LIVE FROM FLORIDA: On The Epstein Trail of Lies

0:03 [music] He's on the road.

0:07 He's on the record.

0:09 Jim Aosta live.

0:13 All right.

0:13 Welcome to the Jim Aosta show.

0:15 It's another day that ends in Y in the Epstein Gate cover up.

0:19 Uh earlier today in West Palm Beach, Florida at the city hall,

0:22 Democrats on the House Oversight Committee held a field hearing

0:25 to hear from survivors of Jeffrey Epste and Golain Maxwell.

0:29 It was a powerful hearing filled with a lot of emotional testimony.

0:34 Uh, and there's some of it playing right there.

0:36 We were live earlier this morning.

0:38 We brought all of this to uh all of you live uh from the scene there.

0:42 We were playing on all of our platforms and had

0:45 uh thousands and tens tens of thousands tuning in.

0:48 It was really uh an incredible experience and just

0:51 saw a lot of feedback from people who

0:52 really care about the people in the room

0:54 who were testifying which I thought was really gratifying.

0:57 But here to talk about this, uh,

0:59 she testified during this hearing is Lauren Hirs.

1:02 Uh, she is with the group World Without Exploitation.

1:06 Uh, she is a an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse.

1:10 And Lauren, thank you so much for coming on.

1:13 Thanks so so much for having me, Jim.

1:15 Yeah, you bet.

1:16 And you and I were just talking about this a little bit,

1:18 chatting before we went live.

1:20 And and Lauren, you were making the point that, you know,

1:22 we don't want to politicize this.

1:24 This is not political.

1:25 This is about getting truth.

1:27 This is about getting to a place where maybe we might approach some

1:30 sense of justice for these survivors after they had doors slammed in their face,

1:35 after they were called names and threatened for many, many years.

1:38 What was it like being a part of this moment?

1:42 So, it's so interesting, Jim.

1:44 When we first were approached to do this, we paused for a second because we

1:51 knew that it was going to be

1:53 the Democrats who were going to be asking questions.

1:56 We've been abundantly clear here that for us

2:00 at World Without Exploitation and for the survivors,

2:03 this is not about politics.

2:05 This is deeply personal.

2:06 But we said yes to um this hearing because we

2:10 felt really strongly that it was important to center the voices

2:13 of survivors and and to do it in a hearing

2:17 um fashion to have them sit to be asked questions,

2:22 but also it was really critical that they were able to work

2:27 with um oversight minority and say this is what I'm going

2:32 to testify about and these are my guard rails And so

2:36 we can't expect that survivors will or should be compelled to testify.

2:44 They've been speaking for decades about this and now it's on the government.

2:50 It's on DOJ.

2:52 It's on state entities,

2:54 law enforcement to do their jobs and to get to the truth.

2:58 Yeah.

2:59 I mean, there was one point where I

3:01 think it was Congresswoman Stanbury of New Mexico.

3:05 She asked uh the survivors who were

3:07 appearing there and they were they were abused.

3:09 They were victimized when they were girls.

3:11 Now they're they're women and they're telling their stories

3:15 and there was one lady who was testifying named Rosa.

3:18 And I believe she was asked at what point, you know, what is justice?

3:21 And I think Rosa turned around and said,

3:23 "No, no, that's what you're supposed to do.

3:25 That's what you're supposed to deliver for us.

3:27 Let's play that and talk about on the other side."

3:29 Because I thought it summed up the day so well.

3:31 Yeah.

3:32 asked all the time to retell your stories and I've read your stories.

3:36 Anyone can go in the files and read your stories,

3:39 but I want to hear from you what justice would look like in this case.

3:47 So I come from a different country and uh I have a job and if you

3:52 come to me and you ask me what should I do and ask question about my job,

3:57 I'll give you an answer.

3:59 I appreciate you asking that question, but I don't know.

4:02 That's your job.

4:04 You guys have to figure out how to make justice, not me.

4:09 And um you can't give me justice.

4:14 Like that was an amazing moment.

4:19 Yeah.

4:20 Well, listen, Rosa, like all of these survivors,

4:24 they were all so incredibly powerful,

4:28 but what you heard in that moment,

4:30 I think, is the overwhelming sentiment by survivors,

4:34 which is that they have spent decades trying to push a boulder up a mountain,

4:39 and now they're ready for everybody else to do their job.

4:43 It's time.

4:44 You know, there's been so many failures.

4:48 You can call it a cover up.

4:50 That's what it may be.

4:51 You might be right.

4:52 That's what it is.

4:53 That's what it's starting to feel like.

4:55 Um but but for these survivors, they have spoken their truth again and again.

5:04 And there's so much evidence in these files.

5:07 There's so many investigative leads.

5:09 It's time for the government to do their job.

5:14 Right.

5:14 And we should note this hearing was held

5:16 by the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

5:18 The Republicans were not involved.

5:20 They controlled the committee.

5:21 So they did not have this hearing uh in Washington.

5:24 So the Democrats came to West Palm Beach to do it.

5:27 And you know, I say cover up because there's still

5:29 millions of files that have not been released to the public.

5:32 We we had a whole document dump there that went on for weeks

5:35 and weeks and we were able to see a lot in there.

5:38 And there was a lot in there that was

5:39 very embarrassing for some very powerful and important people.

5:42 and maybe one in particular and and I think that's that says

5:46 to me why we haven't seen the rest of the files.

5:48 Um and so I you know I think that this is something that that needs to be

5:53 pushed further and I thought it was incredibly

5:55 courageous uh for these ladies to come forward.

5:58 I mean Lauren somebody and it might have been Rosa who made the point this is

6:02 not just the biggest sexual exploitation uh scandal

6:05 in US history but possibly in world history.

6:09 I think that's probably true is if I I guess right pretty close to it.

6:14 I if if it isn't it has to be dangerously close to it.

6:18 I mean what we know is this um the scope of this is massive.

6:26 You know when you have you you sat and you listened to four survivors today.

6:32 Now multiply that I I mean by by so many when you

6:37 you get to the number 1,200 that's the number we're quantifying right now.

6:42 It's probably they're probably more victims

6:45 and there are lists of um perpetrators.

6:49 There are lists of men who've done horrible things to these women

6:52 and yet we have barely scratched the surface on what that looks like.

6:58 So, we know size, scope.

7:00 We're talking about a massive sex trafficking

7:03 operation and um with very little accountability.

7:09 Very little accountability.

7:10 I mean, uh the Brits, they they hauled in a former Prince Andrew.

7:13 Uh I think Norway, we've seen uh pretty prominent people

7:16 in Norway and France uh you know, ins snared in this.

7:20 And in the US, we have Epstein who was dead.

7:23 Gain Maxwell who was in a regular prison and then got moved to minimum security.

7:27 and then really no other arrests.

7:30 I mean, for something this big, that is that's a crime in and of itself.

7:36 It's not even just that it's this big.

7:38 It's if [clears throat] you just begin to pull the layers back on the files,

7:43 you realize that it's not just massive,

7:47 but there's concrete evidence in the files that are begging for investigation.

7:54 So, it's it's actually mind-blowing when you actually you don't have to spend

7:59 too much time with the files to be able to come up with 10,

8:03 12, 14 names that are a really good starting point.

8:07 No question.

8:08 And Marie Farmer testified at this hearing via video.

8:11 Uh she does not speak publicly very often.

8:14 She has also made some very startling allegations

8:17 obviously that that's all been in the news.

8:19 Let's play a little bit from her because what she

8:21 talked about was very important in that how you know

8:23 the world has come after them for speaking out and we

8:27 should play that because I thought that was extraordinary too.

8:30 However, the full [clears throat] extent of what

8:32 I told the FBI was not in that document.

8:35 So the release of the Epstein files provides only partial relief for me.

8:41 Where is the evidence I provided of my sexual

8:43 assault and that of my sister Annie?

8:46 Why won't the FBI release my full report?

8:50 The failures of those sworn to protect us, protect us have overwhelmed me.

8:54 Doing my civic duty has caused me dearly.

8:57 The stress of this trauma, the government hiding and refusing to turn

9:01 over written confirmation of my 96 report along

9:04 with the ongoing harassment and death threats have contributed

9:08 to me developing serious health issues including Hodkins lymphoma,

9:13 a brain tumor, and recently Addison's disease.

9:18 In the last month, I have spent spent 23 nights in hospitals,

9:22 including multiple nights in the ICU.

9:25 While Lauren, this is what Maria's gone through.

9:29 I ass I assume this is what Virginia went through before she took her own life.

9:34 Her her brother and sister-in-law testified.

9:37 This also is not a is not something that's talked about.

9:39 The toll on these women.

9:43 Yeah.

9:43 Um before we talk about the toll, I I actually want to just take a moment

9:48 to talk about Maria Farmer because um she is

9:52 truly such an incredible hero and I spoke

9:56 to her um right after she recorded that video and she,

10:00 you know, was sort of like laughing but not really laughing.

10:04 Like she's like, I I couldn't even put makeup on.

10:07 I feel like hell.

10:09 But she knew that this was really important to do and to speak her truth.

10:17 And she has been speaking her truth truth for more than three decades.

10:22 And so, you know, she said in that she's the original whistleblower.

10:27 She is she's an incredible hero.

10:30 And I can tell you that so many survivors are so immensely grateful

10:35 for her courage [clears throat] and her ability

10:39 to just she is relentlessly pursuing the truth.

10:42 So yes to that piece,

10:44 but also this has just taken a terrible toll on her health.

10:48 Um and yet despite that she won't stop until she gets to the truth.

10:53 not just for herself and her sister Annie, but really for so many survivors.

11:00 And uh Lauren, what what I know the question was asked,

11:02 what does justice look like?

11:03 Everybody answered it differently and Rosa had an incredible answer to that.

11:07 What is your sense of what needs to happen next?

11:11 Oh, how long do you have?

11:14 Um so sum it up, but but take as long as you want.

11:17 that sort of my top couple um are one the the redactions have been just abysmal.

11:27 Um and they really require um a private right of action bill

11:32 being passed so that the survivors can be compensated for the devastating

11:38 harm that has happened because of the exposure um that they

11:41 experienced at the direct hand of uh direct hand of DOJ.

11:46 Um that's one.

11:48 Two, I think that um justice cannot be

11:53 attained unless we begin pursuing these investigative leads.

11:58 They're critically important.

12:00 They're apparent.

12:02 They don't take a they don't they don't take a sleuth

12:05 to figure out where the investigative leads are in the files.

12:07 But now we need to follow those investigative leads,

12:10 do the investigations, and then see what the outcomes are.

12:14 Um, but I and and then the last piece for me

12:18 is I think that we really need a culture change.

12:21 We need to make sure that we're at a point

12:24 where um the [clears throat] powerful can no longer operate

12:28 with impunity and where we give platforms to survivors when

12:33 they want to speak and that we believe those survivors.

12:37 Yeah.

12:37 And I have to say now now when I come back to West Palm Beach and I I'd

12:41 come to Palm Beach many times over the years

12:43 covering Donald Trump because of Mara Lago and so on.

12:45 But now when you come to West Palm Beach it kind of all clicks.

12:48 It kind of all makes sense as to how this exploitation

12:51 racket um went on for so long and how it

12:54 how it kind of thrived because there's there are the causeway

12:58 bridges that that separate Palm Beach from West Palm Beach.

13:01 And it was basically the rich and wealthy and powerful

13:04 people of Palm Beach who prayed upon prayed upon

13:07 these young ladies these girls girls they were girls

13:12 in West Palm Beach who came from very difficult backgrounds.

13:16 And now when I come to West Palm, I I I kind of see that and it does

13:21 sort of clarify what what what people mean when they say

13:25 the Epstein class and when they talk about rich and powerful

13:29 people like Epste and Gain Maxwell praying upon vulnerable girls.

13:34 I mean, the stories of, you know,

13:35 how girls introduced other girls to this this scheme that was

13:40 going on, this racket that was going on, it's it's horrendous.

13:44 It it is horrendous.

13:46 And yet what we also know to be

13:49 true is that it is so incredibly prevalent, right?

13:52 We know that sex trafficking happens across the country in pretty much every

13:58 community and that it um is predicated on a system where um young women,

14:06 girls, and other vulnerable populations are prayed

14:09 on by mostly men um with disposable income.

14:15 And if there were no sex buyers, there would be no sex trafficking.

14:20 And that part's really important to say.

14:21 So when we think about like where is the course correction,

14:25 I think we need to make sure that we

14:28 are across the board holding accountable those people who exploit.

14:32 Yes, the traffickers and the pimps, but also the sex buyers.

14:36 And so we're working really hard across

14:38 the country to make sure that we're shifting legislation.

14:41 And then something else that came up today um in the hearing was I think

14:46 uh I don't remember who said it um but somebody was talking about the fact

14:52 that um Epstein and and Danny Benky talks about this all the time that Epste

14:58 would use um would use the notion

15:02 that the victims would be arrested for prostitution.

15:05 Nobody will believe you because they will

15:08 think that you're just a person in prostitution.

15:12 Right?

15:12 That is classic sex trafficker tactic.

15:16 And so we know that we need to begin

15:19 to eliminate penalties for people exploited in the sex trade.

15:23 They're not there by choice.

15:24 They're there because of coercion.

15:26 But what we also know is that we need to hold

15:28 accountable those who exploit for the devastating harm they cause.

15:32 No question about it.

15:33 And I think the penalties need to be raised.

15:35 I think there needs to be a national crackdown on this.

15:38 I think the Trump administration has not done enough.

15:40 I don't think Donald Trump has done enough

15:42 to open up the White House to the survivors.

15:45 I think he should do that.

15:46 I think the Republicans on the committee should be having more hearings that are

15:49 more inclusive and not designed in a way that seems to, you know,

15:52 add political cover for Trump and and the people

15:56 who have been questioned in all of this.

15:58 People like Howard Lutnick, the C commerce secretary, and so on.

16:01 But uh Lauren, I know you've taken great

16:03 pains to not make this political and you have

16:06 done such an amazing job and I can see

16:08 why you're now one of Time's 100 influential people.

16:11 Uh but you do great work.

16:13 Thank you so much for your time.

16:15 Thank you so much, Jim.

16:16 Have a great day.

16:17 You too.

16:17 Really appreciate it.

16:18 That's Lauren Hirs with World Without Exploitation,

16:20 a terrific group uh that really works very hard in this field

16:24 to stop uh the exploitation of young girls and women.

16:28 Um, I I had a chance to catch up with Robert Garcia,

16:31 the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

16:33 He chaired the hearing.

16:34 As I said earlier at the top of this, the House Democrats

16:37 had to hold this hearing in West Palm Beach because James Comr,

16:40 the chairman, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee

16:43 won't do this in Washington DC up on Capitol Hill.

16:46 And so, the Democrats had to haul their butts

16:48 all the way down here and do that hearing here.

16:51 And uh, I had a chance to talk to Robert Garcia about that.

16:54 And here's here's that conversation.

16:56 Congressman Garcia, your takeaway from this very important hearing.

17:00 Look, I think it's important for the first time to hear

17:02 survivors tell their stories in a hearing format on the congressional record.

17:06 Uh it's also important to put focus

17:08 on Palm Beach and we want the American public

17:10 to know that a big part of our investigation

17:12 moving forward really revolves around Palm Beach.

17:15 The relationship between Mara Lago,

17:17 the trafficking of women and girls at Jeffrey Epstein.

17:19 It's also really important for people to know that there have

17:22 been systemic decades of failure by attorneys by law enforcement officials

17:28 in the essential not either reporting of crimes or of reporting them

17:33 to the US attorney's office to Alex Aosta and others and nothing happening.

17:39 What the dis the action that didn't happen here the the the uninterest of Alex

17:45 Aosta to actually prosecute co-conspirators is what

17:47 led to so much abuse in the future.

17:49 Right.

17:49 And and Congressman,

17:51 if the Republicans had gone along with the Democrats and and wanted

17:54 to have a hearing like this, this would have happened in Washington.

17:57 Correct.

17:58 This had to happen here because you couldn't get any help from Chairman Comr.

18:02 Is that basically it?

18:03 Abs.

18:03 Look, Chairman Comr has had an opportunity to hold hearings and include

18:07 survivors now for months and has chosen not to do so.

18:11 The survivors couldn't even meet with the attorney general.

18:13 She even refused to turn around and see and and and speak

18:16 with them when she's actually had to testify in front of Congress.

18:19 And so we're going to continue

18:20 to hold hearings with or without Republican support.

18:24 And they need to understand that, you know,

18:27 when we win the majority and we have the power to hold hearings and hold people

18:31 accountable and have subpoena power that that will

18:33 continue not just in DC but across the country.

18:35 And finally, if and when the Democrats take control in January in the House,

18:40 perhaps you're the chairman of the committee.

18:42 Would you request all of the documents, all of the files to be released?

18:46 Because as far as the public knows,

18:48 there's only about half that's been released.

18:50 We know that about 2.5 million additional files

18:53 are still in the possession of the DOJ.

18:54 Well, we want all the documents and we

18:57 want to speak to there's an enormous amount,

18:59 particularly prosecutors and prosecutors that were

19:02 involved in the initial US attorney case.

19:04 There's a lot of folks we want to talk

19:05 to and understand who gave the orders to not prosecute.

19:09 Why has was there essentially justice

19:11 not moving forward even in former administrations?

19:14 We have additional questions for Merrick Garland.

19:15 I think there's a lot that we still need answers for.

19:17 And Donald Trump and Melania Trump.

19:19 Shouldn't they testify?

19:20 We had Bill and Hillary Clinton.

19:22 We absolutely have questions for both the first lady and the president.

19:24 Okay.

19:24 Thanks, Congressman.

19:25 Appreciate it.

19:27 That was Congressman Robert Gersie.

19:28 Also in the hearing room today was Lev Parnes.

19:31 Uh Lev is here with us.

19:32 Let's bring in Lev.

19:34 Uh Lev was there this morning doing his own coverage uh

19:38 of the hearing and I think he's joining us live right now.

19:41 Is Lev standing waiting in the wings?

19:43 I think Lev should be here.

19:44 If if Lev is here, let's go to him now.

19:46 There's Lev.

19:47 He was in the in the hearing room earlier today.

19:50 Lev, do we have you?

19:51 Are you there?

19:52 Am I here?

19:53 I don't see you.

19:54 We hear you, but I don't see you.

19:56 Uh let me let me let me re read quickly read

20:00 maybe jump out jump back in Lev maybe in a secure

20:02 undisclosed location but I can give you in case you

20:04 missed the top of the showing this is basically this is

20:07 how uh CBS12 West Palm Beach TV station described it.

20:11 Members of Congress,

20:12 survivors and witnesses gathered in Palm Beach County on Tuesday

20:15 for a field hearing tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

20:18 in the hearing organized by Democrats

20:20 on the House Oversight Committee uh focused on how

20:23 Epstein was able to secure a controversial

20:25 plea deal years ago in Palm Beach County,

20:27 a deal critics say allowed him to continue abusing young girls.

20:30 When you hear references made to uh Alex Aosta,

20:34 he was the US attorney at that time and uh

20:37 and as I've said many times on this program, no relation.

20:42 Um, but he was the US attorney that cut

20:44 that sweetheart deal for Jeffrey Epstein that first time around

20:49 in the 2000s when Jeffrey Epstein was basically given a slap

20:52 on the wrist and was allowed to continue to reabuse, revictimize victims.

20:57 Do we have Lev with us?

20:58 Did Lev make it in the studio?

21:00 It doesn't.

21:00 Do we have Lev?

21:01 I don't know.

21:02 Did we get him?

21:03 Did we get Lev?

21:04 Did we have Lev?

21:05 We don't have Lev.

21:08 We might not have Lev.

21:10 Well, okay.

21:13 If we can get Lev to come back, great.

21:14 If not, we'll have to move him to another day.

21:16 Um, the other thing that we do want to mention before we go,

21:20 this might be an abbreviated edition of the program.

21:22 If we can't get Lev in here, uh,

21:24 Lev has been asking to come on the show as he's running for Congress in Florida.

21:28 Um, the other thing that we should talk about is Oh,

21:31 there's I think Lev may be there.

21:32 Is Lev there now?

21:33 Lev, are you there?

21:34 Yep, I'm here.

21:35 I'm sorry about that.

21:37 That's okay.

21:37 That's okay, buddy.

21:38 I just got back from the hearing and it's just been a crazy day.

21:42 Great to see you today, man.

21:44 Crazy day.

21:44 Great to see you, too.

21:45 What were your impressions of the hearing?

21:47 Uh, you know, uh, I had several impressions.

21:50 First of all, it was very painful to listen to some of the stories.

21:54 You know, obviously every time Sky talks,

21:57 uh it's definitely uh watching Maria Farmer give that, you know,

22:02 statement from, you know, that opened up the was very, you know,

22:05 watching her lay there in bed and, you know,

22:07 going through everything she went through to get there.

22:10 And then I think but the most impactful thing for me was uh listening to Rosa.

22:16 Uh Rosa uh you know to see the pain that she went through.

22:22 Uh because you know we we we always talk

22:24 about what these women went through as young girls,

22:27 what these women went through as you know the 20 years of cover

22:31 up but we we never really realize what they're going through really right now.

22:36 the pain because and I think Rosie you really could

22:39 understand it that they doxed her over 500 times Jim.

22:43 I mean that's not I heard that.

22:45 That was incredible that when you

22:47 that was the other thing that came up during the hearing

22:48 was the mishandling of the release of the files and how

22:52 there were all of these disclosures that were made people

22:54 their identities were revealed even though they didn't want to be revealed.

22:58 It's it's nuts.

23:01 Yeah.

23:01 No.

23:01 And and and that's the crazy part there.

23:04 They unveiled the people that didn't want to be unveiled

23:07 but then they went ahead and then you know still are covering

23:09 up and still you know uh redacting people and know some

23:12 of these powerful most powerful people that are still out there.

23:16 The other powerful thing I think that you know we

23:18 don't realize is now that some of these people have

23:21 been you know exposed think about this uh like Rosa

23:25 for instance I mean she everything she went through being abused

23:29 by Epstein then she goes the abuse by our own

23:32 government for many years of not following up then finally she

23:36 goes on with her life she forgets everybody forgets and now

23:39 all of a sudden her life is turned upside down

23:43 you know her kids her life her family you how

23:46 many you know maybe her boyfriend never knew about that maybe

23:48 her husband never knew about that people at work maybe

23:52 you know and now it's it's just such a you

23:55 know today I really got to see by I think

23:58 that was the biggest impact on me and the fact

24:00 that also besides independent journalists like yourself Katie you know I

24:04 saw ter but that was it you know watching you know

24:08 I saw a couple representatives from MS now but but not

24:12 a lot of network news journalists were there you're absolutely Right.

24:16 That is such an important point to make.

24:18 We saw the local press there, but where were the national networks?

24:21 I mean, this is the first time we've seen a congressional hearing, yes,

24:24 a field hearing on hearing these survivors, but my goodness,

24:28 just another example of the failures of corporate media.

24:33 Yeah.

24:33 another I mean and it's not only I think Jim

24:36 I'll be honest with you not only another example of failure

24:38 of corporate media but also I think it's a failure

24:40 of our system because you know of our people that we

24:45 have in power you know and I talk about both

24:47 sides like the Democratic party you know uh you know

24:51 where were they all I mean yes we had a just

24:53 think about the Republicans didn't show up at all that's

24:56 a slap in the face and then you had you

24:58 know the oversight committee but why not shut it down come

25:02 on Chuck Schumer or come on Jeff shut get the leadership

25:06 stand behind it go outside the courthouse or the city

25:08 hall bring the press down here bring the national media

25:12 make this aware that don't don't make turn this into like

25:15 this one day event and then let's move on and you

25:18 know here we are forget about because that's the crazy part

25:21 but Lev I think part of it is because a lot of folks

25:24 in the press are afraid of Donald Trump I thought he was

25:27 the elephant in the room at this hearing today uh I you know

25:31 there they were sort of taking pains not to mention him too much,

25:34 although Garcia did, you know, you know,

25:37 say it's squarely on Trump as to why they're hiding the files and and so on.

25:42 But, um, but I I do get the sense

25:44 that that the stuff that we haven't seen yet might really

25:48 implicate the president of the United States and that's why

25:51 we're not seeing Why else would we not see it?

25:53 Why else I mean, why is Todd Blanch,

25:56 his defense attorney, the acting attorney general right now?

25:59 What did What do you think of the the Trump factor in all of this, Lev?

26:04 Well, you're 100% right, Jim.

26:06 First of all, today in in the hearing,

26:09 you could tell that instead of Trump, they used Bondi.

26:12 Pam Bondi was the scapegoat.

26:13 You know, everybody understands Pam Bondi was listening to Trump doing what she,

26:17 you know, doing the dirty work.

26:19 When you come to Todd Blanch, Todd Blanch is a is a totally uh different animal.

26:24 I know Todd Blanch very well.

26:25 He was on my defense team.

26:27 I fired him and then he ended

26:28 up representing my codefendant Igor through my case.

26:32 Todd Blanch fought with me in 2019 2020

26:36 to represent even though he was representing my codefendant,

26:39 he was representing Trump at the time to make sure that I

26:42 could give my evidence to the first impeachment when I wanted to testify.

26:47 So I have a long history with Todd Blanch.

26:49 I know him very well and he's very dangerous

26:51 and I was warning about him all the time.

26:53 I kept telling everybody I said if you think Pam Bondi's bad

26:56 and I know Pam very well also I said Todd Blanch is so you

27:00 he's an enforcer actually Pam was more out there you know uh you

27:04 know picture she was out of the scene you know she I don't

27:08 know how to figurehead thank you perfect you know blanch no different story

27:12 like I'll give you an example right now that nobody is even thinking

27:16 about until it's going to be too late until they blasted so Todd

27:20 Blanch not only since he's come in he shut down the Epstein files.

27:24 The first thing he also did is he reopened the Brennan investigation which

27:28 people don't know but he reopened it down here in Florida in Fort Pierce.

27:31 Fort Pierce is Judge Cannon County.

27:34 He brings in Joe De Janeva.

27:36 He brings in Joe De Janeva as the special counsel.

27:39 Uh he was my Joe De Janeva was my partner

27:42 with Victoria Tonsing in the first administration part of the BLT team.

27:46 And I could tell you, Jim, there's nobody, you know,

27:48 this, you know, Joe, you've interviewed, you've met him, I'm sure.

27:51 You know, he's the smile guy maybe,

27:53 but not when it comes to Brennan Comey or, you know,

27:57 Clapper or that whole situation.

27:59 He's one of the biggest conspiracy buffs when it comes to that.

28:02 And, you know, now that they have an open

28:05 investigation happening here with Tulsi Gabber in the background,

28:09 all of this, you know, is I mean, there's just so much, you know,

28:12 that they're doing right now behind the behind the scenes.

28:14 quite the cadre, quite the mly crew there.

28:17 Um, and Lev, you know, I know you're running for Congress.

28:21 Um, and you know, what what is your what is your pitch on this?

28:25 I mean, I guess you know the inner

28:27 workings of Trump world pretty well because they had

28:30 you along with Rudy Giuliani uh trying to dig

28:34 up dirt on Hunter Biden back in the day.

28:37 Then you saw the light.

28:38 you've decided to become an advocate for democracy

28:41 and a very a prominent Trump critic, but um why are you running now?

28:48 Yeah, so a great question.

28:49 Thanks, Jim.

28:49 So, originally I wasn't planning on running.

28:52 I'm still under supervised release.

28:53 I'm still under Trump's control.

28:55 They still every day they try to fight and put me back to prison.

28:59 Every time I speak out or speak truth to power,

29:01 I still deal with them uh every day.

29:04 uh uh but I I had so much information uh not because it's

29:09 not just you know knowing somebody I lived with them I lived inside

29:12 that for four years uh I was so deep I mean from Zalinski

29:16 to traveling around the world the oligarchs all the Putin stuff uh Venezuela I

29:21 mean I he had me on the phone with Maduro remember I was

29:25 on the phone with Maduro doing a soft landing I know Deli Rodri

29:28 so I had I had all of this stuff and I'm watching the TV

29:31 I'm constantly I'm on Substack and I'm fighting and I'm screaming out you.

29:34 You even know I bother you all the time.

29:36 I I'm like jam jam jam.

29:38 I know.

29:38 I know.

29:40 You know what I'm saying to?

29:41 And I had all of this stuff and and I thought to myself,

29:43 how can I use it properly to help our country

29:45 and not just try to be out because I'm not a reporter.

29:48 You know, I don't consider myself an independent journalist.

29:51 I consider myself a whistleblower, truth teller, whatever else.

29:54 But so I figured out, let me reach out to, you know,

29:57 some people that might be important.

29:59 And I reached out uh first to Cal, you know, Governor Nuome from California.

30:04 I reached out to Prrisker from Chicago thinking that they're going to, you know,

30:08 maybe my information could be helpful to them.

30:10 They have a team and they'll be able to do it.

30:12 But, you know, Jim, I saw also everybody has their own personal intention.

30:16 You know, I'm saying to everybody, you know, wants to do it their way.

30:19 And also, everybody has certain things

30:20 in their closet that they're scared to come out.

30:22 And because I was so deep on the inside, I knew a lot.

30:25 like Kimberly Girl was somebody that was very close

30:29 to me to Junior while she was part of like

30:32 I can't even tell you the the connections

30:34 that and the things that I know and I've lived through.

30:36 So they turn they basically stepped away, didn't give me the time of day.

30:41 And one day I was speaking to my son Aaron and I said to him,

30:44 I said, "You know what?

30:45 I'm gonna run for Congress." He said, "Are you crazy?" He said,

30:48 "You don't you even think of that." I said, he goes,

30:50 he goes, "Dad, I'll never speak to you again." He goes,

30:52 "You don't you even dare think about it." And that's how it started.

30:56 And then, you know, I spoke to my wife,

30:57 spoke to my lawyers, you know, one of my lawyers,

31:00 Abby Low, and, you know, and others that, you know,

31:02 said to me, "Look, love, you have so much information.

31:05 This is a different world.

31:06 You know, we need somebody in there has to be there to be able because look,

31:10 we could all get into Cong, you know,

31:12 the people could get into Congress, but what's next?

31:15 What's once they get in?

31:16 We need fighters there to make a change.

31:18 We need them to hold accountability.

31:20 And you know, my biggest uh friend in Congress and uh

31:23 uh my hero that I look up to is Congressman Raskin.

31:27 And before I made the decision, I asked him and he told me, "I'm all in.

31:31 I'm all go for it, love." And he said, "I want you." He goes,

31:34 "I want you next to me when we're, you know,

31:37 serving the subpoenas and I need your phone with the receipts when

31:40 we're asking them the questions when they're in the hot [clears throat] seat."

31:44 Well, that's why I'm running.

31:45 Yeah.

31:45 No, but let me ask you this because, you know,

31:47 folks will say, and you've taken this question before.

31:50 Yeah.

31:50 You know, we've got we've got a felon in the White House and Donald Trump.

31:54 Should we be electing more felons to office?

31:56 You're a convicted felon.

32:00 Absolutely.

32:00 and you and I have talked about this before, but how does that fit into this?

32:05 What's your what's your response to that when people say that?

32:08 My my my response is very easy.

32:09 Uh first of all, I'm a convicted felon because of the man in office.

32:13 Uh because I was working for the president of the United States.

32:16 So, you know, I ended up, you know,

32:18 becoming a convicted felon because I thought that the president can do no wrong.

32:22 I listened to him.

32:23 I was cultized.

32:24 But I but I accepted my wrongs.

32:26 I realize them and I may right.

32:29 The reason why I'm running and is not right now

32:31 it doesn't matter if you're a convicted felon or if

32:34 you're right now you need people that know the people

32:36 in office because Donald Trump is not our only problem.

32:39 See people think that oh Donald Trump's going to leave and things happen.

32:42 Absolutely not.

32:43 The enablers are the problem.

32:45 The people in Congress, Senate,

32:47 people in the lower state offices, sheriffs and all of that.

32:51 And I have so much information about all of them because I live the life.

32:55 Plus the biggest thing that I bring that I want to help in Congress like I've

32:59 also spoke to Congressman Roana and others is

33:03 my understanding interpretation and how these super PACs work,

33:08 how this you know funding because that's one of the things I

33:11 went to prison for is you know donating to Donald Trump's campaign.

33:15 How they manipulate how they're a how Russian

33:17 foreign money is able to fall into our campaigns.

33:21 How the lobby system works.

33:23 remember Susie Wilds, Pam Bondi, they come from a lobbying group down

33:27 here called in Florida Ballard and Associates,

33:30 but I I'm the one that worked with Brian

33:32 Ballard and got him the office in Washington DC.

33:35 So that's what I'm saying to you.

33:36 I saw the underground.

33:40 Oh, absolutely.

33:40 And and I'm there to uncover it.

33:42 And you know what the other thing is?

33:44 I don't have loyalty to one side or the other, Jim.

33:46 My loyalty is to the people.

33:48 I have a lot of repentance to do.

33:50 It's part of my 12step program.

33:52 You know, my [clears throat] first step was to apologize to the Bidens.

33:56 I made amends.

33:57 Hunter is going to come out endorse me.

33:58 Hopefully Joe, President Biden will come out and endorse me.

34:02 But I have a lot of people that are going

34:03 to support me when I get in the next few

34:05 weeks once we start running because my campaign is not

34:08 about just District 27 here in Florida against Maria Salazar.

34:12 My campaign is national to help every seat,

34:15 every Democratic seat down to to be because there's the the one

34:18 thing about me compared to everybody else in every one of these races.

34:22 Nobody knows Donald Trump and his inner circle the way I do,

34:26 especially when it comes to uh Washington DC.

34:30 You're right about that, Lev.

34:31 You know, from the inside out.

34:32 No question about it.

34:33 Well, Lev, it was great see great seeing you this morning in West Palm Beach.

34:36 Let's do this again soon.

34:37 Keep us posted on how the campaign is going.

34:39 And of course, we're all proud of your son, Aaron.

34:41 He is doing gang busters out there.

34:42 So, good stuff, Jim.

34:45 Thank you, my man.

34:45 Have a great day.

34:46 And independent journalism, folks.

34:48 Support independent journalism.

34:51 Exactly.

34:51 That's right.

34:51 Thanks a lot.

34:52 Thanks for hopping on.

34:53 Appreciate it.

34:53 Good to see you.

34:54 And good to see him this morning as well.

34:56 Um, you know, listen, we're in Florida and when when in Florida,

35:00 you go see the sites.

35:01 There's the beach.

35:02 You know, if you're a Cuban American like me, you like the Cuban restaurants,

35:05 the cafe k leche, the chicken crocettas, the, you know, kettas de poo.

35:09 There's lots there's lots to do.

35:11 You might take in a baseball game, see the Miami Marlins.

35:14 There's there's a lot to a lot of sites to see.

35:17 But there's a new attraction that I heard about here in Florida.

35:21 Apparently, somebody thought it would be a great idea

35:24 to build a golden statue in honor of Donald J.

35:28 Trump.

35:28 And guess what?

35:29 We're going to close out the show today uh by showing a little video

35:32 that we did over at the Dural Golf Course uh just by the Miami airport.

35:37 And it's there's a big golf course there

35:39 and and it's the Trump Deral Golf Course.

35:41 Um where they have erected and and forgive me

35:44 for using that that verb in the past tense there.

35:47 Um a golden a 22- foot golden statue of the president of the United

35:52 States who apparently is he really likes

35:55 things being built in his honor these days.

35:57 And it's very Kim I'm just going to prepare

35:59 everybody now if you have not se seen this yet

36:01 and I know a lot of folks have seen it but I hate to see it for myself.

36:04 It's very Kim Jong-un.

36:06 I didn't think it was this Kim Jong-un.

36:08 It is fullblown Kim Jong-un.

36:11 What we saw at the Trump Dorado Golf Course.

36:13 We're going to close out the show with that.

36:14 Take a look.

36:15 And thanks again for tuning in.

36:16 We'll see you next time.

36:18 All right, here we are at the Dural Golf Club.

36:21 The Trump Dorado Golf Club.

36:22 And we found it.

36:23 Here it is right here.

36:24 The 22 foot golden statue of Donald Trump.

36:28 And I spoke to the sculptor about this and he

36:31 told us quite the story about how this came into existence.

36:34 Apparently, they had to slim it down.

36:37 That was part of the process.

36:38 They got rid of the turkey neck.

36:39 That was also part of the process.

36:41 But it's leaving me with some questions here, like,

36:44 why are we building a new ballroom at the White House?

36:46 Why are we painting the reflecting pool blue?

36:48 Why are we building a giant arch when he's got one of these right here?

36:55 [music] He's on the road.

37:02 He's on [music] the record.