1 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: And we are back with another edition of the Federalist 2 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:24,440 Radio Hour. I'm Matt Kittle, Senior Elections correspondent at the Federalist, 3 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,399 and your experienced Shirpa on today's quest for Knowledge. As always, 4 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,960 you can email the show at radio at the Federalist 5 00:00:32,039 --> 00:00:36,719 dot com, follow us on x at FDR LST, make 6 00:00:36,759 --> 00:00:39,759 sure to subscribe wherever you download your podcast, and of 7 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,159 course to the premium version of our website as well. 8 00:00:43,679 --> 00:00:46,920 Our guest today is Daniel Cameron, former Attorney General of 9 00:00:47,039 --> 00:00:52,119 Kentucky and CEO of the seventeen ninety two Exchange, a 10 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:57,479 nonprofit organization taking on DEI and ESG and all of 11 00:00:57,479 --> 00:01:00,000 those things that have been so nasty in American policy 12 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,840 and policy over the last several years in this country, 13 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:10,000 particularly as it relates to American corporations and charities. Good day, sir, 14 00:01:10,079 --> 00:01:12,079 Thank you so much for joining us on the Federalist 15 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:12,640 Radio Hour. 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:14,799 Speaker 2: Thank you, my friend. 17 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 3: It's good to be with you and appreciate the opportunity 18 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,519 to talk about seventeen ninety two Exchange and kind of 19 00:01:22,519 --> 00:01:26,879 what's going on right now on the ESG and D landscape. 20 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,439 Speaker 1: As our conversation, of course, could not be more timely 21 00:01:29,519 --> 00:01:32,640 given the new president, if you will, the new sheriff 22 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,680 in town, who is turning back a lot of these 23 00:01:36,799 --> 00:01:39,239 things that you have been fighting for now for a while. 24 00:01:39,519 --> 00:01:42,200 I just wanted to get as we begin our conversation, 25 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:46,400 get your first take on what has been a very 26 00:01:46,519 --> 00:01:50,239 energetic first week for President Donald Trump. 27 00:01:51,719 --> 00:01:55,439 Speaker 3: Well, I think you know, as I've done some reading 28 00:01:55,519 --> 00:01:59,319 and heard from folks in the administration talk about it. 29 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,719 I mean, the the phrase, if you will, of flooding 30 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,280 the zone with these executive orders is really quite apt. 31 00:02:07,519 --> 00:02:14,919 I mean, this administration, having been there before, understands the system, 32 00:02:15,039 --> 00:02:19,439 understands the environment, and knows how to move the levers 33 00:02:19,479 --> 00:02:23,080 of government to get things done. And I think you 34 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:29,800 saw a robust flurry of executive orders in the first 35 00:02:30,159 --> 00:02:35,039 week that, frankly, demonstrate that this administration. 36 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:36,039 Speaker 2: Knows what it's doing. 37 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 3: They've been around the block, if you will, and are 38 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,639 taking advantage of the experience that they've had to inform 39 00:02:43,879 --> 00:02:47,360 and execute on things that the American people care about. 40 00:02:47,439 --> 00:02:51,560 I mean, we care about a secure national order, We 41 00:02:51,599 --> 00:02:58,599 care about reducing inflation and making sure that America is 42 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:05,199 respected again are our adversaries and allies, and we care 43 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:10,400 about making sure that merit is top of mind when 44 00:03:10,879 --> 00:03:15,319 decisions are being made in terms of hiring and employment standards. 45 00:03:16,039 --> 00:03:19,919 So it very much has been an exciting few days, 46 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,719 particularly for folks that we're rooting for. 47 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,439 Speaker 2: Then candidate Donald J. 48 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 3: Trump and and are certainly now rooting for him as 49 00:03:31,319 --> 00:03:32,280 as President Trump. 50 00:03:32,319 --> 00:03:34,319 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's it's been remarkable to see. 51 00:03:34,919 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 3: Again, they talked about in the run up, in particular 52 00:03:38,479 --> 00:03:41,080 during the transition, they talked a lot about. 53 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,439 Speaker 2: Being ready on day one, uh, and we are seeing 54 00:03:44,439 --> 00:03:45,039 the fruits of that. 55 00:03:45,479 --> 00:03:50,319 Speaker 3: We are seeing the fruits of a team that knows 56 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:54,240 what it's doing, knows what its mission is, and is 57 00:03:54,319 --> 00:03:59,039 not wasting any time. And that's been as an observer, 58 00:03:59,159 --> 00:04:01,280 that's been really really exciting to see. 59 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right. It would seem that 60 00:04:06,719 --> 00:04:10,199 Donald Trump in this administration, they've been thinking about these 61 00:04:10,199 --> 00:04:14,159 things for a while. You know, maybe they knew exactly 62 00:04:14,199 --> 00:04:17,360 what they wanted to do on day one and day two, 63 00:04:17,639 --> 00:04:21,959 and it seems like they are very much, you know, 64 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,839 firing on all cylinders from from day one. What does 65 00:04:26,879 --> 00:04:31,360 that mean ultimately for organizations like yours, the seventeen ninety 66 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:32,319 two project. 67 00:04:32,879 --> 00:04:36,519 Speaker 2: Well, what it means for seventeen ninety two exchange. 68 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 3: And you know, we'll get into it a little bit, 69 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,040 but you know, we at at our core, at organization 70 00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:46,040 that wants to make sure corporations get back to focusing 71 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:53,319 on business and make dicisions based on maximizing the return 72 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,800 on investment to the shareholder and creating good products and 73 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:01,199 providing good customer service. And in the White House you 74 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,839 now have an administration that believes in that because they 75 00:05:04,879 --> 00:05:12,720 want to restore the promise of two Americans of you know, prosperity, 76 00:05:12,879 --> 00:05:17,920 of wealth, of security, of a better future for our children. 77 00:05:18,079 --> 00:05:20,920 My wife and I McKenzie, we've got we've got two boys, 78 00:05:22,079 --> 00:05:25,279 one's three and ones nine months. We want a future 79 00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:28,480 uh that's better than ours for them. 80 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 2: And I know there are countless parents across this country 81 00:05:31,399 --> 00:05:31,959 that want that. 82 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,879 Speaker 3: And so it's it's uh, it's been fun to work 83 00:05:34,879 --> 00:05:38,800 at an organization that believes that part of that mission 84 00:05:38,879 --> 00:05:42,319 is to get corporations back to business and not worried 85 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,560 about these extraneous things. 86 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,879 Speaker 2: That the far left will sometimes push on them or 87 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,079 or frankly not sometimes, but have been relentlessly pushing on 88 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,040 our corporations. 89 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,319 Speaker 3: It's nice to have an administration in the White House 90 00:05:56,639 --> 00:06:00,959 that wants that wants our businesses focused on business, that 91 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:02,920 wants a. 92 00:06:02,959 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 2: Country that is greater than it's ever been before. 93 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 3: It makes our job in one light, that actually makes 94 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,519 our job easier in the sense that we have a 95 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:19,639 partner in the administration. But equally important to focus on 96 00:06:19,759 --> 00:06:20,360 as well is. 97 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 2: That the left. 98 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,959 Speaker 3: You know, it's kind of like, you know, they you know, 99 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,680 in many ways they've lost the levers of power in Washington, 100 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,439 and so they'll find or try to find other places 101 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,000 in which they can entrench themselves. And I think they're 102 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,560 going to double down in the corporate landscape. I mean, 103 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,600 you've seen Costco this week double and triple and quadruple 104 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:47,720 down on DEI because you know, so, I do think 105 00:06:47,759 --> 00:06:50,319 there will be you know, some on the left that 106 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,680 will try to entrench themselves in our corporate community. 107 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 2: And so at seventeen ninety two, although we have. 108 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,319 Speaker 3: A partner in the White House, our work is really 109 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:03,240 going to ratchet up because we know, again the Left 110 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:06,319 is going to look for ways outside of government to 111 00:07:06,399 --> 00:07:08,040 push their ideology. 112 00:07:08,519 --> 00:07:12,399 Speaker 1: Yeah. I couldn't agree anymore. And I've said it often 113 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:18,639 on this podcast and elsewhere that like rust and mold 114 00:07:18,759 --> 00:07:23,079 and the left never sleeps, let's face it. And as 115 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,680 you saw, as you mentioned timely, note that COSTCO is 116 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:34,240 doubling down on its DEI and SESG concepts and policies. 117 00:07:34,639 --> 00:07:36,560 You're going to see more of that. Of course, we've 118 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:41,240 already seen the so called resistance movement two point zero. 119 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:45,160 What that finally looks like will know, of course, in 120 00:07:45,199 --> 00:07:47,959 short order. I think we'll know in the coming weeks 121 00:07:47,959 --> 00:07:50,839 and certainly in the coming months. But you know, the 122 00:07:50,879 --> 00:07:55,800 seventeen ninety two exchange is intentional in its name a 123 00:07:55,879 --> 00:08:00,480 seventeen ninety two of course, Kentucky statehood and well you 124 00:08:00,639 --> 00:08:03,639 have the left out of the reigns of power at 125 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,319 the federal government. There's still, as you mentioned, much that 126 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,399 they can do, much that they can disrupt in terms 127 00:08:11,439 --> 00:08:14,800 of their leftist Marxist policies at the state wide level, 128 00:08:14,879 --> 00:08:19,160 and as you said, pushing their narratives and trying to, 129 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:27,000 you know, infuse these ideas and philosophies into corporate America. 130 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,800 How do you go about fighting against that? What are 131 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,360 the main battle grounds that you're seeing right now in 132 00:08:36,399 --> 00:08:38,159 America today on that front? 133 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 3: Man, It's a great question, and we know to your 134 00:08:43,879 --> 00:08:48,039 point is that, yeah, the left very much is going 135 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,360 to you know, try to find their sales in a 136 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:57,039 position outside of government to continue to influence. And you know, 137 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,960 as we think about look, I actually take a step back, 138 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:02,840 and you know, when it comes to CEOs, I think 139 00:09:02,879 --> 00:09:06,200 if you talk to a lot of CEOs directly, they 140 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,360 would tell you that, man, we wish we could just 141 00:09:08,399 --> 00:09:11,639 focus on business. But for a long time, I mean, 142 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:16,240 the left has been very methodical and very intentional about Okay, 143 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,559 let's let's let's take over the bureaucracy, let's take over 144 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,720 the academic institutions. 145 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,879 Speaker 2: Let's take over our corporations. 146 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 3: Because if we if we change those three areas, then 147 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:35,840 we can capture culture. And they've you know, tried very 148 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:39,000 hard to do it in the bureaucracy. And you're seeing 149 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,080 President Trump, which I'm grateful for. I mean, he is 150 00:09:42,159 --> 00:09:44,960 really doing everything that he can, along with his team, 151 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,639 to to pluck out those that you know, believe in 152 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,279 this ideology, this far left ideology. 153 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: You see it in our academic institutions. 154 00:09:54,879 --> 00:09:58,159 Speaker 3: I'm glad that you know, there was a period of 155 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,879 intense scrutiny and focus on some that we're in academia 156 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,240 that you know, we're trying to push this and at 157 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:11,159 seventeen ninety two Exchange, we are focused on the corporate sector. 158 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,840 How can we drive corporations to get back to neutral 159 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:16,720 on a. 160 00:10:16,639 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 2: Whole host of issues such as they're focusing on business. 161 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 3: And the way that we do that is we really 162 00:10:22,159 --> 00:10:31,360 rely on relationships across the ecosystem to ultimately steer corporations 163 00:10:31,399 --> 00:10:33,840 back to neutral. So we will you know, I'm a 164 00:10:33,879 --> 00:10:38,879 former Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and you know, 165 00:10:38,919 --> 00:10:43,600 I have a lot of good relationships across the ag landscape. 166 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:48,919 I've met other elected leaders as I've ran for governor 167 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:52,399 in Kentucky in twenty twenty three. So we rely heavily 168 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:55,840 on those relationships to say, hey, you know, are you 169 00:10:56,159 --> 00:10:59,919 paying attention to what you know Corporation X might be 170 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,120 doing related to you know, One of the things that 171 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:05,960 I was focused on when I was. 172 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,919 Speaker 2: Attorney general were these big. 173 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 4: Asset managers, if you will, the Black Streets and the 174 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,480 and others that were saying that they wanted to. 175 00:11:24,519 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 2: Ultimately destroy the fossil fuels industry. 176 00:11:27,519 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 3: They wanted to get rid of fossil fuels by you know, 177 00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:33,080 twenty thirty or twenty fifty, depending. 178 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: On what day it was. 179 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 3: And so, being in a state that relied heavily on 180 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,440 coal and natural gas to give us our competitive advantage, 181 00:11:42,519 --> 00:11:45,960 I said, this is absolutely absurd that you would have 182 00:11:48,799 --> 00:11:52,720 asset managers saying that they're going to boycott fossil fuels 183 00:11:52,759 --> 00:11:56,799 because it would hurt the bottom line of Kentucky and 184 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,840 it would hurt our ability to attract businesses into our state. 185 00:12:00,919 --> 00:12:03,480 And so I was the first Attorney general in the 186 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:08,399 country to say that, hey, if you are a pension member, 187 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,799 a pension board member of state pensions, your focus has 188 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:17,399 to be on the fiduciary duty and your obligation to 189 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:23,000 the pension beneficiary, which meant police officers, firefighters, and teachers 190 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:28,279 making sure that you're increasing the return on investment for them, 191 00:12:28,519 --> 00:12:34,320 not that you're focused on ESG and other woke ideology. 192 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,840 And so I do believe that in my current role 193 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:41,360 as the CEO of seventeen ninety two Exchange, we've got 194 00:12:41,399 --> 00:12:43,879 to rely on our state officials. You know, you saw 195 00:12:43,919 --> 00:12:48,759 this in Florida, You've seen it in other red states 196 00:12:48,759 --> 00:12:51,440 if you will, that have said, hey, we're not going 197 00:12:51,519 --> 00:13:00,399 to allow for folks to be involved in our pension 198 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:05,320 systems that are ultimately going to boycott fossil fuels. You've 199 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,159 seen in West Virginia where they divested a lot of 200 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,159 money from from from from black Rock because of their 201 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:18,720 decision to you know, boycott fossil fuels. You saw You've 202 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,600 seen this in Texas as well, where they've divested from 203 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,279 black Rock as well because of again the boycott on 204 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:30,039 fossil fuels. And the result of that has been that 205 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:36,960 there are a lot of climate alliances that have essentially 206 00:13:37,159 --> 00:13:41,600 disintegrated because the Black Rocks, the state streets and other 207 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,440 of these fund managers have said, Okay, this is no 208 00:13:46,519 --> 00:13:49,679 longer profitable for us to go down this road, and 209 00:13:49,759 --> 00:13:53,039 it's receiving a lot of scrutiny such that, you know, 210 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,960 at the beginning of of of last year, there was 211 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,759 an article that said ESG is now a dirty word. 212 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:01,279 Speaker 2: So we have to. 213 00:14:01,279 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 3: Put in place, you know, pressure on asset managers, those 214 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:13,000 that have influence within our corporations to back away from 215 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:16,759 this crazy stuff. And so we have to rely on 216 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,039 state officials to do that. We have to rely on 217 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,679 folks that are listening to this podcast. I mean, at 218 00:14:23,679 --> 00:14:26,000 the end of the day, if you go to seventeen 219 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,440 ninety two exchange. You can see on our website we 220 00:14:29,559 --> 00:14:33,879 have databases and we've got what's called our CBR that's 221 00:14:33,919 --> 00:14:36,039 our corporate Bias rating database. 222 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,759 Speaker 2: People consumers can go to there. You know, folks can go. 223 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 3: To our database and look to determine whether a company 224 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:50,600 is rated red, yellow or green green obviously being good. 225 00:14:50,639 --> 00:14:55,200 That means that you know, they're not going to they're 226 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,600 not making decisions based on what the human rights campaign 227 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:00,960 tells them, where they're not making decisions on what the 228 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,480 far left tells them. They're making decisions based upon business. 229 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,600 So you can go in there and see a company 230 00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:08,840 that's green. You can go on there on the flip 231 00:15:08,879 --> 00:15:10,840 side and see a company that's read, and know that 232 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,279 you know there's potential that they might discriminate because you 233 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:20,320 hold traditional values or they might not be in alignment 234 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:26,799 with your beliefs, and people make decisions based upon that database. 235 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,919 Speaker 2: You know, I give the example all the time. You know, 236 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:30,639 my mother. 237 00:15:32,159 --> 00:15:35,559 Speaker 3: Bought us a couple of gift cards, and my wife 238 00:15:35,559 --> 00:15:38,080 and I gift cards, and she bought me a tractor 239 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:42,159 supply gift card. Because they made a decision and they 240 00:15:42,159 --> 00:15:44,480 were the first to do it to back away from 241 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,639 the human rights campaign and to wind down their DEI policies. So, 242 00:15:49,879 --> 00:15:52,840 you know, that's one way that we are interfacing with 243 00:15:52,919 --> 00:15:56,480 the public to help people make good and informed decisions, 244 00:15:56,519 --> 00:16:01,799 where again, relying on relationships with state officials and frankly, 245 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:07,080 we want to rely on people within the federal government. 246 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,799 We want to rely on members of the House and 247 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:15,000 the Senate to hold committee hearings to bring forth conversations 248 00:16:15,039 --> 00:16:18,240 about you know, is a company focused on the bottom line, 249 00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:21,080 Are they focused on making those good products or are 250 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,320 they focused on far left ideology. We want them to 251 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,360 get out of that business, and we want, you know, 252 00:16:27,399 --> 00:16:32,279 to build relationships across the federal government. And again, that's 253 00:16:32,279 --> 00:16:36,080 why it's so exciting to have this new administration in 254 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,159 the White House, because we feel like we're going to 255 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,240 have a partner that wants to help us in that respect. 256 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:47,159 Speaker 5: The Bank of America is full of lies. Watched out 257 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,159 on Wall Street Podcast with Chris Markowski. Every day, Chris 258 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,000 helps unpack the connection between politics and the economy and 259 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,600 how it affects your wallet. After Trump called out Bank 260 00:16:55,639 --> 00:16:59,080 of America for de banking people for their conservative politics, 261 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,360 they issued us statement full of lies. Remember who gave 262 00:17:02,399 --> 00:17:05,720 the FBI a list of customers that made transactions around 263 00:17:05,799 --> 00:17:08,319 January sixth. Whether it's happening in DC or down on 264 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:09,960 Wall Street, it's affecting you financially. 265 00:17:10,039 --> 00:17:10,559 Speaker 2: Be informed. 266 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,759 Speaker 5: Check out the Watchdot on Wall Street podcast with christ 267 00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:15,839 Mrkowski on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 268 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:22,279 Speaker 1: Well, you had mentioned that ESG has now become in 269 00:17:22,519 --> 00:17:25,559 a lot of quarters a dirty word that's taken a 270 00:17:25,559 --> 00:17:29,839 lot of time because for so long the environmental, social 271 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:35,079 and government governance policies movement, which is basically all about, 272 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,160 you know, a narrative that, as you mentioned, one sector 273 00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:46,480 is evil and really painting with broad brushes and really 274 00:17:46,599 --> 00:17:51,400 pushing this leftist idea of at least their ideas of 275 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:57,640 what sustainability is and you know, what is right according 276 00:17:57,839 --> 00:18:02,000 to you know, their particular metrics. And what we've learned 277 00:18:02,039 --> 00:18:04,279 over time, of course, is that they were pushing to 278 00:18:05,079 --> 00:18:10,720 you know, de platform companies, corporations that were simply involved 279 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,519 in doing the work that we all depend on the 280 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,759 energy industry, the fossil fuel industry. You know, we've gotten 281 00:18:17,759 --> 00:18:23,400 a better understanding of what it means to impact negatively 282 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,519 impact those industries and what it means to us as consumers, 283 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,359 and what it ultimately means to the progress of humanity, 284 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,599 you know, And they describe these sorts of ideas as 285 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,680 you mentioned, in terms of humanitarian efforts in all of 286 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,119 those sorts of things. But really what it comes down 287 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,920 to is the entities. The firms that are pushing the 288 00:18:47,319 --> 00:18:52,839 ESG movement in America have created a very divisive climate. 289 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:58,319 You know. They're pushing the critical race theories, They're pushing 290 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:03,720 the diversity, equity and inclusion stuff that has ripped apart 291 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,359 the fabric of society in so many ways, and that 292 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:12,480 includes internally in corporations. I think corporations have learned over 293 00:19:12,559 --> 00:19:16,119 the last decade plus in this country of the DEI 294 00:19:16,559 --> 00:19:21,279 ESG movement how toxic it is. Some it will take 295 00:19:21,319 --> 00:19:25,480 a lot longer. But are are you excited to see 296 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,160 tractors supplies some of the things, at least we've heard 297 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:34,119 at Deer and other manufacturers in this country, all kinds 298 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,039 of different companies that are turning their back on these 299 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,799 ESG DEI models. But are you concerned that they'll just 300 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:47,640 go underground where the public can't necessarily see the impact. 301 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,559 Speaker 2: Well, let me it's because They're both great questions. 302 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:57,039 Speaker 3: The first is Matt, I am, and I hope your 303 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:02,160 listeners are as well. This is is man, if you 304 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,519 think about if you think about the first half of 305 00:20:04,559 --> 00:20:05,960 this decade, and. 306 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,519 Speaker 2: You can really go back to kind of the twenty nineteen. 307 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:16,519 Speaker 3: Timeframe, but if you think about the last five years, 308 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:21,839 I mean, the left has really tried to press on 309 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,319 corporations and on our culture. 310 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 2: And you know this this this term had been. 311 00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:31,319 Speaker 3: Coined a long time ago, but you know there's this 312 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,400 silent majority out there, and I think the silent majority 313 00:20:35,519 --> 00:20:40,640 has just said enough is enough. And what you had 314 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,039 over the first you know, roughly five years, is the 315 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:48,200 Left trying to push and push and push, and. 316 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:52,039 Speaker 2: The pendulum has just swung too far to the left. 317 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 3: And folks are like, look, we do not need woke 318 00:20:56,279 --> 00:21:02,680 ideology determining our schools. We don't need woke ideology determining 319 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,400 our gender. We don't need woke ideology determining our southern border. 320 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:13,519 We don't need woke ideology determining what our corporations focus on. 321 00:21:13,759 --> 00:21:18,400 We need a restoration of American and traditional values. We 322 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,160 need a restoration of the promise of this country, and 323 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,799 we need a restoration. 324 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,839 Speaker 2: Of what I talk about a lot, which. 325 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:32,079 Speaker 3: Is merit excellence, intelligence, or integrity. Those are we don't 326 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:36,839 need DEI. We need MEI merit excellence, intelligence, or integrity. 327 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,799 And that should be the focus of our corporations. And 328 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,160 I think largely the American people believe in that. And 329 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,559 to your point, you know, the the these zealous if 330 00:21:49,599 --> 00:21:55,039 you will, or the advocates of ESG and more specifically DEI. 331 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:00,960 You know, they throw out these these broad terms of versity, equity, 332 00:22:01,039 --> 00:22:04,319 and inclusion. And if you set back as an American, look, 333 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:05,440 I'm a Christian, and. 334 00:22:05,519 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 2: I believe that, you know. 335 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 3: All of us have a role to plan society, and 336 00:22:10,519 --> 00:22:15,920 all of us have in you know, significance as humans. 337 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 2: But what diversity equity God. 338 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: And God given rights, I might add, and the blessings 339 00:22:23,319 --> 00:22:29,039 therein of a something that is bigger than ourselves. But yes, no, absolutely, 340 00:22:29,039 --> 00:22:30,359 But but if you look. 341 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,319 Speaker 3: At diversity, equity, inclusion, they say those terms, what it 342 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:40,039 really means is discrimination, exclusion, and intolerance. Because the left, 343 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:42,599 if you are a Christian, if you are somebody that 344 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,759 believes in traditional values, if you are somebody that believes 345 00:22:45,759 --> 00:22:47,759 a man is a man and a woman is a woman, 346 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,559 the left will tell you you need to go sit 347 00:22:51,599 --> 00:22:55,440 in a corner. We are ostracizing you, we are marginalizing 348 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,160 you because we don't care about your opinion. And that's 349 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:00,279 what the left has tried to do. And and you 350 00:23:00,279 --> 00:23:04,039 know again, they start out in flowery language and then 351 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:10,079 they become harsh and severe such that you know, they 352 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,279 bully people online, They try to force you to hide 353 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,839 your true values and your true beliefs in corporations. 354 00:23:17,279 --> 00:23:20,519 Speaker 2: Now, I think Americans and a lot of this has 355 00:23:20,559 --> 00:23:21,799 been the. 356 00:23:21,759 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 3: Focal point of the momentum we've seen behind President Trump, 357 00:23:26,599 --> 00:23:30,599 is that the silent majority is sick of the left 358 00:23:30,759 --> 00:23:32,720 trying to tell you how to feel, trying to tell 359 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,839 you how to think, and they don't want that Orwellian 360 00:23:36,079 --> 00:23:39,519 society anymore. They want to be free thinkers. They want 361 00:23:39,559 --> 00:23:43,559 to say it's okay to have my belief set, it's 362 00:23:43,599 --> 00:23:48,039 okay to have traditional values. And that's what President Trump represents, 363 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,079 and that's what we had seventeen ninety two Exchange try 364 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,200 to represent. And so it's been encouraging to see, you know, again, 365 00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:59,960 the dominoes, if you will, started to fall. The sea 366 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,400 of tractor supply made a very bold and courageous decision 367 00:24:04,319 --> 00:24:06,720 to say that, hey, we're we're not going to sign 368 00:24:06,799 --> 00:24:10,799 any outside surveys related to the Human Rights Campaign. We're 369 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:15,279 not going to you know, continue to do the DEI policies. 370 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,680 We're just going to focus on business. That was a 371 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,000 smart decision and I applaud How a lot for doing that, 372 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,680 and I've said that repeatedly. And then if you look 373 00:24:23,759 --> 00:24:26,920 since that, I mean, there have been other iconic brands 374 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,160 that have made that decision to wind down DEI policies 375 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,799 or or quit billing out like Human Rights Campaign survey. 376 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,200 You know, there's been Ford Motor Company, there's been Walmart. 377 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,000 I think you just even maybe within the last couple 378 00:24:40,039 --> 00:24:43,839 of days, have seen some other big names fall into 379 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:45,960 that camp as well, where they're saying we are just 380 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,640 getting back to business. And that is exceedingly I mean 381 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,680 that that is beyond exciting. That is a good step 382 00:24:53,799 --> 00:24:57,160 in the right direction for America. That is restoring the 383 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:03,240 promise of America. But to your other point, your listeners 384 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:07,640 seventeen ninety two exchange, We've got to be vigilant because 385 00:25:08,079 --> 00:25:11,839 we don't want these things just to be changes to 386 00:25:12,839 --> 00:25:15,480 the facade of a building. We don't want these things 387 00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:20,440 to just be proclamations or declarations that are made. We 388 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:28,119 want real substantive change within our corporate communities and across government. 389 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,440 And so, you know, one of the things that I've 390 00:25:32,759 --> 00:25:36,880 and I'm hoping corporations will watch because in a lot 391 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,920 of ways, and it sounds crazy to say, but because 392 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,119 of President Trump and because of it his administration, the 393 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,400 federal government is now becoming the gold. 394 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 2: Standard for hiring. 395 00:25:47,799 --> 00:25:50,559 Speaker 3: And one of the things that the Trump administration is 396 00:25:50,599 --> 00:25:55,200 focused on is that, hey, we want these DEI departments 397 00:25:55,200 --> 00:26:00,680 shut down, but we also want to know if once 398 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,720 they've been shut down, whether those employees or that ideology 399 00:26:04,799 --> 00:26:09,000 is seeping into other departments within a particular agency. I 400 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:13,200 think it's really smart for the administration to be vigilant 401 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,400 on that, because that is the worry, is that you 402 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:21,519 get rid of the facade of DEI and you just 403 00:26:21,599 --> 00:26:24,720 move it around such that it is still in trench 404 00:26:24,799 --> 00:26:27,319 within your organization. Well, we've got to uproot it, We've 405 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,839 got to get it out of there. And that's what 406 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,400 we're trying to do it seventeen ninety two. And I'm 407 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:38,640 hopeful that because of what the administration is doing, those 408 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:43,200 within the private sector will be encouraged and emboldened to 409 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,720 uproot it from their organizations as well. 410 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: Our guest today is Daniel Cameron, former Attorney General of 411 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,480 Kentucky and CEO of the seventeen ninety two Exchange, a 412 00:26:54,559 --> 00:26:59,880 nonprofit organization taking on DEI and ESG and American corporations 413 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:06,480 and charities. Daniel, do you think that companies are getting 414 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:12,359 rid of this stuff, at least announcing this formally with 415 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:18,319 plans to uproot within their corporations because it's the right 416 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:25,680 thing to do ultimately, or because it is the fiscally 417 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:31,319 responsible thing to do. I mean that by saying, have 418 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,920 they lost a lot of money and a lot of 419 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,960 faith with a lot of consumers in America over the 420 00:27:37,039 --> 00:27:37,960 last several years. 421 00:27:39,319 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 2: Well, Matt, there's a couple of different ways to look 422 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:42,799 at it. You know. 423 00:27:42,839 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 3: I think human nature is to be self interested, and 424 00:27:47,559 --> 00:27:50,640 I think you see that, you know, playing out in 425 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:51,480 the corporate spheres. 426 00:27:51,519 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 2: For instance, if you look at the number of pro. 427 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:01,759 Speaker 3: ESG proposals that are offered during shareholder meetings, those have 428 00:28:01,839 --> 00:28:03,480 dropped precipitously over. 429 00:28:03,319 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 2: The last three years. I mean, they kind of hit a. 430 00:28:07,039 --> 00:28:12,559 Speaker 3: They hit a peak, if you will, in twenty twenty one. 431 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,240 But they continue as we continue to see a steady 432 00:28:16,279 --> 00:28:19,240 decline in those proposals, and you see an increase actually 433 00:28:19,759 --> 00:28:23,839 in anti ESG proposals. And so there is that reality 434 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,119 that corporations are saying, hey, we just need to get 435 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,960 out of this. It's smart, it's a smart business decision 436 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,680 to do it. So you got that component, and then 437 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:37,559 you have the the the anecdotal evidence that it's not 438 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,279 good for corporations to go down this road. Think of 439 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,440 a Target and bud Light. I mean, they are the 440 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:49,359 prime examples of when you start advertising with Dylan mulvaney 441 00:28:49,519 --> 00:28:53,640 or you know, you start putting tuck friendly bathing suits 442 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,599 in the front of your store. Those two corporations, whether 443 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:03,680 it is bud Light or Target, lost twenty seven billion 444 00:29:03,839 --> 00:29:09,519 dollars collectively because of the decision that they made to 445 00:29:09,599 --> 00:29:12,559 get go down that road. So you've got anecdotal evidence, 446 00:29:12,599 --> 00:29:15,119 you've got self interest of a corporation that says, hey, 447 00:29:15,559 --> 00:29:19,920 we're starting to take on scrutiny because of these proposals. 448 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:27,079 And then the final leg is the legal landscape has shifted. 449 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,799 So you look back in the decision that was made 450 00:29:31,799 --> 00:29:37,519 in the fair the Admissions case from the in front 451 00:29:37,519 --> 00:29:42,720 of the United States Supreme Court, which basically said, you 452 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,960 got to get rid of the quotas because they are 453 00:29:46,559 --> 00:29:54,559 discriminatory in the in the public university context. United States 454 00:29:54,599 --> 00:29:57,839 Supreme Court made that decision in the Fair Admissions case. 455 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:03,960 That was, you know, a landmark decision. And what has 456 00:30:04,079 --> 00:30:06,640 happened subsequent to that is that a lot of legal 457 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,079 scholars have said, Okay, that was the university of public 458 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:14,960 university contexts, but the rationale, the rationale and the judgment 459 00:30:15,039 --> 00:30:17,240 that was made by the United States Supreme Court in 460 00:30:17,319 --> 00:30:25,160 the university context can be applied to the private sector. 461 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:28,759 And so a lot of you get inside of a 462 00:30:28,759 --> 00:30:32,920 corporation and how corporations work. You've got a CEO, but 463 00:30:33,039 --> 00:30:37,400 you've got investor relations, you've got human resources, and you've 464 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,759 got a legal department. And legal departments took notice of 465 00:30:42,799 --> 00:30:45,799 that Fair Admissions case, and they're taking notice of what 466 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,519 legal scholars are saying, and a lot of gcs are 467 00:30:49,599 --> 00:30:54,279 advising their CEOs and their boards that we could face 468 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:58,720 legal exposure if we continue with these policies. 469 00:30:58,759 --> 00:31:02,559 Speaker 1: And they got nervous, didn't they about this affirm that's 470 00:31:02,839 --> 00:31:03,880 the affirmative. 471 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:06,119 Speaker 2: Action in pros. That's precisely right. 472 00:31:06,359 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 3: And if you look at the statement that McDonald's made 473 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,359 a couple of weeks ago, McDonald's made the statement about 474 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,480 winding down their DEI policies, and one of the reasons 475 00:31:15,519 --> 00:31:18,960 that they cited for doing so was the fair Admissions case. 476 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,079 They said, the legal landscape has changed, and we need 477 00:31:22,119 --> 00:31:24,440 to wind down this policy. And I think you'll have 478 00:31:24,519 --> 00:31:28,240 other corporations that will make a decision based on the 479 00:31:28,279 --> 00:31:30,759 legal landscape changing as well. But what I say to 480 00:31:30,839 --> 00:31:33,680 people all the time is I don't care how we 481 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,279 get there. I want to get there. And I think 482 00:31:37,319 --> 00:31:42,200 most Americans want a colorblind society where the focus is 483 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,759 on merit and not on what your skin color is. 484 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,519 Speaker 2: And you want people that. 485 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,799 Speaker 3: Are in a job because they are good at that job, 486 00:31:51,119 --> 00:31:53,920 not there because of what they look like. And that 487 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,160 is again, I think you can treat people well, and 488 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,400 I think it's important for employers to treat people well, 489 00:32:00,839 --> 00:32:02,359 but they don't have to do it based on what 490 00:32:02,599 --> 00:32:03,400 a person looks like. 491 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:04,839 Speaker 2: They can do it based on. 492 00:32:08,519 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 3: What ultimately that employee is bringing to the table in 493 00:32:12,279 --> 00:32:13,480 terms of productivity. 494 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:15,839 Speaker 2: And they can do it based on this. 495 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 3: You know what I believe is you know, this this 496 00:32:19,839 --> 00:32:22,160 idea that flows from the Bible, which is that we 497 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,480 are called to be good neighbors, and so you can 498 00:32:24,519 --> 00:32:28,839 do that without having to subscribe to a far lept ideology. 499 00:32:30,039 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: Well, you come from a different and an interesting perspective. 500 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,480 You know. Let's let's talk about this. You were the 501 00:32:36,519 --> 00:32:40,200 first Black American independently elected the state wide office in 502 00:32:40,279 --> 00:32:43,680 Kentucky's history, and the first Republican elected to the Attorney 503 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:50,200 General's office since nineteen forty eight. You know, you served 504 00:32:50,279 --> 00:32:54,359 as legal counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. I mean, 505 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,480 you have a great body of experience in this. You 506 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,920 also have a great body of experience and talking to 507 00:33:02,319 --> 00:33:08,519 people in Kentucky, Kentucky politics and the average you know, voter, 508 00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:14,279 the average individual in Kentucky. Are we seeing this movement 509 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:22,119 against you know, these divisive policies. Are they really starting? 510 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:26,599 Is that really starting to resonate in the black communities, 511 00:33:26,759 --> 00:33:30,200 in the historic communities and elsewhere? 512 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 513 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,599 Speaker 3: Look, I think you know, the if I can take 514 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:41,519 off my objective you know, seventeen ninety two hat and 515 00:33:41,559 --> 00:33:44,319 if I can just say, you know, speaking from a 516 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:51,799 you know, my past experience. You know, the left has 517 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:59,400 sold a bill of goods to different communities. You know, 518 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:03,640 whether it's the Black community or the Hispanic community, they've 519 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:04,680 sold a bill of goods. 520 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,039 Speaker 2: And what I think, uh, uh, you. 521 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 3: Know, my community and other you know, communities are starting 522 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:18,719 to wake up to is that they continue the left 523 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,480 continues to talk the talk, but they never truly you know, 524 00:34:22,559 --> 00:34:26,079 walk the walk and take action on behalf of these communities. 525 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,440 And what now they've done is in many ways, kind 526 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,320 of marginalize the concerns of the Black community and the 527 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:39,599 Hispanic community and other communities in favor of uh, you know, 528 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,039 saying that that that that men should be allowed to 529 00:34:43,079 --> 00:34:44,400 compete in women's sports. 530 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,599 Speaker 2: I mean that that's what's that's essentially what is hijacked 531 00:34:48,599 --> 00:34:49,400 the left. 532 00:34:50,079 --> 00:34:53,360 Speaker 3: And uh, I think a lot of folks are saying, 533 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,639 wait a minute, this is not what we signed up 534 00:34:55,679 --> 00:35:00,239 for when we you know, gave you know, our you know, 535 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:04,679 loyalties to the left, or it gave our loyal loyalties 536 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:05,840 to the Democratic Party. 537 00:35:06,039 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 2: What was that was that? 538 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:09,760 Speaker 1: Was that the line in the sand? Do you think ultimately? 539 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,440 I mean, there are all kinds of different leftist policies, 540 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:14,119 of course, but was that the line. 541 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:19,199 Speaker 3: I think that in conjunction with the fact that you've 542 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:23,840 got you've had until now, you've had a White House 543 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:30,079 under President and Biden that was completely inept in focusing 544 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:34,280 on the big issues you know they're focusing they look, 545 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:39,559 they had an infrastructure policy that was focused on putting 546 00:35:39,639 --> 00:35:44,719 battery you know, charging stations, you know on every you know, 547 00:35:44,119 --> 00:35:49,280 there are not enough Americans driving you know, battery power 548 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:53,280 vehicles to be uber or hyper focused on putting charging 549 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,559 stations you know, every fifty miles or so. What people 550 00:35:56,599 --> 00:35:58,760 care about is can they put food on their table 551 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:03,760 to feed their families. And you had an administration that 552 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:08,519 was focused in the Biden administration on changing bathrooms as 553 00:36:08,519 --> 00:36:11,800 opposed to like securing our southern border. And what I've 554 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:15,400 told you know, what I said last week on another show, 555 00:36:15,519 --> 00:36:19,079 is that you know, a DEI Department is not going 556 00:36:19,119 --> 00:36:21,559 to secure your southern border, right. And I think a 557 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:23,800 lot of and I think a lot of Americans are 558 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:27,199 waking up to the fact that the far left has 559 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,079 been selling a bill of goods, is focusing on things 560 00:36:30,119 --> 00:36:34,199 that most Americans, you know, frankly, what they care is 561 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:36,679 not what most Americans care about. Most Americans care about 562 00:36:37,039 --> 00:36:39,760 being secure in their homes, being able to put food 563 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,440 on the table for their families, and making sure that 564 00:36:43,519 --> 00:36:45,880 they have a better future for their kids. 565 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,719 Speaker 2: And the far left is not concerned about any of 566 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:49,320 those things. 567 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:53,840 Speaker 3: And I think that particularly communities of color, black folks 568 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:58,400 and Hispanics and others are now saying, we're tired of 569 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:02,719 listening to the talk of the left, and we're seeing 570 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:07,760 President Trump take significant and serious action in getting this 571 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:09,519 country focus on. 572 00:37:11,039 --> 00:37:12,559 Speaker 2: American priorities. 573 00:37:13,199 --> 00:37:15,199 Speaker 3: And you know, if I take that out and say, 574 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:20,400 and at seventeen ninety two, again, we want businesses to 575 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:23,800 focus on business and not these extraneous things, not these 576 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,320 things that don't ultimately matter when it comes to building 577 00:37:27,599 --> 00:37:32,840 and creating good products and providing good customer service. And 578 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:37,320 so I look, as I often talk about the idea 579 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,599 or fact that like we are. You know, President Trump 580 00:37:40,639 --> 00:37:44,679 said this, we are returning to a golden age, and 581 00:37:45,039 --> 00:37:47,559 it's going to be ushered in by this administration. But 582 00:37:47,639 --> 00:37:50,960 it's also going to be important for you know, seventeen 583 00:37:51,079 --> 00:37:54,840 ninety two exchange the walk right alongside the administration and 584 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:56,480 helping us get there. 585 00:37:57,559 --> 00:38:02,039 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is. It's about changing hearts and minds ultimately, 586 00:38:02,159 --> 00:38:07,519 and that's organizations like yours can do just that. Now, 587 00:38:07,559 --> 00:38:11,800 as Kentucky's Attorney general, you let a multi state investigation 588 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:15,960 into Bank of America, City Group, Golden Sacks, JP, Morgan Chase, 589 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:20,880 all of these big financial institutions, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo 590 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:26,239 for ESG related investment practices. Obviously, walk the walk in 591 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:29,639 your public public service role now you're doing on the 592 00:38:29,679 --> 00:38:33,880 nonprofit side. Final question for you, what is next then 593 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:40,440 for the seventeen ninety two exchange? What is next for 594 00:38:40,639 --> 00:38:41,400 Daniel Cameron? 595 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:47,039 Speaker 3: Well, look, I think on the seventeen ninety two exchange front, 596 00:38:47,079 --> 00:38:50,920 we're going to continue to look as I talked about earlier, 597 00:38:51,519 --> 00:38:55,119 companies are going to continue to feel the pressure from 598 00:38:55,119 --> 00:38:59,480 the left, and so as an organization that is committed 599 00:38:59,519 --> 00:39:03,679 to making sure or corporations uh return to neutral and 600 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,239 focus on business, we're going to keep We're going to 601 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:09,440 keep our eye on the ball and that is our mission, 602 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:11,119 and we're going to work with our We're going to 603 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,239 work with state officials, We're going to work with the 604 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:17,280 federal government, whether that's uh, you know, the members of 605 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:21,400 the House or the Senate or the administration. Because we 606 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:29,920 we believe that ultimately what's what's what's best for America 607 00:39:30,199 --> 00:39:35,480 is a corporate community that is hyper focused on creating 608 00:39:35,519 --> 00:39:40,480 and building good products and not focused on far left 609 00:39:40,599 --> 00:39:41,599 woke ideology. 610 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,360 Speaker 2: So we're going to continue to be do do that. 611 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 3: We're going to make sure that our databases help inform 612 00:39:48,079 --> 00:39:51,920 customers about, you know, places in the shop, and investors 613 00:39:52,039 --> 00:39:54,519 you know where to uh, you know, place. 614 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 2: Their money and and that sort of thing. And then 615 00:39:58,119 --> 00:39:58,960 you know, on on. 616 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:01,199 Speaker 3: On my side, I'm going to continue to serve as 617 00:40:01,199 --> 00:40:04,480 the CEO at seventeen ninety two Exchange, and you know, 618 00:40:04,519 --> 00:40:10,880 we're as the Senate primary or I'm sorry, the twenty 619 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:14,880 six the race for the Senate here in Kentucky. We're 620 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,199 going to be focused on that as well and see 621 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:20,679 ultimately how that shakes out. I want to I have 622 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,440 a heart to continue to serve, and I believe in 623 00:40:23,519 --> 00:40:28,800 President Trump. You know, when I ran for attorney general, 624 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:32,119 he was on board with me and endorsed me in 625 00:40:32,119 --> 00:40:35,159 that race. And when I was running for governor. This 626 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:38,599 was back in twenty three. I think I was one 627 00:40:38,639 --> 00:40:43,559 of the first statewide officials in the country to endorse 628 00:40:43,599 --> 00:40:47,239 President Trump for reelection when he was starting to run, 629 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,159 and so I've been with him, would love to see 630 00:40:50,199 --> 00:40:57,079 his policies enacted in Washington. And you know, so we're actively, 631 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:01,559 you know, considering what it looks like is in Kentucky 632 00:41:01,599 --> 00:41:04,000 in that twenty six Senate race. 633 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:07,360 Speaker 1: I think I'm hearing some things, but you have to 634 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:11,320 help me out here that does that include a possible 635 00:41:11,599 --> 00:41:15,159 run for US Senate. You've got quite a base of 636 00:41:15,159 --> 00:41:19,440 support obviously in the Bluegrass state, and there are other 637 00:41:19,679 --> 00:41:24,719 opportunities and you know ahead maybe another race for another 638 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:25,480 run for governor. 639 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,039 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think, you know, I you know, as I 640 00:41:29,119 --> 00:41:32,960 look and think about, you know, sort of my past, 641 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:37,519 and you know how I've supported President Trump, and you know, 642 00:41:37,599 --> 00:41:40,440 I've been grateful for his help in my races and 643 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:42,639 my deep care. You know, my wife and I care 644 00:41:42,679 --> 00:41:45,159 deeply about the folks in Kentucky and we want to 645 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:48,400 make sure that you know, President Trump's policies are being 646 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:53,199 enacted and I think I could be a good articulate 647 00:41:53,639 --> 00:41:56,719 advocate for those things and in the Senate. 648 00:41:56,760 --> 00:41:59,880 Speaker 2: So we you know, are going to be looking very 649 00:42:00,079 --> 00:42:02,239 strongly at that race. 650 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:05,840 Speaker 1: Well, it is no doubt that you have been a 651 00:42:05,880 --> 00:42:10,599 substantial warrior on the front against these very harmful DEI 652 00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:16,679 and ESG policies at the state level and now at 653 00:42:16,679 --> 00:42:19,199 the corporate level. I want to thank you so much 654 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:21,840 for joining us, and I wish you the very best 655 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:23,039 in your work ahead. 656 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,039 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, my friend, Matt. It's been fantastic 657 00:42:27,039 --> 00:42:29,079 to be on. Appreciate the time with your listeners. 658 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:33,199 Speaker 1: Absolutely anytime. Thanks to my guest today, Daniel Cameron, former 659 00:42:33,199 --> 00:42:37,719 Attorney General of Kentucky and CEO of the seventeen ninety 660 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:40,960 two Exchange, you've been listening to another edition of the 661 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:44,880 Federalist Radio Hour. I'm Matt Kittle, Senior Elections correspondent at 662 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:48,119 the Federalist. We'll be back soon with more. Until then, 663 00:42:48,280 --> 00:43:07,960 stay lovers of freedom and anxious for the Fray.