Sen. Rubio calls Rep. Bass an 'admirer of the Castro regime'
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio responds to Rep. Karen Bass' praise of Fidel Castro.
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," August 3, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity."
All right. Buckle up. We are only 92 days until this election where you are the ultimate jury.
And tonight, the conspiracy theorist on the left, you know, the ones that sold you the Russian hoax, the impeachment hoax, all of them are back in full gear -- Hitler comparisons, bizarre fantasies about President Trump getting forcibly removed from office in the strange Democratic -- dramatic analogy from Humpty -- Humpty-Dumpty on fake news CNN. Just off the rails, total psychosis but sadly predicable. Now, we're going to show you the worst of the worst coming up.
Plus, we have a very special "Hannity" investigation. Biden's 51 years of public life, many are wondering, okay, what specifically is he going to accomplish in over five decades in the swamp? Our special 2020 correspondent Lawrence Jones hit the streets of New York to find out if anyone could name a single accomplishment. This should be entertaining.
And later, Lawrence will bring us an exclusive investigation into the massive crime wave in de Blasio's New York with 1 billion in cuts for the NYPD. We're going to show you exactly what defunding the police looks like. Spoiler alert: think war zone.
But, first, tonight, we start with Democratic majority whip James Clyburn. He is in leadership, third-highest ranking Democrat in the House, a closed Biden ally. And this weekend, well, he continued to float yet more conspiracy theories -- kind of a tinfoil hat conspiracy theories -- about Trump, Putin, Nazi Germany, Mussolini, and fascism. Remember last week, he was comparing Trump, you know, of using whatever he and Pelosi said, Gestapo tactics and other crazy stuff.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you really think Donald Trump is comparable to Adolf Hitler?
REP. JAMES CLYBURN, D-S.C.: What I said started about two and a half, maybe three years ago at one of his State of the Unions. But I felt very strongly that this man has taken on a strong arm tactics. And I feel very strongly that he is Mussolini, Putin is Hitler. I believe very strongly, that this guy never had any idea about being one to peacefully transfer of power. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to continue to hold on to office.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Nazi analogies, fascist analogies.
What you just heard is obviously delusional, but it is the current favorite hoax of the radical left. Now, that's the same cast of Democratic extremists, the same lying mob in the media that brought you the failed Russia conspiracy theory hoax and the failed Ukraine hoax. Well, they now want you to believe that Donald Trump is going to refuse to leave office and become a dictator.
Fake news CNN's April Ryan even openly fantasizing about the president getting pulled out of the Oval Office by armed forces. Ba-ba-bap! Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
APRIL RYAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: There's going to be a split screen on January 20th, 2021. If Joe Biden is going to be the 46th president of the United States, you will have him being inaugurated and watching police and armed forces trying to pull Donald Trump out of the White House. I cannot wait for that split screen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: This is deranged, but sadly predictable behavior. We see it every two years and every four years, and as we now march closer to the election, the three-month mark, the smear machine is only going to get worse. Prepare yourself for the greatest insanity, emotional rollercoaster -- well, you probably never seen before.
What do they do every two and four years? They divide this country, old, young, rich, poor. They use racial identity politics. They have bizarre conspiracy theories. They are even getting more bizarre.
And on Sunday, professional Fox stalker, we call him affectionately Humpty- Dumpty, literally comparing the president to a driver who is trying to crash his car intentionally. In Humpty's -- well, melodramatic scenario, the car represents our democracy. We are a democratic republic, if we can keep it, as Ben Franklin once warned.
Now, Democrat Jamie Raskin actually accused the president of turning the GOP into a religious cult.
And tonight, this kind of extreme rhetoric is not just Trump derangement syndrome. It is an intentional distraction coupled with derangement and real psychosis to keep your attention away from all things, yeah, the ever corrupt, confused and slow Joe Biden. It's also that the Democrats and their state-run socialist TV allies, they are actually scared to death that you, the American people, will reelect Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. And for the sake of our kids and grandkids, and the world, I pray we do.
They know that Joe is weak. They know he's corrupt. They know his track record is pathetic. He's one of the worst presidential candidates in history. He is hiding because of it.
And Pelosi, Schumer, Bolshevik Bernie, AOC's policies, if they are implemented, they will destroy what is the greatest country God has given man and put the world in great peril. Without us leading, the world is in deep trouble, which brings us to an important "Hannity" history lesson.
So, in 51 years of public life, OK, ask yourself at home -- what has Joe Biden accomplished? I can tell you what child has accomplished in less than four.
Let's start with Biden's uncanny knack for always making the wrong decision. For example, Biden opposed the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed bin Laden. Biden also spoke out against a successful Petraeus Iraq troop surge in 2007, and Biden was an enthusiastic supporter of Obama's strategy to abandon the Middle East which, of course, left a massive vacuum that was soon filled by ISIS.
Oh, yeah, and he pushed the big lie, keep your doctor, plan and save money. Millions lost their doctors, their plans. We're all paying about 200 percent more. He voted for the war in Iraq, now he says a mistake.
Biden also on the wrong side of racial integration. Let's go to NBC News, shall we? He led the charge on an issue that kept black students away from the classrooms of white students. As Biden once said, he did not want his children to grow up in a racial jungle.
Senator Kamala Harris, now a front runner we hear, who knows, maybe ahead fake for Biden's veepstakes. But just a few months ago, she had this to say about Biden's anti-integration efforts. Wow. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CALIF.: But I also believe, and it's personal and I was actually very -- it was hurtful. To hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country. And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. And there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public school. And she was asked to school every day, and that little girl was mean.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Why didn't Joe Biden at least look somebody in the eye and listen to what they have to say?
By the way, Kamala now wants to be Biden's running mate. Pretty pathetic and by the way, Biden's horrific track record doesn't end there. A few years ago during the Barack and Joe days, there it administration, Biden was a point person for Ukraine-U.S. relations.
And during that time, we already know he allowed Putin to steal Crimea, all while zero experience son, well, Hunter got filthy rich, thanks to the sketchy deal with the pro-Russian energy company all while leveraging a billion dollars of your money. Quid pro quo Joe, zero experience Hunter.
Biden also was in charge of the administration's China policy and for years, Joe -- well, he did his best to cozy up to the country's ruling communist party, all while again, Hunter -- well, he struck another lucrative deal, this time with the Bank of China. No experience anyone can find.
Flash forward to this year when President Trump signed off on the life- saving travel ban to and from China. Ten days after the first identified coronavirus case here, Biden was against the ban. He is one who called it hysterical xenophobia and fearmongering.
How many thousands of American lives were saved by the president's decision ten days after that first case in the U.S.? And, by the way, to do that, while he was also being impeached. Joe, wrong as usual.
So, it's a horrific track record. Well, we sent our own Lawrence Jones, our 2020 correspondent. He went out to the streets of New York to see if anyone could just name a single positive achievement from Biden's five decades of public life. I haven't seen this yet.
This is going to be interesting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE JONES, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: What would you say is Joe Biden's signature accomplishment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Obama's right hand.
JONES: That's enough for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
JONES: What is one accomplishment for Joe Biden? He's been in politics for 47 years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, I don't know what. I don't know.
JONES: You don't know what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's a nice man. He smiles a lot. I don't see any kind of strength, any kind of inner strength in him to lead a nation that's an absolute mess right now.
JONES: You're a Democrat?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a Democrat.
JONES: Biden is your person. He's been in office for, like, 47 years. What would you say is his number one accomplishment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Again, people come together.
JONES: He brings people together?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, better than, of course, Donald Trump.
JONES: Biden is the guy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's unfortunate that that's what we have now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: They can't answer. He smiles, he's nice, he was selected VP.
What did he do for we, the people?
Joining us now with reaction, FOX News contributor Ari Fleischer, senior advisor to the Trump campaign, Mercedes Schlapp.
Welcome back both of you.
Now, Ari, I look at that tape and I'm thinking Pelosi, Schumer, and Biden, 125 years of combined swamp experience. Trump less than four. I have given all the laundry list of Trump accomplishments. I can't think of one thing Biden has accomplished.
ARI FLEISCHER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, he's accomplished weakness. I've never seen somebody who can run so fast at that age from the positions he used to hold.
You know, Biden used to be very tough on crime. He's walked away from those positions. He used to have a much more nuanced position on abortion. He's walked away from that position.
China -- Joe Biden is so weak on China. I think that's a notable accomplishment in this day and age.
And, finally, Joe Biden might not activate. That will be a singular accomplishment. When people are wondering if he has the vigor to get on stage for an hour or two hours, he might say, I don't have the vigor, I can't stand on there.
That came up today, people are urging him, don't get on the debate stage. People will remember that.
HANNITY: Mercedes, can you think of one thing he has accomplished in 51 years that help the American people besides being nice and smiley?
MERCEDES SCHLAPP, TRUMP 2020 CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: Well, let me think, Sean.
No. I will tell you the one thing that his policies have pushed for which is that, for example, supporting the 1994 crime bill which led to the mass incarceration of many black Americans. And as we know, it took President Trump working with those Democrats and Republicans to push forward criminal justice reform and sentencing reform which we know has been one of President Trump's biggest accomplishments.
So I think for Joe Biden, look, he's a follower. He was the one that has bad judgment after bad judgment when it came to foreign policy and not saying, look, let's go and go after Osama bin Laden. He is one who has basically said, you know, China, they're not a real threat.
So, I think it's bad judgment, bad decisions coming from Joe Biden and just truly being a follower. As we know, he's now following the socialist party, which is why he has made a decision to sign and join this socialist manifesto put together by Bernie Sanders, that we know is going to lead to incredible increases of taxes here in the United States as well as really negatively impact our economy.
HANNITY: Ari, let me pick up where Mercedes left off, I mentioned this in my monologue. That he was against the travel ban. I would argue that incalculable lives saved. Now takes on Bolshevik Bernie's economic plan and AOC's pledging trillions for the New Green Deal. Why?
FLEISCHER: Yeah, because he is running to the left because he is not strong enough to stand up for himself. If you watch the primaries from the very beginning, Joe Biden was a cork in the ocean floating leftward. And that's one of the things he used to try to win the primary.
You know, you would think if you have the courage of his convictions, if he had strength, if he had will and fortitude, he would stand up for the things he used to believe in. But no, that was part of the whole movement of the entire Democratic Party to the left, and Joe Biden went happily along with it.
So, when people think that he's a moderate, he's no moderate. The only difference now is we have the socialists -- the avowed socialist wing of the Democratic Party menu had the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.
Joe Biden belongs to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party and he will be surrounded and buffeted by the socialist wing to which he has yielded. That's not a sign of strength. It's a sign of weakness.
HANNITY: This -- I can't think in history, Mercedes, of any major party candidate this radical and extreme. Can you?
SCHLAPP: No. I mean, I think that he will -- Joe Biden has made a conscientious decision and I think he's following the advice of his advisors, including AOC and Bernie Sanders, as saying this is where America is.
And I have to tell you I think, you know, I've been traveling across the country with the Women for Trump bus tour, and when you go talk to Americans, they're saying, I am scared we're going to lose our country. The mere fact that socialism has seeped into the United States where you're seeing cities burn down, where you're seeing so many of the violence happening in these cities, where -- and these protests, it just shows that Americans are concerned. They are concerned about ensuring that we have safe communities, that we do not defund the police.
As we know, many of these Democrats in the far left agreed to. In fact we know Joe Biden says we need to redirect the resources from the police and I just think that that is not a winning issue at all for these Democrats.
At the end of the day, President Trump is a common sense president. He knows what it takes to help Americans get through this coronavirus pandemic as well as ensure that we maintain a strong economy and keep our communities safe.
HANNITY: Mercedes Schlapp, Ari Fleischer, as always, thank you both for being with us with great insightful commentary.
Now, tonight, it's no surprise a growing list of Democrats are urging Biden to skip the presidential debates. Now even Clinton's former White House spokesperson is begging Biden not to show, like "The New York Times." Such a horrible track record, a troubling inability to string cogent sentences together.
The debates, well, they could be disaster. Although the bar is so low, I guess if he shows up, he's going to -- the mob and the media, he won. He showed up. He didn't really mess up too bad.
But, of course, that bar so low, the media mob, they will cheer and applaud Biden if he doesn't make a total, complete full of himself. What's more concerning is that Biden is now controlled, as we've been talking about, the radical socialist extremists in his party, even plagiarized, as we've been saying, Bernie's economic policy, actually word for word.
Put AOC in charge of implementing the New Green Deal, that's trillions of your dollars. Beto Bozo, he is the guns are, the confiscation guide. And I mention Schumer and Pelosi, and what they're trying to do, it's a very scary scenario for the future of the country if enacted.
Now, even socialist Congresswoman Omar is now praising Biden's agenda as the most progressive in history. I might actually have agreement. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ILHAN OMAR, D-MINN.: Right now, we have a candidate for president within the Democratic Party who I just endorsed and brought along many of our constituents to get behind and support Joe Biden as the president because I understand we've now had an opportunity to move his platform to be more progressive, the most progressive platform a president has ever run on on the Democratic side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: As I discussed in my new book officially out in two hours and 42 minutes, "Live Free or Die: America and the World on the Brink", getting out midnight tonight, this is the greatest election of our lifetime. The consequences are real, a battle between socialism and capitalism, law and order, versus anarchy and mob rule, freedom of thought versus the tyranny of the left.
Just look at one of Biden's top VP contenders, Congressman Karen Bass. Until very recently, Representative Bass was a huge fan of Castro's communist dictatorship, visiting Cuba at least eight times. 2016, mourning the death of this murdering dictator writing, quote, I wish to express my condolences to the Cuban people and the family of Fidel Castro.
What about the families who've lost loved ones that he ordered the murder of.
And in it, she says, the passing of, well, the comandante is a great loss to the people of Cuba.
And on Sunday, bass tried to walk it back. She's being considered for V.P. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: And you make it sound as if this was just, when you were young and irresponsible, you were young and irresponsible. You put up that message about Cuba -- about Castro's death six years -- four years ago, in 2016.
REP. KAREN BASS, D-CALIF.: I absolutely would have not put that statement out. I will tell you that after talking to my colleagues who represent the state of Florida, raise those concerned with me, lesson learned. Would not do that again, for sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Eight visits later, election year, talked about his VP -- amazing conversion, election year conversion. I guess it's fitting that a U.S. communist party leader just officially endorsed Joe, too.
Here with more, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is with us.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, R-FLA.: Thanks.
HANNITY: Senator, when you think of how many people from Cuba risked their lives -- first, how many people were murdered as Castro came to power and the poverty he created -- broken down, dilapidated, rickety boats in shark infested waters, risking their lives to come here to get away from there. You know as much about this as anybody.
RUBIO: Yeah. I mean, Fidel Castro -- first of all, two and a half, over to close to two and a half million Cubans have fled the island since the Castro revolution. Many served 30 years in jail. Many were executed after show trials.
People died in the straits of Florida in rafts to get away from it. Families divided, never able to (AUDIO GAP) see their relatives again. Others died before they could see them again. So, it's a terrible tragedy embedded in this.
But I want to say something (AUDIO GAP), Sean. (AUDIO GAP) this one comment, this is not about one comment. This isn't really to be some -- she's not being sincere when she says it's about one comment.
Congresswoman Bass has a long, appears to be, three to four-decade history of being an admirer of the Castro regime. It started as a student. It continued during (AUDIO GAP) during her time in government and even up into her time here in Congress. She frequently visited the island, both as the part of Venceremos Brigades that were there to participate in the revolution and be helpful to it, and as recently as a few years ago. So, this is about more than just one comment.
And let me say one more thing, what she said the other day that Republicans have taken to calling every Democratic communist, that's just false. I'm the first to tell you, there are many Democrats that have worked with us on this issue, a number of them that feel strongly about it, especially in Florida, but other parts of the country.
This is about her. It's about her long track record and, frankly, she would be the highest profile Castro sympathizer we've ever had at any level in American government.
HANNITY: What do you make of this radical left turn? The Democratic extreme socialist party?
RUBIO: Yeah, I mean, that's where the energy is coming from in that party, and there was a point made earlier about Joe Biden -- you know, Joe Biden is a solid liberal. (AUDIO GAP) the party has moved so far to the left that it leaves him looking like a centrist to some people.
It's not that he's moved. He is still right on the liberal side. It's that the energy in the party has moved further left.
But here's the problem, when he -- if he becomes president, God forbid, all the people in his administration will come from that group and you will see a fundamental change in this country that will please someone like Congresswoman Bass, for example, that sympathizes with the (AUDIO GAP) --
HANNITY: All right.
RUBIO: -- Castro (ph) regime.
HANNITY: Senator, as always, thank you for being with us.
Our "Hannity" investigation, do you want to know what life will be like under defunding the police? Lawrence Jones, a special report.
Also, remember Bari Weiss, former "New York Times" opinion columnist, editor, is now calling out her previous employer and rightly so. We're going to play the tape and get reaction from White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Later on, Tom Cotton, senator of Arkansas, how the Democrats continue to play for politics with relief moneys. What, again? Straight ahead.
Glad you're with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Now, state-run TV, the media mob continues their rapid shift away from facts, figures and the free flow of information to an all-out effort to silence all opposing views while pushing nonstop Democratic propaganda conspiracy theories and talking points. Just listen to former "New York Times" opinion columnist and editor, Bari Weiss, who's not a conservative, on "Real Time with Bill Maher", discussing the troubling trends. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARI WEISS, FORMER NEW YORK TIMES OPINION COLUMNIST AND EDITOR: The problem that happened at "The Times" and it's referenced in the letter, the Harper's letter, that Thomas helped shape, is that my boss got fired for running an op-ed by a sitting U.S. senator. Now, you might say Tom Cotton is detestable, that you disagree with him, but I don't want to live in a world where the views of half the country can't be heard in the paper of record. And that's I fear where we're headed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Fifty percent of the country. The New York toilet paper "Times", 24/7 anti-Trump eight machine speeding along. Just look at these hippies on Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, headline: Kayleigh McEnany heckles the press. Is that all?
Oh, that sounds like objective reporting. Does that sound like a paper committed to truth and facts? I think Ms. Weiss is correct. It sounds like the same smear tactics we've seen in the last four years.
Joining us now, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Let me -- let me, first of all, say, it's a badge of honor for you. Congratulations that they don't like you. I think that -- I celebrate that fact.
And I want to go to one piece. You know, you -- one thing was brought up that you don't want to work with reporters. Can they first apologize for the years' worth of lies and conspiracy theories on Russia before we work with people that are unwilling to tell the truth themselves and don't retract and apologize?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: That's exactly right. Instead of retracting those stories, they won Pulitzers of those stories that "The Washington Post" and "The New York Times" for lying about the witch hunt against the president of the United States. They were dead wrong but they don't apologize. They don't give back the Pulitzers as they should.
And what's so egregious about this, Sean, and particularly with the Tom Cotton op-ed, you know, we used the briefings and we highlight peoples whose names are not mentioned in many mainstream publications, like David Dorn, the police officer who lost his life in the riots, and how ironic that "The New York Times" rather than highlighting this tragic story that deserves attention, they instead censor a piece that mentions and talks about the violence and the riots -- and that, of course, is Senator Tom Cotton's op-ed. It's really egregious.
HANNITY: You know, the world has changed, Kayleigh. You know, Rush Limbaugh, syndicated in 1988, with only 200 talk stations. It's the number one format in radio. Over 3,000 now, AM and FM.
The president has 200, and I don't know the total, terms of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, over 200-plus million people he can go directly to. He doesn't need them.
You have -- many in talk radio, I support the president's policies openly. I don't hide it, and I'm proud of it -- proud of his accomplishments. You don't really have to talk to these people anymore.
Does -- I don't think the president needs to ever argue with them again. It's a waste of time.
MCENANY: You're exactly right. That's what drives them nuts, Sean. You have the Democrats who engage in basket of deplorable politics like Hillary Clinton. We're all in the basket of deplorables. You have "The Washington Post" saying, well, it's actually more than half of the country, that half of Trump supporters that are in the basket of deplorables.
And you have the media doing the bidding work of the left and it drives them nuts that this president work around them, spoke directly to the American people, more than 200 million followers. And that direct connection to the American people is what perturbs them and drives them to be even more insane in their coverage of this president.
HANNITY: I notice you come in with a binder and, you know, when it's a different topic, you're allowed to have notes. It's not like a presidential debate, although why do I suspect that Joe Biden's team is going to want notes in the debates with Donald Trump if he even shows up to try to set the stage that he wouldn't?
That to me is like checkmate moments. They don't like being called out. Isn't that really the truth here, they've always got a pass?
MCENANY: They don't like preparation. They don't like this administration has the facts on their side. When they come in with a question that's designed to attack this president, in an unfair manner and then we come back with the facts and we show the American people the truth of the matter, it certainly drives them nuts.
But that's the thing with this president. The facts are on his side. He's done great work for the American people who he cares deeply about, and we come arm to tell the truth of the Trump presidency, which is a great story of success for the American people.
HANNITY: I would argue shattering every record low on employment for every demographic group in the country. I would argue the travel ban in quarantine and subsequent travel bans, huge. We never ran out of ventilators, did we? And the country relied on the White House.
MCENANY: Exactly.
HANNITY: Also defeating the caliphate that Biden and Obama didn't defeat. So, can you now just totally bypass them and really not even have to talk to them except -- I mean, I guess it's good you go in there. Have a nice chat every day. It gets entertaining, but I don't think the president needs the media and I think that minute that he's gone, they're out of business.
MCENANY: That's exactly right. If you look at his ratings at these coronavirus press briefings, the American people tune in because they want to hear from the president, unfiltered.
You have the media saying you're not doing enough testing. Oh, wait, we leave the world in testing, 60 million tests. You don't have enough ventilators. Oh, wait, we're supplying the world with ventilators.
He speaks directly to the American people at those 5:00 p.m. press briefings, him at his best, the American people recognize it.
HANNITY: And Joe wouldn't have put the travel ban in and Democrats --
MCENANY: Exactly.
HANNITY: -- impeaching Donald Trump with a trial, the very same time the president was doing what no other president has done ten days after the first case. That to me, countless lives saved.
Kayleigh, I don't know how you do it, you're not paid enough. I wouldn't be able to do your job. Thank you for being with us.
When we come back -- well, Senator Tom Cotton weighing on the Democrats playing politics when it comes to the relief bill. The dangers about voter fraud. Has it happened in the past? We'll tell you about it.
And Lawrence Jones, you do not want to miss his exclusive investigation. You want to know what defunding the police looks like? He will show you tonight in great specificity a preview of coming attractions, if God forbid, Biden is elected -- straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Now, while the president continues to push for Congress to pass another relief bill to get direct payments into the hands of working families and, of course, necessary monies to open schools safely, Pelosi, Schumer, Democrats are still trying to use the packages as another back door seem to get a blue state bailout for failed Democratic governors across the country.
Here's what the president said earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Look, what Chuck Schumer wants more than anybody and I would say Nancy Pelosi would be second, they want to bailout cities and states that have done a bad job over a long period of time -- nothing to do with coronavirus or China virus or whatever you want to call it. They want to bailout cities and states. They want bailout money. They want a trillion dollars in bailout money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Meanwhile, the president continue to -- continuing to sound the alarm over the potential dangers of mass mail-in voting, even threatening legal action after Nevada state legislature, they passed this high highly controversial vote by mail measure last week.
The president tweeting, quote, in an illegal late night coup, Nevada's -- well, clubhouse governor made it impossible for Republicans to win the state. The Post Office could never handle the traffic of mail-in votes without preparation. Using COVID to steal the state. We'll see you in court.
Now, also already seeing the disaster of mass mail in voting, for example, right, in New York, the New York City, as six weeks later two congressional races, two, remain undecided as officials trade blame over the mishandling of ballots.
And don't forget, just this summer, while in Paterson, New Jersey, local officials were among those charged in a voter fraud scheme. Recently in Los Angeles, four men were sentenced for their role in a voter fraud operation.
Now, as Michael Goodwin writes in The New York Post about nationwide vote by mail, quote: Nothing like it has ever been attempted, so to assume it would go smoothly is beyond foolish. I agree. Indeed, it would be a miracle, he says, if it weren't a disaster.
Here with reaction, Senator Tom Cotton.
Senator, let's -- let's talk first about this whole thing because there is a danger here and we have chronicled examples. Kevin McCarthy told me, in California, they're going to count votes cast 17 days after the Election Day? What?
SEN. TOM COTTON, R-ARK.: Yeah, Sean, there is a grave danger of fraud from mail-in balloting. Let's be clear about the difference between mail-in ballot and absentee ballots. When you vote absentee, you submit an application, you expect the ballot, you get it, you mail it back in. There's a track record at every step of the process.
These states like Nevada and New York that want to move to mail-in balloting, they're talking about sending a live, real ballots to every single person who is registered, whether they wanted one or not, whether their address has been verified, whether they are alive or dead, and then they're going to allow ballot harvesting as well, which is when party activists can around and pick up hundreds or thousands of those ballots, and return them without any knowledge of what coercion may have used, what tactics they might have used to pick it up.
Look, this is so rife for fraud. And in North Carolina in 2018, an entire congressional election was invalidated and had to be rerun.
The fact that the Democrats in places like Nevada are already trying to change the rules, it goes to show you just how nervous they're getting about this election.
HANNITY: Well, I warn Republicans, you better have your ground game and you better have lawyers in every one of these swing states for the reasons you're describing here.
Let me ask you about the COVID relief package. First, you recently said China is deeply indifferent to human life. Chinese government party, communist party is responsible for the virus. They should be held accountable.
Are the Democrats trying to prevent victims of what they unleashed on the world from getting compensated when they're guilty as hell? I agree with you.
COTTON: Yeah, Sean, just last week in the Senate Judiciary Committee, most of Democrats voted against legislation that I sponsored with Senator Martha McSally and several other senators that would open the American courts to the victims of this virus, just like we did for the 9/11 victims.
Unfortunately, that's just in keeping with too many Democrats' soft on China approach which reflects the leader of their party, Joe Biden, who has been sending factories and jobs to China for decades with nothing to show for it -- other than a job for Hunter Biden.
HANNITY: All right. Let me ask you one other question (ph) -- they did this to the previous COVID relief package. This is to help schools. This is to help put out the hot spots, needed money for those people still needing economic help.
The Democrats did this before. They did it twice. They want now $3 trillion but they are willing to hold up money again.
OK. Why? And why $3 trillion when the president has proposed a trillion?
COTTON: Well, Sean, it's because it's never enough of the Democrats. They always want more and they always want to throw it after special interest. What we need to do is distinguish between what the American people need and what Democrats want.
Those who are still out of work especially in industries like restaurants and hospitality, or airlines, they need enhanced unemployment payments. Our schools need some extra money to be able to get our kids back into school safely and responsibly.
We need to be able to help small businesses who depend on the Paycheck Protection Program.
The Democrats want to throw away all kinds of money on the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, and all their pet projects. It's not time for that.
HANNITY: All right. Senator, keep up the good work. Ninety-two days -- pivotal, pivotal.
Oh, by the way, immediately after the show, I will be a guest on Laura Ingraham show, "The Ingraham Angle".
When we come back, a "Hannity" investigation into the collapse of New York City. You want to know what defunding the police looks like? Our 2020 correspondent Lawrence Jones has this exclusive report, and we'll get reaction from Dan Bongino.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: I want to know what defunding police will look like in your city? We turn to our "Hannity" investigation out of New York City where a grim milestone was reached this weekend as we now have five months left of the year. The city of New York has suffered more shootings than all of last year.
By the way, there were more than two dozen separate incidents over the weekend. By the way, a 9-year-old was killed in Chicago, 9-year-old precious child, our national treasure.
Now, of course, New York is not the only city experience a surge in violence. Similar trend and all the dozens of Democratic-run cities for decades across the country. just this Friday, another trial began, shot dead, fatally shot Chicago.
Here with an exclusive report, Our 2020 correspondent, investigative correspondent Lawrence Jones is with us.
Lawrence, we have five months ago and we have more than all of 2019.
JONES: Ye, Sean, good evening. Not just that, murders are up, 50 percent, and shootings are up 177 percent. That's over the month of July.
We talked with residents about the crime, there shootings and the drugs that are on the streets. They blame the mayor. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: There's been more shootings in your accident and there was last year. People are shooting up on the streets, drugs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.
JONES: Businesses are boarded up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
JONES: A lot of people have compared it to the '80s.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right, I was here in the `80s.
JONES: Is that fair?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's true. It's very true. It's before the Giuliani era. It's starting to degrade back to that again.
JONES: You say it's like the '80s.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I survived that.
JONES: A lot of people were upset. A lot of people were scared.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
JONES: Businesses boarded up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: De Blasio is basically taking us back to pre-Dinkins days.
JONES: Who do you blame for all of this that's happening in the city?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I blame the mayor, Bill de Blasio. He is -- this was a thoughtless act.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They would rather pick up a gun than just fight a person. I mean, why won't you just have a fist fight and call a day.
JONES: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: Sean, during our report, we saw people doing drugs on the street. Now, we should note ever since our report, the mayor has engaged in getting people on the street to clean up these needles and stuff so we weren't able to show you a lot more of them today.
I also talked with my New York City police source. He tells me that there is a debate currently going on between the mayor and the commissioner about bringing the anti-crime unit back to New York City after the pressure and seeing the skyrocketing crime rates. They are debating right now what to call it now. They don't want to call it the anti-crime unit.
But, Sean, I think this is just politics as usual.
HANNITY: You've been doing phenomenal work, you know, interviewing the father and the grandparent of the 1-year-old shot and killed in a stroller in a park in New York, and losing that 7-year-old girl on the Fourth of July weekend at out of grandma's house.
This has to end, we have the ability. These mayors won't do it, these governors won't do it. Great reporting, Lawrence Jones. Thank you.
All right. Here with more is FOX News contributor, former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer, Dan Bongino.
Dan, how many more kids die? How many more people shot? When do they say, OK, we're going to fix this?
DAN BONGINO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah, Sean, I am really praying I think along with you and others. It's not hyperbole that people in this city wake up and reach a redline with a reach a frustration level where they start to vote for something different.
Listen, I keep regular contact with law enforcement officials of the federal and former friends of mine at the NYPD. I am hearing two things, Sean, call them the 2Gs or whatever.
The spike in homicides and shootings is largely due to gangs and grievances. Now, a lot of these prior grievances from people who would've been in jail under broken windows, relatively aggressive, not physically aggressive, aggressive policing. They would have been in jail, they're not in jail.
So, now, they're outside. They have nothing to do. We have this recession because of the coronavirus nursing, and you're seeing people shooting each other.
Now, these gangs come you're seeing an explosion of violence there and they say why is it happening recently. Well, there's a reason behind that. When I was with the NYPD under Rudy Giuliani, again, this aggressive style of policing where we actually enforce the law, Sean, people were afraid. These gangs and people who had grievances against others are now shooting, they were afraid to carry their guns because if you are caught with an illegal firearm, there is a guaranteed minimum of time in jail.
There is no anti-crime unit, Sean. Nobody is stopping and frisking anyone or they're catching in public, drunk or whatever it may be. So, everybody is like, hey, it's the wild west. I'll carry my gun wherever I want. They run into a guy they don't like and instead of punching him in the face, they shoot him.
Listen, none of this is rocking science. You can turn -- rocket science -- you can turn around tomorrow if you had a mayor with some, you can figure out the rest, who is willing to actually enforce the law.
HANNITY: Where we have the most violence in the worst educational systems which, by the way, I would vote safety is job one for any elected politician, protect your citizenry, they are failing, education.
These cities all have one thing in common, most of them are blue state Democrats, run by Democrats for decades, mayors, elected Democratic mayors for decades. That's the one commonality.
BONGINO: Yes.
HANNITY: So, there is a political --
BONGINO: Yeah, you wonder when people are going to figure this out, right? Like liberalism is a cancer on the caboose of humankind. Everywhere it goes it destroys and even, to be fair, we have seen some small spikes in homicides and cities with Republican mayors, the enormous spikes are exclusively, exclusively cities run by liberals. Like that's just a fact.
And, ironically, Sean, violent crime in some of these big cities, other violent crime outside of homicide and shootings, is actually down. You know why? The economies are so bad in these liberal cities, nobody is on the streets to mug. That's a fact. You can look up the data yourself.
HANNITY: Unbelievable. Scary.
By the way, Dan and I get to change roles. He will be interviewing me on his show and many others. We have that announcement coming up.
BONGINO: I've got it right here. I'm already ready for the interview. So, be prepared. I've already got my pages.
HANNITY: OK, I know, it's not going to be a cupcake interview. That's what O'Reilly has been saying. Dan Bongino, thank you. We appreciate it.
All right. Those announcements when we come back and I will be a guest on Laura Ingraham's show coming up next, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. In just two hours, one minute, I've been telling you, my book "Live Free or Die: America and the World on the Brink" is finally out. And, by the way, thank you. You already made it number one nonfiction on amazon.com. We can't do this without you. Thank you. I think it's important. The country is on the brink.
By the way, it's now discounted there on amazon.com, 34 percent. I don't know who decided that but I'm happy, that's good because I want to get the message out, first book in ten years.
Also on Hannity.com, we have a list of events we love to invite you to for the book, we'd love to have you participate in. Again, number one, Amazon, thanks to you.
We also have our election interactive map, Hannity.com. That means, you'll know, when does early voting start in your state? Who is running for your congressional seat? What about absentee voting? You know what, all hands on deck moment for the country.
Quick programming note, I will be on "Fox & Friends" tomorrow, 10:00 a.m. Let not your heart be troubled because I'm about to get beaten up by Laura Ingraham, so my heart has to be troubled.
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