Judge Susan Crawford
Appearances
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Sleepy Trump Has Disaster Interview as Pressure Grows
unless, no, there's no, yes, the Russians have whatever Witkopf was doing or saying on his personal cell phone. The way Witkoff should have handled this and the way this meeting should have been conducted is Witkoff should have gone into the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and gone into their secure compartment facility and conducted his participation by videoconference.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Sleepy Trump Has Disaster Interview as Pressure Grows
That's how this whole thing should have happened. There should never have been a signal chat used as the vehicle for a discussion that involved anything sensitive regarding national security. The Russians undoubtedly have it.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Republicans Freak Out Over Major Election Loss
for all other oligarchs and she goes we won play this clip someone who watches out for people but i've got to tell you as a little girl growing up in chippewa falls i never could have imagined that i'd be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin, and we won.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Republicans Freak Out Over Major Election Loss
So today, Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy. Our fair elections and our Supreme Court and Wisconsin's stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price. Our courts are not for sale.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Trump Suffers Major Defeat in Wisconsin Supreme Court Blowout
Listen to what he says, listen to his words. And he's talked about begging on his knees for campaign contributions, wearing out his knee pads. He's saying that he wants to be on the court to be part of Donald Trump's support network. You just gotta listen to what the guy says. He wants to be on the court to push a partisan agenda.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Trump Suffers Major Defeat in Wisconsin Supreme Court Blowout
He wants to be there to support Elon Musk and to support Donald Trump and Doge. And that's really not what the court's for. And I've said over and over, I wanna be on the court to protect the people of Wisconsin under our constitution and laws. Brad Schimel's got a whole different agenda.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
MeidasTouch Full Podcast - 4/1/25
It was just a one-time thing. That's what Brad Schimel said when he gave a, quote, sweet bargain to a man who sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl. The sex predator served just 18 months in prison for his crime and got out. A few weeks ago, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a child again. And that was just one time Brad Schimel let a sex predator loose on our kids.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
MeidasTouch Full Podcast - 4/1/25
So why would we ever give him another chance? Brad Schimel.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
talking about whether or not and when and how the United States should attack a foreign adversary. The fact of that conversation and its contents is inherently classified because if an adversary were to have the ability to learn of those plans and intentions in advance, then that adversary could prepare.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
both by hardening their defenses or evading attack, but more worryingly, by going after the United States and our assets as we conduct the attack. So military plans and operations are inherently classified. Add to that
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
that we know from Jeff Goldberg's reporting that Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, shared sensitive military plans, including attack targets, timing, sequencing, the ordnance or the bomb types that they were going to use. That is all inherently classified. Tulsi Gabbard is either lying or being deliberately evasive by trying to say no intelligence material was shared.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
She may be trying to be very cute by half and suggesting that no product produced by the intelligence community, as opposed to the Defense Department, was shared on that chat. We have no way of knowing that. We do know, apparently, that the CIA director exposed a covert operative's name on the chat. That's inherently classified.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
But more to the point, then, let me explain how national security decision-making is supposed to work. If you're having a meeting of this National Security Principles Committee, as we call it, it is typically held in person in the White House Situation Room, which is a very secure facility in the basement of the White House. You're not allowed to take your phone into the Situation Room.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
You're not allowed to take your Apple Watch into the Situation Room. You leave all of that outside because those devices – we know can be hacked by our adversaries and used as listening devices so that the Russians could be listening to everything said in the Situation Room if you brought your phone in.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
We conduct meetings of the national security principals and deputies in the Situation Room precisely so that we have that kind of secure bubble that can't be infiltrated by our adversaries.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
And if the principals individually or collectively are not in Washington, not able to gather in the Situation Room, or maybe it's late at night and they need a way to communicate securely, we have all kinds of setups for that.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
Every single national security cabinet-level principal, whether you're the national security advisor or the secretary of defense or the director of national intelligence or the secretary of state, they travel everywhere they go with a secure communications package. These are people who set up for them secure phones, secure videos, secure document handling capacity. So that's always with us.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
a cabinet-level principle if they're traveling. The fact that they wouldn't use it if they had it is mind-boggling. Secondly, in everybody's home in the Washington area, there are secure compartmented facilities in their homes where they can go and communicate by phone, by email, by video securely. So we do that for a reason.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
We do not communicate national security information or have principals committee meetings by signal text chat. It's not a secure vehicle. You're not allowed to put them on your government phones. It's not for classified information. And since these were all done on people's personal phones, highly vulnerable to infiltration and exfiltration by our adversaries.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
So just the mere fact of having a principles committee meeting by text on a signal chain is incredibly reckless and dangerous. Then you share information. Classified discussions about military plans and operations and then classified military documents about those plans and operations on this chat. It's extraordinarily reckless, dangerous, and in my recollection, unprecedented.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
Unless, no, there's no, yes, the Russians have whatever Witkoff was doing or saying on his personal cell phone. The way Witkoff should have handled this and the way this meeting should have been conducted is Witkoff should have gone into the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and gone into their secure compartment facility and conducted his participation by videoconference.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
That's how this whole thing should have happened. There should never have been a signal chat used as the vehicle for a discussion that involved anything sensitive regarding national security. The Russians undoubtedly have it.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
In the normal course, this would be the subject of a gazillion congressional investigations that took months, if not years, and went through every aspect of this with a fine-tooth comb on a bipartisan basis. That's how it would normally happen. And people would be held accountable. In a normal administration, if the National Security Advisor and the Secretary of Defense
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA Director engaged in a sensitive conversation about military operations on a non-secure platform, they would no longer be in those jobs. That's just how it works. We can't afford to have such recklessness and irresponsibility among the people who are meant to guard our national security.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
I'm not a lawyer, and so I'm not going to make that judgment. But those that are lawyers and who have spoken on this have said this could well be a violation of the Espionage Act or a series of violations. It seems much more clearly to be a violation of the Presidential Records Act unless the people on that chat very deliberately then copied and downloaded the chat to a government agency
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
communication system, a classified or unclassified system, then they will have violated the Presidential Records Act. On that, I have enormous experience and I'm pretty confident in saying that. But for Donald Trump to say, well, Mike Walz has learned his lesson and won't do it again is ridiculous. More than insufficient.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
It's laughable. Let me explain why I say that, Ben. And by the way, it's great to be with you. Any meeting of the national security principals, this is the cabinet level senior most national security team, and that's what this was.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
The president who campaigned in 2016 on Hillary's emails knows very well how important it is to safeguard classified information. And if he can't hold his team accountable for this, then clearly he's not interested in safeguarding classified information.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
Well, let me give you my overall thoughts, but let me give you, before I do that, a specific thought that relates to what we've been talking about, this so-called signal gate that is relevant to your question. J.D. Vance is revealed on that signal chat to have expressed a really shocking view that is consistent with the concern inherent in your question.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
His view was that, in his judgment, it wasn't worth Now, the United States taking military action against an Iranian backed terrorist organization that was attacking and continues to attack the United States, our personnel and our vessels, because it would have the ancillary benefit of helping the Europeans who.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
use that passageway around Yemen, that sea passageway, Red Sea, etc., for much of their commerce. He would rather screw the Europeans and leave the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who are terrorists to continue to attack us than do something that would be beneficial to our European allies. So we're living in a real upside-down time. Now, to go to your larger question,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
is by definition in itself on almost every possible occasion, those are classified discussions because even the topics that they choose to discuss tells our adversaries something of relevance. So having a meeting of the National Security Council principles is by itself a classified matter. Then next, here we are,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
There is a extraordinary pattern here in the Trump administration of the United States taking actions and decisions that directly harm our closest allies, whether the Europeans or the Canadians.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
You know, threatening Greenland, threatening Canada, as you said, imposing painful tariffs on our closest partners, withdrawing USAID from the field, closing down the Voice of America, leaving Ukraine almost to Russia's mercy. This is all of a piece that is extremely important. We have realigned ourselves, reoriented ourselves.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
We are no longer the ally and trusted friend of Western democratic nations. We are instead the favored partner now of Russia and through Russia, China, who are closely aligned. This is upside down and it's deeply disturbing. We are rupturing trust and ties that have kept Americans safe.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
since World War II, and we are casting our lot with autocrats like Putin and Xi, who don't share our values, don't share our interests, but want to take the United States off the field in Europe, in Asia, and elsewhere around the world. It's absolutely upside down, and you have got to ask yourself, what is the motive for
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
President Trump and his team to pursue this radical revision of what has kept us, the structures and the relationships, the alliances that have kept us safe for so long.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Ambassador Susan Rice Responds to “Signal-Gate"
Thanks, Ben. I look forward to it. Take care.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Well, you know, that was a really sad story and just, you know, makes your heart break for that child. But I think what we're hearing is a lot more of what Brad Schimel says when he's in private, what he says when he believes he's in a group of his political allies versus what he'll say on a broader stage when he thinks he's talking to a general audience.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
It has happened over and over in this campaign.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Listen to what he says, listen to his words. And he's talked about begging on his knees for campaign contributions, wearing out his knee pads. He's saying that he wants to be on the court to be part of Donald Trump's support network. You just got to listen to what the guy says. He wants to be on the court to push a partisan agenda.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
He wants to be there to support Elon Musk and to support Donald Trump and Doge. And that's really not what the court's for. And I've said over and over, I want to be on the court to protect the people of Wisconsin under our constitution and laws. Brad Schimel's got a whole different agenda.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
It is. Right. Yeah. I mean, I don't even know what to say about it.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Well, this is somebody who won't take a stand to protect the people of Wisconsin under our constitution. He is saying that in a number of different ways, but that's what his position was. And there have been cases in the past where attorneys general faced with a clearly unconstitutional law have said, I cannot defend this.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And in some of those instances, the state's governor has gone on to find a different lawyer to defend the laws or the laws conceded as unconstitutional. But Brad Chimel is somebody who won't take a stand for the people of Wisconsin.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
He is. he has basically said he wants to be a rubber stamp. He said he wants to be part of Trump's support network. And Elon Musk has paid canvassers going out around the state saying, we need Brad Schimel to support the Trump agenda. And he is aiming to be a wing of the Trump administration from the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It's not what the role of the court is.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And so I would say even to people who... maybe like Donald Trump, like what he's doing in Washington, D.C., and even people who think that Elon Musk might be doing some good out there. What do we need in the Wisconsin Supreme Court? We need a court that's going to apply the laws, interpret the laws fairly and impartially and uphold the rights of people in Wisconsin under our Constitution.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
We don't need somebody who's going to rubber stamp everything that you know, the Trump administration is doing or even anything that is happening in the state of Wisconsin. It's just not the role of the court.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on New Developments in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Yeah, they can check out my campaign website, which is Crawford4WI.com. So Crawford4WI.com. And any Wisconsinites out there, I'd urge you to vote now. We just had a snowstorm here a couple of days ago where it was really rough on the road. So don't wait. We can have spring snowstorms. Get the job done and cast your ballot today.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Trump Claims He Never Signed His Own Order on War Powers
It doesn't sound like this judge who the DOJ is arguing with today about the deportation flights. He wants to know why the proclamation was signed in the dark, his words, and why people were rushed on to planes.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Well, it's not because he cares about Wisconsin. I'll put it that way. He doesn't, you know, I don't think he's ever been here. I don't think he really knows who he's running these ads against. You know, the first ad that they put out against me had a picture of a different Susan Crawford in it that they, I guess, had found on Google. So I think he's doing it for a
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And he's been pretty open about it. He's got paid canvassers going door to door in Wisconsin with flyers that say protect the Trump agenda. So nakedly partisan reason. And then also, I think Elon Musk is watching out for his own backside. You know, Tesla just filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin to try to
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
throw out a decision by Wisconsin licensors saying that they could not open dealerships to sell vehicles directly to consumers in Wisconsin. There's just a state law that doesn't allow that. So he's got a personal stake in Wisconsin courts. And I think he thinks he can buy himself a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Yeah, well, Brad Schimel, depending on what group he's talking to, because he says different things to different groups, but he just said the other day when he was speaking to one of these turning point groups, far-right conservative groups, that he wants to be part of a support network for Donald Trump. So if he ends up on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, he's going to bring a far-right agenda.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
He'll lock in a very conservative majority on the Supreme Court. And honestly, I think he's the most extreme candidate to ever run for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. So any cases involving... The rights of Wisconsinites, things like reproductive health care, access to health insurance coverage, protection of the environment, protection of public safety.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
I think those go by the wayside because Brad Schimel has always been about protecting the big money special interests. That was what he was like as a Republican attorney general, you know, rubber stamping Governor Scott Walker's agenda and going out actually around the country, trying to eliminate abortion rights for people, not even right here in Wisconsin, but people all over the country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
So I think it would be, you know, he would help to really push a right wing agenda in Wisconsin.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Oh, I think there's no question, Ben. I think that is exactly why Elon Musk is spending millions of dollars on these phony attack ads against me and trying to get Brad Schimel on the Supreme Court. He's got a partisan agenda. Brad Schimel is only too willing to help him out with that. That's... I think they see completely eye to eye.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And as I've been out traveling around the state talking to voters, I think voters are, like you said, they are scared. They're really concerned. They don't want these unelected people like Elon Musk and his gang of 20-year-olds digging through their personal data. And people talk to me about that all the time.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
So we need to have a Wisconsin Supreme Court that's working for the people of Wisconsin, not one that is working for Elon Musk and not one that's there as a support network for President Trump.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Yeah, well, you know, I'm running to be a fair and impartial justice and to decide cases, first of all, based on the facts. I think the truth is really important in our justice system. Apparently, it's not so important in our politics all the time, but it's really important in the justice system. And to interpret the law based on what the law says and to apply it fairly and impartially.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
I believe we have laws and we have a constitution to protect the rights of the people of our state. And I never lose sight of the fact that the decisions I'm making as a judge involve real people and real problems. So I apply common sense and make sure that I am applying and upholding the law to protect the rights of the people in my courtroom.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And that's what kind of justice I'll be on the Supreme Court.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Yeah, they can go to our campaign website. That's Crawford4WI.com. They can also follow us on social media, all the usual places. And those counts are also called Crawford for Wisconsin. So hope people will check it out. As you said, Ben, this is a really, really critical race with ramifications that far exceed Wisconsin. Really, this is a case with some national implications.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Judge Susan Crawford on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
And I hope people will tune in and get involved.