'Mar-a-Lago Mafia, The Epstein Class': Walkinshaw on those protecting Trump IRS audit immunity

Leading off our discussion tonight is Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw of Virginia. He's a member of the House Oversight Committee and House Homeland Security Committee. Congressman Walkinshaw, always great to see you. Trump's DOJ appears to have caved on the slush fund because of intense Republican backlash. Where are they on the other provisions in Trump's settlement deal, banning tax audits of Trump and his family, for instance? Well, unfortunately, Republicans are full steam ahead to give the Trump family immunity from tax audits, and it's outrageous. Look, hardworking Americans, someone out there today making 50 grand a year, busting their butt to feed their family, they should know they're subject to audit by Donald Trump's IRS. But the one man, the one family who can't be audited, the Trump family. They think they're above the law. It's the Mar-a-Lago mafia, the Epstein class, all of it is coming together in this outrageous deal to protect the Trump family, to allow them to get away with cheating on their taxes. Absolutely outrageous. Well, speaking of Epstein, what do you want Todd Blanche to answer for regarding the Epstein files in his confirmation hearing? Well, I think we could just go through the transcript from our interview with Pam Bondi and look at every time she said you need to ask Todd Blanche, why were there illegal redactions made? You need to ask Todd Blanche. Why were the files scrubbed for mentions of Donald Trump? You need to ask Todd Blanche. Why were survivors' names and information and some cases, stories of abuse, released when they shouldn't have? You got to ask Todd Blanche. So folks in the Senate for that confirmation hearing should just go through our interview with Pam Bondi and ask all the questions that she said we should ask Todd Blanche. Speaking of the transcript of the Oversight Committee's interview with Pam Bondi says, and I'm quoting, question, before you left your position as attorney general, were there attorneys or other DOJ employees still working to rectify redaction errors in the files? Bondi, I believe so, especially if anyone reached out to us saying there was an error, including members of Congress who have the ability to look at the unredacted versions. I believe they still have that ability. So Congressman, do members of Congress still have that ability? Yes. The reading room is open. Members of Congress can schedule time to go over there and review the three million files. I've been over there several times myself. But it's important to note the way that they set up this process makes it impossible to truly review all the files. If all 435 or 535 members of the House and Senate went over there to review the files, it would take us months and months to do it. They refuse to allow congressional staff or trained investigators that work for Congress to review those files in those redactions. They clearly don't want the public to truly see what's there. One more question on this. Do they allow you to take notes? You know, there's been some inconsistency on that. I'm going to tell you, I've gone a couple of times and have been able to take notes. No one has stopped me. I've heard other members of Congress have been prevented from taking notes while they were there. So there seems to maybe have been some changes in that policy over time. We do know that when members of Congress log into that system, they're tracking us by name to see which files each of us review. Pam Bondi was asked that question and didn't deny that that continues to happen. So Congressman, Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee voted late last night to codify Trump's Department of War name change. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a full renaming could cost as much as $125 million taxpayer dollars. What exactly are taxpayers getting in return? Nothing. And look, I mean, there's a lot of irony here. We've heard from the administration that they have the authority to change the name. They've essentially asserted that they've changed the name on their own. I don't know why they needed to get Congress to change the name since they thought they could change the name on their own. And look, this is the same crowd that screamed as loud as they could about changing names of bases named after Confederate generals who took up arms to destroy the United States Constitution that might have cost $100,000 or $200,000. They're prepared now to spend $125 million to rename this because it makes them feel tough. That's what it's all about. Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump like to feel tough, so they want to change the name so they can feel tougher. Let me get you on one more thing, Congressman. Today, Donald Trump was asked about his acting National Intelligence Director, Bill Pulte. Listen to this. I wouldn't mind. I've heard this way too high for weight. So, Congressman, what concerns do you have for your constituents, thousands of whom work in national security, intelligence, and federal service? The Trump administration for this entire term has taken the chainsaw, really, starting with the Doge chainsaw to critical intelligence agencies and intelligence capacities of the federal government. And the American people are less safe as a result. And now they want to put a clown, an absolute clown, in Bill Pulte in charge of ODNI. It's ridiculous. Every single member of Congress, Republican or Democrat, should oppose it. This is a guy who got a job as a mortgage regulator and used that to weaponize that agency against Donald Trump's perceived political enemies. He should not be within a hundred miles of any national security or intelligence responsibility. Oversight Committee member, Congressman James Walkinshaw of the great Commonwealth of Virginia, thanks for joining us tonight. Thanks, Jonathan.