The Philip DeFranco Show - Streamer Died On Camera After “10 Days Of Torture”, Humiliating Trump Fox News Texts, & My Response

Starting point is 00:00:00 A streamer just died while live after what some have called 10 days of torture and sleep deprivation. More secret Fox news host text just dropped that exposed a lot. The so-called woke wars just took out the CEO of Target. And my response to the founder of kind bars of all people coming at me over the Texas gerrymandering problem. We're talking about all of that and even more today on your brand new Philip DeFranco show you daily dive into the news, starting with this. This is genuinely insane. A streamer just died while live at the end of a 10-day broadcast that involved him being beaten, bullied, and brutally deprived of sleep.

Starting point is 00:00:31 Right, and that, after he had already reportedly been subject to months and possibly years of humiliation and abuse, hours and hours of which were captured on camera with nothing being done to stop it. And as far as who this guy was, you may have never heard of him, but he was actually the most popular Kick Channel in France, and at times one of the most watched worldwide.

Starting point is 00:00:47 His name was Rafael Graven, though he was known online as JP, and he was 46 years old. And while he started out filming himself gaming, eventually he ended up as part of a collective run by a guy by the name of Owen, along with another one, by the name of Safin. Right, and these two, they reportedly got a kick out of bullying him with the soon evolving into full-on physical and psychological abuse.

Starting point is 00:01:04 And a lot of this just on camera and there was like a range of stuff. You know, they'd suggest things like he'd never find love without the income from streaming, but they'd also threaten to throw him out on the street when he tried to leave. They apparently beat him, choked him, shot him with a paintball gun, poured paint and oil on him and just seemingly tortured him in any way they could think of. One clip that's been making the rounds, they claim to have locked him in the trunk of the car and drove over speed bumps at high speed. And in the audience watching them, you had people encouraging them to go even further and

Starting point is 00:01:27 even paying for it. In fact, by the end of the 298-hour live stream that ended with JP's death, they'd collected more than 36,000 euros, according to the fundraise encounter on the screen. Though notably with that, JP appears to not be the only victim here. Because an individual identified only as Kudu, who's reported to have a disability and be under guardianship, has also suffered abuse on street. It appears that there were already eyes on this. You had a French investigative media outlet actually exposing the abuse back in December.

Starting point is 00:01:50 In fact, Owen and Safine were taken into police custody in question back in January. But then they ended up just getting released and seemingly were free to pick up right where they left off. With the French prosecutor saying that both the individuals suspected to be implicated and those suspected to be victims denied the commission of any offenses. But again, right, so much of this, it was film. And so now, you know, in the wake of JP's death, you have people posting videos of everything he endured as well as clips of JP speaking out about the abuser, even saying that he felt forced to accept it because he earned an income from them. With one showing Owen, taking his phone and reading a loud text to his mother, one of which said, this is going too far. I feel like I'm being held hostage with their shitty concept. I've had enough. I want to get out of here, but the other guy won't let me. He's keeping. me prisoner. And in another video, Owen and Safian heard explicitly discussing the possibility

Starting point is 00:02:32 a JP dying live on air. Pressuring him to say to the camera right now that if he dies live tomorrow, it's because of his shitty health and not because of us. But then, despite all of that, we saw them striking a very different tone after JP died. With Owen posting on his Instagram, my brother, my partner, my friend, six years side by side, never letting go of each other. I love you, my brother, and we will miss you terribly. But then really, other than that, that two have kept quiet. The Owen's lawyer claiming that JP had cardiovascular problems and also are saying, all those scenes are just staged. They follow a script and adding, we are waiting for the results of the investigation to determine the full

Starting point is 00:03:03 circumstances of JP's death and to identify the responsibilities of each party. And with that, I'll say at this stage, the exact cause of JP's death is technically unknown. But he reportedly died in his sleep on the stream and you had the French Minister for Digital Affairs confirming that an investigation is underway and saying she referred the matter to the country's digital and audiovisual communication regulator and adding, the responsibility of online platforms regarding the dissemination of illicit content is not optional. It is the law. This type of failure can lead to the worst and has no place in France, Europe, or anywhere else. Right. And then with all that, you have KICS saying that it'll cooperate with the authorities and is undertaking a review of its French context, saying all co-streamers who participated in this live broadcast have been banned pending the ongoing investigation.

Starting point is 00:03:41 Right. And as that's playing out in this situation, getting more attention, we're also seeing the reaction from the broader kick and streaming community. And there, you've got people like Aidan Ross, who's kind of one of the big faces of Kik has a big deal with them, claiming he'll cover J.P.'s funeral costs with help from Drake, writing, this is horrible and disgusting. Whoever was a part of this, deserves to face severe consequences. And adding, Drake and I will be covering the funeral costs. This won't bring his life back. It's the least we can do. But then beyond that, you have many, including massive streamers like Asman Gold, saying that these men need to be arrested,

Starting point is 00:04:07 especially for the fact that what happened on these streams was apparently known to law enforcement. Wait, so these people already got, they were already in police custody for abusive people with disabilities. You got to put the people that did this in jail. What are we even talking about here? It's not even a question. Like, obviously, they're complicit. Well, they're doing it on purpose.

Starting point is 00:04:25 I understand like you have games like Fear Factor and things like this, but he basically got kidnapped. How did the police not get involved with this? This is awful. For now, with this, we're going to have to wait to see what comes from the official investigation, as well as if there are any charges or arrests. And of course, in the meantime, I'd love to hear from you, your thoughts, your reactions, your opinions here. Because yes, the Philip DeFranco show is a daily news show, but I also like it to be a conversation. But also, I'll say, kick is definitely not the only platform dealing with a massive scandal right now. Or because we just got juicy secret text out of this defamation suit against Fox News.

Starting point is 00:04:58 Right, because while there was that Dominion defamation lawsuit against Fox News that everyone knows about, there was also a lawsuit from the other voting machine company that was made the object of election fraud conspiracy theories in 2020. Smartmatic, and they're seeking $2.7 billion in damages over claims that Fox knowingly promoted false voter fraud conspiracy theories in 2020. Well, that suit has been around since 2021. What's new now is that there are tons of previously redacted documents that are now visible. And they reveal a lot of crazy-ass shit, starting with messages. that give a glimpse into the network's anxiety about hemorrhaging viewers after the election. As you can see, the media empires founder, Rupert Murdoch, emailing Fox News' chief executive,

Starting point is 00:05:32 Suzanne Scott, saying, getting cream by CNN, guess our viewers don't want to watch it. As well as things like host Jesse Waters, texting a producer, there's an audience uprising versus Fox like I've never seen. Then a couple of months later, he texted another host, Greg Gutfeld. Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went all in on Stop the Steel. And this, even though he testified that he saw no evidence that smartmatic technology switched votes in the 2020 election in the United States. And in fact, his colleague, Janine Piro, said much the same, reportedly testifying that

Starting point is 00:05:58 she agreed the election was fair and free, that Smartmatic did nothing wrong, and that Biden was legitimately elected. Yet despite that, she reportedly told Sean Hannity that she was angry that Fox didn't air an episode of her show and said, I'm tired of the censorship, and I'm embarrassed by how they called this election. Then, three days later, she texted Sidney Powell, Trump's personal attorney at the time. It's Janine P. got a former CIA chief of station who knows about development of dominion. Keep fighting.

Starting point is 00:06:20 Meanwhile, you had our producer warning her, you should be very very. careful with this stuff and protect yourself given the ongoing calls for evidence that has not materialized. Also, before this next part, I should note for context, that Fox prohibited on-air personalities from political involvement. Yet Piro, who's now Trump's US attorney for DC, texted then R&C chair Ronna McDaniel before the election, I work so hard for the party across the country. I'm the number one watch show on all cable news all weekend. I work so hard for the president and party. And then in another exchange with Eric Trump, she appeared frustrated that the president hadn't yet rewarded her loyalty by pardoning her ex-husband who had

Starting point is 00:06:52 been convicted of tax evasion and conspiracy. Though Trump, he would eventually pardon him just before leaving office. Also in another exchange with a friend in October of 2020, Piro described how Sean Hannity had stormed into the Oval Office, quote, like he owns the place, throws his papers on the press desk and says, you don't mind if I use your private bathroom and walks into bathroom within Oval and uses it, but they're calling him an egomaniac continuing. Looks at me and says, I got to talk to him. It's all about him, period. No one else matters. But also, it wasn't just Hannity and Piro. You had a third host on Fox business, Maria Bartromo, getting in on the Trump With Barteromo messaging Powell, Sidney, we must keep you out there, and then adding in reference to her colleague Lou Dobbs, Dobbs is considered very opinionated, I am news. Where they're then saying, I am very worried, please, please overturn this, bring the evidence I know you can. With they're also telling Rudy Giuliani and other Trump's then personal lawyers, I want you to overturn this.

Starting point is 00:07:40 But all that said, at least one person seemed to not fully dive into the deep end. Because you had anchor Brett Baer, complaining to an executive about Barteromo's lies and declaring, None of that is true as far as we can tell. We need to fact-check this crap. And all of this, it comes as five years illegal backlash for the right-wing media's election denialisms, finally nearing an end. With Smartmatic, squeezing a settlement out of another cable network newsmax last September for $40 million. And newsmax also settling with Dominion last week for $67 million. And of course, the big one was that in 2023, Fox settled with Dominion for nearly $800 million. But that case also revealing that many of the network's top stars privately mock Trump's allies

Starting point is 00:08:15 were pushing conspiracy theories while publicly spreading those same theories. And I know it's very easy to just forget stuff, but I mean, some of those messages were crazy. Tucker Carlson texted Laura Ingram, Sidney Powell is lying, by the way, I caught her, it's insane. To which Ingram replied, Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her, ditto with Rudy. And then Carlson adding, our viewers are good people and they believe it. And while obviously, Fox took such a big hit with the Dominion suit, at least financially, they are trotting out the same defense in its case with Smartmatic.

Starting point is 00:08:42 Essentially, arguing that with the voter fraud claims being newsworthy, it just covered them. It didn't endorse them. And then also saying, either way, its coverage didn't harm the company as much as the suit alleges, with Fox saying, the evidence shows that Smart Maddox's business and reputation were badly suffering long before any claims by President Trump's lawyers in Fox News and that SmartMatic grossly inflated its damage claims to generate headlines and chill-free speech. But the network also eager to highlight a separate ongoing federal corruption case against SmartMatic that was filed by Biden's DOJ last year. With also Trump,

Starting point is 00:09:09 halting most foreign bribery cases this year, though, he left this one open. And because Fox successfully petitioned for access to documents in that case, we now have more details about what the allegations are there. With federal prosecutors claiming that Smartmatic overbilled Los Angeles County for voting equipment and then funneled the extra cash into what they called a slush fund for bribing government officials in the Philippines and Venezuela. There, you had the county's registrar recorder's office denying the claims and telling the L.A. Times that they found no such evidence of overbilling. With that, you have many saying, you know, corruption, waste, and fraud, and abuse, they are not the same as conspiracy to rig the presidential

Starting point is 00:09:39 election. These are two separate situations. And as for now, you have both Smartmatic and Fox asking the judge in their case for a summary judgment, which is when they get a ruling without a trial. It's likely going to be months before we actually get a decision on that. And then there's more news here that we need to talk about, but first, a quick word from a sponsor who makes this daily news show possible. Because do you ever wish your protein bar actually tasted good? Because of Quick Foods's Prime Bar, today's sponsor, is the first ever grass-fed beef superfood bar. I mean, it just came back in stock, and that's how you know it's good.

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Starting point is 00:11:20 2% just in the last three months, with net income also going down 21%. And that is, it's worth noting that Target's been struggling for a few years after peaking during COVID. You know, there have been a ton of different factors at play, like competition from rival stores and tariffs, not to mention consumer habits changing dramatically after the pandemic. People not need as many home gadgets and TVs, especially with inflation. But also, many have been pointing to the ongoing boycotts that Targets faced after getting rid of its DEI initiatives in January as Trump was taking office. You saw tons of different campaigns and initiatives encouraging people to shop elsewhere. Noes, including one that was initially set to coincide with Lent and last just 40 days,

Starting point is 00:11:54 but due to its success, the group opted to continue. And again, while the boycotts were definitely not the only thing impacting Target this quarter, you had outlets like Forbes noting. Target's current status offers a valuable lesson in navigating the complex intersection of business and politics, which is underscoring the importance of consistency. Adjusting a company's DEI program may seem like an easy way to appease certain stakeholders in lieu of others, but the long-term consequences can be the questioning of consumer trust and loyalty. And this is earlier this month, you had Jamal Brian, a pastor who led the boycotts even talking about the protest of Bloomberg. And actually saying they focused on Target because it previously was also very supportive of

Starting point is 00:12:26 the black community and black owned brands and adding, we will break Target, we will break any company that doesn't honor our dignity while they are trying to take our dollar. And in fact, during the report from last quarter, you had Target acknowledging that the boycotts did impact business. So now that Brian Cornell, who is CEO at the time that DEI policies were rolled back as being replaced by someone new, you have people seeing this as a win. Right, people saying things online like Target Cave to Trump sold out their core customers and torched their own brand. They chose this path and now they're paying for it as well.

Starting point is 00:12:53 As a reminder, black consumers hold $1.8 trillion in spending power and we're done spending it on companies that play in our faces. And all of this is the new CEO will officially come in February 2026. So there, notably you had an analyst telling CNN that today's stock slump shows that the markets aren't impressed with a new pick as he's an internal hire and explaining. That does not necessarily remedy the problems of entrenched group things. and the inward-looking mindset that have plagued target for years. Target, which used to be very attuned to customer demand,

Starting point is 00:13:18 has lost its grip on delivering for the American shopper. But with all that said, I'd really love to know where you land on this, right? Do you see this as a victory for the boycotters? Do you think it's more multi-factor? Why? Why not? I'd love to hear from you. America's new weapon to fight illegal immigration is apparently black paint. With you seeing Christy Nome, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary announcing at the border, if you look at the structure that's behind me, it's tall,

Starting point is 00:13:40 which makes it very, very difficult to climb, almost impossible. It also goes deep into the ground, which would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under. And today, we are also going to be painting it black. As far as how this black paint will reduce illegal crossings. You had known what I'm saying. That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer. And it will make it even harder for people to climb. With then, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks quickly adding that there would also be other benefits such as preventing rust on the wall. Currently, it's unclear how much is going to cost to paint the wall, but it likely will come from the $46.5 billion that Congress set aside in the so-called big beautiful bill to modernize the border barrier system.

Starting point is 00:14:22 And this notably, as it's not the first time that Trump has tried to paint the wall. Right in 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it was testing a black coating on the wall. There, you had some agency officials feeling like it wouldn't be very effective and was just being done to make Trump happen. With the general mindset being a black metal border wall, yes, it's going to be high. The southern border is essentially desert-like, all the way across it, and it's already hot as hell. Black absorbs more light and thus more energy, making objects even hotter. Well, it's hard to get an exact number for how hot that's going to make the beams. It is safe to say that it will burn the shit out of you.

Starting point is 00:14:50 I mean, Phoenix Roads, they get to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, which is enough to severely burn people. And metal, I mean, it gets even hotter, but, and this is a big butt, it's also not hard to counter a hot surface. Where most people do it every day, even if it's something around the house like taking stuff out of a hot oven. And then as far as the wall, you have experts noting that it's already pretty common for migrants to use things like rope ladders to climb the wall since it's already difficult to climb and it's hot as fuck. But also, notably with his announcement, you had the news that about 700 new miles of border wall is going to be built. They say that they're making good progress with about a half a mile a day being laid down. But then that also it brings us to the connected questions between these two things,

Starting point is 00:15:22 and you have people asking, is this even necessary? Because you have the Trump administration claiming that there were about 6,000 detentions at the border in all of June, which is a record low according to the administration. And in fact, they claim that it's 90% lower than what the border crossings were last year under Biden. With the administration so happy about the numbers that Gnome even said in a statement. History made again, the numbers don't lie. This is the most secure the border has ever been. President Trump didn't just manage the crisis,

Starting point is 00:15:45 he obliterated it. No more excuses, no more releases, we put the cartels on defense and taken our border back. Which is then why are people saying, if the numbers are that, then why do this other thing of a black wall? Asking, is it just performative

Starting point is 00:15:58 and could the money be better spent elsewhere? But then also, while we're on the subject of keeping people out of this country, let's talk about this statement. America's benefits should not be given to those who despise the country promote anti-American ideologies. That is what you had a spokesperson saying, as Trump's U.S. citizenship and immigration services announced that they are expanding social media vetting.

Starting point is 00:16:16 With it already being introduced in June to cover more immigrants and to include searches for, quote, anti-American activity. With the spokesperson adding, immigration benefits, including to live and work in the United States, remain a privilege, not a right. And that, coming two months after the State Department began vetting student visa applicants for what they said were hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles. And so starting next week, that not just students, but anyone applying to work or live in the United States will be put through this scrutiny. So now, one of the obvious questions that you have people asking is, well, what exactly is anti-Americanism? Because the administration, they don't give any clear definition, which has led to experts calling this vague and unconstitutional.

Starting point is 00:16:51 For example, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council writing, the term has no prior precedent in immigration law, and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin. And then, likening Trump's policy to McCarthyism, which is a reference to the Red Scare of the 1950s. And you have many saying, that's on point there, because the White House itself points to the 1952. Immigration and Nationality Act for some examples of anti-American ideologies. Or with the relevant section banning Communist Party members, advocates of world communism, opponents of all organized government, and people who wish to overthrow the US government by force or violence from becoming citizens. But then you have people saying, well, if all of that is already banned by the act,

Starting point is 00:17:24 it's unclear what the Trump administration is doing differently. Unless it means more by anti-American than those categories. And there, its press release offers some clues. But it's saying, though, vet for people who promote or engage in anti-Semitic activity, anti-Semitic ideologies, anti-Semitic terrorism, and anti-Semitic terrorist organization. Which then, given the government's recent treatment of universities and their students, has led many people to suspect that this is just another ploy to silence political dissent. With people asking things like, is being against the recent strike in Iran,

Starting point is 00:17:50 or being in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza, anti-American or anti-Semitic? What if you personally don't like Trump as president, or you shared a post on the recent South Park episodes making fun of him and Homeland Security Secretary Christine Noe, which is then, while you have many saying we're going to have to see how this plays out in real time. I'm not saying I'm paranoid about online privacy, But I've got today's sponsor, NordVPN, on more devices than I have friends. And the big question is, if you don't, why don't you?

Starting point is 00:18:11 Especially when right now you can get a huge discount on a two-year plan, plus four months free at NordVPN.com slash Phil. And, you know, we're at Nordvipm house. Lins gets peace of mind, the kids get shows that aren't available here in the U.S. And I get to Google dumb stuff without judgment. Nord hides your IP, encrypts your data with military-grade security and blocks creepers from Snoop. Whether it's hackers, your ISP, or that one cousin logging in from a mystery hotel. It's also my travel sanity saver, like airport, Wi-Fi, normally no things, but with Nord, my connection stays locked down.

Starting point is 00:18:38 And they've got thousands of servers worldwide, so you can appear to be in Tokyo while you're actually on the couch ignoring text. It even blocks annoying targeted ads, which feels like therapy from my browser. So whether you're protecting your data or you're unlocking new Netflix libraries, NordVPN has you cover. To scan that QR code or head to NordVPN.com slash phil right now to grab that huge discount in four bonus months, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. It's NordVPN.com slash feel, because the only thing worse than getting hacked is being the the one friend who says, yeah, I meant to sign up. But then, jumping right back into the news is the debate of what it means to be anti-Americans playing out, there's also this whole security detail controversy with Pete Heggsett that we should talk about. Because after dozens

Starting point is 00:19:14 of interviews and the review of countless documents, you had the Washington Post saying they uncovered, his security detail is not just big, it's draining the Army's resources. And specifically, the Army's crime investigators. And so I'll actually write this down for you, right? So, security details for top Defense Department officials are fielded from the Army's criminal Investigation Division or the CID. And they provide security for the defense secretary, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army Secretary, and more. And they handle things like security coordination for public appearances, serving as

Starting point is 00:19:39 advanced teams and as security for motorcades as well as during travel at home and abroad. But also, that's usually only one part of their responsibilities. The CID's main function is to investigate serious crimes within the Army. They're meant to investigate things like contracting fraud, sexual assault, or violence on army bases like the shooting we saw at Fort Stewart and Georgia earlier this month. And the typical split between the two sides of the CID, it's usually pretty clear. Of their 1,500 agents, roughly 150 typically serve as VIP security details, according to reports. But then, when Pete Hegseth took office, that changed.

Starting point is 00:20:08 With one of the posts unnamed sources saying the number of agents on security details jumped to over 400. Though you also had another saying it was even higher, 500 or more. So you're talking about going from a 10th to possibly a third. Now with that, it appears that there are a number of reasons for this. With one of them being that Hegseth has a big blended family, as well as there being multiple family properties across states. He's got a total of seven children, three from his previous marriage, three from his wife's previous marriage, and one that they had together. And security details have reportedly been assigned to residences in Tennessee, D.C., and in Minnesota, where his second wife and the mother of the three of his children lives. But also, it's not just the size of his family, or even the multiple locations.

Starting point is 00:20:42 There's also been a rise in politically motivated violence as the wedge splitting our country gets driven deeper and deeper. And Hegseth specifically faced a bomb threat at his home in Tennessee shortly after he was nominated for Secretary of Defense. And so with the increase in threats and violence comes a need for more security. And so all of those things coming together has resulted in an unprecedented personal protection detail for Pete Hegseth, with one official saying, I've never seen this many security teams for one guy. Nobody has. Although it's important to note that the Army CID said in a statement that Hegseth himself never requested this extra security. And adding that he has, quote, never affected the CID's recommended security posture. For this problem, it's not limited to Hegseth or even the CID.

Starting point is 00:21:17 Other agencies are also dealing with the need to beef up security for VIPs in the face of increased threats of political violence. Right, Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Nome's beefed up her own detail and she's actually taken up residence rent-free on a D.C. military base. With her spokesperson saying she needs the extra layer of protection because she regularly receives death threats, which the spokesperson attributed to Homeland Security's counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics mandates. Even the U.S. Marshal Service, which typically protects members of the federal judiciary, they've reportedly had to assign protective details at rates that they haven't seen in decades because of rising threats. But then notably, for the

Starting point is 00:21:46 CID, this is a special kind of problem because it's already facing significant staff shortages and budgetary shortfalls and has been for years. And so this unprecedented situation with Hegset that's forced a CID to take some drastic measures. In fact, they reportedly had to recall highly trained agents in order to backfill Hegset's security team. With unnamed CID officials telling the post that staff receive emails from the agency's leadership, seeking 10 to 15 agents to fill last-minute requests in D.C., Tennessee, or Minnesota, for anywhere between two weeks and 90 days at a time. With one of the officials saying, I see why they're doing it. But at the same time, you take an agent out of the field for two weeks to 90 days, those cases aren't getting

Starting point is 00:22:20 reassigned. And if they are, there's very minimal work getting done on that. And when you're talking about an agency that handles cases like this one in Georgia, where a soldier was charged with starving a child to death or another in Texas where a different soldier pled guilty to hacking and extortion, that work not getting done, it's a pretty big deal. And then, actually, finally today, let's end with a congratulations and one more thing. Starting with a congrats to Justin G. Seekeek's latest weekly winner who just scored $500 in tickets and is heading to the All Things Go music festival. And for the rest of you all, that's right. Seekeek is still given away $500 in tickets and you should definitely answer today if you haven't already. You could be the next winner and snag $500 toward seeing

Starting point is 00:22:52 your favorite artist, sporting event or play. I mean, there's like over 70,000 events to choose from. All you gotta do is add code PDS to your seat geek app profile for a chance at the weekly $500 prize, no purchase necessary. And then finally today, my one more thing is, uh, the founder of Kind Snacks posted a React video to me. And he apparently was not a fan. New York's governor said today, this is war. We are at war in response to Texas pushing forward with trying to redraw their districts. Right in Texas, Democrats have left the state, blocking them from passing new gerrymandered districts or in plain English. They're trying to block them from stealing the election.

Starting point is 00:23:23 Because understand, it is not normal for a state to redraw their congressional districts in the middle of the decade in order to try to steal an election. This is pissing me off because these guys making it sound like this is a Texas-only problem. Gerrymandering is a disease,

Starting point is 00:23:34 but it's a disease that both the Democrats and the Republicans suffer for across the country. 93% of congressional seats are no longer competitive. Just like we like competition in business, we should have competition in politics and politicians are cheating.

Starting point is 00:23:49 When there is no competition for the seats, It helps the incumbents just to empower not be accountable to the people, but it also helps special interests, cheating, cronyism. It's really, really harmful. If you want to change that joint builders movement, because that's part of the work we have ahead of us. So one, Daniel, it's Philip, Philip DeFranco, or I'll even take that to Franco guy. Two, I actually enjoy you on Shark Tank. And three, as a former enlightened centrist, a former both sides are equally bad asshole myself. I want to echo what many of your own fans are saying in the comments section.

Starting point is 00:24:21 And that's no gerrymandering, yes, would be a beautiful situation. And it just so happens that one party overwhelmingly wants nonpartisan redistricting nationwide. And another party has fought against it. And we're also not just talking about gerrymandering in general. We're talking about Donald Trump saying, yo, Texas, what's up? I want five more seats. Give it to daddy. And then Greg Abbott, like daddy's good little boy, says, okay, let me just call a special session

Starting point is 00:24:45 and tie this gerrymandering mid-cycle. relief for flood victims. And to be clear, that's not me adding something new. I talked about how this being a mid-cycle gerrymander is a complete game-changer, and you either missed or ignored that or maybe you were too focused on, oh, I got to make this react face. If you hate gerrymandering, as much as you say, you need to call out the Republicans in Texas for trying to completely change the rules in a way that would lead to more partisan gerrymandering, more often, not less. Because at the very least, Democrats are playing by the established norms that this would only be a fight once a decade and try to have districts that at least pretended to not be gerrymandered.

Starting point is 00:25:20 Then, because of that insanity and the changing of norms, you have Gavin Newsom in California going, okay, well, we got to do something to try to even this out. So yeah, Daniel, gerrymandering is horrible. It's a disease. You and I, we want the same thing. But you're also creating a false equivalency and you're both sides in a situation that isn't equal. You're saying that the Democrats are equally bad that they need to drop the knife in the knife fight that Trump brought a gun to. Well, Democrats are getting shot in the back on Fifth Avenue by a no-shamed Trump-requested mid-cycle Texas gerrymander to disenfranchised voters because of a shitty polling. You're like, well, everyone gerrymanders bullshit.

Starting point is 00:25:53 It's just given cover to a Trump-powered democracy snuff and power grab. But that, Daniel, and I guess everyone else, is where I'm going to end today's show. It's type or click right here to watch your latest episode of my podcast or here for the most recent Philip DeFranco show. I've even got links in the description so you can get it easy on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you best enjoy getting filled in. Thank you for watching. I love yo faces, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow for more news you need to know.

The Philip DeFranco Show - Streamer Died On Camera After “10 Days Of Torture”, Humiliating Trump Fox News Texts, & My Response

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