The MeidasTouch Podcast - GOP Gets Quickly Outmaneuvered at Major Hearings

Episode Date: February 4, 2026

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Republicans getting outmaneuvered by Democrats at major hearings yesterday including a bicameral shadow hearing on the attacks by ICE and Border Patrol. Get 15% OFF OneSkin with the code: MEIDAS at https://oneskin.co/MEIDAS Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Magger Republicans had a very bad day on Capitol Hill yesterday as finally Democrats in the House and in the Senate went on the offense in various hearings yesterday to explain. expose the Trump regime to call out the MAGA Republicans and bring transparency to issues that the American people care about. So the Democrats in the House and the Senate on a bicameral basis conducted unofficial shadow hearings, as they're called, regarding ICE and Border Patrol terrorism across the country. They had to do these as shadow hearings because MAGA Republicans want to cover up Trump's ICE and Border Patrol. forces engaging in these terroristic acts and these killings against people in this country. So Democrats in the House and the Senate brought witnesses who are survivors and victims of Trump's Border Patrol and ICE terrorism, and they gave some of the most compelling testimony.

We'll talk about what went down there. Then in the House, Maga Republicans wanted to hold a hearing on what they said is a major issue. men playing female sports, and they wanted to further divide the country with their social and cultural war issues during an election year. I'll show you how Democrats flipped the script, neutralized with the MAGAR Republicans were doing, and then went on the offense. Then in the Senate, there was a hearing where the NIH director, Dr. J. Badacharya, was called to testify, and you had senators like Bernie Suss.

Sanders, cross-examining Badacharya and exposing him and RFK Jr. and the fatal consequences of the Trump regime's assault on vaccines and science and medicine. So let's go through what went down. So at the shadow hearings, you had the victims and survivors of ICE and Border Patrol terrorism testify. One of the witnesses was Miramar Martinez, who was shot five times by Border Patrol agents back on October 4th, 2025. Border Patrol agents then made up a fabricated story that they feared for their life because they said Miriamar Martinez attacked them with the vehicle and she rear-ended them and they had to shoot her and that's what happened. They then tried to have her prosecuted federally. They wanted her to go to prison essentially for the rest of her life because they said she attacked

them. Then all of the videos and contemporaneous evidence showed that what the Border Patrol agents were saying was an utter lie, and the charges against Miriamar Martinez were dismissed, but she still suffers as a result of being shot five times. Well, she testified before the shadow hearings, before Democrats in the House and the Senate, and Democratic Congress member Robert Garcia, who is the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. He was questioning Miriamar Martinez, and he brought out text messages during the questions, which should, showed that the Border Patrol agents who shot her five times were sending text messages bragging about shooting her. And they would say things like, shot her five times and got seven holes.

Great work, boys. That's how you do it, boys. Watch as Congress member Garcia reads these text messages while Milimar Martinez is testifying. This brought tears to my eyes. Let's play it. It's disgusting, shameful, and it gets worse. Ms. Martinez, these are images of texts sent by the agent who shot you. And they're actually disturbing to read, but I think it's important for the public to see this. The agent linked an article about your shooting and texted, read it. Five shots, seven holes. I fired five rounds, and she had seven holes.

Put that in your book, boys. Oh, well, it is what it is. Shit happens. This is someone that works for the United States government. I fired five rounds, and she had seven holes. Now, he was talking about you, and it's our understanding that he was actually bragging about his aim shooting an unarmed American citizen.

Is that right? Correct. I'm so sorry, Ms. Martinez. DHS has allowed the agent who shot you to remove evidence and to potentially destroy it. Is that correct? Correct. Next, I want to share with you what Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett had to say as she flipped the script when Magger Republicans were trying to do their own hearing, injecting, culture

war issues. Congresswoman Crockett brought things back into focus, called out Donald Trump's appearance in the Epstein files 38,000 times. And she called, called out the real issues that are affecting our country. Here, play this clip right here. I don't understand why and where my colleagues are going on everything else. And now they want to be the protectors of girls and women. I didn't hear them screaming this when Renee Good was killed in the middle of the street in Minneapolis.

I didn't hear any protection for Renee Good, a U.S. citizen that was killed by the same people that the vast majority of you just voted to get more money to. I didn't hear the same thing. In fact, it was a lot of crickets, including, specifically including. the women as we were just lectured about what we need to do as women when it came down to the Epstein files. I heard crickets. In fact, we could not get any signatures onto that discharge petition to the extent that we shut down the entire house and there was no business that was conducted in this entire

country on behalf of our constituents. But let me be clear, the Republicans are going to protect girls and women because that's what this is all about. It's It's not about the report because the amendment says it's about a report. Like, miss me on being protectors. Just say that this is what you believe. This is what you're doing. But don't come at us and tell us as women what we should be okay with, what we shouldn't be okay with,

because it's just kind of like the same thing where I should be telling a lot of women on the other side of the aisle. I don't know how it is that you are not protecting women as they need protections over their own bodies to make their own decisions. And now I want to show you Senator Bernie Sanders, cross-examining NIH director, Badacharya. Let's watch this beautiful cross-exam by Bernie Sanders. You're playing this clip. We have to address the deep distrust that has developed over the last several years by the public.

I'm sorry to interrupt you. I don't have a lot of time. You're right. There is deep mistrust. Do you think that deep mistrust now has something to do when you have, an organization like the American Medical Association telling us that vaccines do not cause autism, but you have a secretary of HHS who says the very opposite.

Do you think that causes concern and mistrust among parents? You know, Senator, in 2024, there was a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that said that only about 40% of patients still trust their doctors. As someone who went to medical school myself, is absolutely shocking. And that's before Secretary Kennedy took office. We have to address this mistrust, but it has to be a bipartisan effort. Let me ask you a simple question.

Tell the American people. I appreciate your thoughts on measles. Do vaccines cause autism? Tell that to the American people, yes? No. I do not believe that the measles vaccine causes autism. No, uh-uh. I didn't ask measles.

Do vaccines cause autism? I have not seen a study that suggests any single vaccine. vaccine causes autism. Okay, thank you. Now I want to share with you Miriamar Martinez's testimony. I thought this was so powerful and compelling as Democrats brought forward people who survived the terrorism or family members of people who got killed by ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo. So Miriamar Martinez explains what happened to her, someone who was born and raised in Chicago, who on October 4th, 2025 was shot five times by Border Patrol agents. play this clip.

I come from a beautiful family full of immigrants. I am proud of my roots. I am born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where I learned the values of resilience, community, respect, love, and hope. Those lessons have shaped me since childhood and continue to guide me through my adult life on October 4, 2025. Those values were tested when my life was nearly taken by my own government. She then talks about driving past the board,

Border Patrol agents and what happened play this clip. It seemed like time stopped. I knew from watching the news coverage of other Border Patrol and countries in Chicago that I was in danger. I watched the vehicle of Agent Border Patrol agent killing Silverio Villegas Gonzalez just three weeks prior. I knew I had to get to safety before I was dragged from my car and likely beaten or killed. I drove forward and went around the Border Patrol agents who jumped out of his car and pointed his gun at me. I moved to the far left lane, striking the curve on the far left side of Ketsi. The next thing I knew, I felt a burning sensation in my arms, legs, and that I had been shot by pepper balls,

which I also seen these agents fire at people in our community. As I continue to drive past the Border Patrol agents, I could hear my back passenger window shattered, and I felt bullets continue to pierce my body. As I attempted to drive to a safe location, I began to feel lightheaded. I looked down and I noticed blood gushing out of my arms and legs, and I realized I've been shot multiple times.

As I became lightheaded, I became worried. I will pass out and endanger other drivers on the road. I managed to drive a mile from, where the incident happened. And I pull into a parking lot of a mechanic shop, and I called 911. I told the 911

operator, the Border Patrol agents had just shot me, and I needed help. I recall some of the workers from the shop sitting me down in the chair as I was waiting for help, but I was losing this battle. I saw my life flashed before me and slowly began

to think this was the end for me and before losing, consciousness, the next thing I remember is the EMT putting me on a stretcher, taking me to the hospital. At the hospital, I remember seeing multiple agents standing around watching me, be treated from my wounds. My arms, legs, and chest were all wrapped in bandages. I had seven bullet holes in my body. I remember the agents rushing the nurses to finish up so they could take me with them. I still felt dizzy. I was not able to fully process what had happened to me.

After being at the hospital for less than three hours, I was discharged from the hospital and took custody of the FBI. As we left the hospital, I was escorted out through the back in a wheelchair. She talks about being escorted out through the back in a wheelchair and how one of the agents took photographs of her, play this clip. After being at the hospital for less than three hours, I was discharged from the hospital and took custody of the FBI. As we left the hospital, I was escorted out through the back in a wheelchair. I observed over dozens of Border Patrol agents waiting outside the hospital.

One of the agents came out to me with his cell phone and took a photograph of me. It was the same agent. who had previously kept coming in and in my room, and I had to repeatedly tell him to leave. I told him I did not consent for him to photograph me, but he did not care. It still haunts me that this agent has my photo on his phone. Was this the agent that shot me?

Was this a trophy for him? And she talks about being rushed out of the hospital. Let's play this clip right here. I was next taken to the FBI. building for further processing because they rushed me out of the hospital so quickly the blood started soaking through the bandages. I heard the agents talking about how the gel will not accept me in this current condition. I beg the agents to take me to a different hospital to give me proper medical care. Seeing me stand in a pull of my own blood, they were concerned about my health.

One of the kind FBI agents brought a bag of additional bandages and worked quickly to put more dressings over my bloody bandages. The FBI agents agreed to take me to a different hospital where my wounds were treated again, and I received additional medical care before being released back into law enforcement, before being released back to law enforcement custody the following day. You know, I've been trying to think of ways to take better care of myself, and I feel like skin care often gets overlooked. Plus, it seems like so many people are just chasing trends and not actually looking at what works.

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M-E-I-D-A-S. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them we sent you. I want to share with you the testimony of Alia Rahman. And on January 13th, she was attacked as well by Donald Trump's ICE and Border Patrol, Gestapo, as she was trying to get medical treatment for herself, separately for a traumatic brain injury that she previously suffered. Here she describes what went down on January 13 when she was attacked and detained by Trump's Gestapo.

Play this clip. I pleaded for emergency and medical care for over an hour after my vision had become blurry, my heart rate went through the roof, and the pain in my neck and head became unbearable. It was denied. When I became unable to speak, my cellmate pleaded for me. The last sounds I remember before I blacked out on the cell floor were my cellmate banging on the door, pleading for a medic and a voice outside saying, We don't want to step on ice's toes.

When I opened my eyes at Hennepin County's emergency room, I learned I was brought there to be treated for assault. The impacts of DHS detention on my physical, mental, and financial well-being and safety have been very severe, but I do not deserve more humane treatment than anyone else, U.S. citizen or not. And I am here today with a strong spirit and a duty to the many people who haven't had to have. the privilege to tell their stories or see their loved ones come home. I am extremely distressed by the pattern that violence from law enforcement has been happening to Black and Indigenous communities for centuries and to DHS survivors for over 20 years. We call ourselves a civilized nation, but we lack rules and accountability around what a person

claiming to be law enforcement is permitted to do to another human beings. I am not afraid, and I'm not afraid to keep working on this problem even after ice is gone. Thank you for your time. Now, this next testimony brought tears to my eyes when I watched it live as well. You had Luke Ganger, brother of Renee Nicole Good, share what his family is experienced right now. Having lost Renee Nicole Good, play this clip. Thank you, ranking member Blumenthal, and ranking. member Garcia and distinguished members of Congress.

My name is Luke Ganger, and I'm here with my brother, Brent. Renee Good is our sister. We're here on behalf of Ney's big family and those who loved her. We're here to ask for your help. I was talking to my four-year-old last week when she noticed I was not doing was not doing well. I had to come here today and talk to some important people. She knows that her aunt died and that somebody caused it to happen. She told me that there are no bad people and that everyone makes mistakes. She has nays spirit. The deep distress our family feels because of of Ney's losses in such a violent and unnecessary way is complicated by feelings of disbelief,

distress and desperation for change. In the last few weeks, our family took some consolation, thinking that perhaps Ney's death would bring about change in our country. it is not. The completely surreal scenes taking place on the streets of Minneapolis are beyond explanation. This is not just a bad day or a rough week or isolated incidents. These encounters with federal agents are changing the community and changing many lives, including ours, forever. And I still don't know how to explain to my four-year-old what these agents are doing when we pass by. Our family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the community in Minneapolis

and from people across the country and around the world. The prayers and words of support have truly brought us comfort, and it is meaningful that these sentiments have come from people of all colors, faiths, and ideals. That is a perfect reflection of Renee, who carried peace, patience, and love for others wherever she went. Here's Brett Ganger, another brother of René Good.

Here's what he has to say, play this clip. My name is Brent Ganger, and I'd like to share some thoughts from the eulogy that I gave my sisters' biggest. behalf this past Saturday. When I think of Renee, I think of dandelions and sunlight. Dandelions don't ask permission to grow. They push through cracks in the sidewalk, through hard soil, through places where you don't expect beauty, and suddenly there they are, bright, alive. Unapologetically hopeful. That was Renee. And sunlight, warm,

steady, life-giving, because when she walked in a room, things felt lighter, even on cloudy days. Renee had a way of showing up in the world that made you believe things were going to be okay. Not because she ignored the hardship, but because she chose optimism anyway. She chose to look for what was good, what was possible, and what was worth loving. Nenei loved fiercely, openly, and without hesitation. As a mother, Renee poured herself into love. The kind of love that shows up every day, that sacrifices quietly, that cheers loudly, that believes deeply.

Her children were and are her heart, walking around outside her body, and she made sure they felt safe, valued, and endlessly loved. As a sister, she was constant. Someone you could lean on, laugh with, or just sit in silence beside. She had a way of making you feel understood, even when you didn't have the words yet.

She didn't just listen, she saw you. She believed in second chances. She believed tomorrow could be better than today. She believed that kindness mattered, and she lived that belief. Even when things were hard, and they looked for the light. And if she couldn't find it,

she became the light for somebody else. It was the excessively ordered, things that made Ney so beautiful. There are billions of people who now know her name, and it would be so easy to fall into the false belief, the great heroic things are required to overcome difficult things in the world. But as Tolkien wrote, it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk

to keep the darkness obey, small acts of kindness and love. That's why the image of dandelands feel so right. People try to pull them up, overlook them, dismiss them, but they keep coming back, stronger, brighter, spreading seeds of hope everywhere they land. Renee planted those seeds in all of us, in her children, in her family, in friends, coworkers, and people who maybe didn't even realize they needed her light at the time. And sunlight, sunlight doesn't ask for recognition.

It just gives. It warms. It nurtures. It helps things grow. Renee did that for us. She helped us grow. She helped us believe in ourselves. She helped us see the good, even when life felt heavy.

Renee is not gone from us. She's in the light that finds us on hard days. She's in the resilience. We didn't know we had until we needed it. She's in the laughter, the memories, the love that continues to grow. Like dandelions, like sunlight, and like Renee. Thank you. And I just want to contrast that testimony that was elicited. And that is what I think should be taking place at congressional hearings. Now, contrast that to what Maga Republicans were doing. So here you have Maga Republican Senator Ted Cruz at another hearing that took place where they brought in Netflix executives. Here's what Ted Cruz had to say here, play this clip. Did either we all watch the Grammys this week?

I did not. Just the tail end of it. One simple question. Are we right now on stolen land? I have no idea of the history of this land of where we're sitting today. Nor do I, Senator. So that speaks volumes that neither of you are willing to say, hell no, we're not on stolen land.

And I will say it's the Grammys, when you see an entertainer say, nobody is illegal while we're on stolen land. And then you see entertainers leap to their feet, clapping so excited. at the notion that America's fundamentally illegitimate. And then going back to that House hearing, where they tried to inject all these culture war issues

about men and women's sports, here's what Harriet Hagueman, Magger Republican Congresswoman, had to say, play this clip. Cisgender is a made-up word. Cisgender is it. That means nothing. Do not call me cisgender. I am a woman.

You, this gentleman's sitting next to me, he is a man. That's who he is. That is what our title is. That is what we have been described throughout history. This bill does nothing to prohibit men from competing in men's sports. I will repeat, this bill does nothing to prohibit men from competing in men's sports. It does prohibit men from competing in women's sports. It is that simple. All we have to, to do is look at what happened during the Paris Olympics where we watched a dude beat the hell out of a woman in a boxing match and we have people on the other side of the aisle who

actually believe that that is okay. That man is not a woman. He has been tested repeatedly. That is a man and he will not be allowed to compete against women in the future because he is a man. We do not want men beating up women. I mean, do you see the difference right there in what the Democrats are focused on versus what the MAGA Republicans were focused on? Now I want to share with you Democratic Senator Hassan's cross-examination of NIH director Bodacharya. I thought this was a very powerful moment as well. Let's play this clip right here. I'm sorry, the patients had the resources as they needed to get continuity of care. The commitment the NIH has to funding cancer research is undiminished.

Undiminished. Well, my question is, have you done a study to look at the impact, the harms that cancer patients have experienced? If they haven't doing a good, objective scientific study, we'll show that, but have you done a study? I mean, the NIH fund studies, we don't conduct directly the studies. Let me just say very clearly. I do not believe that patients' care was disrupted because I ordered, if there was any disruptions at all, that the patients would have continuity of care.

If there were disruptions, then it is the responsibility of the researchers that were managing the patients, not the NIH. That is really an unacceptable and outrageous response. You all disrupted funding. You can make an edict from Washington, D.C. Oh, don't disrupt continuity of care. But that can be a very complicated thing. And I know that in my state, there were disruptions in these studies that have really put patients at risk. And you all should be interested in that data.

And you should be working to find out whether it happened. Now, I'm going to move to another topic. No, I've got only about a minute, 20 seconds. So I want to go to my next topic. Well, again, there you have it. And you could judge for yourself. and let me know in the comments how you feel about it. But that shadow hearing on the ICE and Border Patrol terrorism

held by the Democrats I thought was incredibly compelling to hear from people who have experiences that that's what should be going down in congressional hearings, not what MAG is doing, but you saw it for yourself. So hit subscribe, let's get to 6 million subscribers, and thanks so much for watching. Love this video, support independent media and unlock exclusive content.

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