The presenting sponsor of POD save America is zip recruiter, is world Elephant day. And did you know, John, that elephants have highly developed brains with excellent memories? In fact, sensor capable of self awareness, compassion and rational decision making. I didn't know that John who knew elephants could make rational decisions. I did the glorious glorious creatures. Some humans can't even do Some humans. A lot of documents most humans would say so real elephants are smart, but do you know what else is smart? This was a real windy road to get here. Yeah zip recruiter Ziprecruiter is also smart, like elephants, all I'm I'm completely stuck on our failure as a species to protect elephants. That's what recruiter has now got me thinking about. Yet again. Shame on us something else. You can blame on Donald Trump's, kids, yeah! First,

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remember what we're talking about in this aditziprecruiter dot com the Trump boys are going to Hell, but you're, going to ziprecruiter dot com, slash cricket right, you're, finding employees, you're filling those positions, yes some elves have been with them and when you're done with that, save the elephants, the real elephants yeah. Well often, they figure there's any justice, They're pushing a rock up. A helmet is rolling back down there, pushing up the hill again. What whatever you do down there welcome to POD save America. I'm John! Ever I'm John love. It I'm tell me before

from Iowa Tommy Vietor, a love in the Instagram stories. Tommy thank I'm trying out a new medium at Tommy beat or alright the you know, little vignettes from the state fair little slice of american that you just can't get in LA with. You know elites there you go there you go all right later. In the part we have love it's interview with Florida, congresswoman, Debbie, move or sell Powell who drop by cricket headquarters on Friday to talk about impeachment immigration and lots of other things first we have a lot of news to talk about from the possibility that Congress may finally pass gun safety legislation to the formal. Impeachment inquiry lunch by the house to the mysterious death of Jeffrey Epstein will also get an update from the twenty campaign trail in on, what's been happening in Iowa, where Tommy is right now, love it How was loverly, but this weekend we had a blockbuster episode. Of love it or leave it with.

Larry Wilmore Paul Scheer, Alice, Wetterlund Veronica Osorio. She stopped by to do a ants. We talked about the hard news of the week. We had some fun. It is a truly great episode. Also Paul Scheer worked at the Syosset blockbuster that I also went to when I was a teen rob burying the lead there. That's why I called it blockbuster episode, hello, it's a see if you did there. Finally, our show at the Greek Theatre, in LOS Angeles, is this Saturday August 17th it's. Finally, almost here, some tickets are still available at cricket. Dot com, slash the Greek and if you need any extra motivation, it's going to be loved its birthday. Finally, love! It's very celebration I deserve. This is why we did it. The Greeks had a fortieth birthday love it yeah, listen for zero! That people can see this on the street. They know that that's not possible. Forty, two! Okay, let's get to the news over the last few days. Donald Trump has said

multiple times that he's in favor of quote meaningful background checks to reduce gun violence. Also said that Mitch Mcconnell was quote on board the New York Times. Reports at the president also donors in the hamptons over the weekend, that he's confident he'll get a deal on guns, and that quote the Senate doesn't need to return early, because the congressional leadership in both parties would agree on something that members could vote on when they return in the fall. So I mean we have no idea what will happen here, but we do know a few things. Mcconnell has endorsed anything. Yet is a liar and tried Trump said something similar to this after parkland and then sort of backed off once the NRA got involved. All that said, what are the political dynamics that could potentially make this time different I do think that the NRA is severely weakened, because it was essentially an organization that stopped caring about gun rights and gun safety and was primarily focused on getting Wayne Lapierre to and from his new mansions on a private jet? So

Those guys have atrophied. There have been some amazing groups that have popped up on the left like moms demand action. Mayor Bloomberg deserves a ton of credit for everything, he's funded with every town that have built a grassroots movement change in in favor of gun control measures. Now I don't believe for a second that Republicans will support the policies were talking about because Mitch, Mcconnell or Trump or the NRA change of heart. I think they're only going to decide to support gun control measures if they think that there is a political benefit for them or if they're scared of losing elections would, I fear, might happen. Is Mcconnell supporting some sort of half measure. That sounds full. But actually is insufficient. Democrats block it to push for a bigger form, and this allows the press to return to a both sides are playing politics narrative. The reason I'm worried about this is you see people like John Cornyn and John Brown So you probably never thought about in your life, but is actually the number three in charge in the Senate already cold water on reformed, so hope,

external? We should all fight like hell to get good gun safety laws passed, but you know Trump the about thirty million dollars for all the ads. They ran for him in this last cycle. And they're going to remind him of that. Every single day, yeah I mean love. It Mcconnell said that background checks, an red flag measures, will be front and center when the Senate reconvenes. US piece in the Atlantic saying how you know it was significant that he acknowledged the overwhelming support in public polling for stronger background checks. What do you think Mcconnell's up to here, since it's always a more than meets the eye? Yeah? It's it's to say so. It's worth stepping back and realizing the last time we were this close to passing. Something was two thousand and thirteen when background checks failed due to a filibuster in the Senate, do to republican intransigence led by Mitch Mcconnell. The issue was large dead for the years that followed because Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress. It wasn't until Democrats retook the house

in twenty eighteen that there were again hearings on this issue in the house for the first time in years, who has changed in that span of time. It has been six years in those six years, there's been no let up in gun violence, there's been no let up in mass shootings and slowly but surely the politics of this issue has changed now, whether when Congress comes back, Mcconnell does, What he says he's willing to do, or if he was simply using the August recess as an opportunity to claim to be open to something while not committing to it to simply get over the hump of this issue for fear of introducing a measure that divides his caucus and unites the Democrats. We just honestly now. One other thing I would note about this is Trump has been very, very wishy washy on this issue. He has a gut political sense that being for gun control is good for him. He

wants to be for it. It is why, again and again not just after the shooting, but also after parkland is John points out, but several times in the intervening years. He has I said, I don't see why we can't do some form of gun control, only to discover in a private phone call or meeting behind the scenes why he can't, because of the political opposition arrayed against Republicans, who might be for this issue. So I We think we don't know, but these are more hopeful signs. Then we have seen in years yeah. I think if, if these were smart people, if Donald, if it was a smart white house, you would want to pursue some kind of gun safety legislation, because you know one thing in the back of some of the smarter republican strategist minds is that they are hemorrhaging voters, republican voters in the suburbs. That was the story of the twenty eighteen election where, because of these mass shootings, not just one of them, but because they happen over and over and over again there's a lot of people there. Who are? You know that the politics

gun. Control have shifted and there's a lot of more moderate, more traditionally republican, independent voters who do want to see gun safety legislation passed, I mean Tommy, remember when we were knocking on doors Joe Biden in Orange County, the heavily Republican orange county, like how many people, when we The doors were actually talking about park. Lynden gun safety is one of the reasons that they were really excited to come out and vote. Yeah they were nearly forty thousand gun deaths in the United States in twenty seventeen, sixty percent of those were suicides according to the centers for Disease Control and prevention, but yeah, I mean it's not just that there is an epidemic of gun violence in this country. It's sort of been these constant, high profile, mass shootings that have driven it to the forefront of

medical conversation and in the news in, like you know, back to what you guys are saying about Trump. I mean it would be incredibly smart for him to make a deal and put forward a you know: common Sense Gun safety proposal that would actually, if you pulled, it, would probably be supported by sixty or seventy percent of the country. The problem is been that when he's presented a choice between being a deal maker, which is He wants to be and his base, he always chooses his base and then, on top of that, the NRA has a retreat, no surrender approach to all gun control policy. They treat every gun control proposal. Like it's a slippery slope argument. The could one day lead to a radic aging, the second amendment, so you know even when it we are talking about just banning bumps Box, which turned a semi automatic weapon into a machine gun that took nineteen months for that band to go in place. So you know he's got to want to fight for the and sadly like his own staff was, grounding the Washington Post saying that

so we kind of lost interest in the issue after a few weeks, I was just going to say I think, like there's a couple. Big obstacles here to getting this done You know the NRA is still an obstacle. They've already come out and said that they don't want background checks. They don't want anything and that you know Trump supporters would be disappointed if he supported this. So that's that's an obstacle, as you meant there's a lot of Republicans in the Senate, who were have not been moved by this by the the recent mass shootings at all and are still maintaining their same position, which is no gun control whatsoever? No background jets, no nothing, but I do think the other big obstacle he time and, as you were saying, Tommy like he lost Trump lost interest after parkland, because the new cycle moved on and I think what Mcconnell could be betting is that by not calling the Congress back right now and wait until the fall trump will have lost interest and

maybe the country will have lost interest and they can move on. So I think for Democrats in twenty percent for Democrats. The question is: what can we do to make sure that this time isn't like all the other times and I think you know: there's a supporting organizations like every town on moms demand, action and continuing to build the roots momentum behind this and to continue to pressure, vulnerable republican senators and potentially more moderate. Republican senators again, the ones that are up in twenty twenty like Cory? Gardner is probably the most vulnerable republican senator he's in a state that has very strict gun laws in Colorado. Susan Collins, people like that Tom Tillis in North Carolina right, like I think we have to it's up to us, to keep the pressure on Trump and the Republicans through the next few weeks into September, so that We're not sitting here in MID September, when Mcconnell and Mcconnell says you know what we had

flowers, debate on gun safety measures and the votes were just weren't there, so we're moving on and because you know, there's a whole another set of freaking crazy trump tweets. We turn away and that's that yeah. It's also I mean. There will be more mass shootings. This topic is not going anywhere. The new cycle will return to this because there will be more mass shootings across the country pretty regular basis until we make a bunch of very significant changes to our laws in our culture. So trying to run from this issue. I mean it's worth also remembering to that: we're talking about background checks and red flag laws right, that's basically as far as Trump and I have been willing to go the bare minimum of what we can do. Even banning assault. Weapons now has a above fifty percent approval, among Republicans, like the country, has moved so fast on this issue. Because of the steady, steady tempo of these mass shootings that have made people feel as though there is nothing they can do to

their kids that there's no safe place. There's no say part of the country. There's no way to move, there's nowhere to hide, there's nothing that they can do personally to avoid the random chance of violence that has really terrified people. So when they're, not the news cycle moves on really isn't up to them, because we have this crisis and it's not going anywhere. So I mean do you think that Democrats should be pushing more than red flag laws and background checks and and potentially come back and try to pass an assault. Weapons ban in the house, so then the compromise position can be background, checks and red flag laws. Yes, I absolutely, I think they should push for as much as they can get in part, because it's the right thing to do, but also because, as love, it said out, there's a whole lot of public polling. That shows that the public supports those positions that the challenge is always been for, Democrats that when you get to election time, and the NRA messages. You know, sort of common sense, gun control measures as take your guns away.

On grab like whatever it is. They say it gets harder to win the fight and and and they're able to pick off a whole bunch of you know, sort of moderate, gun rights supporters in the middle who might actually support the positions if they weren't lied to about what they're voting on. But yes, I think we should fight for this. The problem is, you know we're talking about two or three things. Today, one is empty One is gun control. In a anyway way. They're related use Democrats are still terrified and scarred by votes on those. Shoes from the 90s, and we need to move on from political failures of the past and have some courage in fight for things that could prevent the death of 10s of thousands of people in a year in the country. Yeah and look. I think that the Democrats in Congress should you know, find some courage from what the

presidential candidates have been doing you know if they were at a form in the morning this weekend, Elizabeth Warren Release, a plan that you said would reduce gun violence by eighty percent. That includes background checks, an assault, weapons ban and national licensing that came out for national licensing and assault weapons, buy back program on parts of America. Last week Cory Booker has been. You know he was the first one for national licensing program from the beginning. It does seem like the democratic presidential candidates. Taking those political position should instill some car courage in the House and Senate Democrats on this issue. You know yeah. It's also worth remembering that the house has already passed background checks and it differently in the Senate, which is also yeah, which is notable, I mean the House bill on background checks- is the most sweeping legislation passed on guns by the House of Representatives, since one thousand nine hundred and ninety four since the last assault weapons ban. So it's stronger background check building even mentioned to me, you know I wasn't at that. I wasn't at four hundred am on Saturday. I got here a day later, but I mean

I watched some of the coverage news interesting that that Senator Warren put forward this sweeping plan that she says could reduce gun deaths by eighty percent and that's incredibly important in Abilene. We should talk about it who interesting, seeing Andrew Yang get up there and just respond to a woman. Telling him a story about a stray bullet killing her four year old kid. Human being right and he's the most recent politician on that stage. He's not even politicians just running for president. He was like broke down and was crying so yeah. I mean these. These candidates are taking courageous, There are, you know, pushing with, with all their political will to try to get something it also interesting Lee in two thousand and sixteen Bernie took some heat for his record on guns. I haven't much criticism of him this time around. It seems like everybody's more aligned this year. Then in the past yeah, and I think I think that's a credit to the activists right- be that the reason the presidential candidates, I think, a more responsive is that the actor you know they're they're more in high,

packed with activists on the ground, rather than I would hear from the early states, are all over the country who are really pushing them. You see moms demand action show up at almost every event in the primary and they're they're, making sure that this is an issue people vote on, because you know one problem with gun. Safety has always been the folks that are Anti gun control, the NRA folks they make issue they make this an issue that the people vote on and even though polling shows the majority of people want background checks. An assault has been all the other stuff. It doesn't it's the intensity around. The issue hasn't been as great as it has been on the other side, and I think what shifted over the last couple years, the intensity on the left has started. Matching the intensity on the right and in many cases, to pass all alright. Let's talk about the other big development in Congress. Late last week, house chairman, Jerry Nadler slipped, this little nugget of news into a CNN interview about his investigation of the President quote. This is formal impeachment proceedings

We are investigating all the evidence. We gather the of and we will at the conclusion of this hopefully by the end of the year vote articles of impeachment to the floor, or we won't The committee also put in writing in a lawsuit last week that they are quote now determining whether to recommend articles of impeachment against the President, based on the obstructive conduct described by the special counsel. But a hundred and twenty House Democrats have already come out publicly in favor of launching an impeachment inquiry. A number that's been growing steadily since Muller testified. Last month Tommy. Did we miss the impeachment Eagle take flight? What's going on here, This was the rollout that we've all always hope. You've always wanted. You got it. You got to get it in in the B block on Erin, Burnett is out front or whatever the hell. The name of the show is that is when you want it less of this thing. In there like me, August a Thursday night When you announce an impeachment proceeding, I mean

What it? What does this mean and how is it? How is it different than what we've been in up until now? What, in by any other name smell as sweet you know look, I do believe the worst way we could end up in an impeachment inquiry is via logic. You know, as we have the logical conclusion of what we've already done. I understand why he's saying it you know the truth is What are you saying is look when I made the request for for the grand jury testimony, I had to say that, basically, what we are doing is impeachment, so we're doing impeachment when we're looking crimes that may lead to an impeachment inquiry. That is an impeachment peach. Basically, basically using the term impeachment proceedings to describe what he's already been up. To I mean, I think, definitionally. What he's saying is nothing has changed, I'm just I'm just following what you're asking me to its logical end, that said, I do think it's a big

feel that the radiology at and actually talking specifically about the path to ultimately impeachment, possibly being on the floor. I think it's also it's a strategy to paper over the differences that remain in the caucus right. Jerry, Nadler We've been able to we've been able to tell for a quite a while now is in favor of impeachment and he has been holding back, partly because of policy in place he's been holding back, partly because of there's a lot of the House Democrats, who don't want to do this and and a lot of swing districts. The the thing everyone should know is: hello see specifically blessed this language. It was not an accident that Jerry Nadler, said: yeah where in formal impeachment hearings now and then people have been parroting that maybe they do not expect to actually just do it on a Friday afternoon, CNN, but policy has blessed the language. Now there has said it and I think here's the strategy at a formal impeachment inquiry through the House Judiciary Committee,

not require a full vote in the house, and so members who are nervous of getting on board right now did not have to take a vote. At the same time, they can show people that they're, taking this seriously and they're actually moving forward and they're not dragging their feet, are in a peachment, so they're trying to basically have it both ways and continue to avoid the fight within the party, where there's a whole bunch of house Democrats who are still sort of shaky about this yeah. It's interesting right. So what is the purpose of that suppose what it gives you the space to do. Is I provide more information and more supporting facts and arguments so that if we ultimately do you have a vote on the house floor? It's one big vote that everyone is sort of behind. Well, not not hamstring, their ability to kind of get

to that place, because they would require the votes of all these vulnerable members who aren't there. Yet right close, you sincerely worried and is told reporters this or as on background that impeachment could tear the party apart. It could lead to our political ruin and would just be terrible, so it does seem like Nadler has done a lot of work, get her to where we are. My concern is that having it both ways could lead to us not really understanding what impeachment means. In twenty nineteen, I saw a quote from Hillary Clinton, who said, you know her advice on impeachment was restrained yourself and grandstanding and holding news conferences in plain to your base. I just think that's the worst yeah in a bowl. Our whole goal here is to win a public argument about the present United States in his on fitness for office. We are not going to actually win an impeachment vote in the Senate unless something changes massively. This is a pr campaign. So you got to be holding news conferences. You have to be fighting this out on cable.

Tv and in the news in every single day, going up against a series of trump tweets that will call it rigged in a witch hunt and getting his cult to follow. In in in in Paris that language, so you know, I just hope that if we go through this, the worst of both worlds is like a sort of half hearted attempt to that dead, either fizzles or or doesn't you know, educate voters on his crimes right if you're, if you're afraid to if you're afraid to actually full Throated Lee, say we're doing impeachment. You've defeated yourself. For even began right. You can't be a long twilight impeachment yeah. No, I mean that that your time you're exactly right, like that. The the reason to do this is to grab the microphone away from Donald Trump and to make the publication instead. That is the reason to do impeachment because, as we know this, and it's not going to convict them- and you know, as you said many times like this- is not about just feeling good- that we've done the morally right thing. Here I mean from a political strategy standpoint the idea

is to parade a bunch of witnesses in front of live television and talk about all of Donald Trump's crimes. Now there is some evidence that that is what Jerry Nadler has in mind for one he's, not just sticking to the mall report he's going to go broad he's going to talk about emoluments, he's going to talk about a whole bunch of other abuses of power, they're going to go to court to make sure that Don Mcgahn testifies the President's former council. They believe the Don Mcgahn is their star witness. He was Muller STAR, witness we heard from people, you know close to mall or even before testified? You know, mother is going to disappoint you. People, because he's not going to go beyond the report, he's not the one you want. The one you want is Don Mcgahn, since Don Miguel was there in the star witness for a lot of the actual obstruction. So it does seem like you know, Nadler knows what he's doing here, but the only way this works If Democrats stop whining about impeachment

being about impeachment. The Democrats who may be opposed to it and the party is a whole, makes the case for impeachment you to start talking about less about the process of impeachment and more about why he deserves yeah it just it can't it can't just be that you know I'm mean he's sports but in my mind I'm picturing like Jerry Nadler, where the football kind of like making his way down the field right like he needs to. He can't believe he can't he can't be having not avoid democratic football players and republican football player players I don't know yeah I mean lockers on his team. We need your name, you know. The flying v, we need applying the that's exactly right, Tommy got it ok. So what can people do? to hold you get into the end zone. What can people do to hold Democrats feet to the fire here because you know for a while, we've had this sort of impeachment count: who's forward, who's against but if I'm a member who is either against impeachment or not quite there yet in someone asked Maine, you know, what's your position

now I say: well, there's a formal impeachment inquiry being launched by the House Judiciary Committee. So I'm just going to wait. I guess the danger is all these: We could just sort of wait this out and hope that we get to the election and and nothing happened. So what? What can people do to sort of hold people's feet to the fire here? Bet you a lot of money that nearly every house nearly every front desk person in Congress is sending a report to the chief of staff every night about the number, calls the come in in favor of impeachment or not in favor of the peachment. So now would be a good time to dust off that phone and start making some That's right! That's right part! America's brought you by Everlane would you buy a featured for fifty dollars if it only cost seven dollars to make probably yeah. I was going to say I don't think you'll be happy with the answer to that question. Well, Everlane, wouldn't an with Everlane. You never overpay for quality clothes. Isn't that great Everything only makes premium essentials using the finest materials without traditional markups. They wanted to say

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such cricket media alright going to the news over the weekend that Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell from what officials are saying is an apparent suicide by hanging himself Epson, found dead as he was awaiting trial for running a child. Sex trafficking ring and shortly after thousands of documents from civil suit against him were released on Friday. Almost immediately a number of questions and online conspiracies were spread about the circumstances of empties death by people like the President of the United States, who shared a conspiracy that his predecessor, Bill Clinton had apps murdered guys. First of all, what do we know about how this happened or how this could have happened? Let's start with the facts, and then we can move on to the awful people pushing the conspiracy yeah. I mean here's a we now. We know that this is a person who should not have been in a position to commit suicide. That is a person who should have been watch,

and monitor? Because the case was so important and because they were already, there was already so much speculation and concern around it? Had been suicide watch at one point now. After that Look it wasn't just by the way it was Trump the internet exploded. It was like every person was Hercule Perot Flower who's that Agatha Christie's famed detective continue and get into the act. But now It really was just when I saw the news come over the transom. This happened. It was really it was like it was seeing a future a forty eight hours of every single person being a conspiracy theorist. Exactly what happened. Trump is is the nation's leading conspiracy, theorist, but very serious people joined in the fun. To tell me what do you think, yeah

I mean everyone who works at that facility should be fired, and- and I know that treating criminals with basic decency is in the most politically popular opposition, but I do think we should ask ourselves how it is possible that the US it manages institutions were american citizens are routinely beaten, raped, killed, tortured. I mean it is such a profound failure in uh indictment of the prison system, our criminal justice system that I hope I hope hope that will lead us to do some soul, searching because there's a whole bunch of victims who are hoping for justice who want to see. Him tried dance at the jail. There may be other who were part of this criminal conspiracy that that set up who we know we would have needed his testimony to definitively try and put behind bars. I mean I just. I cannot believe it. And you know what, like, obviously, I'm not trafficking. Conspiracy theories- I'm not retweeting this madness, but I can

We understand why people hear about someone like Jeffrey Epstein, being left alone with no one in his room. No roommate, no guard checks on and he's able to kill himself, and it sounds fishy, weird and awful, and it is absolutely infuriating. Yeah and part of the reason that we have all these conspiracies is Jeffrey. Epstein was a guy who was connected to a lot of very rich and powerful people who, from the reporting any evidence we know so far seem to get away with a really horrible crimes, partly because of his position of power, an wealth, and I think that's what fuels a lot of these can speak these, but yeah you're right, I mean attorney General Bill BAR this morning said there were serious irregularities in the prison where Epstein was that he's in looking into so there's going to be an FBI investigation, there's going to be an inspector general investigation on behalf of the Department of Justice, but it's like Bill bar being appalled that this could have

been like it goes, the bill bars the one in charge of the presents. You manage the Bureau of Prisons, buddy right, that's he'll fix it. That's his failure and I were like, he tried to kill himself previously. How are you not watching this guy twenty four hours a day it is Regis in it does seem like a quite a coincidence that we just learned a whole bunch of information about Donald Trump, and a bunch of other important people being on the plane with him again, like I'm suggesting anyone killed him, or this is set up like it. It's unconscionable that they would wow this to happen in the US. This will fester for the rest of time. So the the question is: what can still be done right now to make sure that the victims see justice and also that the rest of us know exactly who help Jeffrey obscene the extent of his crimes, all the rest yeah. So I will say one other facet of this. That was frustrating and the you know that when the sleuths put on there there there detective hat is there was this sense that

oh, that that clearly, Jeffrey Epstein was murdered and he was murdered so that he could take his secrets with him and- and you know there is a there- there is much Jeffrey, Epstein may have known that will never know, but his crimes have victims. Those victims can speak his crimes had accomplices and other perpetrators and other involved, so there will be further investigations. There are ongoing civil cases. There are others who may be prosecuted in connection to what happened with Jeffrey Epstein. So the hope to me has to be that, despite the fact that this injustice was allowed to occur, that we were able to get a a a fulsome understand of the of the scale of his organization and and that that prosecutors and attorneys that are part of the suits against Jeffrey I've seen the state now are able to get enough in and out so that for those who are suspicious for those who want to see this as a conspiracy that enough is done to undo the harm of allowing Jeffrey Epstein to be

position. I to you, I'd die in federal custody. Yet so there's there's two important points here. One is the US attorney in charge, alluded to or said specifically that there's a conspiracy charge involved in the apps. In case conspiracy means there was multiple people involved in the crime, and so hopefully there's coconspirators, and they can shed light on this as well and there's also the ability for the victims to sue Jeffrey abstains state and that's a more that's a civil case, but that would also bring to light a lot of the information that might be sealed right now. So there's there's sort of a couple different avenues where people can still find out the truth and hopefully get some kind of justice here. One more thing before we move off office like how does Donald Trump President I'd states get away with, like we've all moved on from the fact that he just casually retweets a conspiracy that that Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton may have had something to do with obscene step. I mean that it

It's it's worth for many other present. Could you imagine, but that's if I can imagine any other president? That's what you go to that you go to any other president. Did that wow? It would be serious. It is because we don't have a president. No one takes his words. Are really 'cause he's a liar and because he's a conspiracy theorist because he has fundamentally damaged his own reputation and word that when he does something yes, it does not rise to the level of what would happen if literally any other, in president or even top american official american Governor American Senate, understating the same, I think that's leading off the hook a little bit because it you said no one, truly believe that his words doesn't mean anything it does to like forty percent of the country me like what, when he does, that he is continuing to fuel the conspiracy theories that keep him as president yeah there there is it before Jeffrey Obscene conspiracy. Theory q and that suggests that the Muller investigation was a covert campaign to root out an elite child sex trafficking ring in that JFK Junior

is still alive and he's going to reveal. But he's been alive all along, so that he can take pence is placed on the twenty twenty ticket and like It's the craziest thing. I've ever heard in my life, but there are multiple deaths in associated with the Q Anon conspiracy theory and for Donald Trump to retweet, a video that suggests bill. Clinton or Hillary Clinton, have a body count and- and just had this app HI murdered as a way to cover up their crimes and cover for sex offenders is putting their lives at risk. Yeah. I think it's like it. It's there are some crazy people out there who will take action in circumstances like that- and it is actually you know- I do- think we should pause and reflect on how uh just

leave obli dangerous. That is the president and his words and his actions in between that is a threat to national security. We just had. We just saw a terrorist attack in El Paso bioterrorist, a white nationalist terrorist who used in his manifesto the same language as Donald Trump, and that happened to be targeting the latino community. And immigrants, but the president also inside when we went when something bad happens, and everyone goes back and says: oh, it's not Donald Trump's fault. How can you? How can you tie this to Donald Trump retweets like that or why it's Donald Trump's fault? That is the exact shit? the potential to incite violence- and this is again, though it's this is he has been doing? This is not to me a new low for him. He accused TED Cruz's father of killing JFK. He is the lead, birther conspiracy, theorist. It has been part of the conspiracy theory around vaccines, which is children in this country? He has been

for years now, with no evidence that millions of undocumented immigrants voted in California, which is why he lost the popular vote. There is no kind of conspiracy. SIRI, there is no no story, he's not willing to tell if he, if it, if is. It is something that will help him politically, no matter how destructive and may I- and I am doing a little soul. Searching about buying a TED Cruz is the Zodiac Killer, tee shirt? Maybe I'm Maybe we all shouldn't have laughed at all. The crazy shit trump was saying about TED Cruz back in the day, because it is

real bad, not going over the timing, no the ideal, if you're the reason you can feel good about that is because TED Cruz likes to tweet about that himself, and so he's he's in on the joke to yeah, and it did at least it was a clear job. Politic. Amy I mean here's the thing one, one more point of this: a man who, in court last week said he was directly inspired by Donald Trump's rhetoric. Street sent a pipe bomb to Bill and Hillary Clinton yeah, and to have that that that just happened in October of twenty eighteen and Donald Trump RE tweeted that yesterday, when he tweeted about a Clinton body, count after right after Bill and Hillary Clinton were sent a pipe bomb, I mean the Cuban on thing is just shockingly close and similar to the Jeffrey obscene things would make. The whole conversation is really weird and unnerving, but you know the FBI recently identified the queue in on conspiracy theory as a domestic terrorist threats. So these lil, online communities in conspiracy theories that have been cooked up in that are festering in places like four Chan or eight Chan have become dangerous and people are taking action in real life based on all this crazy.

They read online? It's also worth it's also worth noting too. That Trump is not just fan a conspiracy theory. It's a conspiracy theory about a story in which he has a connection, and so it is, it is someone who is using a deeper, broader conspiracy, theory fanning the flames of it online, so that his connection to the story seems as part of model that's hard to parse information as his rubber glued strategy. Yeah he's been doing that since twenty sixty yeah. It's not me, that's the problem you're the problem. You did the thing that people no part of it, no pop. Yet also one thing we should just say to is that a lot of this was covered and a lot this story became public because of reporting by Julie, K, Brown, Miami Herald that I think, brought a lot of this to the national attention in away otherwise wouldn't have, and so a lot of what will help us understand what he in the story will not just be because of the justice system, but will because of will be because of reporting. That's all

so with the twenty twenty primary. The Washington post was just one of many media outlets that published a piece over the weekend about how Joe Biden's recent string of verbal gas or making Democrats nervous advisor wrote. The story gave us a list quote on Saturday Biden said he met with parkland students, while he was president, even though the Florida shooting took place a year after he left office in a speech Thursday at the state, fair Hayden bungled. The line and said quote: we choose truth over facts initially referred to. Former british Prime minister, Theresa may is one of her predecessors, Margaret Thatcher and speaking before or latino and asian group he argued for challenging students in underserved areas, but said quote: poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids, he cut himself and quickly added wealthy kids black. Kids, asian kids. No, I really mean it but think about how we think about it. Tommy. How much should these gas matter is? This perative warranted or is it overblown I mean

Biden as gaffe machine, is not a new narrative. Writing we dealt with this on the Obama campaign. Many of his previous presidential campaigns have been either upended or ended by biting gas. So I was not surprised by it. It was to see all of the national media tip sheets sort of shove. The narrative down our throats in one place like global assignment editor on the same day and would worry me about that from from the fire on Biden's team is, I haven't been in in Iowa long, but I talked to a lot of people yesterday at the fair, including a bunch of people who work on campaigns and one thing that they're been telling me is that the national narrative this time around is more important than it ever was before. You can have an Iowa caucus goer who had some candidate in his or her living room, and it still. Matter more to them. What he or

add on natto last night, then that conversation. So this could turn out to be a pretty big problem for a bite and, like I hate to be, you know just a pundit in viewing this, but it you know it's challenge now. Of course, the whataboutism argument is is quite strong. If you compare Biden, sort of misstatements or miss speaking to the things, Donald Trump said or does all day everyday on purpose. It's not a question, but I do think everyone is looking for the most electable Democrat. They want someone who will get up there in when it won't cause any problems for him or herself and, like Biden is got to overcome this narrative if he wants to convince people that he's the guy to take on Trump. What what? What's your opinion on this one. I find it interesting the way everyone is just put everything that a candidate does that isn't good into the basket mark gaffes because I It's not really that helpful to understanding. What's happening, now so it's true Biden has had you know, it's is famous for his gaffes right

but you know, there's I would say I would put these into three baskets. One is just inappropriate comments and right that is you know there was a plagiarism allegation years ago there have been some insensitive, jokes and remarks and sentence. Is things have to apologize before in the past that sort of part of Biden trajectory some of the things that people are pointing out here are just kind of the misplaced words right. We need, we need truth, not facts right. These are. These are that's a very minor mistake that I don't care about all ending anyone know and I'm by the way, honestly, also him having a brief moment of thinking that he was vice president. When you talk to the survivors of a particular mass shooting, I don't find particularly instructive because we live in a murder, skate in which he has met with many many survivors of mass shootings over the years. So I don't find that particularly interesting and I don't care about it. I do think we're all dancing around Donald Trump is now saying Joe Biden is not the old job right and Joe Biden's, not playing with a full deck. That is what this conversation is ultimately about. There's this question not of oh, is the

old is the old Joe Biden machine is going to be a problem in in twenty twenty. The question people really asking is: how does Joe Biden out slow down a bit and is that producing a greater preponderance of gaffes, and that is to me a simple question. He has to prove or disprove on the campaign trail yeah, and I think I think, what's unfair about that to Biden is you know he gave a speech in Iowa last Wednesday about you know in the wake of El Paso in Dayton, and you know most most pundits. Most people watch the speech that it was maybe the strongest speech Joe Biden has ever given and he was very forceful and he definitely looks like a candidate who can take on Donald Trump. The problem for him is, you know the coverage run that lasts a day if that it gets mentioned in with Cory Booker speech in a bunch of other candidates and the gas end up getting outside coverage, and I get it from the buying campaigns, respect

you know tom- you mentioned this, but the Washington Post just this morning, said that Trump has averaged thirteen false or misleading statements per day since being president he's also right, a white nationalist and a criminal, so you know it the comparison. The comparison isn't very favorable to Donald Trump when you compare him and Biden, but we are in a primary right yeah in the tough part for Biden is there's a little bit of live by electable die by electability right, so saying that his gaffes will hurt him with voters basic You know you're not saying a lot of these gas actually offend. You were that he meant them or he was better some of that. What you're thinking is. Oh well, if he's not up to the task, maybe when he runs against Trump other people might not vote for him, because they're worried that he's that he's not, as you know, sharp as he used to be it's almost the flip side of saying. Oh people will vote for him

because moderate white guys in the Midwest like him, the end, that's exactly right. I mean this is the key. This is particularly acute in the moment because everyone is concerned about electability, it's the first second third issue on people's minds. These media narratives get constructed it during the course of a campaign, and they almost always have nothing to do with the job of being president, I mean it was seen as a hit on Obama that he was aloof and professorial, because somehow that has downside that none of us understood, I mean it was stupid, then, by this speaking, is not necessarily relevant unless you're trying to suggest that he's in some kind of cognitive decline and then that would actually be relevant, but I don't hear people making that assertion so yeah, it's frustrating by needs to fight way through this narative. He needs to prove the people that he sharpen he's tough and he can kick asset a debate and I think, like he can put this thing to bed. If he Christina performs really well it's at the third debate or the fourth You know whatever the next opportunity is yeah, I think that's right.

Speech a gay by the way it was great. It was a great speech and it was to me the first moment in the Biden campaign for in twenty twenty, where I saw an affirmative case for Joe Biden that wasn't just about electability. He may argument it was passionate it was. It was just an excellent speech that I, spoke to the moment, really really well. So it's like it's this hot, it's a it's! It's not hard what he has to do to dispel this. This narrative, he has to campaign campaign aggressively and show people that is bullshit and he has to be at the level he was on during that speech all the time. You know like almost all the time and it's it looked it's harder for him, but this is what happens when a narrative takes hold about you and then different candidates have different problems that they're grappling with each of them has, like. You know, different issue, but this is Biden's really and and at like you,

I think that the danger to Biden is the Trump hit right, which is not oh. He is you know Uncle Joe, and sometimes he says things that are you know his verbal gas? It's more so you know he's not fully he's not as sharp as he used to be? That's the danger to him look, I I really do believe in this. Isn't just an electability thing. Whoever our nominee is, has to be incredibly nimble to run against Donald Trump. You have to be nimble as a candidate. You have to get the media environment in twenty nineteen. You have to be quick on your. And- and I'm not saying, that's even an age thing either because you know Bernie Sanders is pretty quick on his when he and Elizabeth Warren is, is very quick on her feet: she's not as as old as those two guys, but it was hard to beat all those who got right. What you've been saying like she hurt she and her campaign, probably Stan how the media works better than almost any other campaign. So it's not just an age thing, but you have to be nimble to go against.

You have to be yeah. It's also notable like Donald Trump is scared of running is Joe Biden. I mean he is tweeting about him constantly. He is trying drive this narrative that Joe is lost a step that he's in decline that he is, you know, fill in whatever sort of pejorative back so like I mean what I would take away from this, if I were just observing, The trump's response from the Biden campaign is that Trump doesn't want against me, and I would make that part of my message. Yeah. How commanding is Biden's frontrunner status right now and what does it say that the race is a lot closer in Iowa and the other early states that it is nationally when you look at all this polling, I think that. It's a couple of things I mean Biden has a pretty commanding lead among african american voters. An Iowa is, I believe, ninety three percent white. So you wouldn't see that strength reflected as much here ' I also think that Iowa voters are likely to be pretty well informed, watching the race

mostly more likely to know that Elizabeth Warren had a great debate or Kamala Harris had a great debate into sort of around and you know, have a chance to actually see candidates in person and switch sides and make moves. All that said pulling today, doesn't matter it only matters insofar as it's not just about winning or in the states, it's about outperforming expectations and getting one of three. Out of Iowa or whatever early state we're talking about. So I wouldn't sweat it too much, but you know you do need to Armand on Caucus Day, or else the media narrative around your campaign is going to be that you underperformed that you're flagging you're not raise money, and it will be a problem yeah. I think I think

national polling and just so people know the real clear politics average in the National polling Biden is at thirty point eight wards. Eighteen point three in Sanders: is it sixteen point five so by and has a lead of twelve and one slash two points in Iowa find the twenty five point. Three Warren is at sixteen point. Three Harris is at fourteen point. Three, so Biden has a nine point lead, so it It's like it's about three half points lower in Iowa National polling from now on until the Iowa Caucuses is almost always sort of garbage. It helps with trends. So if you can see where people are moving back and forth, that national polling is usually helpful there, but it's not really an accurate picture of the race, because what Matt there's at least until the early vote, the early states vote- is what's happening in there. This is happening Iowa, New Hampshire, so Iowa polling is really important and while it is still early right, we have a couple months ago between before people start voting in Iowa. It's

getting it's getting on the later side of early. At this point, you know Harriet and had a piece at CNN over the weekend about Biden standing and he said JEB Bush in two thousand and sixteen Rudy Giuliani in two thousand and eight and Joe Lieberman in two thousand and four we're all losing at this point in Iowa and polling at or less than fifteen percent bulb in the front runners at the time that ended up losing Biden, his light in every scene in approved, I will pull this cycle. So basically, you know Harris conclusion is Bidens. Definitely not your traditional really strong frontrunner like Hillary was but he's not quite as weak right now at this time in the race as the JEB, the route use the other people? And you know at the beginning of this primary a lot of people said: oh Biden's, going to be like a Jabiru, DIA, Joe Lieberman, and just and just falter, and he hasn't yet so he's he's stuck in this sort of middle place where he was not as strong as Hillary was against Bernie at this point in two thousand and sixteen but stronger than some of the front runners who went down. It's funny is, like you know, he's not.

Under the way Hillary was in two thousand and sixteen, but there's a chance. He is a front runner. Hillary was in two thousand and eight there's a there's a. I think that you know the polling has been very stable. And I think surprisingly, so I think there's a lot of people who expected after Warren or Harris had great debates that there would be this change, but really what you've seen is kind of bumps. Then it kind of goes back to this sort of stable place that it's been in with Elizabeth Warren Warren. Slowly, but surely kind of gay a few points here and there, and so the question is now between now and January. What's going to and that dynamic, so very much a lot of time for something to do that, but the race has been very stable Tommy. It is not in that strip. Super early mode, were you ever on says: calm down, relax, don't worry about it, but I I will just I think, as it was before the show. I remember sitting in Paul two uses office in August. In are in Iowa, listening to a polling call where I heard losing to Bill Richardson in the DES Moines media market. So you know things can turn around, tell

observations from Iowa about who's running a strong campaign about their. Let's give us some give us some anecdotes give us some purely anecdotal evidence. Yes, Well I mean listen. The thing about the national narrative. I've heard that from a bunch of people being more important, this time, I'm going to go check out. Uh a bunch of candidates, offices and things while I'm here I mean the conventional wisdom- is that with Warren Cory. Booker are building really great organizations. Biden is sir right after them, Mayor PETE as well, but I got go see see if myself, right now. It is interesting that that Kamala Harris, you know it seems like who is floating with maybe skipping Iowa or having a different set of priorities in terms of the state she was focused on. She just did a five day, bus tour. Or is maybe in the middle of it right now across Iowa. So you know, as we all expected, the election is coming to Iowa and you know fight it out here all right. Well, we will see what happens,

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donors choose x, finish helping classrooms and teachers across the country. It's a great charity Spencer. I grab a quick dinner last night, I want to say what we ate, because embarrassing was it Empanadas now, but anyway,. We're sitting there. Somebody comes up says they are for their friends, the pod, they say hi- and I say you know this is in your student you're, looking at as the Spencer. What if I freak the out, were they disappointed freaked? That's Spencer, the how did Spencer handle his newfound celebrity. Have an all the time. What is the star of his life, guys unflappable, no one like yelled at him about using the towel and all that stuff. Just just paid him respect, wow good, for you, Spencer, now glad to see you're going places

anyway, download the catch up today, she's a newly elected Democrat who represents Florida's twenty six congressional district, welcome, Congressman Debbie, move or sell pal hi John. How you doing I'm great so there's been a tough. We. We've seen two issues where I am: the country gun. Violence, anti immigrant sentiment come together in this gruesome attack in El Paso, urine immigrant you're. Someone who lost her father to islands in Ecuador, how is experience shapes your response to what we've seen unfold. You know it's there to two very personal issues. For me I did not have the privilege being born in the United States? I came here when I was fourteen. My mother brought my sisters and I were really looking. Opportunities that she knew she was never going to have in Ecuador and for us as well and the seeing so many kids being separated from their families and

knowing how scary it is to come to a new country. I never was separated from my mother, and here being the rhetoric from this president hearing the same rhetoric from the Republicans in Washington DC, constant criminalizing immigrants. It was Devastating to hear about the shooting in El Paso, but Fortunately, it didn't completely surprise is me, it's just can hearing the same words being used over and over again for the past two years, even before the president started campaigning before Trump started campaigning calling immigrants criminals, you know saying that they're rapist, well. I am an immigrant and I am a Congress member, and it has to stop? And on top of all of that, every time there's a shooting it. It's a trick. For me and for so many families that have lost loved ones. So It's been an emotional week, so

this has passed legislation on background checks that stalled in the Senate. We've seen signs in the past forty eight hours that trump Mcconnell pressure seems to be getting to them to the point where they are signaling, their openness to possibly being willing to maybe take up legislation not bring send it back early, not commit to anything Do you believe that that is a sincere openness or or a desire to get past the issue I'm usually an idealist and I'm a positive person and an optimist, and I'm hoping that at any moment we're going to see common sense and some will from Trump from Mcconnell and the Republicans, but unfortunately I don't trust what Trump says. He says a lot of things. But what we need to see is action, and I know for a fact that we sent this built in February was one of our top priorities. It was the one

most important days for me because when I was in the Judiciary Committee John, we were eleven hours trying to pass this bill through the Judiciary Committee and the re Has used every trick on the book to try to delay the process we had moms demand action and a man action sitting there for eleven hours. We finally got it for a vote on the house floor. They Republicans most of them, voted against it. Mitch. Mcconnell has had this bill since February. So what are we waiting for? Why can't he go back to DC and do it? I don't want to hear words. I want to see action. Is there anything else? You think you're you and your colleagues? How should be doing at look? What do you think of moving an assault weapons ban to to send it? I am ready to do that. I've been very vocal about that from the very beginning when I was campaigning, there's no reason why we should have Ar15 ants in our communities

We had a call in the Judiciary Committee just this week and we all agreed that we were ready to come back to DC, to mark up that bill and send it to the house floor and for those those Do you think, there's anything people who want to help on this? can do you know, I think, there's a hoe. On the part of some who don't want to see any action that this dies down over the August recess? What do you don't think I think that this is going to be an issue that will not go away because, unfortunately, we see shootings every single day happening in our communities in Chicago in my area, in South Miami Dade County, we have some of the highest rates of gun violence, for kids under the age of eighteen? So it something that we experience unfortunately way too often. So it's gonna go away. I am certainly not going to stop working on this issue, and I know many of my colleagues are feel the exact same way. So we are ready in the house to bring more bills to the floor and I

want to see what what Mcconnell and the Senate Republicans and this president is going to do to take on these bills, it does seem as though you know Trump is without any kind of ideology here. You know he He does seem to occasionally say a we do something like background checks, or we should. We should do form of gun control and then quickly walks it back because he receives push back behind the scenes. It seems as though Trump recognizes that there is a political problem for publicans and it's starting to seem as though this issue is changing up. That even people like Mitch Mcconnell, who is not one to show his cards has even the a few days said more than he has in years, including when he stopped the bill in twenty thirteen to show a willingness to dresses issue: do you believe there is a shift happening in the country I that we have had incredible courage from so many parents have lost their children and parkland and

schools as the Sandy Hook elementary shooting the parents have not stopped working on pieces legislation that are bipartisan. That are common sense. That's the bill that we sent to the Senate. I think that because of the public action, our voices being lifted up hours. I mean because, in my community, that's all. I see people marching laying there senators calling their representatives talking about the in a relentless fashion? John, not just because of what we've experienced in the past week, but this has been going on now for years. I think that we sometimes underestimate the power that we have in this country We are seeing it just by what you're saying that they are at least recognizing that they have to talk about possible legislation that is going to be common sense for me important thing going to be what action they're going to take. So, let's talk about investigating Donald Trump,

you're among House Democrats who signed on to launching an impeachment inquiry, you didn't do this risk you flip your district? You have to defend your seat. Can you walk us through how you got to the point of supporting an impeachment inquiry? when I got elected and the reason why IRAN was actually to fight for gun reform laws because of what we just talked about to fight to? tagged our environment. I represent an area, that's very high risk for the effects of climate change and also to lower healthcare costs. I worked at the FIU. Med scores and associate dean there. So those were the reasons why I ran for office when I receive when we finally received in the Judiciary Committee the molar report, the redacted version of the Miller report. I read the entire report within two days front to back and I immediately felt a sense of duty that we had to investigate for for that we needed to get more answers that would

Is reading in that report clearly stated that this president has committed obstruction of justice and But I wanted to wait to get the unredacted version. I wanted to hear from some of the fact witnesses, including Don Mcgann. And when Don Mcgann, when we asked him to come forth in front of the Judiciary Committee and he didn't show up that was another moment for me that I felt the sense that, if we are not to get answers. If this president can Continues to obstruct an investigation by telling his former White House counsel to not show up to the Judiciary committee. Then we have a serious problem and several hearings after having hope x com and and have that private interview with her. I left that that date thinking we have to start an impeachment. We need to get all the information, and we have to allow the american public to be a part of this process.

To understand everything that has been going on- I I tried, as best as I could, to not make it Art is an issue at all. I was trying to look at it in an objective way but being from Latin America having LE a country where I've seen what happens when a man grabs on to power and is full of corruption and parts to circumvent other branches of government to get his way. I have seen those qualities in this president, and I can tell you for Those of you that have never lived another country or that have been born here. This country can change and it can change very, quickly by someone like this president. So let's talk about what the uh I have been doing because I do think. What we've seen is, I think, a lot of Democrats and some of these hearings, whether it was Michael Cohen or or Robert Muller, that we've seen I think Democrats try to get

answers out of these hearings and there's some. You know. I think we all recognize some performative partisanship there on both sides, but what I found fascinating watching some of these sort of blockbuster hearings is very few Republicans publicly on these. These seem interested in using them as an opportunity to gather facts. I think one hearing you saw someone like Justin Amash, actually do something as as an exception that proves the rule before he switched parties legitimately. Suss out. Some information will heard in the hearings with mall try to do the same behind. Closed doors is that It's in divide as obvious. Do you believe your reply can colleagues recognize obvious conclusions of the Muller report when nobody's watching you. I think that there are some that would see what we're all seeing after reading that report. I I can honestly tell you that I've had

conversations with some of my republican colleagues, and you hear the same talking points that you hear from this president- that there's no obstruction there's no collusion that this is just a political witch hunt and I hate repeating it, but that's what they say and I at this moment, under the republican leadership in the House, Kevin, Mccarthy and his style and the words that I hear from my colleagues in the Judiciary committee. Unfortunately, I have seen absolutely no courage from any of my likes to stand up to this president or just to have the basic hunger to understand the facts of what exactly happened and to protect our country from further interference or protect our country, president that is using the the white house and the seat to enrich himself to it work

only for himself and he's not doing it for the better men of our country or for or for the people that he's supposedly representing so You know I I I don't want to much, because I think you know we come back to us as well. They're, simply not willing to see or not willing to admit what there's, what what we all see as being obvious, but I I do find it I mean you. Do you deal with these people behind closed doors me, what we've seen intelligence committee on the Judiciary Committee is a feeling as though that the kind of comedy that used to exist has broken down there's not. You know, losing blistering blistering is directed directed at the Republicans toward you, and your democratic colleagues conducting these hearings, and it sounds like what you're saying is even behind closed doors, that that partisanship is not less it's not for the cameras, there really is a refusal to acknowledge. What's going on that, that's the fact.

And I have spoken with the ranking member Collins Representative Collins after, of the hearings, and there were. There was a moment that I actually went to him to compliment him on a couple of things that he said that there's all this work that we need to do that. We keep having these hearings, but that we should be working on bills, and I went to him- and I said I agree with you- I want you to know that. I agree with what you were saying: there's a lot of work to be done, but we can't get to our work. If the witnesses are not appearing before us. If we're not getting the facts that we need, don't. You agree that we need to have these witnesses and he did agree with me on that. But then he went back to you know this is all theater, but he makes it the year yeah. I I don't know if you've seen that the hearings they make they were saying things that I mean incredible, the things that they come up with, and I sit next to my

good friend, Veronica Escobar, and I and there are so many moments that we have to just support. Other, because they use every opportunity it we can have molar right in front of us and they'll go. Criminalizing immigrants they'll go back to You know all Democrats are socialists which is not true and it to distract from the fact have a president that has committed obstruction of justice, so you're League Chairman Nadler, said on CNN that what the committee is currently engaged in is formal impeachment proceedings Lee that's the first time he's acknowledged that are such to that. Do you agree with him? I think that we have going through the impeachment inquiry process, and we haven't formally called it that, but I do agree with him. The the court documents state that the subpoena enforcement that we brought to the courts a couple of days ago, state that this is part of our proceedings and at this point

with all the evidence that we have seen and the information that we've gotten from the special counsel. I agree with him: yes, so we're in it. Right in the middle of it I like this, is no laughing matter. I don't I don't mean to diminish the that this is a very serious situation and I really hope that the people, all for the country start paying close attention to the facts that Maybe they shouldn't be watching all these? twenty four hour news channels, and maybe they should start reading and getting information from PBS or podcast but yeah you're a podcast. You know they should be listening to you, John more often, but it's important for people start paying attention. This is our country and we need to take it back now. There's been, I think, a question about sort of the timeline because on the one hand, I think you've seen some members pushing for an impeachment inquiry.

Faster, others, including speaker saying you know I want to wait till we have the strongest hand possible. I want to wait till we have all the information at our disposal. Do you worry that if this now formal impeachment inquiry doesn't take place in fall that will have missed the opportunity that if we are pushing into two thousand and twenty people will start to say. Well, we have an election to determine the outcome here. I think that no justice, has no timing We really have to think about this. As determining point our democracy, that we need to go through, whatever set We have to take to get information and then take action, for that, maybe whether it's recommending a vote on the house floor or or not. I mean the fact that we're going through an impeachment inquiry right now. It doesn't necessarily mean we're going to recommend a vote on the floor, but I think that we have to follow steps. We can't be

found only by the political timing of the twenty twenty election. Of course it's important, of course. We all think about that. I'm not saying that we don't, but the it's important thing here is the future of our democracy, and I personally believe that we have to take a sense and we have to do what is right, regardless of the timing, regardless of what month in the calendar year we are at. We have to follow those steps. So there are a lot of Democrats from districts like or who are worried that saying you're for impeachment will make it harder to win reelection. Are you worried about that, and what do you? to colleagues that have that fear, It's a conversation that I've had with many of my friends in in the new freshman class personally well, first of all Everybody has to make their own decision for their districts that they got elected by their community and there's a reason why they're representing their communities, so they have to make, decisions on their own? I personally feel that

save my community understands why I'm making those decisions if they know that I have the best intentions, that it's not a purely political game that I'm playing that I I will earn trust and I will earn their support. I have a very diverse district. It's a majority hispanic district, most of the people in my district, more than half of them, were born in a different country. I was born in Ecuador. I have these conversations with them all the time when I'm in my community- and I explained to them that what what we're seeing in this president is the same thing that we've seen in Latin America and Y and central American? Why we've come to the United States and why we have to be so vigilant in guarding our democracy, so one of those questions on this. It's what you know the case. You're making is a moral case that there's a moral obligation that Democrats have, regardless of political calendar, regardless of of questions about what happened in swing districts that because of the

charter marker democracy? We have a moral obligation to at least use our power to to to conduct an impeachment inquiry, even if it may not lead to conviction in the Senate. It's the right thing to do. And yet you have colleagues that don't see it. That way that are yet responding to the moral challenge. In the same way. Does that frustrate you? Yes, and but I keep in mind the fact that there not in the Judiciary committee. If you look at everyone in our committee were all in the same page, but it's because we've spent more, support hours in hearings and reading and talking to the attorneys and understanding the facts. So I think that that's get it right. I mean I'm right in the middle of it, and many of my colleagues are not dealing with formation that I'm dealing with on a day to day basis. It is frustrating

in the sense that this is my first term. So I was not a politician before I got elected of course now I can't say that I'm not because I am a member of Congress, but I try to see everything that I'm doing for the best. Because of my community, not really thinking always about the political consequence. Of course I have to be careful and think of everyone that I'm representing in in Florida's twenty six I have Republicans have independence, but I hope that My community trusts the fact that I will do my best to do the best thing for Florida's twenty six district you explain yourself in that manner, which is what I've said: some of my colleagues then people will know that. That's why you're there and it's not just for political reasons. Let's talk about Let's talk about winning in Florida, what do you? What do you see as

will be advice would be giving right now to Democrats campaigning for what they should be saying to appeal to win Florida, twenty twenty, the First thing that that I have to say is they have to pay close attention to the issues that affect us, the most and I've seen a disregard for the issue. Is affecting Venezuela, we have a huge crisis in Minnesota. It's a arco regime. It's a dictatorial, narkar illegitimate. My little was elected in illegitimate. I can't say the word. You see it rain coming out on election, and we have to A strong stance against that, because it's affecting the entire hemisphere, I've seen now close to four million Venezuelans flee the country it it. That number has surpassed the syrian refugee crisis that we saw in Syria, and I don't I would

like personally to hear the democratic presidential candidates address that issue. A lot of the immigration issues that we have now in this country also is because we've ignored so many problems that we've seen in sent and in South America, and is someone being from that area. I wish that this country would pay mission to their neighbors and the issues affecting them, because we are interconnected when we talk about trade with Mexico and Canada, We need to talk about issues that affect the region, well. So that's one of them, but another issue that I think is extremely important that I haven't heard enough of well, and that's important in Florida, is the effects of climate change. What are the plans to address? a change immediately on day one when you get into the White House, we have to have a plan and want to hear more of that. Instead of you know, I think that would happens, is the media starts. Directing the narrative in a way right.

And it's always the far right and the far left issues will there, a lot of issues that we need to talk about that everyday don't worry about, but I'm not hearing a whole lot about that yeah. It seems that in both the debates I've seen a lot of the questions have been framed, not around sort of the larger challenge, but on some of the kind of places, with the greatest likelihood to lead Democrats to take a very difficult position, whether it's one thousand three hundred and twenty five or climate, cation and costs associated with that, I'm on integration. You know, I think, we've seen some candidates who, in Castro has led with his plan around looking, in a broader way, looking at the challenges facing central and South America, but The debate is largely focused on stopping the worst actions of the Trump Administration

Do you think that we're having enough of a larger conversation not just about what will stop on immigration, but but on what we actually believe in terms of our broader policies on immigration. Are you talking about some specific policy issues for immigration reform or you talking about what we've been seeing in the border? I'm talking about immigration reform, whether it's a pathway to citizenship or what are border policy actually is yeah. It's such a complicated issue. And we've had the problem of a broke immigration system for decades, which is why we have so many undocumented. Prince living in the United States today, because you wait, you apply, you go through all the steps and you wait for years to get a green car or status or permit or citizenship. So we have address those issues right now, we have to also address the

crisis that we're seeing at the border we do have a crisis and part of the. Is that people are fleeing violence there fleeing the effects of climate change in what they Myla, they can't farm land. So a lot of the people that we're seeing there are literally starving because they can't get access to basic necessities, and it's I'm going to go away so Problems are not going away anytime soon, so we have to find a compact and it and humane policy to deal with the people that are coming for us too. You know asking for help. We need we cannot at this moment now and all the asylum laws that we've had in this country for decades, we can't turn back people that are asking for refugee status, that's not the right way to address this issue. That's making it much worse. Separating families is definitely not a good idea, and it's the most hypocritical policy sense that I have heard from this administration from these

conservatives that are so worried about family values, but yet they have absolutely no regard for the fact that there are children that right now are crying. This gets me every time. I've met many many kids, in homestead in my community that have been separated from families? I'm a mom, it's unacceptable! What did you What did you think when you saw that I said? In the wake of El Paso, I conducted a raid and you know right basically rounded up six hundred people sort of leaving children behind without anyone to take care of them. This is a calque waited response by this administration. I don't want anyone to think that they didn't know exactly what was about to happen in these farms that I It takes a lot of resources for these rates to occur at to actually go in and take hard working

people six hundred of them without any information on whether they kids? There were some single moms that the kids didn't know, where to go. What is it that we're doing, and what are we becoming an my concern is that if this country does start standing up to basic human rights and this press is elected once again in twenty twenty, we are going to enter a very dark dark road in the future of of America. So you know these are different, Issues in this has been a really hard creative time. You know when we first spoke. It was when you were running I'm You were trying to kind of, win this seed against the odds. You won your now representing your district. What is the been the most surprising part about coming to Congress for the first time,

people understand, there are a few things. First of all it's very you work, seven days a week, you never disconnect there it's very difficult to have, and sort of balance, and I have a family and I'm constantly trying to find a way to have that balance with my kids and my husband and and so you. Have to have a good support. Group and I've become very, friends with so many amazing colleagues that I have, but I think one of the most. Things and I'm going to be very honest with you. John has been seeing some of those colleagues that I call my friends vote, sometimes immigrants and I've seen it and it it's been heartbreaking, really that I've taken it personally because of me because of my community and- and so I wonder, the question that you asked before

Are we doing this for political, or are we going to stand up for? What is right- and I think that's been the most surprising part for me- congresswoman, cell powell- thank you so much for being here. Thank you, John thanks to the congresswoman for joining us today, Tom have a good week in Iowa and and we'll talk to the Thursday, see the greek thanks, guys see you soon see the greek bombing and scream at time, maybe to our oh, my goodness, I'm learning a new medium love it support of yeah. Some of its instagram is private. I don't know why. No, no! I don't have to take a public. No wouldn't want to see some boring dog pictures that are not on Twitter he says he says the guy who only post doc, big lots of America is a product of crooked media to show is produced by Michael Martinez. It's mixed and edited by Andrew Chadwick. Kyle Seglin is our sound engineer.

Caroline resting, tiny, simulator and Katie long for production support into our digital team, Elijah Cone, Normal Conan and Milo CAM to film it upload these bad boys every week