Three Things You Need to Know – February 1, 2018

February 01, 2018

WRITER

Here comes the memo

Fight Club has made its way to Washington DC. The three fighters - Devin Nunes, Adam Schiff and the FBI - have been trading punches and dropping bombs over the past 24 hours as if everything rides on this one memo. The document that’s got everyone so hot and bothered, allegedly, shows abuses by the FBI and DoJ during the Russia investigation.

The FBI came out swinging yesterday saying they have quote “grave concerns” over the accuracy of some of the information within the memo. Put another way… this memo is full of crap.

Devin Nunes immediately threw back a counter combination saying:

“Having stonewalled Congress’ demands for information for nearly a year, it’s no surprise to see the FBI and DOJ issue spurious objections to allowing the American people to see information related to surveillance abuses at these agencies.”

So basically… Oh yeah, well you just don’t wanna the people to know the truth!

All went quiet for the rest of the afternoon. The fighters seemed content to circle the ring... BUT THEN, at 9pm last night, Adam Schiff came out of nowhere with a flying superman punch. In an official statement, that he also tweeted, Schiff accused Nunes of showing an edited copy of the memo to the White House without consulting the rest of the Committee.

Nunes was on the ropes, but he came back swinging saying basically… dude, we added some commas, dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s, and fixed a few minor things the FBI suggested.

All this was as of late last night. An official with the Trump administration has said the memo will “likely” be released sometime today. We’re either going to see the mother of all political bombs, or a let down that would rival one of the many James Comey testimonies.

Whether this memo is partisan or not (it is), whether the Democrats are scared of political blowback (they are), and whether the FBI is nervous about losing credibility (you better believe they are), what we now need is full transparency on all sides. So by all means, release the Nunes MOAB, but also release the Democrat rebuttal memo, AND the FBI should do the same. Let’s get all the information and make up our own minds.

I get the feeling that all the political back and forth over this memo is little more than pre fight trash talk between two boxers. The louder they are - and the more they try and build up hype - usually reveals a boring fight when it’s all said and done. But we’ll all find out for ourselves very soon.

Trey Gowdy is not seeking re-election

House Republicans are going to have to find a new favorite prosecutor.

Yesterday, Republican Trey Gowdy of South Carolina announced he will not run for re-election this fall. He has been a Representative since 2010. Basically, it sounds like Gowdy has had enough of Washington.

As a Congressman, Gowdy gained prominence in 2012 when he was chairman of the special House panel that investigated the attacks in Benghazi and found a lot of fault with then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s handling of the crisis.

Through their Benghazi investigation, the House panel discovered Hillary’s extra special private email server, which she used for government business. You know, the email server that is one of multiple excuses Democrats use to explain away Hillary’s impossible loss to Trump.

Republicans in Congress liked the cross-examination skills Gowdy brought to the House from his background as a prosecutor. Unlike many of his colleagues in both parties, Gowdy knew how to ask tough, precise questions.

Most recently, as House Oversight Committee Chairman, Gowdy has been concerned with the integrity of the FBI’s investigation into possible Russia-collusion. He is particularly concerned about the text messages between two FBI agents who were close to the investigation that reveal their anti-Trump bias.

Speculation is that Gowdy is leaving Congress for a possible Federal Judgeship, but so far, his office maintains that he’s returning to private law practice in South Carolina.

The National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman said, “Trey Gowdy exemplifies the persona of a public servant.”

On the other hand, the Democratic Congressional Committee spokesman said Gowdy’s tenure “made a mockery of Congressional oversight.”

And that dichotomy is probably exactly why Gowdy’s getting out of the game.

Yesterday Gowdy said, “I enjoy our justice system more than our political system. As I look back on my career, it is the jobs that both seek and reward fairness that are most rewarding.”

“Seeking and rewarding fairness” – yeah, that doesn’t sound much like politics at all. No wonder Gowdy’s leaving it all behind.

There was way too much complicity in the Larry Nassar case

The Meridian Township Police Department in Michigan will publicly apologize to one person today.

It’s an apology that is 14 years too late.

Brianne Randall-Gay filed a complaint with the police department against disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar in 2004, stating that he touched her inappropriately during a routine exam.

The police investigated and took Nassar’s word instead of Brianne’s. Nassar claimed the then 17-year-old “misunderstood the treatment because she was not comfortable with her body.”

They believed him and dropped the case.

If someone had believed Brianne that day, how many assaults could have been prevented?

It could have stopped more than a decade worth of emotional and physical torture for so many girls.

But no one stood up for Brianne and Larry Nassar went on to sexually assault more than 100 girls under the guise of medical treatment.

For the last couple weeks, famous faces lined the courtroom, patiently waiting to speak about their assault at the hands of Nassar.

He was ultimately sentenced to 40-175 years in prison after pleading to criminal sexual conduct involving girls under the age of 16.

Nassar is a despicable person who more than deserves his sentence. The biggest tragedy of all is that so many people were aware of the situation.

The biggest lesson we can learn from this story and from the many people who have come out in the #metoo movement is that “not to speak, is to speak.”

Complicity in evil acts is evil itself. We can all do a better job at being brave and speaking up when we know something is not right.

MORE 3 THINGS

This article provided courtesy of TheBlaze.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Glenn's Show Prep

Three Things You Need to Know – February 1, 2018

Here comes the memo

Trey Gowdy is not seeking re-election

There was way too much complicity in the Larry Nassar case

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

From Muhammad to Marx

Gifts from God, not the state

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?