WEBVTT 1 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:14.839 This is the Stone Zone. Now get a zone. It's 2 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:16.519 the Stone Zone. 3 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.359 A man who's gone through hell, but he's kept going, 4 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:22.559 and he's smart, and he's strong. 5 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.359 And people love him. Not everybody, but people love him 6 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:26.079 and respect him. 7 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:27.960 Rogers Stone, Where's Rogers? 8 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.320 Here's Roger Stone. 9 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:34.600 Welcome into the Stone Zone. 10 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:35.320 Well. 11 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:39.359 Elon Musk is preparing a political comeback ahead of the 12 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:43.560 twenty twenty six midterm elections, and Republicans will get a 13 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:48.079 major shot in the arm as a result. Axio sports 14 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:52.399 that Musk is reviving his America Pack, the super pac 15 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.479 that spent more than two hundred and sixty million dollars 16 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:59.880 helping elect President Donald Trump in twenty twenty four. This time, 17 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:05.599 the organization will focus on knocking on doors, reaching voters online, 18 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:09.760 sending direct mail, and turning out more conservative voters who 19 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:15.120 often stay home during midterm elections. Musk has not disclosed 20 00:01:15.159 --> 00:01:18.359 the final price tag yet, but his past spending suggests 21 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:22.480 the investment could be enormous. His two hundred and sixty 22 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:28.040 million dollar contribution in twenty twenty four holds the record 23 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:33.640 as the largest single hard money federal political donation in history. 24 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:36.920 In twenty twenty four, his political giving made the largest 25 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:41.519 difference in what could have been a much closer election. 26 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.920 That matters because control of Congress is on the line, 27 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:49.519 and this will have a massive rumifications regarding President Trump's legacy. 28 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:55.280 Republicans hold a massive fundrating advantage today, with the combined 29 00:01:55.319 --> 00:02:00.799 Republican committees having about three hundred million dollars, President Trump's 30 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:04.840 MAGA Inc. Pack having about four hundred million. And of 31 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:08.599 course the election is not tomorrow, but money alone does 32 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:13.599 not guarantee victory. The party must overcome the usual mid 33 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:20.520 term backlash, economic anxiety, and an energize Democrat opposition. A 34 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.840 couple of days ago reported on a new poll by 35 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:29.120 MacLaughlin and Associates showed an enthusiasm gap. In other words, 36 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.840 Democrats are highly motivated to vote while Republicans are less. 37 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:39.719 So that's why Elon Musk's major contribution and his political 38 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:43.840 action could make a giant difference. America Back said that 39 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:47.240 it knocked down more than ten million doors across swinging 40 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:52.199 states in twenty twenty four. By taking responsibility for grassroots turnout, 41 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:57.280 Musk's operation could free other Republican organizations to concentrate on 42 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:03.199 television advertising and competitive House and Senate races. Elon Musk 43 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:06.800 was famously collapsed with President Trump over federal spending and 44 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:11.000 even briefly floated creating a third party, resulting in an 45 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:17.400 unfortunate public outfalling. But the relationship has improved, clearly been healed, 46 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:20.919 and must is returning to the Republican coalition where he 47 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:25.360 rightfully belongs. Everybody, in my view, should welcome him in 48 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:31.280 with open arms. Winning in November will require money, organization, technology, 49 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:35.120 and millions of voters who understand that preserving the Magnet 50 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:39.759 legacy means keeping Republican control of Congress. Elon Musk, I'm 51 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:42.840 happy to say it will be integral through the process. 52 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:48.960 The Democrats, by contrast, have a financial problem. They're actually 53 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:51.800 still in debt from their last election. But what they 54 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:55.439 do have going for them something called Act Blue. Act 55 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:59.960 Blue is a payment processing company that seems to have 56 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:05.240 I have a history of promulgating many multiple small donations 57 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:10.680 from donors who either don't exist or who never really 58 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:15.439 gave the contributions in question. Axe Blue is already under 59 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:18.959 federal investigation for these practices. We're not talking about small 60 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:22.959 amounts of money, We're talking about tens of millions of money. Now, 61 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:27.560 another elderly donors come forward disputing a massive volume of 62 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:31.040 Act Blue contributions made in her name, the latest in 63 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:36.000 a long running pattern of disputed, high value, multiple donations. 64 00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:39.639 Now the same discrepancy surfaced again, this time in Michigan. 65 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:43.560 Both surprise winning reported. Charlie Leduff, an old friend of mine, 66 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:47.040 published a report with an on camera interview with eighty 67 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:52.639 eight year old Elizabeth Waffle of Milan, Michigan. According to 68 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:58.680 the FEC records, Laduff presented nearly fifteen thousand separate donations 69 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:02.879 from Waffle, cotaling more than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, 70 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:06.040 all of them having been made in her name through 71 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:10.439 Act Blue over the previous five years. That's roughly eight 72 00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:15.000 contributions per day. Waffle, the eighty eight year old woman 73 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.879 who lives in a trailer on a dirt road after 74 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:21.639 her house burned down two years ago, owns no computer 75 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:26.600 and has only limited Internet access. When presented with the paperwork, 76 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:30.959 she rejected the totals one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 77 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.800 She said, hell, no, I don't have that kind of money. 78 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:38.040 She nowled is making some small donations, including one to 79 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:43.759 Senate candidate Abdul l Sayed called the overall volume very abnormal. 80 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:47.600 She said, believe there's something in there that's off. The 81 00:05:47.639 --> 00:05:50.600 Center Square followed with its own review of the same 82 00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:55.160 FEC Federal Election Commission data and obtained a response from 83 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:58.560 act Blue. Its analysis found that one hundred thousand dollars 84 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:04.160 contributions says through act blue under Waffel's name across several 85 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:08.800 recent elections, but still thousands of individual transactions. Act Blue 86 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:12.639 said they reviewed the relevant contribution data that their customer 87 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.319 service team had already reached out to the donor. That 88 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:19.480 is a standard operating procedure to take corrective action, including 89 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:24.040 blocking accounts and reporting potential fraud or a non complaint 90 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:28.639 donations identified, and they pointed to their tandem fundraising feature, 91 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:33.839 which can turn a single form submission into multiple reported contributions. 92 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:37.519 But even if that were true, well, then at some 93 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:43.120 point the credit card would have been declined for some 94 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:46.519 period of time, ActBlue turned off the function which if 95 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:50.000 you were given by credit card, it checked your address 96 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:53.959 based on the card. Then also for one period of time, 97 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:57.879 you could give through PayPal, or you could give through 98 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:01.240 gift cards that you purchase at the owner drug store 99 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:07.839 both of those allow for massive campaign finance fraud. This 100 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:11.079 is not a new story. James O'Keefe of O'Keefe Media 101 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:15.000 has reported extensively on it, as have others. In other 102 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:19.480 multiple documented cases, elderly Americans have appeared as prolific donors, 103 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:23.800 sometimes giving thousands of contributions totaling well over one hundred 104 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:28.040 thousand dollars, only later to dispute those records when confronted 105 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:31.639 with them. Analysts and investigators have flagged these patterns and 106 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:38.319 states including Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, raising ongoing 107 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:43.560 questions about Identify verification and the possibility of unauthorized or 108 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.800 structured contributions. It was back in twenty twenty three the 109 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.360 O'Keefe Media group reported on senior citizens in Maryland and 110 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:54.639 elsewhere whose name appeared on one hundred and seventy thousand 111 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:58.199 to two hundred and thirty thousand dollars plus and Act 112 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:03.079 Blue donations. They flat we denied making. One Arizona resident 113 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.040 in her eighties was lifted for giving more than eighteen 114 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:10.839 thousand individual contributions totaling over one hundred and seventy thousand dollars. 115 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:15.319 Maryland seniors interviewed on cameras said they hadn't given only 116 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.639 small donations here and there, but not thousands of micro 117 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:23.399 donations recorded in their names. In Connecticut, an analysis by 118 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:27.920 Dominaq Wipini reported in twenty twenty five it identified multiple 119 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:33.120 residents over seventy whose Federal Election Commission records showed extraordinary volume. 120 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:36.879 One eighty eight year old retired Yale professor was lifted 121 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:41.399 for seven thousand, five hundred and thirty nine individual donations 122 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:44.759 totaling two hundred and thirteen thousand, one hundred and sixty 123 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:48.919 three dollars. He signed a sworn affidavit disputing the record 124 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:53.039 steady it did not reflect his actual donation frequency or 125 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.919 the dollars he had given. Several others in the same 126 00:08:55.960 --> 00:09:01.360 group of elderly Connecticut residents signed similar affidavits. Similar high 127 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:06.559 volume patterns as I say, involved elderly donors flagged in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. 128 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:10.440 The evidence leaves little doubt something is off here. Looks 129 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.360 to me like a massive fraud. These recurring cases, documented 130 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:18.440 by separate independent journalists across multiple states, continue to prompt 131 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:23.840 for their investigations the House Administration, Judiciary and Oversight Committees 132 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:28.799 have been examining actblues fraud controls in foreign donation safeguards 133 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:33.679 for years, aided by internal documents and whistleblower accounts, including 134 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:40.120 allegations of retaliation against employees who raised legitimate concerns that 135 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:44.480 inquiry and testified after a platform. Leadership, including the CEO 136 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:49.440 Regina Wallace Jones, involved the Fifth Amendment when questioned under 137 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:56.399 note about the organization's verification practices and prior statements to Congress. Nonetheless, 138 00:09:56.480 --> 00:10:00.559 ActBlue continues to turn hundreds of thousands, if not millions, 139 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:03.720 of donations to Democrats as they try to catch up 140 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:10.240 with the Elon Musk Republican financial juggernaut. Meanwhile, Anthony Fauci's 141 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:12.559 returned to Capitol Hill provide a few answers, but gave 142 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:16.600 plenty of political theater and fallout Wednesday, as the former 143 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:19.840 federal health official invoked the Fifth Amendment more than one 144 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:24.279 hundred times rather than answer questions examining the government's COVID 145 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:28.360 nineteen response. I'm going to be extremely clear, asserting one's 146 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:32.720 Fifth Amendment rights is not proof of guilt, and any 147 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:36.320 American has the right to do it, and it doesn't 148 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:40.639 matter that, Fauci said. He refused to answer a question 149 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.039 as to the color of the carpet or there was 150 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.440 a file on the desk in front of him. The 151 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:47.960 rule says that if you plead the Fifth Amendment, as 152 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:52.200 I did in the January sixth Committee investigation, because I 153 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:55.440 saw it as a stacked deck where they would use 154 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:59.399 any misstatement you made and twist it into a process crime, 155 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.000 he has the right to do it. What changes this 156 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:06.559 is the fact that Fauci had been pardoned for his 157 00:11:06.679 --> 00:11:10.919 actions during the time about which he was being asked. 158 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:15.279 He also declined based of her seemlar arms inquiries, and 159 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:19.440 that reinforces an impression that his blanket silence was a 160 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.519 strategy to avoid statements they could expose him to fresh 161 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:25.720 legal jeopardy. In fact, if you plead the Fifth Amendment 162 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:29.519 to one question, you must plead it to all. Trying 163 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:33.279 to be fair here now, Fauci argued that Senator Ram 164 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:37.080 Paul's investigation was designed to trap him into alleged perjury. 165 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:42.240 Despite former President Joe Biden's sweeping twenty twenty five auto 166 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:46.440 pen pardon of doctor Fauci, Paul countered that the pardon 167 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:50.600 eliminated Fauci's risk of prosecution for covered conduct and therefore 168 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:55.919 it undercut his amendment claim. The Kentucky Republican announced that 169 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:59.879 the Homeland Security Committee will vote next week on holding 170 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:03.879 fauchiin contempt. While legal debate continues over whether the testimony 171 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:08.399 given after the pardon could create new exposure, President Trump 172 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:12.600 himself seized on the disastrous spirits from the Oval Office, 173 00:12:12.679 --> 00:12:16.799 question whether Biden personally approved Fauci's pardon or whether an 174 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.200 auto pen was used, but then disappointed many by going 175 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:22.799 on to say that he and his Justice Apartment would 176 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.919 not challenge the auto pen given pardon. President Trump also 177 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:32.159 renewed his criticism of Fauci's pandemic advice, sayingie would have 178 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:35.159 been forced to close the entire country had he followed it. 179 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:38.720 Because President Trump adopted a more balanced stance, the livelihood 180 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:42.039 of countless Americans were saved as a result. But for 181 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:45.759 all of those who were victim victimized by the COVID 182 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:50.879 pandemic and its senseless authoritarian response, the hearing did crystallize 183 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.759 years of frustration. The optics of the witness, unwilling to pride, 184 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:59.320 even elementary has was devastated. Fauci exercised a constitutional right, 185 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.799 one that he'smpletely entitled to. But politically, and that's my 186 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:06.799 analysis here, silence may prove louder and more damaging than 187 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.679 anything he could have said in his defense. The walls 188 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.679 appeared to be closing in on the COVID criminals. It's 189 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:17.559 not impossible that he could still face state prosecution for 190 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:24.320 a number of crimes. Meanwhile, China's involvement in Iran looks 191 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:29.799 less and less likely when we come back. Trump's seize 192 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:33.600 on China's official denial of its plans to arm Iran 193 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:37.440 demonstrates how Benjang understands that President Trump is prepared to 194 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:43.799 pose consequences, not issue mirror diplomatic complaints or strongly worded letters. 195 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:46.879 I'm Roger Stone listening to the Stone Zone and we'll 196 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:47.559 be right back. 197 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:58.279 So don't go away. 198 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:03.000 This is the Stone Zone. Now get him his zone. 199 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:04.840 It's the Stone Zone. 200 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:09.000 A man who's gone through hell, but he's kept going, 201 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:11.279 and he's smart, and he's strong. 202 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.960 And people love him. Not everybody, but people love. 203 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.559 Him and respect him. Rogers Stone wins. Rogers. 204 00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:19.080 Here's Roger Stone. 205 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:24.080 Welcome back into the Stone Zone. China's official denial that 206 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:28.639 it plans to arm Iran demonstrates how Beijing understands that 207 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:31.960 President Donald Trump is prepared to a post consequences, not 208 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:37.000 merely issue diplomatic complaints or strong letters. Reuters reported that 209 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:41.200 Ron could receive four hundred Chinese made shoulder fire air 210 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:46.200 defense launchers within weeks, potentially helping Tehran rebuild defenses damaged 211 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:50.600 by the devastating American strikes. But Chinese former minister rejected 212 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.480 the report as groundless, insisting that Beijing favors peace and 213 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:57.759 an end to the fighting. President Trump said the alleged 214 00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:02.559 shipment would be surprising because Chinese President Jijing Ping had 215 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:05.240 assured him that China would not enter the conflict or 216 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:09.240 supply RN with weapons. Let's remember the Iranians continue to 217 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:12.600 ship a massive amount of oil, about eighty percent of 218 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:16.440 their production, to the Chinese. President Trump has also warned 219 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:21.480 that foreign powers aiding Tehran would face severe repercussions, and 220 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:24.159 the Chinese Communists are certainly aware of this. That is 221 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:28.279 deterrence and peace through strength in action, the policy followed 222 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:32.279 by President Donald Trump that was pioneered by Dwight Eisenhower 223 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:35.240 and then by Ronald Reagan. This, of course, is in 224 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:40.360 contrast of the Neocon philosophy going around the world looking 225 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:43.639 for wars to get into. Were only in Iran because 226 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.720 our intelligence determined that they were far closer to the 227 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.519 development of nuclear weapons than we had perhaps thought. China 228 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.120 is not restrained here by its affection for the United 229 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:56.879 States or concerned for Middle East stability. Its leaders are 230 00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:00.679 calculating costs. Under a weak president, Jane was sure to 231 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:06.240 test watching through properties, hidden shipments, and deniable intermediaries. Under 232 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:11.120 President Trump, escalation carries a much higher price. The administration 233 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:16.080 has demonstrated that Iranian military infrastructure can be struck repeatedly 234 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:20.639 and effectively. Beijing must consider whether rescuing a battered and 235 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:26.320 beleaded Iranian regime is worth risking tariffs, sanctions, confrontation, and 236 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:31.159 damage to a current relationship with the Americas. China's denials 237 00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:34.399 should be tested against the intelligence and verified, of course, 238 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:39.480 through enforcement. Communist governments are not typically trustworthy, but President 239 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:43.639 Trump's willingness to act has made china intervention far less attractive, 240 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:48.159 leaving Iran isolated and forcing Beijing to think trice for 241 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:52.759 challenging American power. Slowly but surely, Iran is losing their 242 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:57.279 position in the world as the Islamic dictatorship vaultures due 243 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:01.679 to President Trump's successful military opera. The real question is 244 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:06.759 will the President soon move away from solely military targets 245 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:11.319 to perhaps take out farg Island or destroy the Iranians 246 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.400 ability to produce oil at all. President has a number 247 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:19.559 of military options. Those over at MSNBC eve that there 248 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:22.319 are limits to American power here and these out of 249 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:26.640 options really don't understand the dynamics of what's going on. 250 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:29.559 I'm Roger Stone to listen to the Stone Zone when 251 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:31.960 we come back, talk about the fact that New York 252 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:35.079 Attorney General and teacher James has now been ranked among 253 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:38.400 the worst in the country when it comes to prosecuting 254 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:41.359 Medicare fraud. We'll be right back in the Stone Zone, 255 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:43.440 so please don't go away. 256 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:48.559 The Stone Zone entertaining and informative on the Red Apple 257 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:49.880 Podcast Networks. 258 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:53.279 Welcome back into the Stone Zone. According to the New 259 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:57.480 York Post, new York Attorney General Letsia james office ranks 260 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.519 among the worst in the country for criminally prosecuting medicaid fraud. 261 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:05.839 According to a shocking new analysis, the Empire Center for 262 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:10.559 Public Policy calculated using federal data that during James's term 263 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:13.720 as attorney general from twenty nineteen to twenty twenty five, 264 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.799 the state ranked forty ninth for criminal investigations per billion 265 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:22.000 of Medicaid dollars spent. New York ranked fifty first out 266 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:26.359 of all states in Washington c for indictments per billion, 267 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:31.240 and fifty first for convictions, said Empire State fellow Bill Hammond, 268 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:34.440 and billions of dollars could yet be at stake. The 269 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.519 Empire State spends about one hundred and twenty four billion 270 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:41.160 nine medicaid, the highest per resident among the fifty states 271 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.839 in fiscal year twenty twenty four, seventy seven percent above 272 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:48.880 the national average. According to the think tank, the federal 273 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:51.200 government kicks in more than half of the bill for 274 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:55.440 massive Medicaid costs, and cracking down on fraud waste abuse 275 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.559 is a priority naturally to help reign in that spending. 276 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:04.079 The independent analysis comes after the Trump administration said it 277 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:07.519 would freeze sixty million dollars in federal funding for New 278 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.799 York's Medicaid fraud Control Unit, which the Attorney general oversees, 279 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:17.039 claiming weak enforcement against fraud the Trump administration by the 280 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:21.200 US Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Thomas 281 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:25.839 marsh Bell accused the Attorney General of New York's unit 282 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:29.839 of not securing enough criminal indictments and convictions, and said 283 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:34.359 its federal funding would be suspended through at least September thirtieth. 284 00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:38.640 As a result of this leadership failure and poor decision making, 285 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:41.839 and with billions of dollars at stake and millions of 286 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:45.000 people expecting safe care for their families, the New York 287 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:51.000 MFCU has been ineffective in fighting criminal cases involving medicaid 288 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:56.279 fraud or abuse or neglect of Medicaid patients, Bell March 289 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:00.039 or March Bell said in a June thirty letter to 290 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:05.440 Attorney General James James office disputed the assertion of lax enforcement, 291 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.200 but Bill Hammond concluded the fans were mostly correct. 292 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:10.519 A rule of the. 293 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:16.519 Valuable statistics, however, suggests that Bell's criticism is completely well founded. 294 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:22.119 Hammond said the performance of Letisha James Attorney General's office, 295 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:24.680 when adjusted for the scale of New York's one hundred 296 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:27.599 and twenty four billion medicaid program, ranks among the worst 297 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:31.359 in the country on a broad range of benchmarks. In fact, 298 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:35.200 on the Alabama and Oregon ranked worse than New York 299 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:39.400 for overall Medicaid investigations, while Hawaii came in first in 300 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:44.319 the country in terms of launching such probes. Mississippi had 301 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:47.920 the highest overall indictment and conviction rate, while Nevada was 302 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:51.079 the top of the list for best fraud indictment and 303 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:56.759 fraud conviction rate specifically, according to the Empire Center analysis. Meanwhile, 304 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:01.839 New York's nine and forty two dollars per resident spending 305 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:05.640 was twenty four percent higher than Kentucky, the next highest 306 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:09.079 spending state, at three thousand, nine hundred and eighty nine 307 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:13.240 dollars per resident, while the most populous state, California, came 308 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.240 in fourth at three hundred nine hundred and eighty four 309 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:19.000 dollars per resident. The national average, by the way, is 310 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:22.559 two thousand, seven hundred and ninety one dollars per resident. 311 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:27.079 More populous Texas and Florida were among the lowest spenders 312 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:30.599 on Medicaid fifteen hundred and seventy nine dollars per resident 313 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:34.519 and fifteen thousand and thirty six dollars per resident, respectively. 314 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:38.559 The debate over Medicaid fraud enforcement has become a campaign 315 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:42.000 issue as Democrat let teacher James Seek's re election to 316 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:46.839 a third term this November, the Republican candidate for Attorney General, 317 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:53.160 Sara Ritha Comen Ready, a former federal prosecutor, has flunked 318 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:57.160 James Medicaid fraud enforcement. New Yorkers are getting ripped off 319 00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:00.319 every day and elite teacher James isn't doing any anything 320 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.960 about it. The candidates said. The reality is UNTI le 321 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:07.319 tis James. New Yorkers have been paying a crime tax. 322 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:11.720 I'll prosecute crime and issue every New Yorker a tax refund. 323 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:17.319 Came at Already said in a statement. So this is 324 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:21.160 a massive issue in Anyone who thinks that medicaid fraud, 325 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:24.799 whether it's in Minnesota, whether it's in New York, is 326 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:28.279 not going to be an issue this November really doesn't 327 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:33.680 understand American politics. Meanwhile, Senate established Republicans appear to be 328 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:39.039 sabotaging the Texas general election campaign after voters rejected their 329 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:44.599 incumbent Senator John Cornyn and nominated Trumpian Attorney General Ken Paxton. 330 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:50.519 The Senate Leadership Fund has spent zero on Paxton despite 331 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:55.599 the seat being in contention. As a woke weird Democrat, 332 00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:58.839 James tell Rico builds a fundering an advantage in a 333 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:02.920 state that could determine control of the US Senate. That 334 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:08.480 refusal looks less like prudent budgeting than a Washington revenge campaign. Meanwhile, 335 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:12.400 Cornan has refused to meet with or commit himself to 336 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:16.880 Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whom Trump has appointed as 337 00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:21.519 his next Attorney General, raising questions as to whether Blanche 338 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:26.240 will be confirmed by the US Senate. Corner's allies are 339 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:30.440 spent on trying to destroy Paxton in the primary, warning 340 00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:32.400 that he was unelectrical. Now they're trying to make that 341 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:37.640 a self fulfilling prophecy. Although a new audio tape found 342 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:42.720 his opponent Tall Rico criticizing Christianity while he was praising 343 00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:49.000 radical Islam, Corner's allies in the Senate leadership Figer try 344 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:50.200 to fulfill their own prophecy. 345 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:50.440 Here. 346 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:56.079 Texas Republicans gave Ken Paxton a resounding ronoff victory after 347 00:23:56.119 --> 00:24:00.200 President Trump came out with his full throated endorsement. The 348 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:04.960 same establishment that demanded loyalty to corneim is withholding resources 349 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:08.359 needed to unite the party and defeat a well funded 350 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:12.720 but radical Democrat. Paxton raised roughly nine point three million 351 00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:16.960 dollars during the last quarter, while Tallerco the Radical Democrat, 352 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:20.519 collected more than thirty million and has reportedly raised about 353 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:25.160 seventy million. Overall, Republican leaders possess ample cash. The Senate 354 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:29.079 Leadership Fund has committed one hundreds of millions of dollars elseware, 355 00:24:29.400 --> 00:24:32.160 while MAGA Inc. Controls the war chest, as I said 356 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:35.480 earlier in the show, approaching about four hundred million dollars, 357 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:40.480 yet Texas remains neglected. The message is that established Republicans 358 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:44.640 rather risk a Senate seat than ensutheiastically support the nominee 359 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:48.880 who embarrassed their establishment candidate. They also dumped tens of 360 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:52.759 million dollars into the primary campaign supporting Cornin that could 361 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:56.640 have otherwise went to contested seats. Paxton will likely be 362 00:24:56.680 --> 00:25:00.160 able to overcome these establishment obstacles, but still shows that 363 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:03.960 we are not one happy United Republican Party. There is 364 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:08.279 still a sinister fifth column working to undermine President Trump's agenda, 365 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:10.680 and we must always be on lookout for them and 366 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:13.319 never trust them. Even if we have to hold our 367 00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:15.839 noses to vote for a rhino now and then in 368 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.519 a general election, we should never mistake them for our friends. 369 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:24.079 This is why, for example, I am supporting Susan Collins. 370 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.759 I would rather have a Senator in Maine who votes 371 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:29.319 with US sixty five to seventy percent of the time 372 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:33.319 than have a leftist progressive Democrat who votes with US 373 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:35.720 zero percent of the time. 374 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:38.000 But that's just me. 375 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:40.839 Meanwhile, Michigan Democrats are making an effort to stop their 376 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:45.559 Senate primary from becoming the biggest victory for the far 377 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:51.119 less radical socialal insurgency. Congresswoman Haley Stevens, backed by Governor 378 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:55.640 Gretchen Whitmer, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and retiring Senator 379 00:25:55.680 --> 00:26:01.039 Gary Peters, face's former public health official, ab Duel el Sayad, 380 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:05.799 a Muslim who wants to defund ice and provide Medicaid 381 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:11.079 for all the August fourth primary. Elsayad has support from 382 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:17.799 Bernie Sanders that will win bag Alexandria, Okazia Cortes, Elizabeth Warren, 383 00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:21.279 and of course, the United Auto Workers. Their recent debate 384 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:25.160 exposed a party fissure between an establishment liberal and an 385 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:29.559 aggressive progressive. Congresswoman Stevens has benefited more from more than 386 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:34.279 sixty one million dollars in campaign and outside advertising, including 387 00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:38.920 roughly thirty million dollars from Apex super Pac El Sayad 388 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:42.039 and allied groups were spent more than fifteen million dollars. 389 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:46.559 El Sayad accused wealthy interests of trying to buy Michigan's 390 00:26:46.599 --> 00:26:51.160 next senator and attack Stevens over utility linked contributions as 391 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:55.440 well as her support for Israel. Stevens questioned his electability 392 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.920 and portrayed him as a celebrity candidate, using the race 393 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:03.720 to a van his national ambitions. Although El Sayad rejects 394 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:08.680 the socialist labor, his agenda is unabashedly extreme, but he's 395 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.279 hoping to pull the wool over the eyes of Michigan voters, 396 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:14.440 who have been known to support a populous outsider is 397 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:18.240 seen with their support for one Donald J. Trump. The 398 00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:23.240 Stevens versus l Saya's spectacle is revealing, and it's emblematic 399 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:26.839 of what's going on within the Democrat Party nationally. The 400 00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:31.279 Democrat establishments expending extraordinary sums in a desperate, last dish 401 00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:34.559