Transcript

LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026

From MeidasTouch · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 54 min · 8,210 words · 85 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026", an episode of MeidasTouch published January 13, 2026 (54 min, about 8,210 words). It mentions 19 people, works and ideas, including Epstein Transparency Act, Ben Myellis, ICE, Minneapolis, Border Patrol.

What this episode is about

The discussion centers around a federal judge's decision to require the Department of Justice to clarify its standing in relation to the Epstein Transparency Act, following a letter from Congress members urging enforcement of the act. The hosts, Ben Myellis and Michael Cohen, critique the lack of transparency in the DOJ's actions and the necessity of legal proceedings to obtain documents that should be accessible to Congress.

Key takeaways

  • Congress signed the Epstein Transparency Act, yet victims still need court interventions to access justice—how's that for ironic?
  • From sports contracts to federal transparency, the message is clear: when agreements lack enforcement, trust crumbles.
  • Cohen raises a critical point: why the DOJ and the Ghislaine Maxwell case are allegedly 'teammates' in a systemic cover-up?
  • When legislative action is stalled by the executive branch, one wonders if our government is akin to a Duma in disguise.
  • If the DOJ acts like a racketeering enterprise instead of justice, what hope do victims really have?

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Ben Myellis, Epstein Transparency Act, Judge Angel Meyer, Massie and Kana
  2. – 10:00: Epstein Transparency Act, Guilain Maxwell, US, Russia
  3. – 15:00: Minneapolis, Border Patrol, St. Paul
  4. – 20:00: Alvin K. Hellerstein, 2024
  5. – 25:00: US, 2024, Raza Palavi
  6. – 30:00: Ultra Pouches, Raza Palavi, Fast Growing Trees
  7. – 35:00: Minneapolis, Steven Little Miller, Fast Growing Trees
  8. – 40:00: Minneapolis, John Ross, Jacob Frey
  9. – 45:00: Border Patrol, Minneapolis, St. Paul
  10. – 50:00: Border Patrol, Minneapolis, John Ross
  11. – 53:43: John Ross

Notable quotes from "LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026"

  • Protective orders in place and based on the judge's supervisory responsibilities of a case to enforce compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act. This follows Congress…
    about Epstein Transparency Act · at
  • Know, in the typical course, right, Judge Angle Meer presides over a case involving DOJ Gain Maxwell. Gilain, convicted child sex trafficker who should be rotting away in…
    about Guilain Maxwell · at
  • Then Cohen and they're not they're covering it up. What happens when your branches of government in the United States now function like the Duma in Russia? And so today, James…
    about US · at
  • State regime media because now it's part of a propaganda campaign to attack peaceful protesters in Minneapolis and St. Paul. By the way, Minneapolis, St.
    about Minneapolis · at
  • Helerstein a name that you all have recently heard. He is the judge on the Maduro case. Judge Helerstein turned around and stated that the government violated my first amendment that it was retaliation because I refused to wave my.
    about Alvin K. Hellerstein · at
  • The regime there is not listening to Donald Trump. What Trump wants is Raza Palavi to show up at Mara Lago and kiss his ring after also undercutting Palavi the same way he undercut Machado and doing all of that. But then Palavi goes.
    about Raza Palavi · at
  • Literally outnumbering the police force. God bless this kid, Jacob Frey, the mayor, who turned around and said, I want people to understand numbers. there's the old adage, numbers don't lie, people do. According to what he said, all of.
    about Jacob Frey · at
  • We just shoot you in the face with bear spray. or worse like this idiot John Ross. I'll shoot you in the [ __ ] face with my 9 millimeter.
    about John Ross · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Ben Myellis — Person · Host · 2 mentions · first at
    Host who frames the episode’s agenda: Epstein Transparency Act enforcement, DOJ noncompliance, and ICE/Border Patrol actions in Minneapolis/St. Paul.
    Welcome to Political Beatdown. I'm Ben Myellis joined by Michael Cohen. We've got a lot to discuss. Cohen, where do we start? we can start with the federal judge in the Southern District.
  • Judge Angel Meyer — Person · Referenced judge · 2 mentions · first at
    Federal judge described as ordering DOJ to respond on standing and potential independent monitor regarding Epstein Transparency Act compliance.
    The Department of Justice to respond if the judge has standing based on the protective orders in place and based on the judge's supervisory responsibilities of a case to…
  • John Ross — Person · Referenced perpetrator (as described) · 3 mentions · first at
    Cited as an example of extremist violence and dehumanization; hosts condemn him for a shooting and criticize supporters fundraising for him.
  • Massie and Kana — Person · Referenced lawmaker · 2 mentions · first at
    Credited with sending a letter to the judge flagging issues to enforce Epstein Transparency Act compliance.
    The DOJ, should I appoint an independent monitor here? And I think the strategy by those members was executed perfectly.
  • Guilain Maxwell — Person · Referenced convicted trafficker (as described) · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned in connection with DOJ posture and alleged preferential treatment; used to argue DOJ is not acting adversarially on behalf of victims.
  • Alvin K. Hellerstein — Person · Referenced judge · 1 mention · first at
    Cohen credits him with habeas-related relief and notes he is also the judge on the 'Maduro case,' tying to broader legal themes.
  • Jacob Frey — Person · Referenced local official · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as Minneapolis mayor providing numbers comparing local police to federal forces, supporting the 'invasion' framing.
  • Raza Palavi — Person · Referenced opposition figure (Iran) · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed as someone Trump allegedly wants to 'kiss his ring'; Cohen argues Palavi is an unrealistic leader-in-waiting after decades outside Iran.
  • Steven Little Miller — Person · Referenced administration figure · 1 mention · first at
    Named as part of Trump’s inner circle allegedly driving harmful policies and actions, contributing to the 'two governments' dynamic described.
    Like we have almost two governments running right now, right? You have kind of Trump and his inner circle, Stephen Miller and Bondi and Gnome, who are doing the most horrific…

Companies & orgs

  • ICE — Company · Core topic / criticized enforcement body · 18 mentions
    Portrayed as a militarized force using chemical agents and intimidation against peaceful protesters and communities, central to the Minneapolis/St. Paul discussion.
    ICE agitators... part of a propaganda campaign...
  • Border Patrol — Company · Core topic / criticized enforcement body · 6 mentions · first at
    Discussed alongside ICE as part of a militarized federal presence accused of using chemical agents and disrupting local governance in Minnesota.
    That the 10th amendment of the constitution has now been violated because ICE and Border Patrol, they're not doing law enforcement. They've done an invasion of the city. What…

Products & tech

  • Ultra Pouches — Product · Advertised product · 3 mentions · first at
    Promoted as nicotine-free pouches with nootropics; included as a sponsor message with discount code.
    That's why I started using ultra pouches. And truth, I'm obsessed. Ultra pouches are completely nicotine free, caffeine-free, and packed with neotropics that are designed for mental clarity and enhanced focus. Ultra.

Concepts & topics

  • Epstein Transparency Act — Concept · Core topic / legal instrument · 3 mentions · first at
    The episode centers on alleged DOJ noncompliance with this federal law and litigation/oversight efforts to force release of Epstein-related files.

Places & events

  • Minneapolis — Place · Primary setting · 6 mentions · first at
    Site of protests and alleged ICE/Border Patrol escalation; referenced in connection with a lawsuit claiming constitutional violations and an 'invasion.'
  • US — Place · Primary jurisdiction · 4 mentions · first at
    The constitutional and institutional setting for DOJ, Congress, federal courts, and ICE actions discussed throughout the episode.
  • St. Paul — Place · Primary setting (paired with Minneapolis) · 2 mentions · first at
    Referenced as part of the protest area and as a co-plaintiff locality in the lawsuit alleging federal 'invasion' and 10th Amendment violations.
    State regime media because now it's part of a propaganda campaign to attack peaceful protesters in Minneapolis and St. Paul. By the way, Minneapolis, St.
  • 2024 — Event · Referenced time marker · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned to highlight Trump’s apparent confusion (invoking 2024 while speakers assert it is 2026), used to question competence and media double standards.
    Over the past 12 months, almost every promise I made to you right here in 2024 has been kept. I've kept all my promises and much more. I've given you much more than I gave you promises and I produced much more than I said I was.
  • Russia — Place · Referenced comparison · 1 mention · first at
    Used as an analogy for institutional capture: speakers compare US branches functioning like Russia’s Duma to describe democratic erosion.
    Covering it up. What happens when your branches of government in the United States now function like the Duma in Russia? And so today, James Comr, and by the way, the reason…

Sponsors

  • Fast Growing Trees — Company · Advertised sponsor · 2 mentions · first at
    Promoted during the ad break with discount code; not part of the political content but part of episode monetization.
    Well, let's just say it looks like a reality show called plants I've murdered. And enter fast growing trees.

Full transcript with timestamps

Welcome to Political Beatdown. I'm Ben Myellis joined by Michael Cohen. We've got a lot to discuss. Cohen, where do we start? I mean, we can start with the federal judge in the Southern District of New York, Judge Angel Meyer, ordering the Department of Justice to respond if the judge has standing based on the protective orders in place and based on the judge's supervisory responsibilities of a case to enforce compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act. This follows Congress members Ro Kana and Massie I think brilliantly sending a letter to the judge flagging these issues and the judge reviewed that letter and said I want to understand what the DOJ's view is. Do they have standing?

Do any victims want to come forward and say they want this also? I think it was a hint to the victims and the survivors who may have standing as well. Maybe you should file something. And then it asked the DOJ, should I appoint an independent monitor here? And I think the strategy by those members was executed perfectly.

It's it's it's a strategy. They're finally doing something. But Ben, can we just break something down for a quick second?

Break it down. Break it down. Let's break it down. So the House voted on this Epstein Transparency Act.

Yes. It was immediately given to the Senate, unanimous consent, everybody. And then it goes up to the president of the United States, to the big man himself, who goes ahead and puts his John Hancock on the on the the Transparency Act and ships it off to the DOJ. Can somebody please explain to me why that file is not in the hands of Congress? why it's not why it has not been released. Why do you actually even have to be going to court right now? And that's the part that people are not talking about. We talk about it here on the network on Midas Touch Network because that's what we do. We break [ __ ] down. All right? We talk about the things as well that others choose not to talk about because it's not, let's say, politically expedient. They don't want to piss off the administration and then have their credentials revoked. Well, I lost my credentials a long time ago. So, let's break this [ __ ] down, Ben. At the

end of the day, nobody, and I mean nobody, should have to be asking the courts right now. not Roana, not anybody, not Republican, not Democrat, not independent, as to the release of a file that was signed off by Congress, article one, and also signed off by the executive branch, Article Two. So, who's who's holding this thing up? And why are there not impeachment then actions or why are they not calling Pam Bondi in with the files? We want you to show up right now to Congress with the files for a hearing.

You know, it's interesting because there's a downstream impact when the rule of law doesn't really exist anymore. And I'll give you a totally unrelated example, but I started my semester teaching law school at USC. I'm a professor there and I teach sports law there. One of the issues is that in this new world of name, image, and likeness payments where players get to basically switch teams every single year, players are signing contracts with team X, but then they just decide, hey, I'm a 19year-old. I actually want to play for team Y. And then there's no mechanism to sue or hold people accountable who sign contracts because there's no legal legal structures or guard rails around the idea of a contract holding meaning.

There was a player who for example signed with Washington and then they decided actually I may want to play with LSU and then people like well how do you enforce this thing? And that's just a an example of of of of at a level that does not impact all of us or it doesn't involve child sex trafficking. But what happens the way Donald Trump's words are empty when the law itself is empty? It is meaningless. where the Department of Justice is actually injustice and they are a racketeering enterprise covering up a child sex trafficking ring. You know, in the typical course, right, Judge Angle Meer presides over a case involving DOJ Gain Maxwell. Gilain, convicted child sex trafficker who should be rotting away in Tallahassee's prison, but was moved to a minimum security facility by the Trump regime because they perceived her helping them out and continuing to help them out in working with the DOJ. So, normally

DOJ is supposed to be, and let's be clear, the DOJ is not this. They always do the right thing and they're great. But in theory, there's let's just leave it like this. It should be adversarial, right? The DOJ and Guilain shouldn't be on the same team and trying not to release something. They should be adversarial. So, there's nobody in the action who's actually fighting for the victims or the survivors. And what happens when there's a federal law? Federal law. The Epstein Transparency Act isn't a state law. So you can't go to California state court or New York state court to enforce that law because it's federal. So you have to go to a federal court. Well, what happens when the DOJ is the one who basically says, "Well, we're the DOJ."

It calls for us to be the ones to release it and we're doing whatever we can do. We're doing our best job. And then Cohen and they're not they're covering it up. What happens when your branches of government in the United States now function like the Duma in Russia? And so today, James Comr, and by the way, the reason we're starting off talking about the Epstein files is because this is what the Trump regime does not want us to talk about first. Okay. So, I'm intentionally covering something first that they want to just be taken off the news in general and that you're not seeing really covered in corporate news at all anymore.

No, you're not. But James Comr is asked about, well, what do you think about the DOJ and their production? And Comr is like, I think they're doing a great job. I think they're complying. Now, this is the guy who runs the House oversight,

right? That's the main body that is, to your point, Cohen, who why isn't Congress bringing this guy in for impeachment? Why aren't they doing Play the clip of James Comr from earlier in the day saying that he thinks the DOJ has done an incredible job? Let's play that clip.

We subpoenaed Pam Bondi for the documents. She started producing the documents. Then Congress voted for the uh the discharge petition uh to send another message and we all voted for that. Uh she is she they are sending documents. They sent a big batch. The Democrats were were unhappy. They uh they said there weren't enough redactions. So now the DOJ is going through trying to make sure they redact everything. So as from from my standpoint, the Department of Justice is cooperating. They are turning over documents. We would all like for him to turn documents over quicker, but at the end of the day, they are complying. President Trump is answering your questions about Epstein. He's answered them over and over and over again. Who we haven't heard from is Bill Clinton. And I stated why. The amount of time that that Epstein spent with Clinton while he was president and post presidency. So, I don't think it's it's

uh out of line for former President Clinton to come in for a bipartisan subpoena and sit down and answer questions. So, thank you all.

Okay, first of all, there's so many lies in that statement, you throw up from it. Stay with me on this one, Ben. I mean, you could actually throw up from the lies coming out of this guy's mouth. First and foremost, nobody has to at this point in time ask for the release or beg Pam Bondi for the release. There is a law, the Epstein File Transparency Act that has been signed by your fearless leader. By the way, I agree with Bev uh Beverly Filmore, one of our uh subscribers here. Yeah, Comr is dumber than Louisie Gomer. There's no doubt about that one because the fact that he's sitting there and trying to now push this off. By the way, by the way, if you're going to bring Bill Clinton in, I'm fine. Bring Bill Clinton in. I don't care. Meanwhile, he turned around. said that there's not a legitimate legislative reason within which to bring him in. Okay, they're going to now litigate that thing and

distract us from again having the files released. But if you're going to release the files, if you're going to ask Bill Clinton to come in, how about release the files so that you can ask him cogent questions about each and every aspect of it, not the ones that you want to. And I want to end before before turning it back over to Ben here. You all should know by now what percentage of the Epstein files have been released so far to date. And the answer is approximately 1%. 1% of the files despite the fact that there is a ruling that it was supposed to have been turned over almost 30 days ago on the 19th of December.

Somebody needs to explain that 1% of the file. And this idiot says, "Oh, I think that they're doing I think Pam Bondi is doing a great job. If she turned over nothing, he would say the same thing."

Yeah. And the fact that they and it was so obvious and you and I covered it back then, you know, which is they were going to make this about Bill Clinton, you know, and say, "Ah, and by the way, Bill Clinton put out a statement saying, "Release all of the files and then I'm okay with releasing all of the files." Now, the the the broader issue with a Bill Clinton, and this is what the MAGA Republicans know, that subpoenaing a former president in general always carries with it a process that's going to be slower and is going to take time and will not happen immediately. And so I owe. And by the way, in my own view, if Clinton is on the list, then expose him.

No one's out here defending anything Bill Clinton with Epstein, like at all. Who's ever involved needs to be exposed and called out. But again, they throw up these red herrings like we're stupid. And I think fundamentally, especially if you look at what Trump's speech in Detroit today, it's all about treating people like they're stupid and like they're worthless. Because how else can you say the things that you're saying? How else can you say that inflation has been totally defeated and things are great and everybody's living the most amazing time ever?

Everything is down, prices are down, oil, groceries are down. Here he is saying that drug prices will be coming down a thousand%. Here, play this clip of him saying drug prices coming down thousand%. executive order. We're doing most favored nation drug prices. When we would have drug prices stay the same, everybody thought it was great. They're going to be coming down thousands of percents. We're standing.

Okay, let me do one. Let me do one more and then I'll go back to you. You guys at Midas were so great when you reposted uh my Substack when I talked about and I explained fifth grade mathematics. I hope that everybody here with us understands in fifth grade we all learned a very important uh principle 100% of the same number of any number off will bring you to the number zero. So you can't have greater than 100% in terms of savings. So where are the thousands coming from

here? He says we've totally defeated inflation. Let's masle muzzle. So lucky to be here under our administration. Growth is exploding. Productivity is soaring. Investment is booming. Incomes are rising. Inflation is defeated. America is respected again like never before. And other than that, we're not doing that well. Then also on the bottom of the screen, state regime media is also saying ICE agitators like confronting them. ICE agitators. Uh ICE agitators. And this is part of that's why I call them state regime state regime media because now it's part of a propaganda campaign to attack peaceful protesters in Minneapolis and St. Paul. By the way, Minneapolis, St.

Paul in Minnesota collectively filed a lawsuit against the Trump regime saying that the 10th amendment of the constitution has now been violated because ICE and Border Patrol, they're not doing law enforcement. They've done an invasion of the city. What Trump realized is why do I need to even invoke the National Guard if I have my own paramilitary forces? I'll just dress up these unqualified people in military gear and I'll have them terrorize peaceful communities. And we've been documenting it. We did this incredible partnership co I'm sure you've seen it with a group called Status Coup. Yeah.

And they've got people on the ground and they show that you'll have these ICE Gustapo agents look at peaceful protesters who are not blocking the streets. They'll take chemical agents, gas, pepper spray, flashbangs, and just throw them at the people and then provoke the people in the streets. And then when the people are provoked, then they got state regime Fox media to be like, boom, you see, look at the war zone that's out there. We have an invasion. That's what they called it in the lawsuit, too. An invasion of American cities. But this is what Donald Trump meant when he said, "We have to go after the enemy from within."

When you listen to him, how he describes who the enemy is. They're American citizens. They are they are protected under the First Amendment. They're peacefully protesting. And what does Trump turn around and say? They're si they're they're yelling at them. They're blowing whistles and horns. They're mocking them. They're being disrespectful. This to him is tantamount to traitors to um you know what what are some of the some of the the adjectives that he's used? um you know that they're agitators and he's got a whole litany of descriptive words for these individuals.

But the one descriptive word that he does not use right is upstanding. What they're not do that all they're doing is invoking their first amendment constitutional right. Something that I understand better than most. Something I warned so many people about is to anybody who's ever listened to me going back to when I was ultimately released on that habius petition from thank God judge Alvin K. Helerstein a name that you all have recently heard. He is the judge on the Maduro case. Judge Helerstein turned around and stated that the government violated my first amendment that it was retaliation because I refused to wave my first amendment constitutional right.

That's what this regime is doing. They And I said I said to everybody, if they can do this to me, just sit back and wait and watch what they're going to do to you. And lo and behold, that's what they're doing. You know, I just remember the Tea Party protests. Remember they had those flags. Don't tread on me. Don't tread on me. And what they were talking about was like Michelle Obama recommending healthier lunches, which has now basically been plagiarized by RFK Jr., but in a warped and dystopian and sick way, where you know, but but but the healthy lunches that was treading on you and the government's going to tell you what to eat with lower sodium consumption as a recommendation.

And you literally have people in military outfits by the thousands with weapons of war invading blue states and blue cities. Frankly, the whole country, but focused on blue states and blue cities. If you were to say that Biden did that or Obama did that, we would be in a full-fledged civil war. And Ben, could you imagine if Biden was speaking before an economic committee as Trump was today and he invoked the year 2024? And to those of you that may or may not be aware, we're in 2026. 2024 has no play in this at all. If this was Joe Biden who made that, immediately Republicans, including our president, would be turning around and calling for Joe Biden to be put in a straight jacket to be taken off to a facility to have an MRI done of his brain and basically demanding that there be on television a cognitive test in order to demonstrate that he knows what year it is or who he actually is. Because not only did he

start right off Joe Biden again during this economic, but he the one who made that same exact mistake. They didn't even realize that he made the mistake.

You know what? Why don't we just play that clip so people see what I'm talking about?

Over the past 12 months, almost every promise I made to you right here in 2024 has been kept. I've kept all my promises and much more. I mean, I've given you much more than I I gave you promises and I produced much more than I said I was going to produce. I gave you know what would be you know what would be really great if pay-per-view would do a Trump I I would pay for it. Could you imagine a pay-per-view event? Trump wants every everything has to have some sort of a financial transaction associated to it. How about if pay-per-view does a um an event? We'll call it the Donald Trump cognitive exam and let's just all see what a cognitive exam that's being given to the president is.

I think we should at least have the right to see it. Yeah, Jeremy, let's play that first clip that I told you about because to me, this is what we'll probably be watching on pay-per-view. Let's play Let's play Let's You know the clip I'm talking about, Jeremy. Let's play that one.

Ladies and gentlemen, I mean, listen, you got to admit it is funny if it was coming from anyone other than the president of the United States describing his predecessor. I mean, that's just I don't know, rude. It's moronic. I mean, what the hell? You know, and again the theme about words should matter though from the president of the United States, right? Words should matter. So Donald Trump says in a social media post, he's imposing 25% tariff increases on any country that does business with Iran. 6. Here's the latest news.

So, what does that mean? Does that mean 25% on China? They get oil from Iran. Does that mean 25% tariffs on the United Arab Emirates, who Trump does personal business deals with and has given our semiconductor technology to. And so, he says 25% tariffs, but the words don't have any meaning. And so and and this is an issue I discussed with Congress member Brendan Bole. And you know like when when Donald Trump has this DOJ launch a criminal investigation into Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, the markets don't believe him.

The markets view the action as a troll and they shouldn't view it as that. But the words carry with it no meaning that if you speak to people, if you speak to bankers or people in corporate America, yeah, Trump just says these things and ultimately they resolve themselves. Yeah, he said 25% tariffs, which technically would mean 25% more tariffs against China, which would mean massive disruption of businesses. But it's it's not really talk talk about Iran. Donald Trump said on January 2nd if the regime there killed protesters. He goes, "We would come in guns ablazing." He posted, remember he posted that?

I remember he posted that, but there was a great question that was asked of him today too. finish up and then um

January 2nd he posted that and now the death toll on the low end is probably in the thousands. Some suggest there may be as many as 20,000 protesters who were killed. There's an internet blackout there. We're now January 13th. The regime there is not listening to Donald Trump. What Trump wants is Raza Palavi to show up at Mara Lago and kiss his ring after also undercutting Palavi the same way he undercut Machado and doing all of that. But then Palavi goes on state regime media Fox and says, "Donald, you're so much stronger than Biden." Which, by the way, then undercuts Pavlav's ability to interact in a geopolitical world when you've submitted like that. the same way Machado has screwed herself royally

by selling out the way she did and she's going to show up on Thursday. Trump's not going to care. He's going to take your Nobel Prize, which he's not allowed to take by law, but he's going to take the plaque or whatever or the medal and then he's still going to have Deli run it. Deli Rodriguez in Venezuela is still going to is still going to run it. And Trump doesn't want democracy in Iran. He doesn't want democracy in Venezuela. He doesn't want democracy in the United States. He wants and he doesn't want democracy in Ukraine. He wants a Trump puppet authoritarian who will give not even America the resources, but Trump and his buds the resources to enrich themselves. That's what this is all about. Look, the whole thing also with Palavi is so stupid, you know. Look, yes, the sha was a very pal uh you know, the sha of Iran um was a wonderful wonderful leader for the people. People really did truly um you

know um admire and care for him. But the thought or the notion of bringing Raza Palavi, I happen to know the family quite well, including Raza. The chance that he's ever going back to become the leader of a country that he has not been in for 47 years. He has not been in that country. Doesn't understand the, you know, doesn't understand the country anymore. He's been out in the United States, you know, amongst the Iranian, specifically the Persian communities talking about it. They're very good to him and so they talk about what, you know, the old days of Iran and it's it's wonderful for the nostalgia of those people that went through it and understand it, but there's new generations. There are new issues and so on. The whole thing is just a waste of time. Pure and simple. It's just a waste of time. The thing that I really appreciated is there was a journalist and I don't know who she was, but she

came straight out and she said to Trump, "You said that if protesters got killed that you would not stand for it, that you were going to do something about it, that you were going to resolve this. Tell us how do you plan on doing it?" And his response, Ben, was classic. Yeah,

Cohen, let's take our first quick break of the show. We'll get there. Um, a reminder, make sure you subscribe to the Mayulpa audio podcast, wherever you get your audio podcast. Subscribe to the Michael Cohen show on YouTube. Yeah, we'll run it right after um the Michael Cohen YouTube channel. Um, subscribe to Michael Cohen on Substack. Cohen's an incredible writer. And we come back, we'll we'll go there. We'll show you more. Let's take our first and only quick break of the show. We'll bring you that. We'll bring you much more. See you after the quick break. Do you find yourself being sluggish throughout the day? You just need something quick and convenient without the use of nicotine.

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Welcome back to political 15% off on top of 20% practically giving it to you at 2,000% off. practically. I mean, how ridiculous is that?

You know what people aren't talking about though a lot now, which definitely needs more attention, and this is by design as well. Of course, the Epstein files. That's why we covered that at first. But I I I guess this is a week where we're no longer supposed to talk about Ukraine. I'm saying that sarcastically, of course. Um, we went from what what were they what were they trying to sell us three weeks ago and then three weeks before that and then three weeks before that. We were so close so close to a deal. There was such great progress being made when you actually looked at what was happening in Lviv and other places as Putin was escalating things since the invasion of Venezuela. But Trump was saying, "We're so close. We've got this." And isn't ultimately

Steve, you're doing great. And Jared and and and Marco and Marco, you're doing great. Doing great. We're almost there. Almost there.

Right. Yeah. As as as uh our producer said, we were so close and then Putin made up that Zalinsky was going to uh attack the home and then and just made up, you know, made up that lie. You know so you know what what one interesting thing and going to Trump's words don't you know are are meaningless. You know, it's interesting because Trump uses this term, you know, the deep state or all like we have almost two governments running right now, right? You have kind of Trump and his inner circle, Stephen Miller and Bondi and Gnome, who are doing the most horrific things and inflicting horrendous amounts of of of pain. And then you have what Trump says and what these people are all saying.

And then you have like this top commander at NATO who I saw give a speech in Sweden the other day, two days ago, and the way he talked about the Arctic and NATO and joint training exercises is like completely ignoring everything that Donald Trump says. So he shows up there and he talks about NATO's never been stronger and you would think you were in the Twilight Zone and he'll be asked questions. Well, Trump said this, well, Trump said that. And he'll basically be like, well, you know, I can't get into the politics of things, but I can tell you here's what we're doing at NATO, and here's and and and here and here's what's actually going on here. Here's a here's the way things are running. But Cohen, I just think that that's such a dangerous situation where there's no real chain of authority. You have Trump who just spews this nonsense every day.

gets up there, lies about everything. Um, then you have other people who then say things that try to make it feel normal, but it's not

called sanewashing. Stainwashing. And then you have a media that's built around kind of plucking those clips while we have an invasion in Minneapolis. Like, let me just show you our partners at Status Coup. They got they get this footage all the time. I'll just show you the footage from moments ago. I think we've got this footage, Jeremy, where you'll see peaceful protesters who have a first amendment right to protest loudly, right? And if they want to, they could say things that make ICE uncomfortable, right? They could say, "F you, ICE. You're terrorists. You're harming our communities." Right? So, let me show you. Well, I'll just show you 15 seconds because people will get the point of this clip. But for Trump, as he said on Air Force One and as Christine Gnome says, you can't be they say disrespectful to ICE because if you're disrespectful, they have the right to take your life to kill you. Just watch what happened

moments ago here. Play this clip. It's amazing. Could you imagine? I'm I wonder what the conversation in the vehicle between the driver and the idiot that dropped it out must have been. Yeah. What? What? What should I do to these [ __ ] What should I do to them? And boom. All right. There you go, [ __ ] Right. You blow whistles at us. You turn around. You tell us to leave. We're not going anywhere. So have a little tear gas while you're at it. I mean, this is this is the problem. This is serious the problem. This is what I warned the country about going back when I was unconstitutionally remanded. You think you have a first amendment constitutional right? You think that this book that the constitution, right? You think this document turns around and gives you the right to stand on a public street and to yell at ICE agents who were there literally literally outnumbering the police force. You know, God bless this

kid, Jacob Frey, the mayor, who turned around and said, "I want people to understand numbers." You know, there's the old adage, numbers don't lie, people do. According to what he said, all of Minneapolis has the the police department there has 600 approximately police officers. Trump has sent in more than 2,000 and there are more on their way. That's not that's not it, you know, that's not enforcement. That's a um that's an invasion is really what it is. And that's what he wants. It's to be able to just like come in and swallow everything whole. You're not going to do what I say. All right, here's a little [ __ ] tear gas for you. Oh, by the way, that's not good enough. He What we'll do is maybe we'll shoot out the window next time some um some tasers, right? Or something or something else.

How about if we just stand on the street and as you turn around screaming at us, we just shoot you in the face with bear spray. or worse like this idiot John Ross. I'll shoot you in the [ __ ] face with my 9 millimeter.

Horrific. I mean horrific. I mean, by the way, great reporting by them. Seriously, great great reporting.

You know, it's been a big priority for me in 2026 as it was in 2025 though to identify groups that are doing incredible work. And I think it's a responsibility we have here at the Midas Touch Network, given the size of our platform. I think it's a fiduciary obligation to uplift and to help others do what we've done and not just talk the talk about helping independent media, but to truly grow other platforms. And so the team over there, I mean, John Finen is the camera guy. They've got JT Sustski, this guy Jordan Sharet who who leads it. They've been doing this work.

Good for them. Since for the past six years, seven years and you know to see their subscriber growth in the past two weeks and to uplift them, that's got to be a major priority that we that we all have. Yeah. Ben, I wanted to ask you, could we replay that video by by uh by your group one last time because I was just thinking about something. So, imagine go ahead if if we can. So, you see right here when he goes ahead, you have a lot of people that are around. So, they drop the canister out. Imagine if that guy that was standing right there picked it up and threw it back into the car, back into the open window and say, "Sir, I think you sir, sir, I think you dropped this." And then you put it back into the car, right? You think there would be some legal um you know, some legal issues there.

I think there would be legal issues. I would certainly say, but they dropped it out the window. They were loitering, so I decided I was going to give it back to you. Maybe you wanted it. would don't you think that would be something?

I would say don't do that and don't listen to that. That's not legal. That's not legal advice and I don't endorse that and I don't support that. and be very careful out there and make sure you're a peaceful protester and you are always and never give this regime an excuse ever to escalate because you know that that's what uh you know that's what that's what they wanted that's what they wanted

you know we're motans and we don't like you know we don't like we don't like litter on the street but I'm just giving it back to you

I think I I would don't know I'm only teasing I'm just teasing, but it would be funny as hell.

Short hands or no. But but um if you analyze the incidents involving the use of noxious gases in situations um like I think in the federal court in Chicago which issued the injunction against ICE and Border Patrol from using these chemical agents, they did an analysis and I think it was over the 30 or 40 years of Chicago police enforcement ment. There was never a single use of the gas like ever. Like they don't use that in any of their law enforcement. and Chicago police along with their SWAT team, you can imagine the situations that they've had to deal with over the past 30 to 40 years that they would never resort once, not once to spraying gas and chemical agents on peaceful protesters or demonstrators or or or in any context. And this is something utilized by these ICE and Border Patrol agents every day. I'm not sure if you saw this story by Slate and my one guidance to Slate. You don't have

to listen to me, but there are I understand you want memberships and you want to grow it. There are some stories that are so profoundly important that you do that you should make sure they're free. like this one where they had a reporter who goes undercover as an ICE agent and the reporter applied without any qualifications. Didn't submit the domestic violence affidavit. Didn't submit the drug testing. Didn't submit any of the stuff and they got the job and they were a reporter and they used their real name. They didn't use a fake name. So all they had to do was say, "Wait a minute. You're a reporter from Slate. You didn't submit the documentation." The way our editor-inchief, Ron Philipsky, described it is that is that ICE and Border Patrol has become a welfare program to MAGA Chuds. The way he described it, who are unqualified for anything else. And you know, these are people playing dress up

as the military and they're given these weapons and kind of told to use them and it's creating a very, deranged, scary, unlawful situation. And it is an invasion. And if you're wondering the legal basis of the lawsuit in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the state generally, it's that our law enforcement can't do their job

because our law enforcement now is being pulled to have to deal with ICE attacking our population. Our hospitals can't function effectively because ICE is terrorizing them. Our schools can't run because people don't want to send their children to school right now. And so the 10th amendment says all of the enumerated powers that are not given to the federal government are reserved for the state. Local policing, education, for example, those are local state functions. And the federal government is now using a militarized paramilitary force to invade a city. And I think it's important that we recognize that ICE and Border Patrol are paramililitary.

Hey Ben, can we can we go back to that reporting that you were talking about with Slate for a quick second? I would be very curious after he was accepted. I wonder because it's 47 days of training and I'm kind of curious as to what that training entails over the 47 days. Is it every day you go in for 47 days and you watch a video of Christine Gnome, you know, cosplaying in a different outfit? Hi, today I'm, you know, I'm uh, you know, cowgirl, you know, cowgirl Christy, and this is how we're going to deal with states that, you know, have horses. I I mean, who the hell knows, you know, what what it's about. I'm dying to know what that 47 days of training or um I don't even know what we would call it, what what that even entails.

47 days of cosplaying Dungeons and Dragons as ICE agents and and Border Patrol. You know, we just got video too. I'm not going to be able to play it here, but I'll play it in a in a future video I do because we're uploading it right now. um that ICE agents attacked and arrested people in Minneapolis and then bragged about quote we killed the lesbian [ __ ] We killed the lesbian [ __ ] is what I border and by the way the killer Jonathan Ross after shooting Renee Nicole Good three times in the face said [ __ ] [ __ ] after he shot her in the face three times. You know, one of the things when you go back to COVID that just what made me get politically active or or or involved or or I don't even like to use the word political because I think it's human humanity active because I don't view this actually as political at all.

I view it as fighting for humanity was you know one of the reasons they call certain cults death cults is that because life has very little meaning. It's just service to the cult leader and dying in service of a deranged and demented cult. And one of the things that just shocked my conscious during COVID is when you had these massive death numbers, there was a group in the population that took it seriously and there was a group that truly didn't care as long as they were not the ones dying,

but then perceived that they weren't going to be the ones who died or if they did, so what? if you could reduce life to having so little meaning, right? I mean, dude, I I I I I did this exercise the other day. Um because I wanted to know I we were just thinking about um the blessing of our of our baby girl and I wanted to know, well, what are the odds of being born? This is it's a silly existential question. What are the odds of being born of any human being who's alive? The odds of being born are one in 500 trillion to be alive.

And whether you are a religious person or not a religious person, that number should be a very humbling number. And as I like to say on this show a lot where we pull back and we shouldn't be if we just focus on the gamified nature of politics. This person versus that person and this personality we lose.

It's really one in 500 trillion trillion one in 500 trillion. And and it goes on to explain how because it has to be at the perfect time. It goes back of one parent meeting another parent, your grandparents meeting the grandparent.

It depends on who it Oh, now I see. Oh, so you're going back few. Right. Right. Right.

And and so it is a broader analysis of all of these things in line. Your great great great great great had to meet your great great great great great great you know. And so it's one in 500 trillion for us to walk this planet. That's why I said it's such a humbling number when you think about that. But life is precious and and this is what I try to say to my law school class also or just in general when I interact. It's like we have to take a step back and try to be like what are we trying to accomplish with like with our life

with our with our very existence and do we want to be good and uplift or do we want to be evil and bad and I don't mean to bring us into these existential areas but sometimes the coverage is so Democrat Democrat Republican Republican this person versus that person this is Mdani versus a centrist this and it's like chill what are we doing to help human beings. And

by the way, it's for some people it's even more than 500 trillion like my father who's a Holocaust survivor. So imagine from the town in called Bnia in Poland where he was from. So just imagine less than 10% of that town survived. So I think his numbers would probably, you know, also be, you know, off the chart ridiculous.

Twofing salute. 100% goes to John Ross. goes to John Ross and all of those who support him on this GoFundMe [ __ ] I mean, can't imagine. I can't imagine how depraved the human being must be to turn around and say, "Yeah, he shot that woman. I don't care. He doesn't like her because she's um because she's gay or he doesn't like her because she's a woman or doesn't like her because she's a Democrat or because whatever it might be, because she was smiling at him and laughing." Who knows what it is that set this idiot off. But what about the idiots that are supporting the action of a man who opened fire, shot a woman three times. Once in the shoulder, through the front windshield, and twice through the side window in the face. All right, imagine. And you're going to say, "Hey, yeah, yeah, you know, that's where I want to that's where I want to put some of my money. I want to give that guy because you know what? He deserves

it. [ __ ] them." All right. and whatever whatever [ __ ] tree that they fell out of because they clearly like I've always said about MAGA, you're talking about people with three brain cells and four teeth and this [ __ ] is definitely definitely the poster child for stupidity for MAGA stupidity. So John Ross to you and anybody that supports this piece of [ __ ] that went ahead and took a life for no [ __ ] reason at all. [ __ ] you, dude. Reminder everybody, hit subscribe. Help us get to six million subscribers here.

But more importantly, subscribe to Michael Cohen's YouTube channel at the Michael Cohen show.

I'm sure they could subscribe to both. Really not that hard. If you have to if you have to pick one,

pick Michael's pick. I don't know about that. I don't know. I mean, listen, thank goodness for for independent, you know, networks and journalists. Like, I mean, I I'm so thankful as well to Midas Touch Network. I've been with them a long time, like since almost the day that they started, and I can tell you, they put up my my articles that I put out each day. I wake up very early, 4:3,5 in the morning. Uh, you know, by 7:45, 8:00 in the morning, they're out there for everybody to read. We don't hide behind pay walls. It's all about education. It's all about understanding truth. And that's the one thing. It's truth and love and respect that this network stands for. And that's why I'm so proud to be affiliated with Ben and the brothers and the network and everybody that's on it.

Amazing. Everybody hit subscribe. We appreciate you. And now check out subscribe now. Now now sub now subscribe. Subscribe to his substack. Michael Cohen. Subscribe. Subscribe to Mayulpa. The YouTube's going crazy right now in a good way. And everybody, we thank you so much for watching, for listening. Even even if I get existential sometimes, I think it's a good framing of how we should be discussing things. Um, and and and how and whether you're religious or not religious, doesn't matter. just let's like let's like let's let's try to try we'll make mistakes to center things around putting goodness and and helping people like what what what what else is the

By the way, are you going to do a Substack together right after this show? I have a Harry thing but we'll do one tonight.

Okay. I I I after this I record the Harry videos and then that usually takes me like an hour and then those videos get then we'll do it.

Yep. So everybody stay tuned for it. All right. Bye everybody. Have a great one. Shout out Midas Mighty. Shout out Beat Downtown Brigators.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026"?

Ben Myellis (Host), Michael Cohen (Host).

What is "LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026" about?

The discussion centers around a federal judge's decision to require the Department of Justice to clarify its standing in relation to the Epstein Transparency Act, following a letter from Congress members urging enforcement of the act. The hosts, Ben Myellis and Michael Cohen, critique the lack of transparency in the DOJ's actions and the necessity of legal proceedings to obtain documents that…

What is mentioned in this MeidasTouch episode?

19 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Epstein Transparency Act, Ben Myellis, ICE, Minneapolis, Border Patrol, Judge Angel Meyer. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "LIVE: Meiselas and Cohen GO LIVE on BREAKING NEWS - 1/13/2026"?

The episode runs 54 min; the transcript is about 8,210 words in 85 timestamped sections.

More from MeidasTouch

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.