climate story in all this. Rising global temperatures are
making this drought even worse. Hot air pulls more moisture out of the soil and vegetation, intensifying dry conditions and putting enormous stress on crops, water supplies, and ecosystems. Colorado, Georgia, and Florida are among the hardest hit states right now, with some areas facing
Exceptional drought.
is unlikely until late summer or even next winter, when they potentially historic El Niña
could shift weather patterns in the opposite direction. So the Trump administration could ignore climate change all they want. Climate change sure is not ignoring us. And we need to make sure that we are keeping these issues front and center. That's it for this report. Now I want to hear from you, what are your thoughts on this news, on climate issues, and on our climate coverage like this? There's so much chaos right now that they're trying to drown out what may be the most
“important issue of our time. So use your voice and speak out in the comments below. I'll be”
reading them. Okay, then back to you. Let me share with you over here what the Congress member rather what Senator Cassidy had to say about the ballroom. Now remember, too, Senator Cassidy's been a key vote against Donald Trump on all of these things that I've just mentioned. And what just happened, Donald Trump threw Cassidy under the bus told people to vote for Cassidy's primary opponent, Senator Cassidy from Louisiana lost his primary and now Senator Cassidy's out there
working across the aisle finally with Democrats. Watch what Senator Cassidy had to say about Trump's golden ballroom here playing this clip. There's no architectural plans. There is no environmentalist. There's no engineering. There's no sense of when we ask how did happen that cost exactly a
billion? In my mind, that is, it could cost a lot less. You could cost a lot more. I just don't get it.
“Now, Senator Cassidy also posted the following message as well. People are concerned about paying”
their mortgage or rent to foreign groceries and paying for gas. Not about putting together a $1.8 billion fund for the president and his allies to pay whomever they wish with no legal precedent or accountability. This is adding to our national debt. If there needs to be a settlement, the administration should bring it to Congress to decide. So clearly, you have Cassidy getting his revenge right there indeed. You also had Lindsey Graham calling Donald Trump out as well. After certain
news broke that Donald Trump was considering a letter of intent with Iran, although this is often fake news when Trump says letters of intent will see what really happens there. Lindsey Graham lashed out at that idea. Lindsey Graham says, well, I hope for a diplomatic solution and must be comprehensive to ensure that Iran is no longer the largest state sponsor of terrorism. It also must be real and the negotiations must be reliable. I appreciate everyone's efforts
in the region to help this cause. I'm hearing that Pakistan's field marshal may travel to Iran. What could go wrong may be he'll report the status of Iranian military aircraft being housing Pakistani air bases. Like so many, I'm watching very closely what unfolds regarding yet again. Another effort to reach a deal with the Iranian regime. I wish all involved success that is real that is real, essentially mocking Donald Trump for fake deal after fake deal after fake deal.
Now, we also learned that the IRS previously prepared a 25-page memorandum outlining what they saw as flaws in Donald Trump's frivolous suit against the IRS and the Treasury Department. And they advised the Justice Department to move to dismiss it. This was a frivolous case. There's so many grounds. Statute of limitation, immunity grounds. There's no valid cause of action under theic wall and twambley pleading standards at all. I could go into this and do a whole
hour video on it. But Trump's lawsuit for $10 billion a legend he was emotionally distressed because his 2019 IRS had some contractor who leaked 450,000 people's taxors. It ain't a lawsuit.
“It should be thrown out right away. In fact, you should get rule 11 and sanctions for it,”
not enter into a collusive settlement agreement, then not tell the federal judge about your settlement
agreement. Have the Justice Department say that they'll never audit you ever and that any past
tax liability is you don't owe. This could be hundreds of millions of dollars. If not billions of dollars in benefits to Donald Trump unjustly right there. And so that needs to obviously, obviously needs to be called out. And then we have Mike Lindell, Donald Trump's buddy, the pillow guy saying that he's going to be asking for $400 million from the fund here play this clip. We actually put into the government a couple months ago through following a process that they told us
about them. Now, this is new. And we are actually going to get it out there. I don't care which comes first to help my employees that lost a last millions upon millions of dollars. We have three
Third parties looking to do an evaluation of my pillow.
and what it is now, and all of them averaged $400 million that it cost the brand and cost my pillow.
And it's just horrific that our own government could do this to an American dream. This company that was built on the American dream and made in the USA and to have this happen, this will be a blessing to actually get made. Some of these are my employees made whole that were stockholders because in my pillow. And even a lot of them that have lost their jobs, you know, that were affected them and all this. Also, Enrique Torio, the leader of the proud
“boy says he's going to be asking for $2.5 million. And one of the things that I think we're from”
the fund, the proud boys, old keepers, they taking our taxpayer dollars, even Republicans right now are saying no, no, no. And also, I think they're seeing the writing on the wall what's happening
in Texas right now, where a Democrat James Tolerico is leading Ken Paxton, who Trump just endorsed.
And I think Republicans in the Senate and the House, say, wait a minute, Trump is like, is he intentionally trying to destroy us right here? Here, play this clip. It's simply put their looking at the numbers. They are looking at the numbers. And the idea that Democrats can't win in Texas, I want to put that to rest. They could very well do it. James Tolerico could very well win in Texas. And I want to use a comparison point, which 2018, because it was all just talked about better overall rock, right?
Oh, could he be tech crews? He could be techers. The numbers at this point in that campaign, simply put that not support back conclusion. But the numbers at this point absolutely support the conclusion that James Tolerico can win. So take a look, Texas Senate polls in May of the election year. When you matched up a rock, better a rock versus tech crews tech crews was up by seven points. He was clearly ahead. But look at the polling average now, when you max up Ken Paxton versus
James Tolerico, it's actually Tolerico that's ahead by four points. In Johnny B, I was looking back at every single Texas Senate race that I could find. And at this point in the campaign,
“James Tolerico is polling better than any Democrat in at least 24 years. You have to go all the way”
back to 2002 to find a Democrat, even polling anywhere close to where Tolerico is polling right now. Texas Democrats have dreamt about turning it blue this time. The numbers actually support the idea that they may actually be able to do it. I have to say this is a difference that I have not seen before. And I was not aware of it. A lot of people are making the comparison to 2018. One of the reasons is that Ken Paxton, if he's an nominee, not a super popular nominee. And
people are like, oh, well, Ted Cruz as an incumbent center, he wasn't that popular either. So what's the difference between crews in Ken Paxton? Yeah, the idea that Ted Cruz was not that popular. That's a falsehood. That is simply put a falsehood. You go back. Again, just look at these differences right here. Okay, Texas, GOP candidate, net favorability. Ted Cruz's net favorability was actually +7 points in my average of both. Look at Ken Paxton is. They complete inverse of that. He was 7 points
underwater. So look again, you just look at the numbers. In 2018, Democrats had this dream of turning Texas. The numbers didn't support it in large part because Ted Cruz was actually decently popular. But Ken Paxton is anything but in Paul, after Paul, after Paul, he is underwater. No wonder Republicans centers are running scared, especially after that Trump endorsement of Paxton yesterday. So then you had Donald Trump's attorney general Todd Blanche give this bizarre
interview with CNN last night. Did you see it? Where Todd Blanche says, yeah, I have no issues giving money to people who attacked and tried to kill police officers. That happens all the time.
We always give money to people who tried to attack and kill police officers. Like quite literally
what the hell are you talking about? What do you mean we give them? No, we don't. This is a deranged idiotic regime here. Play this clip. You're the nation's top law enforcement official
“right now. Would you be okay with people who were convicted of hurting police getting taxpayer money?”
Just to be clear, people that hurt police get money all the time. Okay, there's a process where where if you are, if you believe you have your rights violated, you can apply for funds. You can sue. You can file a claim. You can go to court. In some of those cases, the state, the government, the federal government, settles those cases. It's of horn to ever, ever touch a law enforcement officer, which is why anytime anybody does that, and this is a federal officer, we'll prosecute them.
But that's a completely different question with whether an individual is allowed to apply for a claim. Whether they'll get a claim, who depends, depends. I can't, it's not. It would not be appropriate for me to talk about absolute, like absolutely not, under no circumstances. I mean, we can talk about hypotheticals so we're blue in the face, but, but, but that really wouldn't be fruitful. Then CNN said, but don't you think the average taxpayer would be upset that, like,
your taxpayer dollars are going to like, insurrectionists and like terrorists, like, you're like,
You know, an horrible people.
would love this. You're playing this clip. Now, he really doubled down and insisting not only
“is this legal, but this is something he says that taxpayers would support because they would want”
people who had been unfairly treated to be compensated, but Aaron, you and I have been in this business a long time. Nobody who's ever been investigated by the Justice Department or by authorities has been happy or thought it was fair. So it's still a little unclear how they're going to prevent a feeding frenzy of taxpayer funds here, but they've about 30 days to select the members for this committee and lay out more ground rules for how they're going to vet this influx of claims.
Who whose idea was the audit agenda? Let's play this clip. I played no role in my decision,
“except to do the right thing. Who's idea was this audit agenda? What even whose idea was it?”
Who came up with this idea? I mean, there was, look, did you, did you? The president has, as, as outside council and there are council of department justice, not me, and there was negotiations, and this was what was part of those negotiations included a discussion around the, you know, any pending audits. And by the way, even Republicans are not buying this. So in all of these
“fronts right here, war powers, I believe you're going to have the house and the Senate both”
come together today. Blocking that will keep you posted. $1.8 billion dollars slush fund.
Republicans joining with Democrats blocking that. $1 billion to the ballroom. That's been stripped out of the reconciliation bill for good. Bye bye to all of that. There you have it. Let me know
what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to $7 million subscribers. And thank you all so much for watching.
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