Trump EXTORTION Scheme Gets BLOWN UP in COURT

What this episode is about

The synopsis discusses an ongoing legal battle concerning a $16 billion funding for a crucial tunnel project between New York and New Jersey, which has been blocked by Donald Trump due to his demands for naming rights at major transportation hubs. A federal judge has ordered the release of the funds, citing potential irreparable harm to the states involved, as tensions rise between state officials and Trump's administration over the project's future.

Key takeaways

• Trump's $16B hostage situation strikes at the heart of 20% of the U.S. economy—talk about high stakes!
• Want your name on a tunnel? That's like demanding a star on Hollywood Boulevard—self-promotion or sabotage?
• Labor unions vs. Trump: a classic showdown—who knew the battle for a tunnel would become a political wrestling match?
• With Hurricane Sandy's scars still fresh, blocking funds is like holding a lifeline hostage—who needs progress, right?
• A tunnel replacement has turned into a tug-of-war over egos—remind me again who's really winning this game?

Who speaks in this episode?

• Michael Popac (Host) · 8 min speaking
• Ben Myelis (Host) · 3 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Donald Trump, Gateway project, Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Michael Popac
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Donald Trump, Leticia James, Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Chuck Schumer
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Donald Trump, Michael Popac, Leticia James
4. 9:00 – 11:16: Michael Popac, Midas Touch Network, Popac Firm

Notable quotes from "Trump EXTORTION Scheme Gets BLOWN UP in COURT"

• 20% of the United States economy. It's being held hostage by Donald Trump because, wait for it, he wants his name on Penn Station, New York, and on Dulles International…

  about Penn Station · at 0:13

• Then we had the Trump administration run to try to destroy labor unions, try to destroy this project, run back to the judge, run back to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and to try to get a.

  about Donald Trump · at 1:05

• York and New Jersey were right that they will be irreparably harmed by having the $16 billion in funding for this tunnel replacement that's been going on since Chris Christie…

  about Gateway project · at 1:57

• And others took to the streets to chant and to have their retort against the Trump administration to release the funds, stop crushing labor unions, stop crushing the US…

  about Chuck Schumer · at 3:51

• Now, Leticia James' office has also run back to court and has asked Judge Vargas to lift a the stay. She filed just late last night a motion for reconsideration, which we have right.

  about Leticia James · at 5:09

• The last over 20 years. And when you're talking about the 20% of the nation's economy runs through this tunnel, the fact that Donald Trump would extort and try to hold 16…

  about North River Tunnel · at 6:48

• So, we're going to need to keep a close eye on what the Second Circuit Court of Appeals sitting in Manhattan. I've argued there before what they do next because the ball is now in their court.

  about Second Circuit Court of Appeals · at 8:16

• Hey everybody, Ben Myelis here from the Midas Touch Network. I wanted to let you know about my podcast partner, Michael Popac's new law firm. It's called the Popac Firm.…

  about Michael Popac · at 9:58

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Donald Trump — Person · Primary referenced political actor (antagonist in narrative) · 7 mentions · first at 0:13
  Portrayed as using federal control over Gateway Project funding as leverage, allegedly demanding naming rights for major infrastructure (Penn Station, Dulles) and directing DOJ litigation to block/restrict release of funds.
• Michael Popac — Person · Host / main speaker (Legal AF segment) · 4 mentions · first at 1:36
  Narrates and analyzes the legal dispute over Gateway funding, describing court actions (Judge Vargas, Second Circuit) and characterizing the administration’s conduct; also referenced in an ad-style plug for his law firm.
• Leticia James — Person · Referenced government litigant (NY Attorney General) · 3 mentions · first at 1:22
  Described as leading New York’s legal effort (with New Jersey) against the Trump administration/DOJ to restore Gateway Project funding, including filing motions to lift/modify a stay and seeking reconsideration.
• Chuck Schumer — Person · Referenced political leader / public advocate · 2 mentions · first at 0:24
  Cited as the person Trump allegedly told about naming demands; also described as participating in public pressure actions urging release of funds.
• Damonte Cheryl — Person · Referenced state executive (NJ governor) — likely mis-transcription · 2 mentions · first at 1:24
  Presented as New Jersey’s governor leading the state’s response and public advocacy for Gateway funding; however, the name appears inconsistent with known NJ governors, suggesting the transcript likely intended a different person.
  And is a blue state. And he's trying to extort them. We're watching an extortion scheme. Now, Governor Mikey Cheryl, the new hard swinging governor of New Jersey, my home…
• Chris Christie — Person · Referenced former NJ governor (historical context) · 1 mention · first at 2:08
  Mentioned to situate the Gateway/tunnel effort as a long-running project dating back to his tenure as New Jersey governor.
  Will be irreparably harmed by having the $16 billion in funding for this tunnel replacement that's been going on since Chris Christie was a governor of New Jersey. to have that…

Companies & orgs

• Midas Touch Network — Company · Broadcast · 3 mentions · first at 1:39
  The network hosting the podcast where this discussion is taking place.
  Other the last stop for the Trump administration is the Supreme Court. So we'll follow it all right here. This fastm moving story on the Midas Touch Network and Legal AF. Thanks for being such a fervent supporter of what we do.

Products & tech

• Gateway project — Product · Business focus · 3 mentions · first at 0:13
  A major infrastructure project involving the construction of a new tunnel under the Hudson River, crucial for 20% of the US economy.
• North River Tunnel — Product · Business focus · 2 mentions · first at 0:40
  An old tunnel damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, part of the Gateway project to be replaced.

Places & events

• Second Circuit Court of Appeals — Place · Setting · 5 mentions · first at 1:13
  The court where the Trump administration is seeking to block funding for the Gateway project.
• Hurricane Sandy — Event · Key argument · 2 mentions · first at 0:51
  The hurricane that caused significant damage to the North River Tunnel in 2012.
  This is a 2016-year-old tunnel, the North River Tunnel. Okay. It got severely damaged and never repaired after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. This has been a project that's been on…
• Penn Station — Place · Setting · 3 mentions · first at 0:18
  A major transportation hub in New York, mentioned as a target for Trump's naming demands.
• Dulles International Airport — Place · Setting · 2 mentions · first at 0:20
  An airport mentioned as another target for Trump's naming demands.
  Being held hostage by Donald Trump because, wait for it, he wants his name on Penn Station, New York, and on Dulles International Airport. That's what he told Chuck Schumer. So…

Sponsors

• Popac Firm — Company · Sponsor · 1 mention · first at 10:02
  Michael Popac's new law firm, mentioned in the podcast.
  Hey everybody, Ben Myelis here from the Midas Touch Network. I wanted to let you know about my podcast partner, Michael Popac's new law firm. It's called the Popac Firm.…

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 The cry goes up. Release the funds. Now, we still got a battle going on about $16 billion dollar worth of funds for a generational tunnel project that impacts 20% of the United States economy. It's being held hostage by Donald Trump because, wait for it, he wants his name on Penn Station, New York, and on Dulles International Airport. That's what he told Chuck Schumer. So until he gets his way, he's going he blocked for the last four months $16 billion dollars being used for the Gateway project, building a new tunnel, the the North River uh the North River tunnel, replacing an overundy old tunnel that's used for freight and trains between New York and New Jersey under the Hudson that was uh substantially damaged in 2012 and not repaired during Hurricane Sandy. We got an order by Judge Vargas, the district court judge, which said, "Put the money back, release the funds."

1:05 Then we had the Trump administration run to try to destroy labor unions, try to destroy this project, run back to the judge, run back to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and to try to get a stay. And now there's a fight going on between New York and New Jersey led by Leticia James and Governor Mikey Cheryl of New Jersey and Donald Trump's Department of Justice and administration over the funding as labor unions and as the economy hangs in the balance. I'm Michael Popac. You're on the Midas Touch Network in Legal AF. Uh about um three days ago, Judge Vargas, a Biden appointee, issued her ruling on a motion for temporary restraining order. And what she found is that the states of New York and New Jersey were right that they will be irreparably harmed by having the $16 billion in funding for this tunnel replacement that's been going on since Chris Christie was a governor of New Jersey. to have that blocked would would

2:13 create suffering, irreparable harm, inadequate remedy of law. And she blocked it. Then instead of releasing the funds with the new reporting that what Trump's trying to do is to try to get his name on everything, you know, this massive graffiti of the Trump name on all sorts of buildings and structures in return for releasing the money. Instead, his Department of Justice ran to Judge Vargas, asked for an extension of time. She said, "All right, here's what we're going to do. I find irreparable harm, but I'm going to give you till the 12th of February to I'm not going to give you the stay. I'm going to give you till the 12th of February to go run to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan and see if they'll do it for you." Well, the Trump administration ran to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. And as of this recording, the second circuit has not agreed to block the funding until the

3:07 total appeal is resolved. Now, what are we talking about here in this project? This is not just this idle project somewhere. This is represents cargo and commercial traffic and passenger traffic representing 20% of the United States's economy. Donald Trump doesn't like the fact that California represents 20 25% of the economy and is a blue state. New York, New Jersey represents 20% of the economy and is a blue state. And he's trying to extort them. We're watching an extortion scheme. Now, Governor Mikey Cheryl, the new um hard swinging governor of New Jersey, my home state, and Chuck Schumer and others took to the streets to chant and to and to have their retort against the Trump administration to release the funds, stop crushing labor unions, stop crushing the US economy, which seems to be Donald Trump's favorite hobby. And here's a clip. the busiest rail stretch in all of North America.

4:13 This is all being put on the line now by a president that seems to just want things named after him. By a president has no good policy reasons for doing it. This is sabotage. This is political hostage taking. This is actually one of the worst acts of extortion I've ever seen. Why? As a president, you would punish this region of the country, responsible for almost 20% of the nation's GDP, building the future of America right here. Why you would attack that, I do not know. But I will tell you what I've heard. I've heard it's because he wants stolas airport named after him. I've heard it's because he wants Penn Station named after him. I've heard that that's what he cares about more than the people on this job site.

5:09 Now, Leticia James' office has also run back to court and has asked Judge uh Vargas to lift a the um stay. She filed just late last night a motion for reconsideration, which we have right here. will post on legal AF Substack as well to lift her stay asking the court uh to allow the parties to litigate this out at the second circuit court of appeals. And since the second circuit has not moved to to actually issue a stay, she should lift her stay. In other words, the Trump administration was given by Judge Vargas until the 12th of February to file a motion for stay with the second circuit. They filed instead almost immediately.

5:59 They filed at on the uh 9th of February, not the 12th, and they demanded that the stay be put in place by the second circuit by later that day. That did not happen yesterday. And so the argument here to the judge is lift your stay. The second circuit is speaking by not moving on the application. And in the interim, we need the gateway money because we haven't received any of the money that that the court already observed would create irreparable harm. This is a 2016-year-old tunnel, the North River Tunnel. Okay. It got severely damaged and never repaired after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. This has been a project that's been on the hearts and minds of mayors and governors for the last over 20 years. And when you're talking about the 20% of the nation's economy runs through this tunnel, the fact that Donald Trump would extort and try to hold 16 billion dollars hostage and the thousands and thousands of jobs,

7:06 this is not just a today job. This is a job where where where sons and daughters are going to replace fathers and grandfathers on the project. That's how that's why it's a generational project. The uh run by the uh the Gateway uh commission. Over a thousand people were just laid off yesterday because New York and New Jersey ran out of their line of credit. they've been tapping to cover the expenses while they get the money out of the Trump administration and rather than support America, get America working again, get labor union jobs, uh, and get this tunnel project, which impacts 20% of the economy, back on track, what does the Trump administration do?

7:55 Continuing to crush the hopes and dreams of the American people and the US economy. Only a madman in the face of what he has done to the economy in a year would crush a project of this size and this impact because he wants his name on Penn Station, New York and Dallas airport. So, we're going to need to keep a close eye on what the Second Circuit Court of Appeals sitting in Manhattan. I've argued there before what they do next because the ball is now in their court. Judge Vargas, I'm I think based on this new letter request by Leticia James, the New York Attorney General, will likely lift her administrative stay in the next 24 hours. The Second Circuit has the briefing in front of them as to whether they're going to keep a block on the funds for the next year while the appeal takes place or not. And there they have to look under the hood and see if the party who's asking for the stay is

8:57 likely to win or not under uh the arguments that have been raised about the cutoff of the money that it's arbitrary and capricious that it violates the administrative procedures act that it violates separation of powers different arguments being raised in the complaint and if they find that it's unlikely the Trump administration is going to prevail on the appeal you know taking a look at it now they're going to not stay the injunction which requires that the $16 billion be funded and then the Supreme Court. The other the last stop for the Trump administration is the Supreme Court. So we'll follow it all right here. This fastm moving story on the Midas Touch Network and Legal AF. Thanks for being such a fervent supporter of what we do.

9:42 come over to Legal AF the YouTube channel and hit the subscribe button for us there and help us on Legal AF Substack where we've got a you'll get copies of these documents so you can read it at the paid membership level. So until my next report, I'm Michael Pop. Hey everybody, Ben Myelis here from the Midas Touch Network. I wanted to let you know about my podcast partner, Michael Popac's new law firm. It's called the Popac Firm. Michael Popox pursuing his dream of starting his own law firm really based on the popular demand by all the mightest mighty and legal Afers who were approaching Michael Popac with their cases and saying can you help us and at that time Popac was not able to.

10:27 So he went out on his own. He started the pop firm where he is now handling catastrophic injury cases like car accident cases, trucking cases, malpractice cases, big negligence cases, wrongful death cases. So if you or someone you know have a case like this, the consultation with Popox Firm is free. Give them a call. See if you have a case. It's the popfirm.com. the popfirm.com or you can call 877 popc. So 1877 pop af. Give Michael Popac a call and I'm really proud of you, Popac. Thanks for all the hard work you're putting in.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Trump EXTORTION Scheme Gets BLOWN UP in COURT"?

Michael Popac (Host), Ben Myelis (Host).

What is "Trump EXTORTION Scheme Gets BLOWN UP in COURT" about?

The synopsis discusses an ongoing legal battle concerning a $16 billion funding for a crucial tunnel project between New York and New Jersey, which has been blocked by Donald Trump due to his demands for naming rights at major transportation hubs. A federal judge has ordered the release of the funds, citing potential irreparable harm to the states involved, as tensions rise between state…

What is mentioned in this MeidasTouch episode?

14 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Gateway project, Michael Popac, Leticia James, North River Tunnel, Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Trump EXTORTION Scheme Gets BLOWN UP in COURT"?

The episode runs 11 min; the transcript is about 1,721 words in 12 timestamped sections.

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