The Rachel Maddow Show - Aug. 10 — Audio Only

[0:00] Hey everybody, it's Rachel Maddow here. [0:02] Forgive me popping into your feed like this, [0:04] but I wanted to tell you that more than a dozen of us [0:07] from MS Now are gonna be in Texas [0:09] on Saturday, September 26th. [0:11] I'm gonna be there, Lawrence O'Donnell will be there, [0:14] so will Jen Psaki and Stephanie Ruhl, [0:16] and Ali Velshi and Chris Hayes and Jacob Soberoff [0:19] and Simone Sanders Townsend, and, and, and. [0:21] A whole bunch of us are all gonna be there in Texas. [0:24] Tickets start at just over 30 bucks each. [0:26] It's in Arlington, just outside Dallas. [0:28] There's a ton to do there. [0:29] If you come, you'll get to meet all of us. [0:30] You'll also get to meet everybody else there, [0:32] all these other great people from our great MS Now community. [0:35] We'd love to see you. [0:36] And if you buy a ticket to the Texas event, [0:38] you will get access to our new MS Now membership [0:41] free for a year. [0:42] We're really excited about it. [0:44] It launches later this summer. [0:45] You'll be able to talk with me, [0:46] talk with some of the other hosts, [0:48] but tickets for Texas are on sale now. [0:50] You can learn more at ms.now slash together. [0:53] Hope to see you in Texas. [0:57] Happy to have you here. [0:59] So a little peek behind the curtain of my job. [1:01] If you ever have a cable news show like I do, [1:06] one of the things that you will find that happens to you [1:08] in the normal course of your job, [1:10] just about every day, [1:12] is that you get pitched by a PR firm. [1:16] You get pitched somebody's new book, [1:19] or some new album, or some dumb new product, [1:24] or you get pitched a purported expert on some issue, [1:28] that's usually not even an issue in the news. [1:30] You will very often get pitched the opportunity [1:34] to interview a purportedly famous person. [1:37] Someone this PR firm is absolutely sure you, [1:40] A, have heard of, [1:41] and B, are eager to promote on your cable news show. [1:49] Which is literally, literally never true. [1:51] I have, and I think every single instance [1:55] I have been pitched this way, [1:56] and it is thousands of times now, [1:59] after all the years I've been doing this, [2:01] whenever they pitch me something like that, [2:04] A, I have never heard of you, [2:06] and B, I am sure I don't want to talk to you. [2:10] So you get these PR pitches all the time. [2:11] One of my great pleasures in life [2:13] is blocking the email domain [2:20] of all PR firms that pitch me. [2:22] It's the one way I relax over the course of a workday. [2:26] But we got a good one recently, [2:28] and by good I mean a particularly ridiculous one, [2:32] about eight weeks ago. [2:35] And it was a totally unsolicited, [2:37] totally over-the-top PR pitch, [2:40] offering me an embargoed, confidential sneak peek [2:44] at a new project from Dr. Phil. [2:48] This is part of the pitch. [2:51] Dr. Phil is going to Greenland. [2:54] Might I be interested? [2:56] Might the Rachel Maddow show be interested [2:58] in covering Dr. Phil's new TV show about Greenland? [3:04] As PR firm offered us a sneak peek [3:07] at footage of the exciting Greenland TV series [3:10] that was coming from Dr. Phil. [3:12] And what they offered us, [3:13] this footage turned out to be footage [3:17] in Greenland of an American guy [3:20] talking about his plans [3:21] to drill for oil in Greenland, [3:24] which he apparently believed [3:25] he had a right to do. [3:30] That's why we're here, [3:30] to reposition the road building. [3:33] You think it's going to be drilling us next year? [3:35] No, it's for a fact. [3:37] Do you know, I guess, [3:40] it's a lot of guilt damage. [3:45] The guy they're explaining this to, [3:46] yeah, as a fact, [3:47] we're definitely going to be drilling next year. [3:49] The guy they're explaining this to [3:50] appears to say, [3:51] you know this is unlawful? [3:53] It's kind of hard to hear, [3:55] but it sounds like that's what he says. [3:58] But this is footage from a PR pitch, [4:00] an unsolicited PR pitch sent to me in June [4:02] because some PR firm in its infinite wisdom [4:05] believed that I would find it an exciting opportunity [4:08] to help promote a new Dr. Phil TV show [4:11] about how exciting it would be [4:13] to drill for oil in Greenland. [4:16] Well, let me tell you a little bit [4:17] about what we've learned since [4:19] and what has happened since. [4:20] First of all, you should know that in 2021, [4:22] Greenland passed a national moratorium, [4:25] a national ban on all future oil exploration. [4:31] Nevertheless, after Trump got elected [4:33] to go back and serve a second term [4:35] as president in the United States, [4:37] and he started talking about forcibly [4:38] taking over Greenland for some reason, [4:42] a new company formed in Texas [4:43] called Greenland Energy. [4:46] That's not Greenland, Texas. [4:48] It's Greenland as in Greenland. [4:49] And Greenland Energy said [4:51] they were going to drill for oil in Greenland. [4:53] In June, a representative from Greenland Energy [4:57] turned up in Greenland [4:58] in the part of the untouched Arctic, [5:01] no roads, eastern Greenland [5:03] where these guys want to drill. [5:05] And they announced to the villagers there [5:07] that this company, this Texas company, [5:10] had permission. [5:12] They announced that they have permission. [5:15] They had secured the legal right [5:17] to start bringing their equipment, [5:19] their oil drilling equipment, [5:20] to this untouched Arctic area of Greenland. [5:23] After those remarks in eastern Greenland, [5:27] the company later apologized and said, [5:29] actually, they didn't have permits to do that. [5:31] They put out a statement sort of correcting the record, [5:34] saying, quote, [5:34] our enthusiasm for the project [5:36] led us to communicate in a way that created confusion. [5:40] So forget we said that. [5:43] What really created confusion locally [5:46] was when this happened. [5:48] This is a picture of a tugboat [5:50] bringing in a barge [5:52] to that area of eastern Greenland. [5:54] And the barge appears to contain [5:56] about 15, 12 or 15 shipping containers [5:59] worth of stuff. [6:00] These photos were obtained [6:01] by a Danish investigative outlet [6:03] called Danwansch. [6:04] They show this tugboat and this barge [6:06] arriving full, totally loaded, [6:08] on the night of Wednesday, July 29th. [6:12] Then the same tugboat and the same barge [6:16] are seen leaving that same place [6:18] the next morning, [6:20] except this time empty. [6:21] Because all of those shipping containers, [6:24] all of that equipment [6:25] that was on the barge heading in, [6:26] they apparently left all that stuff on land. [6:30] Now, the government in Greenland [6:31] had said explicitly [6:32] that this American oil company [6:33] didn't have, quote, [6:35] permission to unload anything at all, [6:38] to unload anything whatsoever in Greenland. [6:44] In fact, before the pictures were published [6:46] showing that tugboat and barge leaving empty [6:49] after apparently dropping off all that material, [6:51] the minister in charge of mineral resources [6:53] from the Greenland government [6:54] did a local interview in Greenland [6:56] in which he said he was sure, [6:57] he was absolutely sure, [6:59] this American oil company [7:00] would never break the law [7:02] and try to start this drilling project [7:04] without permission. [7:06] Quote, should that happen, [7:07] Greenland has the means [7:08] to stop their actions. [7:10] He said, quote, [7:11] this is a society governed by the rule of law. [7:13] So I have some broad-shouldered men [7:15] in black uniforms in the first instance [7:18] who can help me deal [7:19] with some illegal activities [7:21] if I ask for them, [7:23] by which he means, [7:24] I think, [7:24] the Greenlandic police. [7:26] Then he said, quote, [7:27] ultimately I'm sure [7:29] that the Arctic command [7:30] will also contribute, [7:32] by which he means [7:33] the Danish military, [7:35] he believes, [7:36] would also intervene [7:37] to stop this American oil company [7:39] from trying to drill for oil [7:41] in Greenland [7:42] without any permission to do so. [7:45] So that's what Greenland's government [7:47] had to say. [7:48] It turns out on the day [7:49] this American company, [7:50] unbeknownst to them, [7:51] had just that morning [7:52] dropped off more than [7:53] a dozen shipping containers [7:54] full of equipment [7:55] to get started [7:56] on their oil drilling operation [7:58] in Greenland. [7:59] The American company said [8:01] they had permission [8:02] to move in the equipment. [8:03] Then they kind of apologized for that [8:05] and admitted that [8:06] they didn't have the permission. [8:09] But then on the same day, [8:10] the Greenland government said [8:11] they wouldn't dare. [8:12] We'll use our police. [8:13] We'll use the Danish military [8:15] to stop them if we need to. [8:16] That same day, [8:17] they turn out to have [8:18] unloaded their drilling stuff anyway. [8:23] They're just going ahead with it. [8:24] Even though the local government [8:26] says no. [8:27] Which led to headlines like this [8:29] in Greenland. [8:31] This is the Google Translate [8:33] from the original, [8:36] which I can't pronounce. [8:37] I'll just give you [8:37] the English language [8:38] Google Translation. [8:40] Oil company moves equipment [8:41] to eastern Greenland [8:42] without permission. [8:46] That hullabaloo also led to pledges [8:49] from local hunters [8:51] and trappers in the area [8:52] that they would physically themselves [8:54] block the oil company [8:56] from trying to land anything else [8:57] or anyone else on shore. [9:01] It led to the Greenland government [9:02] issuing a formal warning [9:04] to this oil company [9:04] over what it's apparently [9:05] trying to do [9:06] in contravention of local law. [9:08] That apparently prompted [9:09] U.S. President Donald Trump [9:10] to post this online, [9:12] showing a giant, [9:14] snarling version of himself [9:16] looming over [9:17] and menacing Greenland. [9:18] Hello, Greenland. [9:21] A few days ago, [9:22] this Trump-aligned [9:23] oil company in Texas [9:25] sent a cheery, [9:27] all-smiles letter [9:28] to its shareholders [9:28] bragging about [9:30] how great their talks [9:31] are going [9:31] with the Greenland government. [9:33] Recent high-level meetings [9:34] between project leadership [9:35] and Greenlandic regulatory [9:36] and oversight authorities [9:37] have been constructive [9:38] and we continue [9:39] to be encouraged [9:40] by the progress being made [9:41] toward the remaining approvals [9:43] required for drilling. [9:45] Everything's going great. [9:47] Greenland government [9:48] really wants us to do this. [9:49] Our talks are really constructive. [9:51] Turns out that is not at all [9:52] how Greenland sees it. [9:54] Headline in the local news, [9:56] Greenland Department of Resources [9:57] to controversial U.S. oil company, [9:59] colon, [10:00] forget test drilling this year. [10:03] Last week, [10:04] the oil company, [10:04] Greenland Energy Company, [10:06] issued a letter [10:06] to its shareholders [10:07] that painted a rosy picture [10:08] of the future prospects [10:10] for the project [10:10] in northeast Greenland. [10:12] In the letter, [10:12] the company states [10:13] that its drilling project [10:14] is progressing rapidly [10:15] and its management expects [10:17] to be able to begin drilling [10:18] before the end of the year. [10:19] But if you ask decision makers [10:21] in this country, [10:22] such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, [10:23] or the head of the Trade [10:25] and Minerals Department [10:26] in the Greenlandic government, [10:28] according to them, [10:30] there is no earthly chance [10:32] of that happening. [10:35] So you put all this together. [10:37] This Trump-aligned oil company [10:39] based in Texas saying, [10:40] we're going to drill for oil [10:41] in Greenland. [10:42] Greenland saying, [10:43] oh no, you're not. [10:44] The company going ahead [10:45] and dropping off [10:46] their drilling stuff anyway. [10:49] Local residents saying, [10:51] we'll fight tooth and nail. [10:53] Local government saying, [10:54] we'll use the police. [10:55] We'll use the Danish milit... [10:57] You put it all together, [10:59] kind of seems like [10:59] we're invading Greenland. [11:03] I mean, [11:03] this company has somehow [11:05] hornschwaggled itself [11:06] into a partnership [11:07] with Dr. Phil [11:08] to make what sure looks like [11:11] propaganda TV shows [11:13] about this heroic [11:14] and exciting [11:15] oil drilling project, [11:16] which the government [11:17] of Greenland says [11:18] is illegal [11:18] and they don't have [11:19] permission to do it. [11:22] This Trump-adjacent, [11:24] brand new oil company [11:25] funded in large part [11:26] by a major Trump billionaire donor. [11:27] They sometimes admit [11:29] that they have no permission [11:31] to be doing what they're doing [11:32] in Greenland, [11:33] but they've still gone ahead [11:34] with it anyway. [11:35] In addition to the 12 [11:36] or 15 shipping containers [11:38] that arrived [11:39] in the last couple of weeks [11:40] that they parked on shore [11:41] in the last couple of weeks [11:42] while the Greenland government [11:43] was threatening [11:44] that their police [11:45] or the Danish military [11:46] should stop that [11:47] if they tried it, [11:48] in addition to those 12 [11:49] or 15 shipping containers, [11:51] the same oil company [11:52] now says it's shipping [11:53] 300 more shipping containers [11:55] and a whole huge drilling rig [11:57] that they plan to get there [12:00] in the next month. [12:03] So, honestly, [12:06] is this how we invade Greenland? [12:09] With Dr. Phil doing a ride-along [12:11] like he did with ICE? [12:14] All because a Trump donor billionaire [12:16] says he needs to drill this oil [12:18] and who cares [12:19] what this little country says? [12:22] And by the way, [12:23] wouldn't I like to help promote [12:24] Dr. Phil's TV show about this? [12:28] The nearest towns [12:29] to where this is happening [12:31] and in fact towns [12:32] all over Greenland [12:33] have been protesting [12:34] ever since it emerged [12:35] that this is the way [12:36] this is going to go down. [12:38] For the closest locals, [12:40] I kid you not, [12:40] the local musk ox hunters [12:42] are saying that [12:43] they may use their dinghies, [12:46] their hunting boats [12:47] to blockade the fjord. [12:50] They'll use anything [12:51] they can get their hands off [12:52] to fight off this oil company [12:54] if it really does try to [12:55] set up on their coast. [12:59] This weekend in Denmark, [13:01] which controls Greenland [13:02] and defends it, [13:04] residents of Copenhagen [13:05] formed a kayak flotilla [13:07] around the city of Copenhagen [13:09] all carrying Greenland flags. [13:12] They're a way of peacefully [13:13] protesting against [13:14] the United States of America [13:15] menacing Greenland [13:17] in this way. [13:21] Donald Trump's war in Iran [13:24] is a disaster. [13:27] The only outcome of it thus far [13:29] that's measurable [13:30] is thousands of people dead, [13:35] Iran in control [13:36] of the Strait of Hormuz, [13:37] or basically out of anti-aircraft [13:39] and long-range munitions, [13:41] and to no effect [13:42] because we've still lost this war. [13:45] Losing this war handily [13:46] shows adversaries [13:47] like Russia and China [13:48] just how long we can go [13:49] in a war before we start [13:50] running out of the munitions [13:51] we need to be able [13:52] to sustain combat operations [13:53] and protect ourselves [13:54] and our allies. [13:55] The disastrous war [13:59] that Trump started with Iran, [14:00] he started right after [14:02] he invaded Venezuela [14:04] and took that country's president [14:06] which had the effect [14:07] of turning Venezuela [14:08] into effectively [14:08] an oil colony [14:10] for, I wouldn't, [14:12] I would say the United States [14:13] but it appears to be [14:14] an oil colony [14:14] for the Trump administration [14:16] since nobody knows [14:17] where the oil revenue [14:18] from Venezuela is going. [14:20] But it was right after that one [14:22] that he started the Iran war [14:24] which apparently he thought [14:25] would be easy [14:26] but it is six months old now [14:27] and we are losing [14:29] and it is a disaster [14:30] with no end in sight. [14:32] So amid that disaster, [14:34] heading toward the midterms [14:36] and the wild unpopularity [14:40] of himself personally [14:41] and his agenda [14:42] and particularly his war, [14:43] maybe he thinks [14:44] starting a new war [14:45] for a new oil colony [14:46] might be right on time [14:47] right about now, [14:48] might make us forget [14:49] about the other war [14:50] he's losing [14:50] and can't get out of. [14:54] So yes, eyes on Greenland, [14:55] eyes on this Texas-based [14:57] oil company, [14:58] Greenland Energy, [14:59] which appears to be [15:00] playing the role [15:00] of the United Fruit Company [15:02] or the British East India Company, [15:04] companies that have gone down [15:05] in history [15:06] as providing [15:06] the predicate [15:07] and the means [15:08] for super dumb, [15:11] wildly destructive [15:12] imperial wars. [15:13] Here at home, [15:17] we've also got eyes [15:19] on Ohio [15:20] as the Trump administration [15:21] has criminalized [15:22] thousands of people [15:24] from Haiti [15:24] who have been here [15:26] legally as immigrants, [15:27] as legal immigrants [15:28] in this country. [15:29] For a second straight weekend [15:31] in Ohio, [15:31] hundreds of people [15:32] showed up [15:32] at the ICE facility [15:33] in Blue Ash, Ohio [15:36] on the outskirts of Cincinnati. [15:37] That Blue Ash ice facility [15:39] is where Haitian immigrants [15:41] from places like Springfield [15:42] are being told [15:43] they must show up [15:44] to get fitted [15:44] with ankle monitors [15:45] as if they are felons. [15:48] These images [15:49] are from yesterday morning. [15:50] Haitians in Ohio [15:51] were told to turn up [15:52] at this sort of remote [15:54] ICE facility [15:54] outside Cincinnati [15:55] for mandatory appointments [15:57] early on Sunday morning. [15:59] Just bizarre [16:00] in terms of its timing, [16:01] but local residents [16:02] found out about it [16:03] and turned up [16:04] by the hundreds [16:04] before 7 a.m. yesterday [16:06] to make sure [16:07] they were there [16:08] to show support, [16:09] to show these [16:10] Haitian immigrants [16:11] on the way in [16:12] that this community [16:12] was there to support them, [16:14] to show ICE also [16:15] that they can't do this secretly, [16:16] that the people [16:17] know what they're doing [16:18] and that they're watching. [16:20] Local clergy [16:21] showed up in force as well, [16:23] offering communion [16:24] to the Haitian men and women [16:25] before they went inside [16:26] to their appointments. [16:29] That's Ohio. [16:30] I also want to show you [16:31] this from right next door [16:32] in Indiana. [16:33] This is a few days ago now. [16:34] Anti-immigrant [16:35] right-wing groups [16:36] planned what they called [16:37] a mass deportation rally. [16:41] Save Heritage Indiana, [16:43] a proud member [16:44] of the mass deportation coalition. [16:46] They said they were going [16:47] to hold a pro-mass deportation [16:49] demonstration [16:50] featuring Greg Bovino, [16:53] the former Border Patrol leader [16:54] who led the Trump [16:55] administration's attack [16:56] on multiple American cities [16:57] starting last year [16:58] before he was fired. [17:00] Bovino himself said [17:01] the idea behind [17:02] this demonstration [17:03] was that they were hoping [17:04] it could ignite [17:05] some kind of larger [17:06] anti-immigrant movement. [17:11] I'll be in Indiana [17:12] on August the 1st. [17:14] There's a lot of opposition [17:15] to that rally. [17:16] It's the first mass deportation rally [17:18] ever held [17:18] in the United States. [17:20] And hopefully, [17:21] you know, [17:22] hopefully everything [17:22] goes off good there. [17:24] But that is perhaps, [17:27] you know, [17:28] everything starts with a spark. [17:31] Hopefully everything [17:32] goes off good. [17:34] But, you know. [17:36] The head of the group [17:37] behind the rally [17:38] expressed similar ambitions, [17:40] telling Indiana Public Radio [17:41] that he wanted [17:41] this mass deportation rally [17:45] to, quote, [17:45] ignite and mobilize people. [17:49] That is what happened [17:50] in Indiana, [17:51] but just not in the way [17:52] they hoped. [17:53] Their mass deportation rally [17:54] was originally announced [17:55] for a town called [17:56] Fishers, Indiana, [17:58] but they ended up [17:59] moving it, [18:00] for some reason, [18:00] to a secret location, [18:02] reportedly about [18:02] an hour's drive away. [18:04] And they reportedly [18:05] only got fewer than [18:06] 100 people in attendance [18:07] in the end. [18:10] Meanwhile, [18:10] back in Fishers, Indiana, [18:11] where they had said [18:12] they were going to hold [18:13] this anti-immigrant rally, [18:15] look what happened [18:16] in Fishers. [18:17] Something like [18:18] 1,000 people [18:19] counter-protested [18:20] in Fishers, Indiana, [18:21] protesting against [18:22] the mass deportation rally, [18:24] protesting against ICE, [18:26] and showing support [18:27] for their immigrant neighbors. [18:28] This is rural Indiana. [18:32] Tonight, [18:33] we're going to talk about [18:33] the efforts to shut down [18:35] one of Trump's [18:36] immigrant prisons, [18:37] one of them where [18:37] yet another person [18:39] has just died. [18:40] We're going to talk about [18:41] that with a member [18:42] of Congress [18:42] who was arrested [18:43] at that facility [18:44] and is being prosecuted [18:45] by the Trump administration. [18:48] Tonight, [18:48] on the eve of primaries [18:49] tomorrow in Alabama, [18:50] Connecticut, [18:51] Minnesota, [18:52] South Carolina, [18:53] Vermont, [18:53] and Wisconsin, [18:54] we're also going to be [18:55] talking about [18:56] an unexpected thing [18:57] that keeps happening [18:57] in multiple-state primaries. [19:00] Something unexpected [19:01] that appears to be [19:03] unnerving Republicans [19:04] in multiple states. [19:06] And in multiple states, [19:07] it has made them [19:08] abandon some of [19:09] their worst plans [19:09] for targeting [19:11] Black Americans [19:12] and targeting [19:13] Black political power. [19:15] We've got updates [19:16] for you tonight as well [19:17] on the deadlines [19:18] that have happened [19:19] in multiple states [19:19] today and tonight. [19:20] Deadlines to replace candidates [19:22] or drop candidates [19:23] off the ballot [19:24] when their candidacies [19:25] have turned rotten [19:26] for various reasons. [19:27] We've got three different states [19:29] that hit those deadlines [19:30] in three different races tonight. [19:31] We've got three different outcomes [19:32] in all of those. [19:33] We'll have those details [19:34] for you coming up. [19:37] But I'll tell you, [19:37] in the meantime, [19:38] if there is a PR company [19:40] out there that wants [19:40] to try to entice me [19:42] into an exciting interview prospect [19:45] with your clients, [19:47] maybe double-check [19:47] before you send it to me [19:48] that you're not sending me [19:49] video evidence [19:50] of your clients [19:51] potentially breaking the law [19:53] and maybe starting a war. [19:54] Because that actually [19:56] might end up [19:56] being of interest to me. [19:59] And not for the reasons [20:00] you were hoping. [20:02] Lots to get to tonight. [20:03] Stay with us. [20:11] Republican lawmakers [20:11] in Kansas [20:12] have been frustrated [20:13] for years [20:14] by their state's [20:15] Supreme Court. [20:16] Among other things, [20:17] their state's Supreme Court [20:18] has protected [20:18] the right to abortion [20:20] in Kansas. [20:21] And that has made [20:22] Republicans absolutely crazy. [20:25] So Republicans this year [20:26] wrote a constitutional amendment [20:28] that would change [20:28] the whole structure [20:29] of the Supreme Court [20:30] in their state, [20:31] including the way [20:32] its justices are [20:33] put on the court [20:34] and how they can be removed. [20:36] Well, [20:36] when the people of Kansas [20:37] got their chance [20:38] to vote on that proposal [20:39] last week, [20:40] they rejected it hugely. [20:43] They rejected it by 20 points. [20:46] That same day [20:47] in Red State, Missouri, [20:49] voters there [20:50] gave their verdict [20:51] on a Republican proposal [20:52] that would make it [20:52] much harder [20:53] for ordinary citizens [20:54] to vote to change [20:56] the state's constitution, [20:57] even though Republicans [20:58] in the legislature [20:59] could still make changes [21:00] they wanted [21:01] under the old, [21:02] easier rules. [21:04] The people of Missouri [21:05] rejected that idea [21:06] full stop. [21:07] 80% of Missouri voters [21:09] said no way to that. [21:12] Another Republican proposal [21:13] in that same state, [21:14] a move to [21:15] a wildly regressive [21:17] new tax system [21:18] which Republicans [21:19] wanted for Missouri, [21:20] that fared even worse [21:22] at the polls. [21:23] 83% of Missouri voters [21:25] said they absolutely [21:26] rejected that as well. [21:30] All over the country [21:31] this primary election season [21:32] in states red, [21:33] blue, [21:34] and purple, [21:35] things have not been [21:36] going Republicans' way. [21:39] But I want to point out [21:40] something going on [21:41] specifically [21:41] about Black political power [21:44] that I think Republicans [21:45] did not expect. [21:47] Because Republicans [21:48] all over the country [21:49] this year [21:49] have taken the Supreme Court, [21:50] the U.S. Supreme Court's [21:52] dismantling of the [21:53] Voting Rights Act [21:53] and they have used it [21:55] to start a radical, [21:58] radical effort [21:59] to constrict [22:00] Black voting power [22:02] in the United States [22:03] of America. [22:04] In state after state, [22:05] Republicans have been [22:05] engaged in redrawing [22:07] congressional districts [22:08] not just to entrench [22:09] themselves in power, [22:11] but specifically [22:12] to take power away [22:13] from minority voters [22:14] and Black voters [22:15] in particular. [22:18] Well, in response to that, [22:19] we are now seeing [22:20] in state after state [22:20] that people have something [22:21] to say about that, too. [22:24] Take South Carolina. [22:25] Earlier this year, [22:26] Republican legislators [22:27] in South Carolina, [22:28] they were steaming ahead [22:30] with a plan to dissolve [22:31] the state's only [22:32] majority Black district, [22:34] the seat held by [22:35] the state's only [22:35] Black congressman, [22:36] James Clyburn. [22:38] That effort to box out [22:39] James Clyburn [22:40] drew protests, [22:41] but it also drew voters [22:43] in numbers that alarmed [22:46] South Carolina Republicans. [22:48] The first day of early voting [22:49] in the South Carolina primary [22:51] saw record-breaking turnout. [22:53] Nearly five times more Democrats [22:55] than Republicans [22:56] cast ballots. [22:57] Many of them said [22:57] they were out at the polls [22:58] to send a message [22:59] specifically to try to stop [23:01] the redistricting plan [23:02] to take away Clyburn's seat. [23:06] And guess what happened next? [23:07] That very same day, [23:08] that first day of early voting, [23:11] South Carolina Republicans [23:12] got scared [23:13] and scrapped their plan. [23:15] The Republican state [23:16] Senate leader warned [23:17] his colleagues, quote, [23:18] people will vote [23:19] when they're angry, [23:20] and I think we've made [23:21] some people mad. [23:24] South Carolina. [23:26] Also take a look at Georgia. [23:27] Republicans in Georgia [23:28] tried the same thing, [23:29] tried drawing up [23:30] new congressional districts [23:31] to entrench themselves [23:33] and to dilute [23:35] and thereby deny [23:37] Black political power [23:38] in the state of Georgia. [23:39] As soon as the U.S. Supreme Court [23:42] gutted the Voting Rights Act, [23:43] Georgia's governor [23:44] called a special legislative session [23:46] to redraw the state's maps. [23:48] Well, when lawmakers arrived [23:50] at the Capitol [23:51] for that special session, [23:52] this is what they were greeted with. [23:54] The state Capitol [23:55] packed to the gills [23:56] with protesters [23:57] who let the lawmakers [23:59] know just what the people [24:00] of Georgia thought [24:00] about this plan. [24:02] Georgia Republicans [24:03] looked up at the balcony, [24:05] looked up at the gallery, [24:07] looked around them, [24:08] looked at the fury [24:09] they were about to unleash [24:10] and said, [24:10] okay, never mind. [24:11] On second thought, [24:12] maybe we will not try [24:13] to redraw our maps [24:14] to make our congressional delegation [24:16] whiter and more permanent. [24:18] Seems like that might be [24:19] wildly unpopular. [24:21] Now look at Tennessee. [24:26] Tennessee is one of the southern states [24:27] where Republicans [24:27] did carry out their plan [24:29] to dilute Black political power. [24:32] They broke up the state's [24:33] single majority Black district [24:35] around Memphis, [24:36] spreading Black voters out [24:37] into more rural, [24:39] more conservative, [24:40] whiter districts [24:40] that stretch hundreds of miles [24:42] from the city. [24:44] And after the Republicans did that, [24:47] then they decided, [24:48] well, then they realized [24:50] they were going to have to learn [24:51] what the people of Tennessee [24:52] thought about it. [24:53] Black leaders in Memphis [24:54] in particular got to work. [24:56] Pastors and organizers [24:57] and activists [24:58] and civic groups and unions [24:59] held voter registration drives, [25:01] organized rallies, [25:02] worked the phones, [25:03] knocked on doors, [25:04] all in an effort [25:05] to channel their neighbors' [25:06] indignation and anger [25:08] into action. [25:10] In Memphis, [25:11] the Reverend Earl Fisher [25:12] of the Abyssinian Missionary [25:13] Baptist Church said, [25:15] quote, [25:15] I think, [25:15] in a lot of ways, [25:16] this awoke a sleeping giant. [25:18] I don't think Republicans [25:19] have anticipated [25:20] or accounted [25:20] for a mass mobilization effort. [25:24] Well, sure enough, [25:25] when Tennessee held its primary [25:27] a few days ago [25:28] on Thursday, [25:30] Democratic voter turnout [25:31] in Memphis's majority [25:32] black Shelby County [25:33] surged to the highest level [25:35] in a decade, [25:37] more than twice, [25:38] more than double [25:39] the turnout percentage [25:40] for similar contests [25:41] that were held [25:42] just two years ago. [25:44] The next day, [25:44] Reverend Fisher told [25:45] the Washington Post, [25:46] quote, [25:47] a night like this, [25:48] excuse me, [25:49] a night like last night [25:50] lets you know [25:51] it's not all in vain. [25:53] Though he said [25:53] he's not taking a victory lap, [25:55] black Tennessee Democrats [25:57] will be up against [25:58] long odds in November, [25:59] these newly drawn [26:00] congressional districts. [26:03] But last week's turnout [26:04] is a big first step [26:06] and one that is rattling [26:07] Republicans in Tennessee. [26:10] Joining us now [26:11] is the Reverend Earl Fisher, [26:12] pastor at Abyssinian Missionary [26:13] Baptist Church in Memphis. [26:15] Reverend Fisher, [26:15] it's a real honor [26:16] to have you with us tonight. [26:17] Thank you for being here. [26:18] Thank you for having me. [26:21] What did you [26:22] and your colleagues, [26:23] your fellow Tennessee residents [26:25] do to push voter turnout [26:27] to those remarkable heights [26:28] last week? [26:30] Well, I think it was [26:31] a few things [26:31] and you mentioned most of them. [26:32] I think the anger [26:33] that people felt [26:35] was palpable [26:35] because they knew [26:37] what the racist redistricting did [26:40] was unjust [26:41] and so people wanted [26:42] to respond to that. [26:44] There's also some admiration. [26:45] I think we have a candidate [26:46] like Justin J. Pearson [26:47] who has shown [26:49] that he can appeal [26:49] to people across [26:51] a whole lot of different demographics [26:53] from age to race to gender [26:55] and I think people [26:56] were motivated by him. [26:57] And then also the activism [26:59] of a lot of organizations [27:00] who just decided [27:01] we would try to target [27:02] those low turnout precincts [27:04] and we were crunching numbers [27:05] and, you know, [27:06] gathering people in rallies [27:08] and trying to stay up [27:09] to the wee hours of the night [27:10] and trying to figure out [27:11] how we can make up the margins. [27:12] It's going to be [27:15] an uphill battle [27:17] in November [27:17] for Mr. Pearson, [27:20] although you just described [27:21] some of what I think [27:22] he's known for [27:22] even nationally [27:23] in terms of [27:24] how energizing [27:25] his candidacy [27:26] has been [27:26] to his supporters [27:27] and how talented [27:30] he is [27:30] as a politician [27:31] and as a leader. [27:32] But that's going to be [27:33] a, you know, [27:34] plus 20 district [27:35] or something. [27:36] They've really gerrymandered [27:37] that district [27:38] to try to make it [27:39] impenetrable [27:40] to any Democratic candidate, [27:41] let alone [27:41] a Black Democratic candidate. [27:44] How do you feel like [27:45] these efforts [27:47] that you've shown [27:47] so much effectiveness [27:48] with thus far, [27:49] how do you feel like [27:51] they sustain over time [27:53] or build over time? [27:54] What kind of goals [27:55] are you setting [27:55] for yourselves [27:56] and your fellow [27:57] parishioners [27:58] and residents? [28:00] Well, as you said, [28:01] you know, [28:01] I think this is an opportunity [28:02] to clap your hands [28:03] but not run a victory lap. [28:05] There is a longer runway now [28:07] because we were responding [28:08] to the immediacy [28:09] of the moment [28:10] when it first happened [28:11] a couple of months ago. [28:13] And now after this [28:14] structure test [28:15] that we could call [28:16] a primary, [28:17] you see where there may be [28:18] some weak spots [28:19] and you want to try [28:19] to lean in [28:20] and put a little bit more [28:21] elbow grease in those spaces. [28:23] But we still have [28:23] a short window of time [28:24] when you look at November. [28:26] And so hopefully [28:26] those candidates [28:28] who were running [28:29] in the primary [28:31] who didn't win [28:32] can throw their weight [28:33] behind the candidate [28:34] who did win. [28:35] And those of us [28:36] who have networks [28:38] and congregations [28:40] and community members [28:41] can do all we can [28:42] to make sure [28:43] that we are [28:43] educating our people [28:45] on the issues, [28:46] empowering them [28:47] so that they feel strong [28:48] when they come out [28:49] and then doing all we can [28:50] to translate [28:51] registration [28:52] and education [28:53] and to vote eternal. [28:56] Reverend Fisher, [28:56] I want to ask you [28:57] just sort of a bigger [28:58] question about this. [28:58] I feel like [28:59] sort of a moral [29:01] cornerstone [29:02] of this country [29:03] when we talk about [29:03] who we are [29:04] and what kind of a journey [29:06] we've been through [29:07] in this country. [29:08] We talk about [29:08] not just the Civil Rights [29:10] Movement broadly [29:10] but the Voting Rights Act [29:11] in particular [29:12] and what it took [29:13] to get the Voting Rights Act. [29:15] And as the conservative [29:16] dominated Supreme Court [29:18] essentially washed away [29:20] the legislative protections, [29:22] the legal protections [29:23] of the Voting Rights Act [29:24] and as Republicans [29:25] responded instantly [29:26] to try to eliminate [29:27] Black political power [29:29] everywhere they could, [29:30] particularly all over the South, [29:32] I feel like it was greeted [29:33] with a lot of consternation [29:35] and worry [29:35] but not much work, [29:38] especially on the part [29:39] of the National Democratic Party, [29:42] white liberal Democrats. [29:44] I feel like people [29:45] are sort of worried [29:46] and sad about it [29:47] but not doing much [29:48] to try to fix it. [29:49] Whereas what you [29:50] and your colleagues [29:51] are doing is the work. [29:53] What could be done [29:55] if anything nationwide [29:56] and for people watching this [29:57] across the country right now [29:58] to support more practical work [30:00] to try to save [30:01] Black political power [30:02] of the kind you [30:03] and your colleagues [30:04] are doing? [30:05] Well, the last thing [30:06] people should do [30:07] is just surrender [30:07] and I think that's [30:08] what you saw us do [30:10] after the verdict was in, [30:13] whether it was [30:13] the Calais vertical, [30:15] whether it was [30:15] what they did [30:16] at the Statehouse [30:17] when they cracked the district. [30:19] So instead of just [30:19] throwing up your hands [30:20] and surrendering, [30:21] the first thing [30:21] I started to do [30:22] was just look at [30:23] what some opportunities were [30:24] and one of the things [30:25] I found out, Richard, [30:26] is that even in the state [30:27] of Tennessee, [30:29] 48% of voters [30:30] would vote in patterns [30:32] that are consistent [30:33] with independent voters. [30:35] Only 33% of voters [30:36] would identify properly [30:39] as Republicans. [30:40] So that means [30:40] that there was [30:41] some opportunity there. [30:43] Then you look at [30:43] some of these counties [30:45] where a lot of people [30:46] just hadn't been out [30:47] and done a lot of organizing. [30:48] So that was another [30:49] opportunity there. [30:50] So I don't think [30:52] that they calculated [30:53] the moral force [30:55] of Black leadership [30:58] and our capacity [31:00] to motivate our people [31:02] and to allow them [31:04] to see a vision [31:05] of what's possible [31:06] even when the odds [31:07] are stacked against them. [31:08] I know a little [31:08] something about history [31:09] and then there have been [31:10] situations that have been [31:11] similar to this [31:12] where we came out on top [31:13] and I think this could [31:14] very well be one of them. [31:15] I'm not lost [31:16] on the magnitude [31:17] or the enormity [31:18] of the task right here. [31:20] It is a big thing [31:21] and if we do lose [31:23] it won't be because [31:24] I or my colleagues [31:25] pulled any punches. [31:26] We'll do all we can [31:27] all across the state [31:28] and I believe people [31:29] all across the country [31:30] can support [31:31] and sometimes that means [31:32] sending your people this way. [31:33] Sometimes it means [31:34] sending money. [31:35] Sometimes it means [31:36] raising your voice. [31:36] Everybody can make [31:37] a phone call. [31:38] Everybody can send [31:39] a text message [31:40] or share a social media [31:41] post or something like that. [31:42] So the more like [31:43] light that we shine [31:45] on the darkness here [31:47] I think the better [31:47] our opportunity [31:48] come November. [31:51] Couldn't put it [31:51] better myself. [31:53] Beautifully put. [31:54] The antidote to despair [31:55] is not worry. [31:57] The antidote to despair [31:58] is action. [31:59] It's organizing. [32:00] Reverend Earl Fisher, [32:01] pastor at the [32:02] Abyssinian Missionary [32:02] Baptist Church [32:03] in Memphis. [32:04] Reverend Fisher, [32:05] it's a real pleasure [32:05] to have you. [32:06] Thank you so much [32:06] for your time. [32:07] Good luck to you, sir. [32:08] Thank you so much. [32:09] All right. [32:10] More news ahead tonight. [32:11] Stay with us. [32:18] We have some breaking [32:19] election news tonight [32:20] from North Carolina. [32:22] Tonight, North Carolina [32:22] Republicans have decided [32:24] who they are going to choose [32:26] to fill the anxious void [32:28] left behind [32:29] when Republican Congressman [32:30] Chuck Edwards [32:31] abruptly announced last week [32:33] that he will not [32:34] seek re-election. [32:35] Congressman Edwards [32:36] announced his sudden [32:37] retirement [32:38] after the House [32:39] Ethics Committee [32:40] found that he had [32:41] inappropriately [32:42] and relentlessly [32:43] pursued personal [32:44] relationships [32:45] with two young women [32:46] in his office. [32:47] One of these young women [32:48] was just 19 years old [32:50] when she started [32:51] working for him. [32:52] Congressman Chuck Edwards [32:53] is 65. [32:56] Lawyers for Congressman [32:57] Edwards say [32:57] he looks forward [32:58] to clearing his name [33:00] in this matter, [33:01] but meanwhile, [33:02] he has cleared himself [33:03] off the ballot. [33:04] And so tonight [33:05] was the deadline [33:05] for North Carolina [33:06] Republicans [33:07] to choose someone [33:08] not named Chuck Edwards [33:09] to run for his seat, [33:10] which represents [33:11] Western North Carolina, [33:12] including Asheville. [33:14] Well, tonight, [33:15] just within the last hour, [33:16] North Carolina Republicans [33:17] have made their pick. [33:18] They've chosen [33:19] a state lawmaker, [33:20] a state representative [33:21] named Jennifer Balcombe, [33:23] who's going to be [33:23] the new Republican nominee [33:25] for North Carolina's [33:26] 11th Congressional District. [33:28] It's a little bit weird, [33:30] but she's handpicked [33:31] by her party [33:32] to run for that seat [33:33] because of the scandal [33:34] that forced out [33:35] the incumbent [33:35] Chuck Edwards. [33:37] That's North Carolina. [33:38] In Ohio today, [33:39] there was also a deadline. [33:41] It was the very last day [33:43] for Republican Congressman [33:44] Max Miller [33:45] to step down [33:46] and get off the ballot [33:47] and let his party [33:49] replace him [33:50] on the ballot [33:50] for November. [33:52] Congressman Max Miller [33:52] is facing a slew [33:54] of horrific [33:54] domestic violence allegations, [33:57] all of which he denies. [33:59] To the discomfort [33:59] of many in his own [34:01] Republican Party, [34:02] Congressman Max Miller [34:03] is insisting [34:04] that he will stay [34:05] in the race, [34:06] that he will stay [34:07] on the ballot, [34:08] and that turns [34:09] an otherwise likely [34:10] safe seat [34:11] for the Republicans [34:11] into a possible [34:12] pickup opportunity [34:14] for Democrats [34:14] as Ohio Democrat [34:16] Brian Poindexter [34:17] continues to out-poll [34:18] Mr. Miller [34:19] in Ohio surveys. [34:23] Then there's Montana, [34:24] and this one's [34:24] a little different. [34:25] On the Democratic side [34:26] for U.S. Senate, [34:27] the nominee, [34:28] the Democratic Party's nominee [34:29] is named Alani Bankhead. [34:32] She has faced pressure [34:33] to drop out [34:34] of this race, [34:34] the Senate race in Montana, [34:36] not because of any scandal, [34:38] but for strategic reasons. [34:40] Twenty-two members [34:41] of the Montana legislature [34:42] asked her to quit the race [34:44] and instead support [34:45] the independent Senate candidate [34:47] because they think [34:48] that he has a much better chance [34:49] of winning that Senate race [34:51] than she does. [34:52] Well, [34:53] Alani Bankhead announced tonight [34:54] that she is [34:56] staying in the race. [34:57] She will not be dropping out. [34:58] Tonight was the deadline, [34:59] but she will not get out. [35:01] She will not be following [35:02] the example [35:03] of Democratic Senate candidates [35:04] in Nebraska [35:05] and South Dakota [35:06] and Idaho [35:07] who have all dropped out [35:09] in the hopes of clearing a path [35:10] for an independent candidate [35:11] to take on the Republican [35:13] in a very red state. [35:15] If that independent [35:16] Senate candidacy gambit [35:17] succeeds in any of those races, [35:19] again, Nebraska, [35:20] Idaho, [35:21] or South Dakota, [35:21] that would have huge implications [35:23] for which party controls [35:24] the U.S. Senate next year, [35:26] but it looks like Montana [35:27] will not be following [35:28] along those same lines. [35:30] All that news breaking tonight. [35:31] Watch this space. [35:32] This whole thing [35:33] is just getting started. [35:40] This man is in a federal [35:41] immigration prison [35:42] in Atalanto, California, [35:44] which is just northeast [35:45] of Los Angeles. [35:46] This is from a video call [35:48] he did with his family. [35:50] You see him holding up [35:51] this bottle of water here. [35:52] What he's showing them [35:53] is that there appears [35:54] to be something swimming [35:55] around in that water. [35:57] He says this is the drinking water [35:59] that he and all the other detainees [36:00] are given at this ice prison [36:02] in California. [36:04] What it is that's swimming [36:05] around in there in the water, [36:07] I honestly don't know. [36:08] It looks like worms [36:09] or some kind of larva. [36:13] The GEO Group runs this facility. [36:15] They did not respond [36:16] to requests for comment. [36:17] The Department of Homeland Security [36:18] told us today [36:19] that this ice facility [36:20] gets its water [36:22] from the city of Atalanto, California. [36:26] Okay. [36:27] And does it come to you [36:28] from the city [36:29] through pipes and plumbing fixtures [36:31] inside this facility? [36:33] I don't exactly know [36:35] how it makes it better [36:36] that it comes from the city, [36:37] but that's their explanation. [36:41] This is the Atalanto Immigration Prison [36:43] in Southern California. [36:44] This is the immigration prison [36:46] in Newark, New Jersey, [36:48] Delaney Hall, [36:49] where a second prisoner [36:50] in just the past few months [36:52] has died while in custody there. [36:54] The man who died, [36:55] his mother, [36:56] says that her son [36:57] needed to take medicine [36:59] for diabetes [37:00] and high blood pressure [37:01] and seizures, [37:02] but she believes [37:02] he wasn't given [37:03] any of those medications [37:05] during the six weeks [37:06] that he was locked up [37:07] at Delaney Hall. [37:08] He had reportedly complained [37:10] of dizziness and fatigue [37:11] before he collapsed [37:13] inside that prison. [37:14] According to Congressman [37:15] Rob Menendez, [37:16] whose district includes [37:17] Delaney Hall, [37:18] he says the prison staff [37:19] did call 911, [37:21] but that it took [37:22] emergency responders [37:23] about 37 minutes [37:25] to arrive after the call [37:27] to get in [37:27] and actually attend [37:28] to this young man. [37:30] It's not like Delaney Hall [37:31] is out in the boondock somewhere. [37:32] It's in Newark, New Jersey, [37:33] in a super urban, [37:35] densely populated [37:35] part of the state. [37:36] What is it about Delaney Hall [37:38] that makes it so [37:39] it takes emergency responders [37:41] 37 minutes [37:42] to get inside [37:43] to be able to access [37:44] a prisoner [37:45] having an active [37:46] medical emergency? [37:48] I mean, [37:48] if other people [37:49] have already died [37:50] in this facility [37:51] and it's still taking [37:53] 37 minutes [37:54] after you call 911 [37:55] to get anybody in there [37:56] to somebody who's in distress, [37:59] it just seems like [38:00] something's very wrong there. [38:03] There were protests, [38:04] renewed protests [38:05] outside Delaney Hall [38:06] this weekend, [38:06] including a live band [38:09] calling themselves [38:10] Brass Uprising, [38:12] protesting the conditions [38:13] inside Delaney Hall, [38:15] protesting the at least [38:16] two deaths [38:17] that have happened there [38:18] in recent months. [38:20] Protesters were pepper sprayed [38:21] by the prison staff [38:22] reportedly for touching [38:23] the gate [38:24] in front of the entrance. [38:27] In New Jersey tomorrow, [38:28] Democratic leader [38:29] Hakeem Jeffries [38:29] and other members of Congress [38:31] are going to hold [38:31] a press conference [38:32] to talk about [38:33] what they call [38:33] the Trump administration's [38:34] cruel and dehumanizing [38:36] conditions [38:37] inside immigration prisons. [38:38] including Delaney Hall. [38:40] They're going to follow [38:40] that press conference [38:41] with a roundtable discussion [38:43] with former Delaney Hall prisoners [38:45] and the families of prisoners [38:46] who have died [38:47] while in custody there. [38:49] Delaney Hall is a particular [38:50] point of interest [38:50] for Congressional Democrats [38:52] given that one of their own, [38:54] Democratic Congresswoman [38:55] LaMonica McIver, [38:56] was indicted [38:57] on federal charges [38:58] after she attended [38:59] a protest [39:00] at Delaney Hall [39:01] last year. [39:02] LaMonica McIver [39:03] has called those charges [39:04] politically motivated. [39:05] Still, today, [39:06] more than a year later, [39:07] she is fighting [39:08] that indictment. [39:09] Joining us now [39:10] is Congresswoman [39:11] LaMonica McIver, [39:12] Democrat of New Jersey. [39:13] Congresswoman, [39:14] it's a real pleasure [39:14] to have you with us tonight. [39:15] Thank you for taking the time. [39:21] Oh, I can't hear you. [39:22] Let's see. [39:22] You're not on mute, are you? [39:25] Hi, Rachel. [39:25] It's good to see you. [39:27] There you are. [39:28] That's great. [39:29] So we know [39:31] from ICE's own accounts [39:32] that two people [39:33] have died [39:34] at Delaney Hall [39:35] in custody [39:35] in the last few months. [39:37] Just in the last few days, [39:38] we learned [39:38] that a third person [39:39] had a medical incident [39:41] at the prison [39:41] who was taken to a hospital [39:42] and died. [39:44] What do you make [39:45] of these recent reports? [39:47] I mean, [39:48] they're devastating. [39:49] They are so disheartening [39:51] and sad to hear, [39:52] especially for the families [39:53] that we speak to. [39:55] But, Rachel, [39:56] it's not surprising. [39:57] It's something [39:57] that I've been talking about [39:58] since last May [39:59] before I was even charged [40:02] by this administration. [40:03] And we continue [40:04] to see the cruelness [40:06] and the chaos [40:07] happening at Delaney Hall [40:09] underneath the Trump administration. [40:11] And it's extremely horrible. [40:14] I know that you [40:15] and other members of Congress [40:16] have continued to do [40:17] oversight visits [40:18] to Delaney Hall. [40:20] You and lots of other people [40:21] have pushed for closure [40:22] of the facility. [40:24] Do you feel like [40:25] any of the activism [40:27] around this, [40:29] the furore over your arrest [40:31] and them charging you [40:32] for having been there, [40:35] having been present [40:36] during a protest [40:36] of that facility? [40:38] Do you feel like [40:38] any of this [40:39] has made any progress, [40:40] either to try to [40:41] get conditions improved there [40:43] or at least [40:44] to push more oversight [40:46] into what is happening there [40:49] and what kind of conditions [40:50] the people held in prison [40:51] there are facing? [40:54] Yeah, I think, [40:55] look, it's not, [40:55] I would love to see [40:56] Delaney Hall closed. [40:57] I mean, [40:58] that's what I've been calling [40:58] for since day one. [41:00] I think what it has done [41:01] is definitely continue [41:02] to keep what is happening [41:04] at this facility [41:05] in the light, right? [41:07] Because the Trump administration [41:09] is so adamant [41:10] about making sure [41:11] that they keep things [41:12] in the dark. [41:13] I think that they have [41:14] stepped up their increase [41:16] on trying to stop oversight. [41:18] I mean, [41:18] I've been to Delaney Hall [41:19] multiple times, [41:20] Rachel, [41:20] and each time [41:21] there's a new rule, [41:22] there's a new, [41:23] oh, I can't speak [41:24] to this person, [41:25] I can't do this, [41:26] because they know [41:27] every time that we go there [41:28] and we speak to detainees [41:30] and we see the conditions [41:31] of this facility, [41:32] we continue to report out [41:34] and bring it to light, [41:35] bring it to public eye, [41:37] and I think that ICE [41:38] is extremely, [41:39] you know, [41:39] scared of that. [41:40] The GEO group especially [41:42] is scared of that, [41:43] but people continue [41:44] to rise up, [41:45] they continue to use [41:46] their voices [41:47] to talk about [41:48] what is happening [41:48] at this facility, [41:49] and we have to continue [41:50] to do that. [41:51] I mean, [41:51] I'm facing federal charges [41:53] for doing my job, [41:55] but it hasn't stopped me [41:56] from continuing [41:56] to show up [41:57] and hold this administration [41:58] accountable. [41:59] I know that [42:01] there are limits [42:02] as to what you can say [42:04] about the status [42:04] of that case right now [42:05] because it is still [42:06] a live case [42:07] and you're in the middle [42:07] of fighting it, [42:08] but can you give us [42:09] and our viewers [42:10] an update on what's [42:11] happening with this case [42:13] in which they brought [42:15] these federal charges [42:15] against you? [42:17] Absolutely. [42:18] So we are currently [42:19] waiting for an opinion [42:20] from the Third Circuit [42:21] Court of Appeals. [42:22] We were there [42:23] this past June [42:24] basically arguing [42:26] for these charges [42:26] to be dismissed [42:27] because of my [42:29] legislative immunity [42:30] and my ability [42:31] to do my job [42:32] and the executive branch [42:33] should not be able [42:34] to bring up false charges [42:36] to stop me [42:37] from doing so. [42:38] And so we are waiting [42:39] for that opinion [42:41] to come down [42:41] from that panel of judges [42:43] and that's where we are [42:44] right now. [42:45] We're in the second stretch [42:46] of this fight [42:47] and it's been over a year [42:49] of fighting it [42:50] and it's been very costly [42:51] and very stressful, [42:53] but we're still pushing, [42:54] I'm still pushing [42:55] and still showing up [42:56] doing my job [42:57] most importantly. [43:00] Congresswoman LaMonica McIvor, [43:01] Democrat from New Jersey. [43:03] Thank you so much [43:04] for talking to us. [43:05] I'd love to have you back [43:06] anytime to talk [43:06] about your case, [43:07] to talk about Delaney Hall [43:08] as all these fights continue. [43:10] Thank you. [43:11] Thank you, Rachel. [43:13] All right, we'll be right back. [43:14] Stay with us. [43:20] That does it for me tonight.