Harmeet Dhillon

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice is holding on to desegregation consent decrees that are more than 50 years old. So I went in with my team, Michael and others, to do an audit of what's going on here, what's in the deep bowels of this edifice, and find that there are cases from the 1970s and 1960s that need to be dismissed. And so we're going to do that. There's no need for...

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice is holding on to desegregation consent decrees that are more than 50 years old. So I went in with my team, Michael and others, to do an audit of what's going on here, what's in the deep bowels of this edifice, and find that there are cases from the 1970s and 1960s that need to be dismissed. And so we're going to do that. There's no need for...

private monitors or federal judges to have their boot on the neck of law abiding law enforcement officials school districts etc so now there may still be needs there will be needs the needs are going to be new and different and so we have to recognize where we've been successful we need to move on and that's that's what we need to do so because i'm not a lawyer i don't think in legal terms and i know that's kind of a special way of thinking i know michael gates

private monitors or federal judges to have their boot on the neck of law abiding law enforcement officials school districts etc so now there may still be needs there will be needs the needs are going to be new and different and so we have to recognize where we've been successful we need to move on and that's that's what we need to do so because i'm not a lawyer i don't think in legal terms and i know that's kind of a special way of thinking i know michael gates

Well, you know what, though? Human nature, unfortunately...

Well, you know what, though? Human nature, unfortunately...

showing us that throughout history there's trends and times when people in power will do that to other people who have less power and that is a fact in this case it was the democrats let's remember yes it was they the southern and they're the ones they were the resistance movement oh boy and they kept resisting in my small town yeah into the 70s and they may still be some people resisting over there but they're not they're not in power anymore yeah

showing us that throughout history there's trends and times when people in power will do that to other people who have less power and that is a fact in this case it was the democrats let's remember yes it was they the southern and they're the ones they were the resistance movement oh boy and they kept resisting in my small town yeah into the 70s and they may still be some people resisting over there but they're not they're not in power anymore yeah

That is still happening in America today. Who is it happening to? It's happening to Jewish students on campuses. It's happening to Christians who say, I don't want to take that shot. It's happening to Asian students who are marked, according to Students for Fair Admissions, as having less personality systematically, so that...

That is still happening in America today. Who is it happening to? It's happening to Jewish students on campuses. It's happening to Christians who say, I don't want to take that shot. It's happening to Asian students who are marked, according to Students for Fair Admissions, as having less personality systematically, so that...

Harvard didn't have to admit them on the basis on which they were qualified. So these problems still exist, but the focus needs to be different. And so we're changing our focus. But, you know, we're open for business for people to bring their civil rights complaints. We'll analyze them.

Harvard didn't have to admit them on the basis on which they were qualified. So these problems still exist, but the focus needs to be different. And so we're changing our focus. But, you know, we're open for business for people to bring their civil rights complaints. We'll analyze them.

And we want to make sure this country remains dedicated to its promise to the people under the civil rights laws.

And we want to make sure this country remains dedicated to its promise to the people under the civil rights laws.

He's awesome. We love Leo.

He's awesome. We love Leo.

Did you talk him out of it?

Did you talk him out of it?

Yeah, it looks really great before you get into it. I've run for office a couple of times myself. I'm glad I did it. Yeah, it was really a growth experience. You have to have a very tough stomach to characterize it. I learned a lot of skills I didn't have before, begging for money, speaking to groups.

Yeah, it looks really great before you get into it. I've run for office a couple of times myself. I'm glad I did it. Yeah, it was really a growth experience. You have to have a very tough stomach to characterize it. I learned a lot of skills I didn't have before, begging for money, speaking to groups.

Yeah, I mean, the low point came when I got the endorsement form for the Ferret Appreciation Society because every group takes a position on everything, and I was forced to fill out, and I had to think, what is my position on ferrets as pets, you know?

Yeah, I mean, the low point came when I got the endorsement form for the Ferret Appreciation Society because every group takes a position on everything, and I was forced to fill out, and I had to think, what is my position on ferrets as pets, you know?

So I was like, wow, I went to law school, went to an Ivy League school for this. But it was a really great experience. I learned how to, now you could give me a mic and I can just talk, you know, I'm not shy to ask for money and talk to people and hold my own and talk back. It's great, it's a great experience. Humbling experience.

So I was like, wow, I went to law school, went to an Ivy League school for this. But it was a really great experience. I learned how to, now you could give me a mic and I can just talk, you know, I'm not shy to ask for money and talk to people and hold my own and talk back. It's great, it's a great experience. Humbling experience.

We have a posse of true believers.

We have a posse of true believers.

Yeah, absolutely. Look, he was an expert witness in some of my COVID cases. That's how I got to know Jay. And then he became the plaintiff in one of the most important free speech cases in the United States.

Yeah, absolutely. Look, he was an expert witness in some of my COVID cases. That's how I got to know Jay. And then he became the plaintiff in one of the most important free speech cases in the United States.

No, the case is over. The court kind of punted. They should have absolutely found that the social media companies colluded, but they stopped short of that. The current court wasn't willing to go there. It's a form of many cases here, but You know, without Elon Musk, actually, as a digress here, without Elon Musk taking over X and making it free speech, we would none of us would be sitting here.

No, the case is over. The court kind of punted. They should have absolutely found that the social media companies colluded, but they stopped short of that. The current court wasn't willing to go there. It's a form of many cases here, but You know, without Elon Musk, actually, as a digress here, without Elon Musk taking over X and making it free speech, we would none of us would be sitting here.

I mean, a couple of us might be sitting in jail cells because they're persecuting lawyers who supported a certain presidential candidate. And our views would be you wouldn't be heard on social media.

I mean, a couple of us might be sitting in jail cells because they're persecuting lawyers who supported a certain presidential candidate. And our views would be you wouldn't be heard on social media.

It was like there ought to be that nuclear clock for free speech being almost over in America.

It was like there ought to be that nuclear clock for free speech being almost over in America.

We're only here for... Look, I kept saying throughout this election, when my firm stepped up to represent President Trump, I had to go to all my partners and my husband and say, there's a chance that some of your partners could get indicted and thrown into jail for representing a presidential candidate. Are we all prepared for that? And we were all prepared for it.

We're only here for... Look, I kept saying throughout this election, when my firm stepped up to represent President Trump, I had to go to all my partners and my husband and say, there's a chance that some of your partners could get indicted and thrown into jail for representing a presidential candidate. Are we all prepared for that? And we were all prepared for it.

So thank you to my patriot partners, including some who aren't Republicans, to do that. And my husband, who said, okay, well, I know you're going to win, I believe in you, but that's a real risk. And...

So thank you to my patriot partners, including some who aren't Republicans, to do that. And my husband, who said, okay, well, I know you're going to win, I believe in you, but that's a real risk. And...

And so we stepped up to do it because we believe this was our last chance in this country to save ourselves from an authoritarian precipice and a one-way ratchet where the border is being opened, our laws are being ignored, our speech is being violated, and our rights are being disenfranchised regularly. But... It is necessary, but not sufficient to win. But now the pressure is really on.

And so we stepped up to do it because we believe this was our last chance in this country to save ourselves from an authoritarian precipice and a one-way ratchet where the border is being opened, our laws are being ignored, our speech is being violated, and our rights are being disenfranchised regularly. But... It is necessary, but not sufficient to win. But now the pressure is really on.

And if the government isn't staffed with the Jay Bhattacharyas and the Pam Bondys and all the people in the cabinet and all the thousands of people below them you never hear about, we have a really tough job to do because, yes, the DOJ and other institutions have been stacked for many years with people who just think it's a four-year term. I'll sit them out. I'll keep doing what I'm doing quietly.

And if the government isn't staffed with the Jay Bhattacharyas and the Pam Bondys and all the people in the cabinet and all the thousands of people below them you never hear about, we have a really tough job to do because, yes, the DOJ and other institutions have been stacked for many years with people who just think it's a four-year term. I'll sit them out. I'll keep doing what I'm doing quietly.

And it's a real job to get in there and administer. It's not fun. It's underpaid and it's in DC where my allergies are really bothering me. That's why I sound like this, but it's worth it because this country is worth it.

And it's a real job to get in there and administer. It's not fun. It's underpaid and it's in DC where my allergies are really bothering me. That's why I sound like this, but it's worth it because this country is worth it.

No First Amendment. The First Amendment is five different rights.

No First Amendment. The First Amendment is five different rights.

I'm reading of all of the Roman Empire.

I'm reading of all of the Roman Empire.

Yeah, there's rent-seeking, there's corruption, there's decadence. It's happened throughout history.

Yeah, there's rent-seeking, there's corruption, there's decadence. It's happened throughout history.

I mean, look at... Our country was governed by an elderly man with medical issues, anybody who's had a family member with Parkinson's or something. We can all see what was going on there. Dementia, Parkinson's, whatever it was, not right. And then lying to us that he was running the country. I mean, they're even Photoshopping him, apparently, into photographs and telling us he's there.

I mean, look at... Our country was governed by an elderly man with medical issues, anybody who's had a family member with Parkinson's or something. We can all see what was going on there. Dementia, Parkinson's, whatever it was, not right. And then lying to us that he was running the country. I mean, they're even Photoshopping him, apparently, into photographs and telling us he's there.

You know, so...

You know, so...

It's just gaslighting and lying to people all day, and we're supposed to quietly nod and accept that while being muzzled by our government. Our government had agencies censoring the speech of all the people right here. That's illegal.

It's just gaslighting and lying to people all day, and we're supposed to quietly nod and accept that while being muzzled by our government. Our government had agencies censoring the speech of all the people right here. That's illegal.

Other countries do it and America was doing it and we were gonna do it worse and harder. I never thought when I went to law school that there was the slightest risk that I might lose my license or go to jail for advocating for a client

Other countries do it and America was doing it and we were gonna do it worse and harder. I never thought when I went to law school that there was the slightest risk that I might lose my license or go to jail for advocating for a client

Today, friends of mine, former members of the Republican National Committee and current members of the Republican National Committee were indicted in states, in swing states, for their speech, for saying, if then I'm an alternate elector like that, that's... And they did it all in states coordinated from this city.

Today, friends of mine, former members of the Republican National Committee and current members of the Republican National Committee were indicted in states, in swing states, for their speech, for saying, if then I'm an alternate elector like that, that's... And they did it all in states coordinated from this city.

And this city organized systematic persecution of citizens for their political views and their speech recently. We cannot forget that and do la la la and pretend like it didn't happen. It must never happen again.

And this city organized systematic persecution of citizens for their political views and their speech recently. We cannot forget that and do la la la and pretend like it didn't happen. It must never happen again.

Yeah, I don't believe that. I think it was raw power cloaked in faux righteousness.

Yeah, I don't believe that. I think it was raw power cloaked in faux righteousness.

Oh, and there are millions of Americans spun up. I mean, everybody in my HOA and Sonoma hates me, you know, for my views, like I'm some danger to society. You know, this is unfortunate.

Oh, and there are millions of Americans spun up. I mean, everybody in my HOA and Sonoma hates me, you know, for my views, like I'm some danger to society. You know, this is unfortunate.

Right. Yeah, and if you didn't have a little bit of... If you had never read a book, you might believe that.

Right. Yeah, and if you didn't have a little bit of... If you had never read a book, you might believe that.

Well, I just heard some commentary about this earlier today where, you know, and I don't really have any investment whatsoever in what happens in... either party at this point temporarily, but would you ever think that you would see a senator having margaritas with a gangbanger and seeking that person's return. Gangbanger, human trafficker, wife beater, alleged.

Well, I just heard some commentary about this earlier today where, you know, and I don't really have any investment whatsoever in what happens in... either party at this point temporarily, but would you ever think that you would see a senator having margaritas with a gangbanger and seeking that person's return. Gangbanger, human trafficker, wife beater, alleged.

And in another country, like that's insane politically. Forget about the morality or the merits of that. Politically, it doesn't seem like there's a big constituency for that. Like who's clamoring for that in that party? Or you have like this young guy, David Hogg, you know, like, doesn't really represent the views of the average American, even liberal average American, and their concerns.

And in another country, like that's insane politically. Forget about the morality or the merits of that. Politically, it doesn't seem like there's a big constituency for that. Like who's clamoring for that in that party? Or you have like this young guy, David Hogg, you know, like, doesn't really represent the views of the average American, even liberal average American, and their concerns.

Their concerns are like how to pay my mortgage and how to get a job and how to survive and live a better life. It's not how can I get gangbangers back into this country.

Their concerns are like how to pay my mortgage and how to get a job and how to survive and live a better life. It's not how can I get gangbangers back into this country.

Also one of our colleagues.

Also one of our colleagues.

The mayor's not there when the city is, Malibu's burning to the ground.

The mayor's not there when the city is, Malibu's burning to the ground.

There's like 12 permits that have been granted.

There's like 12 permits that have been granted.

Yes, Leo is a senior counsel to me at the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice.

Yes, Leo is a senior counsel to me at the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice.

A few hundred bucks.

A few hundred bucks.

Well, in California, I think I'm well known for fighting the vaccine mandates over the last five years together with our friend Mark Garagos and many other warriors. But before that, you know, very active politically and suing to stop tyranny everywhere up and down the state is the never ending project. And so that's been my life's work for the last half decades.

Well, in California, I think I'm well known for fighting the vaccine mandates over the last five years together with our friend Mark Garagos and many other warriors. But before that, you know, very active politically and suing to stop tyranny everywhere up and down the state is the never ending project. And so that's been my life's work for the last half decades.

In fact, we actually worked together during COVID on some of those cases involving the governors targeting Southern California and Orange County specifically and trying to punish Orange County for trying to be reasonable with respect to businesses opening up.

In fact, we actually worked together during COVID on some of those cases involving the governors targeting Southern California and Orange County specifically and trying to punish Orange County for trying to be reasonable with respect to businesses opening up.

And it's shameful. And they get paid a lot for that.

And it's shameful. And they get paid a lot for that.

Well, the conservative position and our founder's position was actually that we should have a very limited federal government. And that's a good thing, in my opinion. I share that view. Of course, that's bad if you're in California because we're stuck with that. But there is a creeping trend on the right, the so-called conservative side. Say, let's solve all these problems.

Well, the conservative position and our founder's position was actually that we should have a very limited federal government. And that's a good thing, in my opinion. I share that view. Of course, that's bad if you're in California because we're stuck with that. But there is a creeping trend on the right, the so-called conservative side. Say, let's solve all these problems.

Let's solve the California problem by passing federal laws and regulations. And, you know, there was a there was a I don't know if it's still there, but there's a great account on X called a crime a day. And it's just like there's so many criminal statutes out there.

Let's solve the California problem by passing federal laws and regulations. And, you know, there was a there was a I don't know if it's still there, but there's a great account on X called a crime a day. And it's just like there's so many criminal statutes out there.

Federal government is criminalized and regulated so many things that all of us are committing federal crimes all the time unknowingly.

Federal government is criminalized and regulated so many things that all of us are committing federal crimes all the time unknowingly.

Yes, by selective prosecution.

Yes, by selective prosecution.

Yes, there's so many laws, and then prosecutors have this awesome power to pick and choose enforcement only against their enemies, and it's unfair.

Yes, there's so many laws, and then prosecutors have this awesome power to pick and choose enforcement only against their enemies, and it's unfair.

And find some expert who's willing to testify that the... Right. Level of care wasn't taken and all of that. So I don't think more federal government or bigger federal government is the answer. I do think that the current trend to cut the size of the government is a good one, except there are certain basic not my department that it could be cut, but.

And find some expert who's willing to testify that the... Right. Level of care wasn't taken and all of that. So I don't think more federal government or bigger federal government is the answer. I do think that the current trend to cut the size of the government is a good one, except there are certain basic not my department that it could be cut, but.

There are certain basic functions that only the federal government can do. Protect our borders, have a national standard for federal elections, because that affects all of us. And what our government and our founders did in designing the Constitution is protect all people from the tyranny of the majority.

There are certain basic functions that only the federal government can do. Protect our borders, have a national standard for federal elections, because that affects all of us. And what our government and our founders did in designing the Constitution is protect all people from the tyranny of the majority.

So we do have rights for minorities in America that they don't have in fascist and authoritarian states. They don't have in Europe for the most part. That's important. That's unique in our country.

So we do have rights for minorities in America that they don't have in fascist and authoritarian states. They don't have in Europe for the most part. That's important. That's unique in our country.

Yes, I would agree. You know, but it's a mixed bag. You see these people wearing masks today. Some of them may be sick. I submit that. But most of them are just signaling I've got some mental health issues.

Yes, I would agree. You know, but it's a mixed bag. You see these people wearing masks today. Some of them may be sick. I submit that. But most of them are just signaling I've got some mental health issues.

Or I'm trying to mask myself because I'm a criminal. And, you know, the camera can't detect who I am. So there's all kinds of... things like that. But similarly, you know, you get emails from people and they identify themselves in certain ways. And I immediately, that's a signal to me to not take them as seriously as I would otherwise. So we all have to have shorthand for dealing with people.

Or I'm trying to mask myself because I'm a criminal. And, you know, the camera can't detect who I am. So there's all kinds of... things like that. But similarly, you know, you get emails from people and they identify themselves in certain ways. And I immediately, that's a signal to me to not take them as seriously as I would otherwise. So we all have to have shorthand for dealing with people.

And so in a way, these virtue signaling mechanisms help in triaging who and what to take seriously. Right.

And so in a way, these virtue signaling mechanisms help in triaging who and what to take seriously. Right.

Weaponization.

Weaponization.

i never imagined the judges to be in on it and yet that seems to also now be part am i am i no you're correct there are judges who have reached conclusions in recent hours and days that are completely divorced from reality and they themselves have become activists and that is not what the constitution and separation of powers envision it is happening routinely on a daily basis and so

i never imagined the judges to be in on it and yet that seems to also now be part am i am i no you're correct there are judges who have reached conclusions in recent hours and days that are completely divorced from reality and they themselves have become activists and that is not what the constitution and separation of powers envision it is happening routinely on a daily basis and so

It is really problematic because we have, I think, lost that separation of powers. Separation of powers means that there are certain aspects of what the president does regarding the border and protecting our country that are just non-judiciable by judges, now micromanaging. There was no due process to bring criminal aliens into our country.

It is really problematic because we have, I think, lost that separation of powers. Separation of powers means that there are certain aspects of what the president does regarding the border and protecting our country that are just non-judiciable by judges, now micromanaging. There was no due process to bring criminal aliens into our country.

but they're supposedly individualized due process required on the way out. That is, I think, incorrect. I will put it mildly. And so there's a lot of that. What's the answer to that? I think all lawyers are holding their breath to see what the answer to that is. There's a tension between our three branches of government as to what happens next.

but they're supposedly individualized due process required on the way out. That is, I think, incorrect. I will put it mildly. And so there's a lot of that. What's the answer to that? I think all lawyers are holding their breath to see what the answer to that is. There's a tension between our three branches of government as to what happens next.

And I think it's a high stakes question that we're going to see answered in the next couple of years.

And I think it's a high stakes question that we're going to see answered in the next couple of years.

The Supreme Court's going to answer it. And then we're going to see what happens in the other branches.

The Supreme Court's going to answer it. And then we're going to see what happens in the other branches.

Yes, because that has been a tension going on where Democrats have said they didn't like what the Supreme Court is doing and threatened to pack the court and defund the court and all of that. And then now, all of a sudden, when judges are ruling the way they like, oh, you know, we must respect whatever a federal judge says, well...

Yes, because that has been a tension going on where Democrats have said they didn't like what the Supreme Court is doing and threatened to pack the court and defund the court and all of that. And then now, all of a sudden, when judges are ruling the way they like, oh, you know, we must respect whatever a federal judge says, well...

You know, nationwide injunctions are an issue that the court could reach that are not. It's a non-sexy issue. It sounds boring. It sounds boring. Incredibly important that not every federal judge at the district court level gets to set a rule for the nation. Nobody elected that person. Sometimes senators didn't even show up to vote for that person. Shame on them. And now we're stuck with that.

You know, nationwide injunctions are an issue that the court could reach that are not. It's a non-sexy issue. It sounds boring. It sounds boring. Incredibly important that not every federal judge at the district court level gets to set a rule for the nation. Nobody elected that person. Sometimes senators didn't even show up to vote for that person. Shame on them. And now we're stuck with that.

No, that's not how it is. We have nine justices of the Supreme Court, and hopefully they'll step up and do their duty to right size all of this.

No, that's not how it is. We have nine justices of the Supreme Court, and hopefully they'll step up and do their duty to right size all of this.

I did. I was worried about it.

I did. I was worried about it.

To earn a living, to feed your family.

To earn a living, to feed your family.

There's something unique person to be able to handle that level of stress that way.

There's something unique person to be able to handle that level of stress that way.

I mean, I've been the lawyer, the lawyer of the president and represented his campaign.

I mean, I've been the lawyer, the lawyer of the president and represented his campaign.

Yeah, well, I represented the president as an individual in his campaign in numerous cases, including that Colorado case where they tried to keep him off the ballot on a constitutional reason. And so I've had the honor to call the president and tell him I won something or we won something. And so he's just an incredible client and very intelligent.

Yeah, well, I represented the president as an individual in his campaign in numerous cases, including that Colorado case where they tried to keep him off the ballot on a constitutional reason. And so I've had the honor to call the president and tell him I won something or we won something. And so he's just an incredible client and very intelligent.

First of all, he's a real estate developer.

First of all, he's a real estate developer.

Like you're a doctor, like people get sued. He's been, he doesn't have a fear of lawyers or intimidated by them.

Like you're a doctor, like people get sued. He's been, he doesn't have a fear of lawyers or intimidated by them.

And frankly, anybody who spent a lot of time around some of these folks in Congress who were impeaching him and all of that, you quickly lose respect sometimes for the institution itself. You ever testified in Congress? Yeah, go testify in Congress and tell me how you feel about it afterwards. It was a real eye-opening experience.

And frankly, anybody who spent a lot of time around some of these folks in Congress who were impeaching him and all of that, you quickly lose respect sometimes for the institution itself. You ever testified in Congress? Yeah, go testify in Congress and tell me how you feel about it afterwards. It was a real eye-opening experience.

I mean, you have a different respect for people when they see them on television versus what it is in reality. It's very different. They all are different. They're just like us. They're not special. They just happen to be in a particular position. We're all equally capable American citizens and human beings.

I mean, you have a different respect for people when they see them on television versus what it is in reality. It's very different. They all are different. They're just like us. They're not special. They just happen to be in a particular position. We're all equally capable American citizens and human beings.

When you see the hearing, you see the senator pounding the table. What you don't see in between is the two staffers passing them cue cards. Some of them could not string a sentence together. to save their lives.

When you see the hearing, you see the senator pounding the table. What you don't see in between is the two staffers passing them cue cards. Some of them could not string a sentence together. to save their lives.

Some of them are intelligent. I'm going to be prejudiced and say some of the lawyers were able to string sentences together on both sides.

Some of them are intelligent. I'm going to be prejudiced and say some of the lawyers were able to string sentences together on both sides.

They do have a lot of power. The staff has, and that goes back to our problem. The sheer volume of legislation that comes before the Senate and the size of the bills is anti-democratic. It's physically impossible for any, I mean, Rand Paul talks about this. It's physically impossible for anyone to actually read that stuff and digest it.

They do have a lot of power. The staff has, and that goes back to our problem. The sheer volume of legislation that comes before the Senate and the size of the bills is anti-democratic. It's physically impossible for any, I mean, Rand Paul talks about this. It's physically impossible for anyone to actually read that stuff and digest it.

So you have to rely on young staffers or even worse, lobbyists to tell you what's going on in these bills.

So you have to rely on young staffers or even worse, lobbyists to tell you what's going on in these bills.

Yeah, it's not a good system. It's a system that has become bogged down by special interests and so-called specialists. And that isn't, I think, what the founders envisioned, this encroaching bureaucracy and all this. I mean, and so many of these people now live in D.C., the lawmakers. They don't really live... where they came from. So they've lost touch with the people who elected them.

Yeah, it's not a good system. It's a system that has become bogged down by special interests and so-called specialists. And that isn't, I think, what the founders envisioned, this encroaching bureaucracy and all this. I mean, and so many of these people now live in D.C., the lawmakers. They don't really live... where they came from. So they've lost touch with the people who elected them.

That's another problem.

That's another problem.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, absolutely.

I don't get it either. I mean, but the importance of this historical moment in time is how many of us who are on that side of the tyranny, like Jay Bhattacharya and many others are now in the government because we can never forget what happened, not just to, you know, people in the medical profession who are

I don't get it either. I mean, but the importance of this historical moment in time is how many of us who are on that side of the tyranny, like Jay Bhattacharya and many others are now in the government because we can never forget what happened, not just to, you know, people in the medical profession who are

And it's not just the government. It's all the NGOs that do the fundraising inside and feed on that. All parties, by the way. So this is a problem. It is divorced from reality. When I was running for chair of the Republican National Committee, I had this idea that maybe we should break it up and put sections of it back in America so we keep in touch. And that was like such a...

And it's not just the government. It's all the NGOs that do the fundraising inside and feed on that. All parties, by the way. So this is a problem. It is divorced from reality. When I was running for chair of the Republican National Committee, I had this idea that maybe we should break it up and put sections of it back in America so we keep in touch. And that was like such a...

earth-shattering, everyone united to shut that down because there's so many interested in being able to wine and dine and do all of that conveniently inside the Beltway, not where Americans live.

earth-shattering, everyone united to shut that down because there's so many interested in being able to wine and dine and do all of that conveniently inside the Beltway, not where Americans live.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He's got the surfboard on his office wall.

He's got the surfboard on his office wall.

We don't have the surf here.

We don't have the surf here.

Seeing the stupid TikTok videos and this like, you know, lionization of people doing their jobs. But every single American was affected by this. And I'll never forget it. It still irritates me to see people driving in cars here in D.C. wearing masks. There is a ongoing mental illness and hysteria in the United States.

Seeing the stupid TikTok videos and this like, you know, lionization of people doing their jobs. But every single American was affected by this. And I'll never forget it. It still irritates me to see people driving in cars here in D.C. wearing masks. There is a ongoing mental illness and hysteria in the United States.

Oh, he's shaking it and breaking it.

Oh, he's shaking it and breaking it.

I mean, California, it is so sad. We love California. I love California for all of its flaws. I was jumping on San Francisco all day until I came here, and now I've realized what I had, right? At least San Francisco, for all its flaws, full of hustlers, full of people who create jobs and ideas and who get to be inspired by the beauty of nature over there. This is very different.

I mean, California, it is so sad. We love California. I love California for all of its flaws. I was jumping on San Francisco all day until I came here, and now I've realized what I had, right? At least San Francisco, for all its flaws, full of hustlers, full of people who create jobs and ideas and who get to be inspired by the beauty of nature over there. This is very different.

It's a company town, and the business is this business of government.

It's a company town, and the business is this business of government.

Just a month. And you already are fully indoctrinated. But in a month.

Just a month. And you already are fully indoctrinated. But in a month.

I mean, I miss I miss San Francisco so much right now. But anyway, California's is America and it is worth fighting for. And so I hope we we people from California can figure that out.

I mean, I miss I miss San Francisco so much right now. But anyway, California's is America and it is worth fighting for. And so I hope we we people from California can figure that out.

Things are changing slowly. You know, in cities, San Francisco has a new mayor, a little better than the old one. San Jose has a new mayor who is talking sense. You have a new federal sheriff in town in Los Angeles, a United States attorney who is absolutely a groundbreaking change.

Things are changing slowly. You know, in cities, San Francisco has a new mayor, a little better than the old one. San Jose has a new mayor who is talking sense. You have a new federal sheriff in town in Los Angeles, a United States attorney who is absolutely a groundbreaking change.

You know, people have to stand up and fight.

You know, people have to stand up and fight.

I'll tell you what, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has several Californians in it, and we are fully aware of some of the massive civil rights violations taking place in that state.

I'll tell you what, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has several Californians in it, and we are fully aware of some of the massive civil rights violations taking place in that state.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We had an experiment during the Reagan era to shut down the mental health institutions.

We had an experiment during the Reagan era to shut down the mental health institutions.

Some people are not trying to mock people. They're legitimately scared and scarred. for life by the junk science that came out of the federal government and was eagerly seized upon by petty little bureaucrats everywhere and especially our home state of California.

Some people are not trying to mock people. They're legitimately scared and scarred. for life by the junk science that came out of the federal government and was eagerly seized upon by petty little bureaucrats everywhere and especially our home state of California.

Some states had an excellent... It's the police power of the states, actually.

Some states had an excellent... It's the police power of the states, actually.

Right. Now we cut off children's breasts. That's what we do now.

Right. Now we cut off children's breasts. That's what we do now.

You know, Drew, any lawyer at my law firm can diagnose a schizophrenic by their emails. I'm slightly joking, but there are certain common aspects to it. And the fact that we don't have, you know, there's some people you can fix and there's some people who need to be institutionalized. Correct. And that is an unsolved problem in America.

You know, Drew, any lawyer at my law firm can diagnose a schizophrenic by their emails. I'm slightly joking, but there are certain common aspects to it. And the fact that we don't have, you know, there's some people you can fix and there's some people who need to be institutionalized. Correct. And that is an unsolved problem in America.

And it is inhumane that we're allowing them to live on the street and die on the street and then die on the street. And then we become a nerd to that.

And it is inhumane that we're allowing them to live on the street and die on the street and then die on the street. And then we become a nerd to that.

And we're callous to it. And that is like corrosive to our souls in a way.

And we're callous to it. And that is like corrosive to our souls in a way.

Yeah. So now we're left with nothing.

Yeah. So now we're left with nothing.

You know, it's a very broken system. And, you know, of course, the country's mental health problems flock to the good climate of California. They're not hanging out on the streets of Detroit or New York because you can't survive there. But you can live in San Francisco year-round on the street. You really can. Sure, as drug addicts.

You know, it's a very broken system. And, you know, of course, the country's mental health problems flock to the good climate of California. They're not hanging out on the streets of Detroit or New York because you can't survive there. But you can live in San Francisco year-round on the street. You really can. Sure, as drug addicts.

And you give them free drugs. We have drug tourists. And it isn't just the mentally ill now. We have fentanyl tourists, middle class white fentanyl tourists dying on the streets of San Francisco. And you have to turn the eye to that.

And you give them free drugs. We have drug tourists. And it isn't just the mentally ill now. We have fentanyl tourists, middle class white fentanyl tourists dying on the streets of San Francisco. And you have to turn the eye to that.

To a drug addict! They've cut back on that now, but I think... There's also the supply and demand issue. We have China pumping fentanyl into our borders and criminal gangs like the ones that get margaritas with senators transporting them.

To a drug addict! They've cut back on that now, but I think... There's also the supply and demand issue. We have China pumping fentanyl into our borders and criminal gangs like the ones that get margaritas with senators transporting them.

I'm really excited about the job description, which is enforcing the civil rights of the United States for all Americans, not just some Americans. And there's so much to do. Literally, Michael can tell you, I don't think my team is keeping up with the ideas I'm dumping on them. Like, look at this civil rights violation. Can we do something about that? Can we not? How do you find them?

I'm really excited about the job description, which is enforcing the civil rights of the United States for all Americans, not just some Americans. And there's so much to do. Literally, Michael can tell you, I don't think my team is keeping up with the ideas I'm dumping on them. Like, look at this civil rights violation. Can we do something about that? Can we not? How do you find them?

How do you see them? I mean, social media and people calling me. Wow. Absolutely. It's like falling from the sky.

How do you see them? I mean, social media and people calling me. Wow. Absolutely. It's like falling from the sky.

I think I'm getting plenty, but no, we want to know. And not just, I mean, like. The one thing I will say is that I see some rage on social media that in the less than three weeks I've been there, we haven't solved all the election law problems in the United States. People care about their issue.

I think I'm getting plenty, but no, we want to know. And not just, I mean, like. The one thing I will say is that I see some rage on social media that in the less than three weeks I've been there, we haven't solved all the election law problems in the United States. People care about their issue.

Yeah, I mean, people were asking me about knitting. Where's your knitting, Harmeet? And I said, knitting is for closers. And until I start closing some cases... No sweater will be finished. I asked her about the knitting today. Until I'm done with solving some problem. So we're starting. We're starting beefs with the right people. So election is one of your things you're excited about.

Yeah, I mean, people were asking me about knitting. Where's your knitting, Harmeet? And I said, knitting is for closers. And until I start closing some cases... No sweater will be finished. I asked her about the knitting today. Until I'm done with solving some problem. So we're starting. We're starting beefs with the right people. So election is one of your things you're excited about.

Election laws are one, but federal election laws. I cannot fix every dumb law in California. We can fix federal law enforcement of our election laws. And Congress needs to... you know, get off the stick and do some things as well. We cannot fix everything through the executive process.

Election laws are one, but federal election laws. I cannot fix every dumb law in California. We can fix federal law enforcement of our election laws. And Congress needs to... you know, get off the stick and do some things as well. We cannot fix everything through the executive process.

But the anti-Semitism and the anti-Christian bias happening throughout our government and our schools, we are tackling that every single day. That is not going to be there by the time we're done. It will be painful for schools that enable that. And those conversations are happening on an ongoing basis at the Ivy League schools and below.

But the anti-Semitism and the anti-Christian bias happening throughout our government and our schools, we are tackling that every single day. That is not going to be there by the time we're done. It will be painful for schools that enable that. And those conversations are happening on an ongoing basis at the Ivy League schools and below.

Yeah, well, I mean, you're the expert on, you know, mental health issues, but from my lay perspective, it is nascent and trending authoritarianism and the credentialing and lionization of experts in our culture. I'm a daughter of a doctor and granddaughter of two doctors, so I respect the medical profession, but people are fallible. Dr. Fauci was elevated not just in this

Yeah, well, I mean, you're the expert on, you know, mental health issues, but from my lay perspective, it is nascent and trending authoritarianism and the credentialing and lionization of experts in our culture. I'm a daughter of a doctor and granddaughter of two doctors, so I respect the medical profession, but people are fallible. Dr. Fauci was elevated not just in this

That's a good Southern accent you did there, Drew.

That's a good Southern accent you did there, Drew.

And then they get prosecuted. I mean, it's a whole vicious cycle.

And then they get prosecuted. I mean, it's a whole vicious cycle.

Unfortunate. Well, you know, I think now... Yes, it was unfortunate. Very unfortunate for many people. And so we can't solve all the problems in America at the Civil Rights Division. I thought we'd solve them all today. But we are adjusting staffing. We are refocusing our priorities. And we're going to do a lot of good.

Unfortunate. Well, you know, I think now... Yes, it was unfortunate. Very unfortunate for many people. And so we can't solve all the problems in America at the Civil Rights Division. I thought we'd solve them all today. But we are adjusting staffing. We are refocusing our priorities. And we're going to do a lot of good.

Well, he had gone through so much by that time. And then there was divine intervention as well with the attempts on his life, I think.

Well, he had gone through so much by that time. And then there was divine intervention as well with the attempts on his life, I think.

I believe that. God was looking out for him. He turned his head at just the right time. Yeah. So when you've gone through all of that, it just toughens you up and strengthens you. I mean, for me as a lawyer, the idea of maybe going to jail for representing a client was kind of scary or responsible for elderly people in your family as well.

I believe that. God was looking out for him. He turned his head at just the right time. Yeah. So when you've gone through all of that, it just toughens you up and strengthens you. I mean, for me as a lawyer, the idea of maybe going to jail for representing a client was kind of scary or responsible for elderly people in your family as well.

situation, but of course, in the AIDS crisis as well, as an expert and people died, many people died unnecessarily. We had we had a form of euthanasia in our country during COVID with how we treated any elderly people and treated them as less valuable. And so that is what some people are addicted to is they need God figures and they need people to believe in and Religion is absent from our life.

situation, but of course, in the AIDS crisis as well, as an expert and people died, many people died unnecessarily. We had we had a form of euthanasia in our country during COVID with how we treated any elderly people and treated them as less valuable. And so that is what some people are addicted to is they need God figures and they need people to believe in and Religion is absent from our life.

So it was a big thing, but we all pulled together and we're glad we did.

So it was a big thing, but we all pulled together and we're glad we did.

And we might still, so we have to be constantly vigilant.

And we might still, so we have to be constantly vigilant.

And now we've woken up.

And now we've woken up.

And so those so-called medical experts became the religion of the state and to our folly.

And so those so-called medical experts became the religion of the state and to our folly.

Yeah, I mean, no one wants to share the stage, right? That was Fauci again. He was the expert. You still go to places and medical offices and dental offices and airports where there are these lines painted as to where you're supposed to stand. They made all of that up. It was all...

Yeah, I mean, no one wants to share the stage, right? That was Fauci again. He was the expert. You still go to places and medical offices and dental offices and airports where there are these lines painted as to where you're supposed to stand. They made all of that up. It was all...

manufactured and it's just so offends me the lack of i mean we literally had this enlightenment period in the world and you know we believe that the world was flat at one point now we don't this is like the opposite of science it's so anti-scientific what we went through let's say it again redfield confirmed it francis collins admitted it they developed was it six feet distancing i pushed out they just doubled you know someone else's fake metric to do that they

manufactured and it's just so offends me the lack of i mean we literally had this enlightenment period in the world and you know we believe that the world was flat at one point now we don't this is like the opposite of science it's so anti-scientific what we went through let's say it again redfield confirmed it francis collins admitted it they developed was it six feet distancing i pushed out they just doubled you know someone else's fake metric to do that they

Well, not even medical professionals. It still offends me that the federal government's employment division has guidelines that say that employers are allowed to mandate, employers, not doctors, employers are allowed to mandate vaccinations on their employees. That offends me. That needs to be tackled in this administration. Yes.

Well, not even medical professionals. It still offends me that the federal government's employment division has guidelines that say that employers are allowed to mandate, employers, not doctors, employers are allowed to mandate vaccinations on their employees. That offends me. That needs to be tackled in this administration. Yes.

But, you know, what happened to my body, my choice, which was the mantra of, you know, so the civil rights movement, women and abortion issues like that. We have lost bodily autonomy. We've lost parental rights to determine for their children.

But, you know, what happened to my body, my choice, which was the mantra of, you know, so the civil rights movement, women and abortion issues like that. We have lost bodily autonomy. We've lost parental rights to determine for their children.

And as you know, in California, our fascist state of California, when in during covid, when doctors applied for waivers for families that had legitimate medical needs, that waiver list was actually a list. a list to investigate and strip doctors of their medical licenses because we don't have enough. We have too many doctors in California, right?

And as you know, in California, our fascist state of California, when in during covid, when doctors applied for waivers for families that had legitimate medical needs, that waiver list was actually a list. a list to investigate and strip doctors of their medical licenses because we don't have enough. We have too many doctors in California, right?

There's no shortage of competent medical help in California. And so I think this is a ongoing civil rights crisis. And it's, you know, certainly one of the things that led me to step up and do this job for the federal government.

There's no shortage of competent medical help in California. And so I think this is a ongoing civil rights crisis. And it's, you know, certainly one of the things that led me to step up and do this job for the federal government.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.

Yeah, we're the civil rights arm of the United States government.

Yeah, we're the civil rights arm of the United States government.

Pam Bondi is the, you know, we report up to Pam Bondi.

Pam Bondi is the, you know, we report up to Pam Bondi.

Well, Drew, you need to know that Civil Rights Division covers a huge number of statutes, including administering our voting rights statutes and voting administration statutes, housing discrimination, employment discrimination, discrimination against veterans, educational discrimination like the anti-Semitism that is rampant on American campuses today, and a number of other issues as well.

Well, Drew, you need to know that Civil Rights Division covers a huge number of statutes, including administering our voting rights statutes and voting administration statutes, housing discrimination, employment discrimination, discrimination against veterans, educational discrimination like the anti-Semitism that is rampant on American campuses today, and a number of other issues as well.

And so we actually have different sections of... experienced career lawyers who handle each of these different sections, but prosecutorial discretion means that every new administration gets to pick and choose what they're going to focus on.

And so we actually have different sections of... experienced career lawyers who handle each of these different sections, but prosecutorial discretion means that every new administration gets to pick and choose what they're going to focus on.

And so there are certain statutes that's the backdrop, the Civil Rights Act and other important statutes, but we're gonna be focusing on some things the last administration didn't focus on, okay? We think Americans should be entitled to be considered for jobs without racist quotas and set asides or sexist quotas and set asides.

And so there are certain statutes that's the backdrop, the Civil Rights Act and other important statutes, but we're gonna be focusing on some things the last administration didn't focus on, okay? We think Americans should be entitled to be considered for jobs without racist quotas and set asides or sexist quotas and set asides.

We think it's illegal to discriminate against people because they're Asian or white or male or any of those things.

We think it's illegal to discriminate against people because they're Asian or white or male or any of those things.

All of them are protected by the Civil Rights Act. So I think that's a very important change in our focus. I mentioned parental rights.

All of them are protected by the Civil Rights Act. So I think that's a very important change in our focus. I mentioned parental rights.

And I mean, another big issue for me, as you know, in California, I've been representing before I took this job, young women who were sucked into the transgender fad, which is going to turn out, I think, in history to be viewed as lobotomy and other, you know, discredited medical quackery. But

And I mean, another big issue for me, as you know, in California, I've been representing before I took this job, young women who were sucked into the transgender fad, which is going to turn out, I think, in history to be viewed as lobotomy and other, you know, discredited medical quackery. But

they've been mutilated by a medical industrial complex that ignored their comorbidities and that for profit destroyed their bodies and their minds. And so that's going to be a focus. To what extent do parents have the right, which Supreme Court has said they have the right, to know what's going on in our schools. Our schools have become woke madrasas pushing left-wing ideology.

they've been mutilated by a medical industrial complex that ignored their comorbidities and that for profit destroyed their bodies and their minds. And so that's going to be a focus. To what extent do parents have the right, which Supreme Court has said they have the right, to know what's going on in our schools. Our schools have become woke madrasas pushing left-wing ideology.

And again, parents have a natural right and a civil right to control their children's education. And so we will continue a lot of the important traditional work. Americans with Disabilities Act is an important statute that provides a lot of freedom to a lot of Americans. I look forward to helping with that. I've had disabled people in my family, and that's very important to me.

And again, parents have a natural right and a civil right to control their children's education. And so we will continue a lot of the important traditional work. Americans with Disabilities Act is an important statute that provides a lot of freedom to a lot of Americans. I look forward to helping with that. I've had disabled people in my family, and that's very important to me.

But the focus is different. And just saying we're going to enforce the same statutes with a little different focus has made people go crazy.

But the focus is different. And just saying we're going to enforce the same statutes with a little different focus has made people go crazy.

Because they feel like it's their fiefdom and their right to control this one branch of the federal government.

Because they feel like it's their fiefdom and their right to control this one branch of the federal government.

they the, you know, all the nonprofit edifice outside the DOJ, as well as, yes, as well as many career lawyers who believe that it's their way or the highway. And so for the last many years,

they the, you know, all the nonprofit edifice outside the DOJ, as well as, yes, as well as many career lawyers who believe that it's their way or the highway. And so for the last many years,

Civil Rights Division has been used to open investigations on police departments based on, in my opinion, the flimsiest possible basis in many cases, really embarrassing evidence that would not pass muster if you didn't have the bully pulpit of the federal government to bully people into submission. We have opened up investigations into companies like

Civil Rights Division has been used to open investigations on police departments based on, in my opinion, the flimsiest possible basis in many cases, really embarrassing evidence that would not pass muster if you didn't have the bully pulpit of the federal government to bully people into submission. We have opened up investigations into companies like

SpaceX for refusing to hire people who by statute you can't hire, people here on asylum status and others. We have federal laws regarding information security that restrict certain sensitive industries like space and technology to American citizens or people with a permanent basis to be here.

SpaceX for refusing to hire people who by statute you can't hire, people here on asylum status and others. We have federal laws regarding information security that restrict certain sensitive industries like space and technology to American citizens or people with a permanent basis to be here.

So this sort of harassment and people who just, like, send letters for a living, that's not what we're doing in the Civil Rights Division now. We're going to investigate cases, and if those cases are meritorious, we're going to take action. If they're not meritorious, we're going to move on to the next thing. And so this sort of harassment factory is not going to continue.

So this sort of harassment and people who just, like, send letters for a living, that's not what we're doing in the Civil Rights Division now. We're going to investigate cases, and if those cases are meritorious, we're going to take action. If they're not meritorious, we're going to move on to the next thing. And so this sort of harassment factory is not going to continue.

I mean, look, let's be honest. So the Civil Rights Division is created because this country has had a rocky history with civil rights. It's a fact. And I grew up in the Deep South during my hearing I mentioned that when my immigrant family, I was born in India, moved to my hometown in rural North Carolina. My dad was a country orthopedic surgeon there.

I mean, look, let's be honest. So the Civil Rights Division is created because this country has had a rocky history with civil rights. It's a fact. And I grew up in the Deep South during my hearing I mentioned that when my immigrant family, I was born in India, moved to my hometown in rural North Carolina. My dad was a country orthopedic surgeon there.

There were signs on the highway saying the Ku Klux Klan welcomes you to Smithfield, North Carolina. I mean, this is in my lifetime and your lifetime, but it's not there today. That's the point. The point is... We learned from that. We enforced the civil rights. We had desegregation.

There were signs on the highway saying the Ku Klux Klan welcomes you to Smithfield, North Carolina. I mean, this is in my lifetime and your lifetime, but it's not there today. That's the point. The point is... We learned from that. We enforced the civil rights. We had desegregation.

Well, absolutely. And so for the last 30 years or so, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has been pursuing consent decrees on police departments throughout the United States. And what happens is with any organization, there's one or two rogue officers or cops or people with just bad intention or malign motives who do something bad.

Well, absolutely. And so for the last 30 years or so, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has been pursuing consent decrees on police departments throughout the United States. And what happens is with any organization, there's one or two rogue officers or cops or people with just bad intention or malign motives who do something bad.

And then the DOJ and a court imposes a consent decree on the entire city that typically keeps on average the city and the police department or the sheriff's department under a federal court's control for over a decade. The city has to pay for the compliance costs of this, which often amount to over $10 million a year over a decade. And then on top of that,

And then the DOJ and a court imposes a consent decree on the entire city that typically keeps on average the city and the police department or the sheriff's department under a federal court's control for over a decade. The city has to pay for the compliance costs of this, which often amount to over $10 million a year over a decade. And then on top of that,

They have to pay a law firm or a police monitor who is a solo another million dollars a year on average. And crime goes up, public safety goes down, police satisfaction goes down. And overall, these consent decrees have been found to be relatively ineffective. And so what we're doing at the Civil Rights Division is we're withdrawing

They have to pay a law firm or a police monitor who is a solo another million dollars a year on average. And crime goes up, public safety goes down, police satisfaction goes down. And overall, these consent decrees have been found to be relatively ineffective. And so what we're doing at the Civil Rights Division is we're withdrawing

We dismissed yesterday two consent decree filings that the Biden administration had done in the waning days of their administration. In Louisville, Kentucky, where the Breonna Taylor situation happened in the prior Trump administration, she was shot and killed as a result of

We dismissed yesterday two consent decree filings that the Biden administration had done in the waning days of their administration. In Louisville, Kentucky, where the Breonna Taylor situation happened in the prior Trump administration, she was shot and killed as a result of

according to the investigation, a no-knock warrant having been obtained by two detectives who lied to obtain that no-knock warrant. So we're prosecuting those detectives and the officers involved in these incidents that I'm mentioning. We're prosecuting them for their individual offenses, and I think that's important, individual accountability.

according to the investigation, a no-knock warrant having been obtained by two detectives who lied to obtain that no-knock warrant. So we're prosecuting those detectives and the officers involved in these incidents that I'm mentioning. We're prosecuting them for their individual offenses, and I think that's important, individual accountability.

In the other one that we dismissed in Minneapolis, this stems from the George Floyd incident, where, of course, both state and federal prosecutions occurred of the officers involved in those incidents. And... What we have found in these types of consent decree situations is that public safety goes down, and so we don't want that to happen in these cities.

In the other one that we dismissed in Minneapolis, this stems from the George Floyd incident, where, of course, both state and federal prosecutions occurred of the officers involved in those incidents. And... What we have found in these types of consent decree situations is that public safety goes down, and so we don't want that to happen in these cities.

In each of these cities, Louisville has already agreed to hire its own police monitor to help improve its practices overall, and Minneapolis has negotiated a settlement with their state human rights commission, putting them under a consent decree already. And so Louisville didn't oppose our attempts to kick this out while we looked at it.

In each of these cities, Louisville has already agreed to hire its own police monitor to help improve its practices overall, and Minneapolis has negotiated a settlement with their state human rights commission, putting them under a consent decree already. And so Louisville didn't oppose our attempts to kick this out while we looked at it.

And Minneapolis did oppose our attempts and has publicly criticized our decision. But in addition to the ones that I mentioned, Ben, we also dismissed six factual findings in different cities. And what the Biden administration attempted to do, and as you probably are aware, my predecessor was a avid defund the police activist.

And Minneapolis did oppose our attempts and has publicly criticized our decision. But in addition to the ones that I mentioned, Ben, we also dismissed six factual findings in different cities. And what the Biden administration attempted to do, and as you probably are aware, my predecessor was a avid defund the police activist.

And, you know, that is also the view of several of the prior lawyers in our special litigation section who've now died. moved on to other pastures. But we had findings, some of which were unsigned by any attorney. So no attorney was willing to put their name behind this, but very detailed findings that basically accused the police in six different cities of racism and inappropriate practices.

And, you know, that is also the view of several of the prior lawyers in our special litigation section who've now died. moved on to other pastures. But we had findings, some of which were unsigned by any attorney. So no attorney was willing to put their name behind this, but very detailed findings that basically accused the police in six different cities of racism and inappropriate practices.

We don't have confidence that those findings are based in facts. appropriate full consideration of all the facts and appropriate statistics. And so we're dismissing those factual findings in Memphis and Oklahoma City and Mississippi State Police and Trenton, Louisiana and Trenton, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York and Phoenix, Arizona. So

We don't have confidence that those findings are based in facts. appropriate full consideration of all the facts and appropriate statistics. And so we're dismissing those factual findings in Memphis and Oklahoma City and Mississippi State Police and Trenton, Louisiana and Trenton, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York and Phoenix, Arizona. So

Pretty broad range of different types of issues, but we did not have confidence in those outcomes. And so that's why we took those actions yesterday.

Pretty broad range of different types of issues, but we did not have confidence in those outcomes. And so that's why we took those actions yesterday.

Well, great question. So the police departments themselves are usually not the decision makers. It's usually the city council or a mayor. And as we've seen a trend in the United States over the last two decades, those are often anti-police themselves and very progressive, if you will.

Well, great question. So the police departments themselves are usually not the decision makers. It's usually the city council or a mayor. And as we've seen a trend in the United States over the last two decades, those are often anti-police themselves and very progressive, if you will.

These consent decrees can run to hundreds of pages long, and they basically minutely control the extent to which hiring, training, reporting, practices like the types of Holds that can be used on suspects, whether police will be punished effectively for column DEI statistics, the extent to which arrest or stop and question or stop and frisk encounters with the public.

These consent decrees can run to hundreds of pages long, and they basically minutely control the extent to which hiring, training, reporting, practices like the types of Holds that can be used on suspects, whether police will be punished effectively for column DEI statistics, the extent to which arrest or stop and question or stop and frisk encounters with the public.

are in any way different statistically from the population of that community without considering the extent to which crime may be higher in certain neighborhoods. I mean, one of the ones that really struck me was the Memphis factual findings So first of all, as we know, Memphis is a fairly crime-ridden city. It's also majority African-American. The police force is majority African-American.

are in any way different statistically from the population of that community without considering the extent to which crime may be higher in certain neighborhoods. I mean, one of the ones that really struck me was the Memphis factual findings So first of all, as we know, Memphis is a fairly crime-ridden city. It's also majority African-American. The police force is majority African-American.

The homeless population is 75% African-American. And yet the African-American police in Memphis, Tennessee, were being faulted for their encounters with homeless people who are largely of the same background as themselves. And that was somehow racist. I mean, this is ludicrous on its face and only... Privileged lawyers sitting in D.C.

The homeless population is 75% African-American. And yet the African-American police in Memphis, Tennessee, were being faulted for their encounters with homeless people who are largely of the same background as themselves. And that was somehow racist. I mean, this is ludicrous on its face and only... Privileged lawyers sitting in D.C.

or sitting on their sofas throughout the United States working from home would come up with this. It defies common sense and it's unfair. And so, you know, I had the privilege of calling some governors and attorneys general and United States attorneys yesterday and informing them that On these eight cases, the Department of Justice would not be micromanaging them.

or sitting on their sofas throughout the United States working from home would come up with this. It defies common sense and it's unfair. And so, you know, I had the privilege of calling some governors and attorneys general and United States attorneys yesterday and informing them that On these eight cases, the Department of Justice would not be micromanaging them.

Policing and these types of policy decisions are always best made at the local level, Ben. And that's where the local accountability is and where the local demand and resources are for spending appropriately and training. That said, the United States Department of Justice does have training resources for police departments.

Policing and these types of policy decisions are always best made at the local level, Ben. And that's where the local accountability is and where the local demand and resources are for spending appropriately and training. That said, the United States Department of Justice does have training resources for police departments.

And one thing we offer is if a police department or a sheriff's department is concerned that its practices may be out of whack or not modern, we offer an audit process for them and we'll go through and provide some consultation. And there's even funds available for police departments that have a need. And so overall, I think we've made a step today to make Americans safer in those cities. And I

And one thing we offer is if a police department or a sheriff's department is concerned that its practices may be out of whack or not modern, we offer an audit process for them and we'll go through and provide some consultation. And there's even funds available for police departments that have a need. And so overall, I think we've made a step today to make Americans safer in those cities. And I

I want to assure other cities that are under consent decrees currently, either monitored by a judge or by a voluntary agreement with the Department of Justice, that we're reviewing all of them. Because consent decrees that go on for 12, 14, 15, even over 20 years, something is broken in that system.

I want to assure other cities that are under consent decrees currently, either monitored by a judge or by a voluntary agreement with the Department of Justice, that we're reviewing all of them. Because consent decrees that go on for 12, 14, 15, even over 20 years, something is broken in that system.

The taxpayers are paying a tax effectively for a broken system, and that is wrong, and we're going to fix that.

The taxpayers are paying a tax effectively for a broken system, and that is wrong, and we're going to fix that.

Well, that's the job. And it was my vision. And I discussed this with the attorney general and the president before I was nominated. And my vision was that I believe in civil rights. I think you believe in civil rights, too. But these civil rights are much more broadly defined than the progressive version of civil rights.

Well, that's the job. And it was my vision. And I discussed this with the attorney general and the president before I was nominated. And my vision was that I believe in civil rights. I think you believe in civil rights, too. But these civil rights are much more broadly defined than the progressive version of civil rights.

We all have rights as parents and families to determine how children are educated and their exposure to sexualized content in the schools. That's a civil right. civil right to pray and be free of violence on the basis of your religious identification and beliefs.

We all have rights as parents and families to determine how children are educated and their exposure to sexualized content in the schools. That's a civil right. civil right to pray and be free of violence on the basis of your religious identification and beliefs.

The right of a citizen to be free from crime, I think, is a promise that every basic society dating back to ancient times, even before we had the internet and the civil rights division, promises people. And so These are all civil rights that we're standing up for at the Department of Justice. And I do believe they're consistent with our statutory framework and certainly the vision of our founders.

The right of a citizen to be free from crime, I think, is a promise that every basic society dating back to ancient times, even before we had the internet and the civil rights division, promises people. And so These are all civil rights that we're standing up for at the Department of Justice. And I do believe they're consistent with our statutory framework and certainly the vision of our founders.

But I think it's our job to affirmatively use these tools for the benefit of the American people. That's what President Trump promised and that's what we're delivering.

But I think it's our job to affirmatively use these tools for the benefit of the American people. That's what President Trump promised and that's what we're delivering.

Thank you, Ben.

Thank you, Ben.

Well, absolutely. And so for the last 30 years or so, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has been pursuing consent decrees on police departments throughout the United States. And what happens is with any organization, there's one or two rogue officers or cops or people with just bad intention or malign motives who do something bad.

And then the DOJ and a court imposes a consent decree on the entire city that typically keeps on average the city and the police department or the sheriff's department under a federal court's control for over a decade. The city has to pay for the compliance costs of this, which often amount to over $10 million a year over a decade. And then on top of that,

They have to pay a law firm or a police monitor who is a solo another million dollars a year on average. And crime goes up, public safety goes down, police satisfaction goes down. And overall, these consent decrees have been found to be relatively ineffective. And so what we're doing at the Civil Rights Division is we're withdrawing

We dismissed yesterday two consent decree filings that the Biden administration had done in the waning days of their administration. In Louisville, Kentucky, where the Breonna Taylor situation happened in the prior Trump administration, she was shot and killed as a result of

according to the investigation, a no-knock warrant having been obtained by two detectives who lied to obtain that no-knock warrant. So we're prosecuting those detectives and the officers involved in these incidents that I'm mentioning. We're prosecuting them for their individual offenses, and I think that's important, individual accountability.

In the other one that we dismissed in Minneapolis, this stems from the George Floyd incident, where, of course, both state and federal prosecutions occurred of the officers involved in those incidents. And... What we have found in these types of consent decree situations is that public safety goes down, and so we don't want that to happen in these cities.

In each of these cities, Louisville has already agreed to hire its own police monitor to help improve its practices overall, and Minneapolis has negotiated a settlement with their state human rights commission, putting them under a consent decree already. And so Louisville didn't oppose our attempts to kick this out while we looked at it.

And Minneapolis did oppose our attempts and has publicly criticized our decision. But in addition to the ones that I mentioned, Ben, we also dismissed six factual findings in different cities. And what the Biden administration attempted to do, and as you probably are aware, my predecessor was a avid defund the police activist.

And, you know, that is also the view of several of the prior lawyers in our special litigation section who've now died. moved on to other pastures. But we had findings, some of which were unsigned by any attorney. So no attorney was willing to put their name behind this, but very detailed findings that basically accused the police in six different cities of racism and inappropriate practices.

We don't have confidence that those findings are based in facts. appropriate full consideration of all the facts and appropriate statistics. And so we're dismissing those factual findings in Memphis and Oklahoma City and Mississippi State Police and Trenton, Louisiana and Trenton, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York and Phoenix, Arizona. So

Pretty broad range of different types of issues, but we did not have confidence in those outcomes. And so that's why we took those actions yesterday.

Well, great question. So the police departments themselves are usually not the decision makers. It's usually the city council or a mayor. And as we've seen a trend in the United States over the last two decades, those are often anti-police themselves and very progressive, if you will.

These consent decrees can run to hundreds of pages long, and they basically minutely control the extent to which hiring, training, reporting, practices like the types of Holds that can be used on suspects, whether police will be punished effectively for column DEI statistics, the extent to which arrest or stop and question or stop and frisk encounters with the public.

are in any way different statistically from the population of that community without considering the extent to which crime may be higher in certain neighborhoods. I mean, one of the ones that really struck me was the Memphis factual findings So first of all, as we know, Memphis is a fairly crime-ridden city. It's also majority African-American. The police force is majority African-American.

The homeless population is 75% African-American. And yet the African-American police in Memphis, Tennessee, were being faulted for their encounters with homeless people who are largely of the same background as themselves. And that was somehow racist. I mean, this is ludicrous on its face and only... Privileged lawyers sitting in D.C.

or sitting on their sofas throughout the United States working from home would come up with this. It defies common sense and it's unfair. And so, you know, I had the privilege of calling some governors and attorneys general and United States attorneys yesterday and informing them that On these eight cases, the Department of Justice would not be micromanaging them.

Policing and these types of policy decisions are always best made at the local level, Ben. And that's where the local accountability is and where the local demand and resources are for spending appropriately and training. That said, the United States Department of Justice does have training resources for police departments.

And one thing we offer is if a police department or a sheriff's department is concerned that its practices may be out of whack or not modern, we offer an audit process for them and we'll go through and provide some consultation. And there's even funds available for police departments that have a need. And so overall, I think we've made a step today to make Americans safer in those cities. And I

I want to assure other cities that are under consent decrees currently, either monitored by a judge or by a voluntary agreement with the Department of Justice, that we're reviewing all of them. Because consent decrees that go on for 12, 14, 15, even over 20 years, something is broken in that system.

The taxpayers are paying a tax effectively for a broken system, and that is wrong, and we're going to fix that.

Well, that's the job. And it was my vision. And I discussed this with the attorney general and the president before I was nominated. And my vision was that I believe in civil rights. I think you believe in civil rights, too. But these civil rights are much more broadly defined than the progressive version of civil rights.

We all have rights as parents and families to determine how children are educated and their exposure to sexualized content in the schools. That's a civil right. civil right to pray and be free of violence on the basis of your religious identification and beliefs.

The right of a citizen to be free from crime, I think, is a promise that every basic society dating back to ancient times, even before we had the internet and the civil rights division, promises people. And so These are all civil rights that we're standing up for at the Department of Justice. And I do believe they're consistent with our statutory framework and certainly the vision of our founders.

But I think it's our job to affirmatively use these tools for the benefit of the American people. That's what President Trump promised and that's what we're delivering.

Thank you, Ben.

I think it's part of the promise of this administration under President Trump to reform the government in the way that the people voted for. I did my week of training after getting confirmed by the Senate. I was like, OK, guys, it's time to get to business. I want everyone to be very clear what the agenda is here. This catalyzed hundreds of lawyers to quit. They had crying sessions in the DOJ.

I think it's part of the promise of this administration under President Trump to reform the government in the way that the people voted for. I did my week of training after getting confirmed by the Senate. I was like, OK, guys, it's time to get to business. I want everyone to be very clear what the agenda is here. This catalyzed hundreds of lawyers to quit. They had crying sessions in the DOJ.

Well, I think that there is a certain strain of anti-Semitism that's unique that we are confronting, but it's American citizens who are the victims of it. And so religious discrimination is also illegal in our federal civil rights laws.

Well, I think that there is a certain strain of anti-Semitism that's unique that we are confronting, but it's American citizens who are the victims of it. And so religious discrimination is also illegal in our federal civil rights laws.

And so where you have students who are wearing yarmulkes and they're being blocked by their professors and their classmates from entering their classes, that's illegal. And we're just calling it that.

And so where you have students who are wearing yarmulkes and they're being blocked by their professors and their classmates from entering their classes, that's illegal. And we're just calling it that.

But I'm saying that we are saying that under my leadership and and the people who I work with, they are taking it on frontally. It's racism. Yes, it is racist. It is illegal now under the Supreme Court's clear direction. And Harvard is doing it, and Princeton is doing it, and all of these schools are doing it. I mean, so there's many different kinds of discrimination happening.

But I'm saying that we are saying that under my leadership and and the people who I work with, they are taking it on frontally. It's racism. Yes, it is racist. It is illegal now under the Supreme Court's clear direction. And Harvard is doing it, and Princeton is doing it, and all of these schools are doing it. I mean, so there's many different kinds of discrimination happening.

There's foreign money coming into our campuses, and there was a report recently that Stanford is basically under control of the Chinese Communist Party. And so all of these problems are happening at the same time, and...

There's foreign money coming into our campuses, and there was a report recently that Stanford is basically under control of the Chinese Communist Party. And so all of these problems are happening at the same time, and...

you know, they've been allowed to drift and people have been bullied and people are, I was explaining to someone the other day that to do this job correctly, you have to not care what people think about you at cocktail parties.

you know, they've been allowed to drift and people have been bullied and people are, I was explaining to someone the other day that to do this job correctly, you have to not care what people think about you at cocktail parties.

But can I just ask, like,

But can I just ask, like,

And so, uh, when I showed up or when I was, when the president was elected, I should say there are over 400 attorneys in the civil rights division and, uh, about 200 staff. So total of about 600 people. And, you know, Kristen Clark, my predecessor, um, anti-police, uh, you know, open racist, uh, you know, got in trouble during her term for, uh,

And so, uh, when I showed up or when I was, when the president was elected, I should say there are over 400 attorneys in the civil rights division and, uh, about 200 staff. So total of about 600 people. And, you know, Kristen Clark, my predecessor, um, anti-police, uh, you know, open racist, uh, you know, got in trouble during her term for, uh,

There is. I mean, that's what our laws demand. And so that's what the Supreme Court ruled in that one case. But, you know, to take on the mayor of Chicago, we didn't do that four years ago. We didn't do that under the Bush administration. We just sort of, you know, people in power just sort of sat there and took it.

There is. I mean, that's what our laws demand. And so that's what the Supreme Court ruled in that one case. But, you know, to take on the mayor of Chicago, we didn't do that four years ago. We didn't do that under the Bush administration. We just sort of, you know, people in power just sort of sat there and took it.

As if there was some need to atone for prior sins by discriminating against American citizens today. And I mean, you know, Asians are discriminated against in hiring in Silicon Valley. I've taken on many cases of that and in universities. What did these recent immigrants do to deserve discrimination other than being successful immigrants? and then being punished for it.

As if there was some need to atone for prior sins by discriminating against American citizens today. And I mean, you know, Asians are discriminated against in hiring in Silicon Valley. I've taken on many cases of that and in universities. What did these recent immigrants do to deserve discrimination other than being successful immigrants? and then being punished for it.

And so you really can't right the wrongs of the past by being racist today. I think we really have to have that level of moral clarity and just say that and operate that way.

And so you really can't right the wrongs of the past by being racist today. I think we really have to have that level of moral clarity and just say that and operate that way.

Right, which is counter to the very principles on which our country was founded. The entire enlightenment was all about individual rights and responsibility. And we're engaging in, you know, Chinese communist level collective guilt and, you know, collective punishment.

Right, which is counter to the very principles on which our country was founded. The entire enlightenment was all about individual rights and responsibility. And we're engaging in, you know, Chinese communist level collective guilt and, you know, collective punishment.

It does feel that way, and it feels that way on campuses. And I think back, I thought it was bad at Dartmouth when I was at Dartmouth more than 35 years ago, almost 40 years ago now when I went to Dartmouth. And it's so much worse today in most of these campuses. But calling it what it is, naming it as racism and discrimination is a start. Now, we will follow through. We will bring cases.

It does feel that way, and it feels that way on campuses. And I think back, I thought it was bad at Dartmouth when I was at Dartmouth more than 35 years ago, almost 40 years ago now when I went to Dartmouth. And it's so much worse today in most of these campuses. But calling it what it is, naming it as racism and discrimination is a start. Now, we will follow through. We will bring cases.

Proud of our president for spearheading, yanking money, our federal tax dollars, away from the institutions that are the worst offenders. And I think you're going to see much more of that happening soon.

Proud of our president for spearheading, yanking money, our federal tax dollars, away from the institutions that are the worst offenders. And I think you're going to see much more of that happening soon.

We've opened up an investigation. We've demanded some data from him. We will be in touch with some very specific data. And we'll be going back years to understand. And what I'm hearing from members of the public already is, well, I applied for this job. I applied for that job. I didn't get it. I'm not the right race. I'm not the right gender, according to his descriptions. And so...

We've opened up an investigation. We've demanded some data from him. We will be in touch with some very specific data. And we'll be going back years to understand. And what I'm hearing from members of the public already is, well, I applied for this job. I applied for that job. I didn't get it. I'm not the right race. I'm not the right gender, according to his descriptions. And so...

What the federal government has been doing over the years to ordinary companies is demand this data and then force them to hire according to a particular pattern. We're going to do the same thing. We're going to demand the data. And then if there's a pattern of discrimination, which I think there is based on what he said, he's told us, we will leave him at his words.

What the federal government has been doing over the years to ordinary companies is demand this data and then force them to hire according to a particular pattern. We're going to do the same thing. We're going to demand the data. And then if there's a pattern of discrimination, which I think there is based on what he said, he's told us, we will leave him at his words.

they'll have to take action to correct that. They may have multiple... I'm guessing that plaintiff's lawyers all over the United States are contacting plaintiffs right now in Chicago and preparing cases against the city. So the taxpayers are going to pay... for this pattern and practice of discrimination that has been described by the mayor. But it's a longstanding pattern.

they'll have to take action to correct that. They may have multiple... I'm guessing that plaintiff's lawyers all over the United States are contacting plaintiffs right now in Chicago and preparing cases against the city. So the taxpayers are going to pay... for this pattern and practice of discrimination that has been described by the mayor. But it's a longstanding pattern.

He's just the one who said it out loud. It's been happening for decades in that city. At the same time, there's talk about reparations in multiple cities in the United States. I mean, again, that's just a wealth transfer from people who didn't do anything wrong to people who didn't have anything wrong done to them, really. And it's counterintuitive to what we believe in our country.

He's just the one who said it out loud. It's been happening for decades in that city. At the same time, there's talk about reparations in multiple cities in the United States. I mean, again, that's just a wealth transfer from people who didn't do anything wrong to people who didn't have anything wrong done to them, really. And it's counterintuitive to what we believe in our country.

No, but the talk of it is manna for, you know, certain people. I think it is bait for Democrat elections and it's popular in certain communities. And so...

No, but the talk of it is manna for, you know, certain people. I think it is bait for Democrat elections and it's popular in certain communities. And so...

not being candid with the Senate during her confirmation hearings on some issues. And so she had a particular agenda. She got in there and she pursued that agenda aggressively. And she had all the staff to do it. Now, under the first Trump administration, my predecessor in that job pretty much left it untouched. You know, he told me kind of like there were career people there.

not being candid with the Senate during her confirmation hearings on some issues. And so she had a particular agenda. She got in there and she pursued that agenda aggressively. And she had all the staff to do it. Now, under the first Trump administration, my predecessor in that job pretty much left it untouched. You know, he told me kind of like there were career people there.

It's crazy to see that, but I do think the pendulum is swinging back in some places because these policies, these wealth transfers, if you will, the episodic rioting that you see in our cities, it is not conducive to a peaceful lifestyle or productive society. And so I think you actually are seeing, even in deep blue California, my home state, my former home state,

It's crazy to see that, but I do think the pendulum is swinging back in some places because these policies, these wealth transfers, if you will, the episodic rioting that you see in our cities, it is not conducive to a peaceful lifestyle or productive society. And so I think you actually are seeing, even in deep blue California, my home state, my former home state,

You're seeing the pendulum swing back in ways. I mean, San Francisco seems to be slowly pulling back from the brink of extremism. San Jose has a mayor who's talking some sense. And, you know... So I'm hopeful, but we can't be passive about it. First, you have to be willing to call it out and stand up and say, no, it is wrong to hire on the basis of race in America.

You're seeing the pendulum swing back in ways. I mean, San Francisco seems to be slowly pulling back from the brink of extremism. San Jose has a mayor who's talking some sense. And, you know... So I'm hopeful, but we can't be passive about it. First, you have to be willing to call it out and stand up and say, no, it is wrong to hire on the basis of race in America.

It is wrong to discriminate against people based on what their theoretical ancestors did 200 years ago. This is wrong. It's un-American.

It is wrong to discriminate against people based on what their theoretical ancestors did 200 years ago. This is wrong. It's un-American.

Oh, my staff. Well, first of all, I am surrounded by a lot of dedicated public servants like me who are, yeah, yes. So there was no, I mean, you know, I'm, You get to have a few political appointees in the front office is what we call it. So, you know, they jumped on it before I even asked, you know, someone was drafting a letter on Sunday afternoon to do this.

Oh, my staff. Well, first of all, I am surrounded by a lot of dedicated public servants like me who are, yeah, yes. So there was no, I mean, you know, I'm, You get to have a few political appointees in the front office is what we call it. So, you know, they jumped on it before I even asked, you know, someone was drafting a letter on Sunday afternoon to do this.

We also call the acting chairman of the EEOC, Andrea Lucas, who's been working hand in glove with us on other discrimination issues. And she's opened up an investigation as well. So the EEOC has subpoena power. You know, we've asked for documents. The EEOC can actually subpoena them and do a commissioner's charge.

We also call the acting chairman of the EEOC, Andrea Lucas, who's been working hand in glove with us on other discrimination issues. And she's opened up an investigation as well. So the EEOC has subpoena power. You know, we've asked for documents. The EEOC can actually subpoena them and do a commissioner's charge.

And so eventually at the end of their parallel investigation, they'll have data that they can share with us as well. We're working together in the university setting, in this setting, and in other settings with other branches of the executive. So, I mean, on any given day, I'm talking to the White House, I'm talking to colleagues of the Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security.

And so eventually at the end of their parallel investigation, they'll have data that they can share with us as well. We're working together in the university setting, in this setting, and in other settings with other branches of the executive. So, I mean, on any given day, I'm talking to the White House, I'm talking to colleagues of the Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security.

We had a conversation yesterday, and other conversations like that are happening. So, you know, the team is very focused on our common goals.

We had a conversation yesterday, and other conversations like that are happening. So, you know, the team is very focused on our common goals.

We've learned some lessons and there are always new ways and there is a deep state. And, you know, just yesterday I had a conversation with one of my colleagues about the resistance that he was encountering. And I had my feedback, but part of my background is as an employment lawyer and

We've learned some lessons and there are always new ways and there is a deep state. And, you know, just yesterday I had a conversation with one of my colleagues about the resistance that he was encountering. And I had my feedback, but part of my background is as an employment lawyer and

And so, you know, we're not making some mistakes that some people who are, you know, simply defense lawyers might have made. I have a plaintiff's lawyer mentality. And so, you know, I think what would I do if I were the other side? And, you know, so I think about that. So, you know, we're giving people clear direction and opportunities.

And so, you know, we're not making some mistakes that some people who are, you know, simply defense lawyers might have made. I have a plaintiff's lawyer mentality. And so, you know, I think what would I do if I were the other side? And, you know, so I think about that. So, you know, we're giving people clear direction and opportunities.

If you wanted to get something done, they went to the U.S. attorney's offices. Well, you know, I came in with a different perspective. I think it's part of the promise of this administration under President Trump to fundamentally reform the government in the way that the people voted for.

If you wanted to get something done, they went to the U.S. attorney's offices. Well, you know, I came in with a different perspective. I think it's part of the promise of this administration under President Trump to fundamentally reform the government in the way that the people voted for.

And if they don't want to take those opportunities and they want to be in resistance mode, this is not the place for them. And so, you know, there are career paths elsewhere and many people have chosen to take that. Some of them regretted it. Some of them tried to come back.

And if they don't want to take those opportunities and they want to be in resistance mode, this is not the place for them. And so, you know, there are career paths elsewhere and many people have chosen to take that. Some of them regretted it. Some of them tried to come back.

I think it is best that people who have passions to do something that's opposite of what the president's current agenda is should do that elsewhere. Not on the taxpayer dollar. Just my personal perspective. Yeah.

I think it is best that people who have passions to do something that's opposite of what the president's current agenda is should do that elsewhere. Not on the taxpayer dollar. Just my personal perspective. Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely. So the consent decree trend kind of dates back to the Rodney King riots. And, you know, there's terrible rioting in Los Angeles. 92-ish? Yeah, about 33 years ago. Yeah, I was in law school at the time. And, you know, the police got blamed for, I think, some fairly rotten cultural trends in our society. The police got blamed trying to control that riot.

Yeah, absolutely. So the consent decree trend kind of dates back to the Rodney King riots. And, you know, there's terrible rioting in Los Angeles. 92-ish? Yeah, about 33 years ago. Yeah, I was in law school at the time. And, you know, the police got blamed for, I think, some fairly rotten cultural trends in our society. The police got blamed trying to control that riot.

I mean, you have people like Maxine Waters. Yeah. you know, egging on the crowd and feeding the flames. And somehow the police got left holding the bag. And so what happened was the Department of Justice, of course, California as well, but the Department of Justice opened up investigations into police practices.

I mean, you have people like Maxine Waters. Yeah. you know, egging on the crowd and feeding the flames. And somehow the police got left holding the bag. And so what happened was the Department of Justice, of course, California as well, but the Department of Justice opened up investigations into police practices.

And so the trend has been Department of Justice, particularly under Democrat administrations, opens up what's called a pattern and practice investigation. And they basically say that any time one cop does something wrong, it must be because there is a systemic problem with the police department. There's poor training. There's ineffective policies. There's ineffective resources. Or there's racism.

And so the trend has been Department of Justice, particularly under Democrat administrations, opens up what's called a pattern and practice investigation. And they basically say that any time one cop does something wrong, it must be because there is a systemic problem with the police department. There's poor training. There's ineffective policies. There's ineffective resources. Or there's racism.

There's always racism. That's underlying most of these police consent decrees is racism. And I'll talk about current examples as well. But... So cities, by the way, I mean, you've all seen this in prosecutions.

There's always racism. That's underlying most of these police consent decrees is racism. And I'll talk about current examples as well. But... So cities, by the way, I mean, you've all seen this in prosecutions.

And so that means in the Civil Rights Division, we should be standing up for the civil rights of all Americans, not just some Americans. We shouldn't be weaponizing the law in a particular way. We should apply those federal civil rights statutes that many of which were passed by and signed by Republican presidents and Republican administrations.

And so that means in the Civil Rights Division, we should be standing up for the civil rights of all Americans, not just some Americans. We shouldn't be weaponizing the law in a particular way. We should apply those federal civil rights statutes that many of which were passed by and signed by Republican presidents and Republican administrations.

When the federal government comes after you with its endless resources and its punitive scope of measures that it can apply, even America's biggest cities worth with tens of billions of dollars of budgets, they quake because... It can become very expensive and it can become a politically charged football to continue to have these federal court hearings and judges and all of that.

When the federal government comes after you with its endless resources and its punitive scope of measures that it can apply, even America's biggest cities worth with tens of billions of dollars of budgets, they quake because... It can become very expensive and it can become a politically charged football to continue to have these federal court hearings and judges and all of that.

So what typically happens is the DOJ says, hi, we are from the government. We think that you're a racist and we'd like you to enter into a consent decree where you. The city is going to pay Bob over here, who works at a big white shoe law firm, several million dollars to monitor your compliance with this. I mean, this is a binder. Some of the consent decrees are longer than this.

So what typically happens is the DOJ says, hi, we are from the government. We think that you're a racist and we'd like you to enter into a consent decree where you. The city is going to pay Bob over here, who works at a big white shoe law firm, several million dollars to monitor your compliance with this. I mean, this is a binder. Some of the consent decrees are longer than this.

Hundreds of pages long of minutely detailed orders of what they're supposed to do to improve their police practices.

Hundreds of pages long of minutely detailed orders of what they're supposed to do to improve their police practices.

The lawyers in the civil rights divisions of the United States Department of Justice.

The lawyers in the civil rights divisions of the United States Department of Justice.

They have no experience policing big cities. Some of them have probably never met a cop in the wild. You know, these are lawyers from good schools and they're very idealistic. By the way, most of them have never tried a case in their lives. And of all the consent decrees, one of the striking...

They have no experience policing big cities. Some of them have probably never met a cop in the wild. You know, these are lawyers from good schools and they're very idealistic. By the way, most of them have never tried a case in their lives. And of all the consent decrees, one of the striking...

Striking things I learned this week is of all the consent decrees that the United States Department of Justice has imposed, and there are dozens and dozens of them over the years, maybe hundreds, but certainly in recent decades, dozens per year in some years.

Striking things I learned this week is of all the consent decrees that the United States Department of Justice has imposed, and there are dozens and dozens of them over the years, maybe hundreds, but certainly in recent decades, dozens per year in some years.

And the Biden administration, they opened up a dozen investigations, and those are some of the ones that I've been examining since I got into office. they only took two of those cases to trial. In hundreds of instances of investigations, they lost one and they lost the police part of the other one. There was a housing aspect of the second one, which they won.

And the Biden administration, they opened up a dozen investigations, and those are some of the ones that I've been examining since I got into office. they only took two of those cases to trial. In hundreds of instances of investigations, they lost one and they lost the police part of the other one. There was a housing aspect of the second one, which they won.

And so in all the years that you've read about Los Angeles and Albuquerque and Seattle and Portland and all of these cities being under consent decrees, No federal judge ever looked at the evidence and found that the United States Department of Justice actually proved their case that there was systemic racism or systemic improper training. It was lawyers like the ones I described earlier

And so in all the years that you've read about Los Angeles and Albuquerque and Seattle and Portland and all of these cities being under consent decrees, No federal judge ever looked at the evidence and found that the United States Department of Justice actually proved their case that there was systemic racism or systemic improper training. It was lawyers like the ones I described earlier

who don't have much trial experience, looking at a dry paper record, and by the way, over the last several years, sitting in their living room doing it because they were working from home during COVID. So in their home, looking at paper and selectively cherry picking evidence from these records that they forced the cities to turn over, reaching conclusions.

who don't have much trial experience, looking at a dry paper record, and by the way, over the last several years, sitting in their living room doing it because they were working from home during COVID. So in their home, looking at paper and selectively cherry picking evidence from these records that they forced the cities to turn over, reaching conclusions.

Not reaching conclusions that a jury agreed with or that even a federal judge saw the evidence of, but simply bullying American cities into compliance and then presenting a fait accompli to a judge. And in some cases, most cases, the judges would say, okay, I agree. And what's particularly shocking is in so many of the recent instances of police consent decrees in the United States,

Not reaching conclusions that a jury agreed with or that even a federal judge saw the evidence of, but simply bullying American cities into compliance and then presenting a fait accompli to a judge. And in some cases, most cases, the judges would say, okay, I agree. And what's particularly shocking is in so many of the recent instances of police consent decrees in the United States,

And the government shouldn't be putting its heavy thumb on the scale in most cases, but in egregious instances, we should step forward and right these wrongs. But what I found there was a number of lawyers, I mean, hundreds of lawyers who were actively in resistance mode. There were memos out there by former government lawyers telling current government lawyers in my department how to resist.

And the government shouldn't be putting its heavy thumb on the scale in most cases, but in egregious instances, we should step forward and right these wrongs. But what I found there was a number of lawyers, I mean, hundreds of lawyers who were actively in resistance mode. There were memos out there by former government lawyers telling current government lawyers in my department how to resist.

woke prosecutors in those cities and woke city councils and woke mayors went along with them. They wanted them because they too don't like the police. And so it has been a sort of perfect storm of the taxpayer having to pay for monitoring. Some fat cat lawyer gets a big contract that goes on for many years. And crime skyrockets in cities with consent decrees. This is called the Ferguson effect.

woke prosecutors in those cities and woke city councils and woke mayors went along with them. They wanted them because they too don't like the police. And so it has been a sort of perfect storm of the taxpayer having to pay for monitoring. Some fat cat lawyer gets a big contract that goes on for many years. And crime skyrockets in cities with consent decrees. This is called the Ferguson effect.

after Ferguson, Missouri. When a city's under a consent decree, cops have to suddenly fill out reams of paperwork every day. Guess what? They don't wanna do that. They didn't become cops to sit there and do paperwork. So they quit, they retire, they move to cities where they do want policing to be done effectively. Crime goes up because criminals now know that the policing is not being done.

after Ferguson, Missouri. When a city's under a consent decree, cops have to suddenly fill out reams of paperwork every day. Guess what? They don't wanna do that. They didn't become cops to sit there and do paperwork. So they quit, they retire, they move to cities where they do want policing to be done effectively. Crime goes up because criminals now know that the policing is not being done.

And so, for example, and I'm not just saying this from a biased perspective, Axios did a review of cities under consent decrees. And I think one of the figures is crime went up by 61% in Los Angeles County as a result after consent decrees were imposed on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. And so cities are less safe.

And so, for example, and I'm not just saying this from a biased perspective, Axios did a review of cities under consent decrees. And I think one of the figures is crime went up by 61% in Los Angeles County as a result after consent decrees were imposed on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. And so cities are less safe.

You can just take the words of my predecessor at her own face value, which is, you know, defund the police. And so defund the police has become the mantra of so-called law enforcement in the United States.

You can just take the words of my predecessor at her own face value, which is, you know, defund the police. And so defund the police has become the mantra of so-called law enforcement in the United States.

If you're given a direct order, ask for clarification, send 20 emails, question it, slow down your response time, say it can't be done. So I was actually looking out for that when I came. And

If you're given a direct order, ask for clarification, send 20 emails, question it, slow down your response time, say it can't be done. So I was actually looking out for that when I came. And

I mean, I don't want to speculate about motives, but it has made our cities less safe. It has made us pay for the cities to become less safe. So that's particularly galling. We have to pay some person eating at Morton's on our dime and attending conferences on our dime. And... who are people who put their lives on the line for us every day are made to feel ashamed of their jobs.

I mean, I don't want to speculate about motives, but it has made our cities less safe. It has made us pay for the cities to become less safe. So that's particularly galling. We have to pay some person eating at Morton's on our dime and attending conferences on our dime. And... who are people who put their lives on the line for us every day are made to feel ashamed of their jobs.

And America's less safe. And every time you see, there are bad cops. I want to be clear. There are cops who shoot people. And the DOJ also prosecutes those, to be clear. Part of our job in the Civil Rights Division is a criminal section that criminally prosecutes bad cops. I support that. I've signed off on several prosecutions recently.

And America's less safe. And every time you see, there are bad cops. I want to be clear. There are cops who shoot people. And the DOJ also prosecutes those, to be clear. Part of our job in the Civil Rights Division is a criminal section that criminally prosecutes bad cops. I support that. I've signed off on several prosecutions recently.

So far, since I've been there, and there's trials going on right now, cops who shoot somebody in the back, and they exhibit excessive force. But we also have to all be punished collectively. Back to the point of collective punishment, we all have to suffer because there's one bad cop or two bad cops.

So far, since I've been there, and there's trials going on right now, cops who shoot somebody in the back, and they exhibit excessive force. But we also have to all be punished collectively. Back to the point of collective punishment, we all have to suffer because there's one bad cop or two bad cops.

I'm one of the few lawyers who's headed the civil rights division who's actually sued the police. And I did it from the opposite perspective of what is expected. So in 2016, I was at a Trump rally and there was a riot in San Jose. And it was an organized, well-funded riot. I'm just a citizen going to support my candidate. I did the... Pledge of Allegiance. I met the future president backstage.

I'm one of the few lawyers who's headed the civil rights division who's actually sued the police. And I did it from the opposite perspective of what is expected. So in 2016, I was at a Trump rally and there was a riot in San Jose. And it was an organized, well-funded riot. I'm just a citizen going to support my candidate. I did the... Pledge of Allegiance. I met the future president backstage.

i did my week of training after getting uh confirmed by the senate and then the next week i was like okay guys it's time to get to business i want everyone to be very clear what the agenda is here so there are 11 sections in civil rights and i drafted memos for each of those 11 sections for the lawyers and telling them these are the statutes so for example americans with disabilities act this is a statute that we enforce or title vii anti-discrimination or some of the other federal civil rights statutes and then

i did my week of training after getting uh confirmed by the senate and then the next week i was like okay guys it's time to get to business i want everyone to be very clear what the agenda is here so there are 11 sections in civil rights and i drafted memos for each of those 11 sections for the lawyers and telling them these are the statutes so for example americans with disabilities act this is a statute that we enforce or title vii anti-discrimination or some of the other federal civil rights statutes and then

And then all of us were subjected to mob violence. And what galled me was the police, 200 plus of them with riot gear, just stood there and watched. And I went and during the course of my lawsuit suing over the fact that American citizens were injured in a violent mob, I asked some of them, like, why? Why was that?

And then all of us were subjected to mob violence. And what galled me was the police, 200 plus of them with riot gear, just stood there and watched. And I went and during the course of my lawsuit suing over the fact that American citizens were injured in a violent mob, I asked some of them, like, why? Why was that?

You get to the bottom of that lawsuit and it turns out that because of consent decrees and best practices of policing that are coming down from Washington, D.C. and the DOJ, the police are taught to basically, in a crowd control situation, stand there and watch and not do anything. It is insane. I was truly shocked by that.

You get to the bottom of that lawsuit and it turns out that because of consent decrees and best practices of policing that are coming down from Washington, D.C. and the DOJ, the police are taught to basically, in a crowd control situation, stand there and watch and not do anything. It is insane. I was truly shocked by that.

And so I have experience suing the police and, you know, trying to get them to improve their practices and be more aggressive on behalf of the taxpayers, which is the opposite of what they're usually asked to do in these cases. And so, you know, so we resolved that case with some agreements that they would do some training and be a little, you know, different than what they were.

And so I have experience suing the police and, you know, trying to get them to improve their practices and be more aggressive on behalf of the taxpayers, which is the opposite of what they're usually asked to do in these cases. And so, you know, so we resolved that case with some agreements that they would do some training and be a little, you know, different than what they were.

But what we're seeing in the Biden DOJ, which again, I came in and I looked at the books here, is It's striking that, first of all, they took the four years to immediately begin changing course, opening investigations that the Trump DOJ had closed and shut down. And then literally after the election, after the election where President Trump won in 2024...

But what we're seeing in the Biden DOJ, which again, I came in and I looked at the books here, is It's striking that, first of all, they took the four years to immediately begin changing course, opening investigations that the Trump DOJ had closed and shut down. And then literally after the election, after the election where President Trump won in 2024...

they filed several cases and made public several findings of fact in um over you know over 10 cities in the united states they hastily ran to court in december in louisville kentucky and in january january 6 in minneapolis minnesota to file new cases You know, clearly at the tail end, they lost the election.

they filed several cases and made public several findings of fact in um over you know over 10 cities in the united states they hastily ran to court in december in louisville kentucky and in january january 6 in minneapolis minnesota to file new cases You know, clearly at the tail end, they lost the election.

They're not going to be able to carry this through, but they wanted to make public these consent decrees. So they put in front of two federal judges in these two cases in Minneapolis and Louisville, these factual findings. Now, these factual findings are done by lawyers sitting in their living rooms on a dry paper record.

They're not going to be able to carry this through, but they wanted to make public these consent decrees. So they put in front of two federal judges in these two cases in Minneapolis and Louisville, these factual findings. Now, these factual findings are done by lawyers sitting in their living rooms on a dry paper record.

And the findings are, you know, we have reason to believe that these cities engaged in racist policing and also violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. That's a common theme running through the dozen or so consent decrees that I've, consent decrees and factual findings predating a consent decree that I've reviewed at DOJ.

And the findings are, you know, we have reason to believe that these cities engaged in racist policing and also violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. That's a common theme running through the dozen or so consent decrees that I've, consent decrees and factual findings predating a consent decree that I've reviewed at DOJ.

So the idea is that if a drugged out or mentally ill person is the subject of a call to 911, somehow the police dispatcher is supposed to know, just based on a member of the public calling or somebody calling for help themselves, that they should have done what, I don't know, dispatched a social worker instead of a cop to the scene after someone dials 911?

So the idea is that if a drugged out or mentally ill person is the subject of a call to 911, somehow the police dispatcher is supposed to know, just based on a member of the public calling or somebody calling for help themselves, that they should have done what, I don't know, dispatched a social worker instead of a cop to the scene after someone dials 911?

I mean, you might think so, reading some of the factual findings. Are you being serious? I am serious. Based on the factual findings I've seen from DOJ.

I mean, you might think so, reading some of the factual findings. Are you being serious? I am serious. Based on the factual findings I've seen from DOJ.

Tucker, it's a mental health issue.

Tucker, it's a mental health issue.

Well, apparently the police dispatcher is supposed to know by that 911 call that they shouldn't have sent a cop. They should have sent a social worker. I mean, it's an insane standard.

Well, apparently the police dispatcher is supposed to know by that 911 call that they shouldn't have sent a cop. They should have sent a social worker. I mean, it's an insane standard.

The federal government, DOJ, has been reaching those factual findings and then asking federal judges to impose... Thick, decade-long, minutely detailed consent decrees out of which cities struggle to get out of. You know, the average consent decree, Tucker, when the United States Department of Justice bullies a city into agreeing to it is over a decade.

The federal government, DOJ, has been reaching those factual findings and then asking federal judges to impose... Thick, decade-long, minutely detailed consent decrees out of which cities struggle to get out of. You know, the average consent decree, Tucker, when the United States Department of Justice bullies a city into agreeing to it is over a decade.

So the problem isn't solved quickly by all the taxpayer dollars, the monitor, the police reform, the community policing councils and groups that are set up in these consent decrees. The judge overseeing it, the problem that was identified isn't solved. In fact, it turns out that when you fund investigations and you fund monitoring,

So the problem isn't solved quickly by all the taxpayer dollars, the monitor, the police reform, the community policing councils and groups that are set up in these consent decrees. The judge overseeing it, the problem that was identified isn't solved. In fact, it turns out that when you fund investigations and you fund monitoring,

and a monitor decides when you're good enough and your performance has improved, you get more monitoring. You get more years of that. You get more fees paid to big law firms like Hogan Lovells and some other big law firms in the United States. And the citizens pay the bill. So it's a tax on Americans who live in cities because one cop, or maybe no cops in some cases, did something wrong.

and a monitor decides when you're good enough and your performance has improved, you get more monitoring. You get more years of that. You get more fees paid to big law firms like Hogan Lovells and some other big law firms in the United States. And the citizens pay the bill. So it's a tax on Americans who live in cities because one cop, or maybe no cops in some cases, did something wrong.

So that's the baseline. And then this is the president's agenda. These are his executive orders that he's put out there about anti-discrimination, about anti-DEI, about enforcing our laws equally. And that's the job. You're going to apply these statutes within the framework of anti-discrimination, even-handedly, and without fear or favor.

So that's the baseline. And then this is the president's agenda. These are his executive orders that he's put out there about anti-discrimination, about anti-DEI, about enforcing our laws equally. And that's the job. You're going to apply these statutes within the framework of anti-discrimination, even-handedly, and without fear or favor.

And so it's a totally broken system. And when we came into office, it was a priority of this administration to review all pending consent decrees, all consent decrees that had yet to be entered by a judge, all pre-consent decree factual findings found by the Department of Justice and announced publicly shaming these cities, and look at the data and see, are these really justified?

And so it's a totally broken system. And when we came into office, it was a priority of this administration to review all pending consent decrees, all consent decrees that had yet to be entered by a judge, all pre-consent decree factual findings found by the Department of Justice and announced publicly shaming these cities, and look at the data and see, are these really justified?

And our immediate conclusion, by the way, not just our conclusion, in the case of Minneapolis and Louisville, Federal judges to which these were presented had some tough questions. And in the case of Louisville, the judge asked the DOJ lawyers, these DOJ lawyers I've described from the Civil Rights Division, to explain themselves. How did you reach that conclusion?

And our immediate conclusion, by the way, not just our conclusion, in the case of Minneapolis and Louisville, Federal judges to which these were presented had some tough questions. And in the case of Louisville, the judge asked the DOJ lawyers, these DOJ lawyers I've described from the Civil Rights Division, to explain themselves. How did you reach that conclusion?

What are the data supporting your conclusion? How do you account for variables like... What are the high crime areas? I mean, are the high crime areas racially different than the population of the city? These lawyers did not have answers. It was embarrassing. And so the judge refused to enter the consent decree in Louisville and sent the DOJ back and said, I need your answers. Guess what?

What are the data supporting your conclusion? How do you account for variables like... What are the high crime areas? I mean, are the high crime areas racially different than the population of the city? These lawyers did not have answers. It was embarrassing. And so the judge refused to enter the consent decree in Louisville and sent the DOJ back and said, I need your answers. Guess what?

This is days before the administration is about to turn over. So we've asked for a couple of continuances. So...

This is days before the administration is about to turn over. So we've asked for a couple of continuances. So...

He said the quiet part out loud, which is I hire mainly black people for the positions of authority.

He said the quiet part out loud, which is I hire mainly black people for the positions of authority.

You should have to prove it. But as I said, no jury has ever agreed with the DOJ. But what are the measures?

You should have to prove it. But as I said, no jury has ever agreed with the DOJ. But what are the measures?

Well, so we have, of course, being the government, we have statisticians on our staff at the Department of Justice. I was surprised to show up. I was thinking, oh my gosh, let me look at all these lawyers. What is their trial experience? Oh, there's a PhD in statistics here. That's going to be really useful in court. But they could be, by the way. There are cases.

Well, so we have, of course, being the government, we have statisticians on our staff at the Department of Justice. I was surprised to show up. I was thinking, oh my gosh, let me look at all these lawyers. What is their trial experience? Oh, there's a PhD in statistics here. That's going to be really useful in court. But they could be, by the way. There are cases.

So properly deployed, they could be. But if you never have to prove your case, You never have to use them. You simply beat people over the head with a statistics book. And so that's what's happened here. So I'll give you an example. Memphis, Tennessee is one of the cities that the outgoing Department of Justice issued some pretty lurid-looking factual findings in.

So properly deployed, they could be. But if you never have to prove your case, You never have to use them. You simply beat people over the head with a statistics book. And so that's what's happened here. So I'll give you an example. Memphis, Tennessee is one of the cities that the outgoing Department of Justice issued some pretty lurid-looking factual findings in.

And so when you start reading it, you look at, hey, the findings are Memphis is racist and their arrest rates of African-Americans are disproportionate. I'm sorry, let me just say...

And so when you start reading it, you look at, hey, the findings are Memphis is racist and their arrest rates of African-Americans are disproportionate. I'm sorry, let me just say...

Well, so Memphis is majority black. Yes. The police force is majority black. Yes. And guess what? The homeless population, which is the subject of this consent decree finding, pre-consent decree finding, is majority Black.

Well, so Memphis is majority black. Yes. The police force is majority black. Yes. And guess what? The homeless population, which is the subject of this consent decree finding, pre-consent decree finding, is majority Black.

And so the idea that there's disproportionate arrests of, you know, people who are on the street and, you know, potentially committing crimes as racists, Black cops, Black population, and Black homeless population. How do you reach that conclusion that racism, you have to reach that conclusion because you are biased yourself. And the lens that you're looking through is a lens seeking racism.

And so the idea that there's disproportionate arrests of, you know, people who are on the street and, you know, potentially committing crimes as racists, Black cops, Black population, and Black homeless population. How do you reach that conclusion that racism, you have to reach that conclusion because you are biased yourself. And the lens that you're looking through is a lens seeking racism.

And if that's what you're seeking, that's what you find in each of these cities. And that is what they found in each of these cities.

And if that's what you're seeking, that's what you find in each of these cities. And that is what they found in each of these cities.

Well, that's the problem with these consent decrees. And so we examine these and look, one of the things people need to understand as a lawyer, when I go into federal court and my name as the assistant attorney general for civil rights is on all of these documents that we file in court. Sometimes the attorney general's name is on it as well.

Well, that's the problem with these consent decrees. And so we examine these and look, one of the things people need to understand as a lawyer, when I go into federal court and my name as the assistant attorney general for civil rights is on all of these documents that we file in court. Sometimes the attorney general's name is on it as well.

And this catalyzed hundreds of lawyers to quit the Civil Rights Division.

And this catalyzed hundreds of lawyers to quit the Civil Rights Division.

But my name is on all of these documents where we charge somebody. And I have to be able to say to the judge, look the judge in the eye and say, I believe in these findings of my Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Judge, I stand behind them, and I'm confident that what we're alleging in these papers is true.

But my name is on all of these documents where we charge somebody. And I have to be able to say to the judge, look the judge in the eye and say, I believe in these findings of my Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Judge, I stand behind them, and I'm confident that what we're alleging in these papers is true.

Well, Tucker, I looked at these findings, and I and the lawyers who report to me in the DOJ, said we cannot stand behind these conclusions. I can't stand in front of a judge with a straight face and say that Memphis's problems are racist cops. I mean, they're not racist. They simply are dealing with a population that happens to have a particular racial makeup.

Well, Tucker, I looked at these findings, and I and the lawyers who report to me in the DOJ, said we cannot stand behind these conclusions. I can't stand in front of a judge with a straight face and say that Memphis's problems are racist cops. I mean, they're not racist. They simply are dealing with a population that happens to have a particular racial makeup.

The conclusions are not correcting for that. The conclusions are not correcting for what neighborhoods have crime. There's cherry picking of statistics. There's imposing Americans with Disabilities Act laws layers onto these consent decrees that don't exist in the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not impose on police requirements of how they respond to 911 calls. It just doesn't.

The conclusions are not correcting for that. The conclusions are not correcting for what neighborhoods have crime. There's cherry picking of statistics. There's imposing Americans with Disabilities Act laws layers onto these consent decrees that don't exist in the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not impose on police requirements of how they respond to 911 calls. It just doesn't.

So wishing it were so does not make it so. And so what's happening is These cities are having to agree to these things because they're afraid of the consequences or they have a woke city council that wants the hands of the police to be tied. That's the most corrupt thing is the cities were basically begging for these consent decrees to be entered.

So wishing it were so does not make it so. And so what's happening is These cities are having to agree to these things because they're afraid of the consequences or they have a woke city council that wants the hands of the police to be tied. That's the most corrupt thing is the cities were basically begging for these consent decrees to be entered.

And, you know, in the case of Louisville, we're dismissing the Louisville.

And, you know, in the case of Louisville, we're dismissing the Louisville.

No one's talking about it until we started looking at these. And so we're dismissing and withdrawing the Minneapolis and the Louisville consent decrees that were put in front of federal judges just a few months ago. We don't have confidence in them. We are telling judges that this is not something that the DOJ can stand behind.

No one's talking about it until we started looking at these. And so we're dismissing and withdrawing the Minneapolis and the Louisville consent decrees that were put in front of federal judges just a few months ago. We don't have confidence in them. We are telling judges that this is not something that the DOJ can stand behind.

Yes. And the law and the priorities, their pet projects had changed. They weren't going to be able to do those the way that they wanted.

Yes. And the law and the priorities, their pet projects had changed. They weren't going to be able to do those the way that they wanted.

Now, in each of these cities, by the way, Louisville has already agreed to hire its own police monitor without the DOJ forcing them to do it. I mean, that's not my business. I wouldn't necessarily think that the problem goes to that degree. Someone's friend who's a lawyer is probably going to get paid out of that. And, you know, good for them.

Now, in each of these cities, by the way, Louisville has already agreed to hire its own police monitor without the DOJ forcing them to do it. I mean, that's not my business. I wouldn't necessarily think that the problem goes to that degree. Someone's friend who's a lawyer is probably going to get paid out of that. And, you know, good for them.

But in Minneapolis's case, Minneapolis has already entered into a state consent decree. So why are they still going along with this federal one? Well, they thought the federal one would be worse and more onerous. And so Minneapolis has publicly stated that they're going to oppose the Department of Justice's attempts to dismiss the case against the city, believe that or not.

But in Minneapolis's case, Minneapolis has already entered into a state consent decree. So why are they still going along with this federal one? Well, they thought the federal one would be worse and more onerous. And so Minneapolis has publicly stated that they're going to oppose the Department of Justice's attempts to dismiss the case against the city, believe that or not.

I mean, you would think as a city leader, your job is first to protect your city and then deal with your problems yourself, which they're already doing in Minneapolis.

I mean, you would think as a city leader, your job is first to protect your city and then deal with your problems yourself, which they're already doing in Minneapolis.

Not even crimes. Just, you know, sort of reason to believe that the police practices are improper or inadequate.

Not even crimes. Just, you know, sort of reason to believe that the police practices are improper or inadequate.

I want to put words into their mouths, but their actions are that they would oppose the DOJ letting them sort it out themselves. I mean, it is what it is. So not every city is like that and not every municipality is like that. There are six other jurisdictions that the DOJ issued findings in that we're withdrawing.

I want to put words into their mouths, but their actions are that they would oppose the DOJ letting them sort it out themselves. I mean, it is what it is. So not every city is like that and not every municipality is like that. There are six other jurisdictions that the DOJ issued findings in that we're withdrawing.

Look, I knew that consent decrees were an abusive process. I did not realize the extent to which there was collusion in this process. I mean, we have we have perpetual monitors who have made decades of their lives getting paid. Like there's one which a city that just closed up its consent decree. DOJ dismissed it after a decade.

Look, I knew that consent decrees were an abusive process. I did not realize the extent to which there was collusion in this process. I mean, we have we have perpetual monitors who have made decades of their lives getting paid. Like there's one which a city that just closed up its consent decree. DOJ dismissed it after a decade.

A single man got paid a million dollars a year to monitor a year a year. To monitor a city's compliance with a DOJ consent decree that went on and on and on. And, you know, these consent decree monitors set compliance rates of 95% or 100%. And it's like, it's like Zeno's paradox. You know, you never actually reach 100% because you never reached 94%. You never reached 95%.

A single man got paid a million dollars a year to monitor a year a year. To monitor a city's compliance with a DOJ consent decree that went on and on and on. And, you know, these consent decree monitors set compliance rates of 95% or 100%. And it's like, it's like Zeno's paradox. You know, you never actually reach 100% because you never reached 94%. You never reached 95%.

It has been. I mean, there were career lawyers there who were doing the same thing no matter who's the president. And so suddenly their little fiefdom that had remained untouched, like Shangri-La, was suddenly having to be responsive to elections. And so...

It has been. I mean, there were career lawyers there who were doing the same thing no matter who's the president. And so suddenly their little fiefdom that had remained untouched, like Shangri-La, was suddenly having to be responsive to elections. And so...

And the judge is a guy getting paid to determine the outcome. And it is a broken system. Some of these consent decree monitors have fake companies, shell companies that haven't been registered with any state. Some of them have fake nonprofits that aren't really nonprofits. They sell themselves and, you know, there's never any accountability.

And the judge is a guy getting paid to determine the outcome. And it is a broken system. Some of these consent decree monitors have fake companies, shell companies that haven't been registered with any state. Some of them have fake nonprofits that aren't really nonprofits. They sell themselves and, you know, there's never any accountability.

And so at a minimum, what we're doing for all of these existing consent decrees as well is to look at these monitors and Are they real? What goals have they accomplished in a decade? Are things better in that city? Are the people safer? What are we getting in exchange? Some of these consent decrees, Tucker, cost cities over the course of this 10 years.

And so at a minimum, what we're doing for all of these existing consent decrees as well is to look at these monitors and Are they real? What goals have they accomplished in a decade? Are things better in that city? Are the people safer? What are we getting in exchange? Some of these consent decrees, Tucker, cost cities over the course of this 10 years.

Just forget the monitor was getting paid 10 million bucks on average. $200 million in some cases is what it costs a city or a county to comply with a decade-long consent decree because they have to do all these endless trainings and they have to fill out all these forms.

Just forget the monitor was getting paid 10 million bucks on average. $200 million in some cases is what it costs a city or a county to comply with a decade-long consent decree because they have to do all these endless trainings and they have to fill out all these forms.

The Department of Justice in the last four years has spent 65,000 hours in the Civil Rights Division, which only had about 60 lawyers. So tens of thousands of hours spent. monitoring these consent decrees. I mean, it is a mind-boggling volume of waste.

The Department of Justice in the last four years has spent 65,000 hours in the Civil Rights Division, which only had about 60 lawyers. So tens of thousands of hours spent. monitoring these consent decrees. I mean, it is a mind-boggling volume of waste.

That is correct. That is the average outcome of a consent decree.

That is correct. That is the average outcome of a consent decree.

Well, what we're doing is one by one looking at every existing consent decree, and I haven't gotten through all of them, but, you know, we got to the point where six weeks in, I said, look, we have to put a stop to these. I mean, some of these cities, so Phoenix, Arizona, we're dismissing the findings, we're withdrawing the findings in our pre-consent decree efforts there.

Well, what we're doing is one by one looking at every existing consent decree, and I haven't gotten through all of them, but, you know, we got to the point where six weeks in, I said, look, we have to put a stop to these. I mean, some of these cities, so Phoenix, Arizona, we're dismissing the findings, we're withdrawing the findings in our pre-consent decree efforts there.

Mount Vernon, New York, a tiny... Police Department with, you know, what I would say a couple of practices that I wouldn't necessarily agree are the best practices, but, you know, they've also agreed to stop doing them. So why is the federal government getting involved and putting together thick reports? Oklahoma City is another one. Trenton, New Jersey is another one.

Mount Vernon, New York, a tiny... Police Department with, you know, what I would say a couple of practices that I wouldn't necessarily agree are the best practices, but, you know, they've also agreed to stop doing them. So why is the federal government getting involved and putting together thick reports? Oklahoma City is another one. Trenton, New Jersey is another one.

The Mississippi Police Department is another one. The Mississippi State Police is another one. And then we have Memphis, which we already discussed. And so in some cases, these cities didn't go along with them. They fought the DOJ. So, you know, good for them having some integrity in their city government.

The Mississippi Police Department is another one. The Mississippi State Police is another one. And then we have Memphis, which we already discussed. And so in some cases, these cities didn't go along with them. They fought the DOJ. So, you know, good for them having some integrity in their city government.

So Phoenix seems to be an attempt by the Department of Justice to go after a sort of purple, reddish jurisdiction and hold them accountable for trying to impose quality of life standards. So, for example, Phoenix has been called to account in the DOJ report that we're withdrawing as part of my investigation for moving the homeless along. And what law do they cite in this consent decree analysis?

So Phoenix seems to be an attempt by the Department of Justice to go after a sort of purple, reddish jurisdiction and hold them accountable for trying to impose quality of life standards. So, for example, Phoenix has been called to account in the DOJ report that we're withdrawing as part of my investigation for moving the homeless along. And what law do they cite in this consent decree analysis?

They cite the Boise, Idaho case that people are familiar with, where the court, the Ninth Circuit, held that it was unconstitutional for Boise to try to move homeless people off the street unless you had a nice housing to put them in. Well, the United States Supreme Court reversed that. And so they reversed it in the Grants Pass case.

They cite the Boise, Idaho case that people are familiar with, where the court, the Ninth Circuit, held that it was unconstitutional for Boise to try to move homeless people off the street unless you had a nice housing to put them in. Well, the United States Supreme Court reversed that. And so they reversed it in the Grants Pass case.

So we're even today in the DOJ's recent consent decree work simply ignoring binding Supreme Court precedent that says that what the police were doing in Phoenix is A-OK under the law and hoping to simply bully them into compliance. This is not what our federal government should be doing.

So we're even today in the DOJ's recent consent decree work simply ignoring binding Supreme Court precedent that says that what the police were doing in Phoenix is A-OK under the law and hoping to simply bully them into compliance. This is not what our federal government should be doing.

It really is.

It really is.

Why would any elected official of any party want that in the United States in 2025? Well, I don't get it. And so in these eight cases, we're getting rid of them and there will be more. I'm confident.

Why would any elected official of any party want that in the United States in 2025? Well, I don't get it. And so in these eight cases, we're getting rid of them and there will be more. I'm confident.

Well, and on top of that, there's some corrupt rent seeking as well. Let's just call it what it is. You know, there's, like I said, these white shoe lawyers. One was thrown out of a casino earlier this year. A prominent lawyer at a major law firm was thrown out of a casino. He's intoxicated. When the police came, he said, I'm with the DOJ. I'm the police monitor. And so you can't touch me.

Well, and on top of that, there's some corrupt rent seeking as well. Let's just call it what it is. You know, there's, like I said, these white shoe lawyers. One was thrown out of a casino earlier this year. A prominent lawyer at a major law firm was thrown out of a casino. He's intoxicated. When the police came, he said, I'm with the DOJ. I'm the police monitor. And so you can't touch me.

Other cities have reported to us, lawyers, my colleagues in the DOJ, that if you dare complain about my bills, I'm going to keep you under a consent decree longer. I mean, it's that level of shakedown.

Other cities have reported to us, lawyers, my colleagues in the DOJ, that if you dare complain about my bills, I'm going to keep you under a consent decree longer. I mean, it's that level of shakedown.

Well, that's what I found. And so, you know... In response to my memos, of course, they began leaking to the press. They began having unhappy hours, which they would invite supervisors, political supervisors to, to make their point that they were unhappy. We got the point. And they had crying sessions, struggle sessions, crying sessions in the DOJ. They cried?

Well, that's what I found. And so, you know... In response to my memos, of course, they began leaking to the press. They began having unhappy hours, which they would invite supervisors, political supervisors to, to make their point that they were unhappy. We got the point. And they had crying sessions, struggle sessions, crying sessions in the DOJ. They cried?

My billing. Yeah. When the bills are questioned, the city gets punished harder. So, you know... You would hope judges are looking at these things carefully. Guess what? Judges are busy and judges are not looking at them that carefully.

My billing. Yeah. When the bills are questioned, the city gets punished harder. So, you know... You would hope judges are looking at these things carefully. Guess what? Judges are busy and judges are not looking at them that carefully.

Well, the monitors are not being paid by the DOJ. They're being paid by the cities. So the cities that are under the lens of the DOJ are having these costs imposed on them. And there's, like I said, no accountability. There are annual conferences of the judges who impose the consent decrees, of the monitors who enjoy the fees and don't solve the problem.

Well, the monitors are not being paid by the DOJ. They're being paid by the cities. So the cities that are under the lens of the DOJ are having these costs imposed on them. And there's, like I said, no accountability. There are annual conferences of the judges who impose the consent decrees, of the monitors who enjoy the fees and don't solve the problem.

And the city officials who think it's all kind of a game, let's have community policing and let's have a bunch of random people who have no background in dealing with crime tell the police what to do. There's annual junkets. It's an industry. It's a multi-billion dollar industry making America more unsafe for the most part.

And the city officials who think it's all kind of a game, let's have community policing and let's have a bunch of random people who have no background in dealing with crime tell the police what to do. There's annual junkets. It's an industry. It's a multi-billion dollar industry making America more unsafe for the most part.

Well, people are afraid in America's cities. And we have been made to believe that riots, like after the Minneapolis incident with George Floyd, like the regrettable incident where Breonna Taylor was shot. By the way, my department is prosecuting the two cops who lied to get... a no-knock warrant in that case.

Well, people are afraid in America's cities. And we have been made to believe that riots, like after the Minneapolis incident with George Floyd, like the regrettable incident where Breonna Taylor was shot. By the way, my department is prosecuting the two cops who lied to get... a no-knock warrant in that case.

I mean, that is a serious offense and we're going to hold those individuals accountable, which is different than holding the whole city of Louisville and all the taxpayers in that city accountable for mistakes that were allegedly made by two individuals. So, you know, what a concept, you know, individual responsibility for individual mistakes.

I mean, that is a serious offense and we're going to hold those individuals accountable, which is different than holding the whole city of Louisville and all the taxpayers in that city accountable for mistakes that were allegedly made by two individuals. So, you know, what a concept, you know, individual responsibility for individual mistakes.

And so, you know, we do that regularly in each of these jurisdictions, Tucker, where the DOJ has been examining these police departments. There have been police misconduct cases and cops have been punished either at the state level or at the federal level. That's appropriate. They're bad actors in every industry, you know, media and law and medicine. But...

And so, you know, we do that regularly in each of these jurisdictions, Tucker, where the DOJ has been examining these police departments. There have been police misconduct cases and cops have been punished either at the state level or at the federal level. That's appropriate. They're bad actors in every industry, you know, media and law and medicine. But...

Asking cops as a matter of a multi-hundred page consent decree to sort of be doctors and predict Americans with Disabilities Act outcomes, adverse outcomes, is just insane. And it doesn't work. And, you know, let's face it, if these lawyers were any good at organic chemistry, they wouldn't be lawyers, right? No, that's right. I mean, you know, so...

Asking cops as a matter of a multi-hundred page consent decree to sort of be doctors and predict Americans with Disabilities Act outcomes, adverse outcomes, is just insane. And it doesn't work. And, you know, let's face it, if these lawyers were any good at organic chemistry, they wouldn't be lawyers, right? No, that's right. I mean, you know, so...

The government cannot be the be-all and end-all solution to all social ills, and this is an example.

The government cannot be the be-all and end-all solution to all social ills, and this is an example.

We are examining them, and we're going to be bringing to the attention of judges inappropriate conduct by monitors. The one I just mentioned is one who is ripe to be mentioned to a judge as someone committing misconduct. Monitors who claim to have nonprofits or corporations, but they don't. We're going to be bringing those to the attention of a judge.

We are examining them, and we're going to be bringing to the attention of judges inappropriate conduct by monitors. The one I just mentioned is one who is ripe to be mentioned to a judge as someone committing misconduct. Monitors who claim to have nonprofits or corporations, but they don't. We're going to be bringing those to the attention of a judge.

Oh, there was open crying in the halls. Crying? Crying, yes. And then one of my colleagues described to me, it was the last day a couple of weeks ago for some of them, they lined up in a phalanx and approached the elevator together, and then they left the building together, you know, to show their solidarity for one another there as if they were persecuted. How old were they?

Oh, there was open crying in the halls. Crying? Crying, yes. And then one of my colleagues described to me, it was the last day a couple of weeks ago for some of them, they lined up in a phalanx and approached the elevator together, and then they left the building together, you know, to show their solidarity for one another there as if they were persecuted. How old were they?

You raise a very good question and a question I've raised myself. And so we have today in 2025 lawyers who have been are under prosecution. I mean, this is happening in Arizona and Nevada and other jurisdictions, California or a bar complaint for who they represented. You're absolutely right. And what arguments they made even privately to their client and not even in front of a judge.

You raise a very good question and a question I've raised myself. And so we have today in 2025 lawyers who have been are under prosecution. I mean, this is happening in Arizona and Nevada and other jurisdictions, California or a bar complaint for who they represented. You're absolutely right. And what arguments they made even privately to their client and not even in front of a judge.

John Eastman is an example of that. And so many others. And yet you have corrupt monitors who are holding cities hostage effectively and all the taxpayers in those cities for their personal benefit. And then you have city councils who are elected to represent the people and instead they would like to see the cops handcuffed. And see and see the streets burning in their cities.

John Eastman is an example of that. And so many others. And yet you have corrupt monitors who are holding cities hostage effectively and all the taxpayers in those cities for their personal benefit. And then you have city councils who are elected to represent the people and instead they would like to see the cops handcuffed. And see and see the streets burning in their cities.

And this is a lack of accountability. It is a broken system. And at least the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is not going to be participating in making that broken system worse under President Trump's leadership and under our current attorney general.

And this is a lack of accountability. It is a broken system. And at least the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is not going to be participating in making that broken system worse under President Trump's leadership and under our current attorney general.

I know what a concept, right?

I know what a concept, right?

Well, there are 11 sections in the Civil Rights Division. And some of the things that we're going to be looking at in coming weeks and months include the rampant anti-Christian bias happening throughout the United States. And so there's anti-Christian bias happening within the government.

Well, there are 11 sections in the Civil Rights Division. And some of the things that we're going to be looking at in coming weeks and months include the rampant anti-Christian bias happening throughout the United States. And so there's anti-Christian bias happening within the government.

There are chaplains in the military who are told to tone down their Christianity under the prior administration. And that's insane. And, you know, in America, we're founded on religious liberty and specifically Christianity. and the Protestants who came here to be able to practice their faith freely. And so we're bringing back a focus on that. There's a law called... Bless you. Thank you.

There are chaplains in the military who are told to tone down their Christianity under the prior administration. And that's insane. And, you know, in America, we're founded on religious liberty and specifically Christianity. and the Protestants who came here to be able to practice their faith freely. And so we're bringing back a focus on that. There's a law called... Bless you. Thank you.

And it's important. And it's important for all people of faith in America to be able to worship. And so we're bringing a number of cases under what's called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which is when jurisdictions are discriminating on the basis of zoning against houses of worship, they... Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any faith.

And it's important. And it's important for all people of faith in America to be able to worship. And so we're bringing a number of cases under what's called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which is when jurisdictions are discriminating on the basis of zoning against houses of worship, they... Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any faith.

That's happening throughout the United States.

That's happening throughout the United States.

And we have a federal law that gives them higher than First Amendment protection, that law that I mentioned. And so we're going after Forestburg, New York. We're going after other jurisdictions that are doing this. And so we are going after discrimination in employment, like the Chicago cases.

And we have a federal law that gives them higher than First Amendment protection, that law that I mentioned. And so we're going after Forestburg, New York. We're going after other jurisdictions that are doing this. And so we are going after discrimination in employment, like the Chicago cases.

People have been texting me all in the last 24 hours and 48 hours since we started this investigation saying, Giving me other examples of other cities doing the exact same thing. So we have a lot of work cut out for us. The DOJ civil rights generally covers, not exclusively, but generally covers government discrimination. I mean, occasionally it will verge into private discrimination.

People have been texting me all in the last 24 hours and 48 hours since we started this investigation saying, Giving me other examples of other cities doing the exact same thing. So we have a lot of work cut out for us. The DOJ civil rights generally covers, not exclusively, but generally covers government discrimination. I mean, occasionally it will verge into private discrimination.

Colorado is forcing a Christian camp to supposedly allow boys to be in the girls' changing rooms. That's a violation of the religious liberty of the kids and the families going to that Christian camp. We're going to be going after schools that try to

Colorado is forcing a Christian camp to supposedly allow boys to be in the girls' changing rooms. That's a violation of the religious liberty of the kids and the families going to that Christian camp. We're going to be going after schools that try to

take from parents their natural, God-given, and constitutional right to control their children's education, be it with sexualized curricula or transgenderism that's happening in our schools throughout the United States from the most unlikely places.

take from parents their natural, God-given, and constitutional right to control their children's education, be it with sexualized curricula or transgenderism that's happening in our schools throughout the United States from the most unlikely places.

These are 30, 40, and 50-year-old career attorneys in the Department of Justice. That's pathetic. It's different. I come from the private sector, as you know. Over 30 years in the private sector, 18 years successfully running my own law firm, and you get to work, and you put things together, and if it's not working out, you change tax, and you try something else. But there's no...

These are 30, 40, and 50-year-old career attorneys in the Department of Justice. That's pathetic. It's different. I come from the private sector, as you know. Over 30 years in the private sector, 18 years successfully running my own law firm, and you get to work, and you put things together, and if it's not working out, you change tax, and you try something else. But there's no...

And, you know, I kind of joke, I'll start the day at 8 o'clock in the morning or earlier sometimes, and throughout the day, one or the other one of my deputies jumps into my office, and I'm like, oh, what fresh hell is this?

And, you know, I kind of joke, I'll start the day at 8 o'clock in the morning or earlier sometimes, and throughout the day, one or the other one of my deputies jumps into my office, and I'm like, oh, what fresh hell is this?

The sheer volume of violations of our civil rights happening by the state and local petty bureaucrats and wrong-minded private people throughout the United States is overwhelming sometimes. So if I had... 400 lawyers plus at my disposal to go after them. We would keep them busy doing good work for the American people all day long.

The sheer volume of violations of our civil rights happening by the state and local petty bureaucrats and wrong-minded private people throughout the United States is overwhelming sometimes. So if I had... 400 lawyers plus at my disposal to go after them. We would keep them busy doing good work for the American people all day long.

And I wasn't invited. And that's okay, because I'm too busy working and knitting in my spare time.

And I wasn't invited. And that's okay, because I'm too busy working and knitting in my spare time.