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Tucker Carlson: Don't ask obvious questions about the Nord Stream pipeline leak

Guests: Aaron Mate, Zach Loesch, Chris Bushart, Jeff Landry

This is a rush transcript of "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on October 5, 2022. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST: Good evening and welcome to TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT.

There are few things more infuriating than being lied to by your own government, the government you pay for, the one your ancestors risked their lives to protect. Does that happen to you? Of course, it has. It enrages you.

But if it happens again and again, if it happens often enough, if your government makes a habit of lying to you, then over time it becomes something else. Over time, you realize you're not really living in a democracy. You can't be because in a democracy, the government has a moral and legal obligation to tell you the truth always. Period.

That makes sense because in a democracy, you are not a subject or a mere consumer, you're a citizen. You are a shareholder in the system. You are an owner of it. The people who run your government are your employees. They're like your cleaning lady. You may appreciate the work they do, "Good job," but the minute you catch them stealing your cufflinks, you fire them. Those are the rules because it's your house, not theirs.

But what if the rules were inverted? What if you caught an employee stealing, but instead of seeming ashamed and penitent, he whipped around and attacked you like you were the criminal?

Well, that is the experience of watching White House spokesman, John Kirby talk about the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines. Anyone who imagines, who thinks for a moment the Biden administration was in any way involved with that sabotage, directly or indirectly, is not simply wrong, no. Anyone who imagines that is a bad person, a tool of Vladimir Putin. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CHIEF POLITICAL ANCHOR: Did the US or a proxy for the US have anything to do with the explosion on the Nord Stream pipeline?

ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: The United States had nothing to do with it. That's just Russian propaganda and disinformation.

Now, we know it was an act of sabotage, but there's an investigation going on right now. I don't think we're going to get into credentialing that in terms of who was responsible. We're going to let the investigators take a look at that, but clearly, this was an act of sabotage.

BAIER: So, you can officially say that the US was not involved in any way in this attack?

KIRBY: That's right. That's correct.

BAIER: Not to belabor this, but for the people who look at this and say, why would Russia attack its own pipeline? That creates leverage over Europe and perhaps the West, what do you say to them?

KIRBY: Again, I can't speak to specific accountability for this act of sabotage. I can just assure you the United States had nothing to do with it. Of course, that's just Russian propaganda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So, notice Bret Baier asked the question, "Did the US -- did the Biden administration or any of its proxies have anything to do with the sabotage?" To which John Kirby says we didn't do it and then moves right to the point, which is anyone who says we did it is repeating Russian propaganda. That's what John Kirby said. It's disinformation from quislings more loyal to Vladimir Putin than our own country. That's the kind of thing the only truly bad people say.

Okay, if the White House says so, obviously we have no choice but to believe it, but you still have to wonder not everyone does believe that. Why?

Where might some Americans have gotten the notion that the Biden administration might have been involved directly or through a proxy in the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines? Why would they think that? They certainly didn't watch it on Russia Today. RT has been pulled off the air. They didn't hear it from Putin or any of his ministers.

You can barely find anything from the Russian government on Google and of course, any book sympathetic to Putin has been banned on Amazon. In fact, every piece of information that reflects the modern Russian point of view has been censored in the United States because this is a free country fighting for democracy. You just can't read what you want or think what you want.

So actually, if you think about it, if Americans are deluded about what happened to the Nord Stream pipeline, the delusion didn't come from Moscow because there's no way for Moscow to get this disinformation to the United States because the US government has blocked it along with the tech companies. So, where did that idea come from? Why might they think that?

Well, maybe they learned it from Joe Biden himself. He's the President. Here's Biden this winter on American television pledging to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines if Russia does something he doesn't want them to do. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be -- there will be no longer on Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.

REPORTER: But how will you do that exactly since the project and control of the project is within Germany's control?

BIDEN: We will. I promise you we'll be able to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So, that's about as clear as it gets. Biden doesn't say we will shut it down. He just said, "There will be no Nord Stream pipeline. We will put an end to it." And the reporter says, "But wait a second, it's not your pipeline. How will you be able to do that?" So, he has a chance to reframe the question, to revise his answer, to be more precise, but he doesn't. He says flat out, "I promise you will be able to take out Nord Stream." Joe Biden, President of the United States.

So, there's that clue and that is as if that wasn't enough, last week, last Friday, the Secretary of State in the Biden administration, Mr. Tony Blinken, bragged about how great the sabotage of Nord Stream was and we're quoting "It's a tremendous opportunity," said Tony Blinken. It's a great thing, not a tragedy, a victory, something we're in favor of. We're excited about it.

Destroy the natural gas pipeline? We're for that.

So, that might be another clue that the Biden administration may have had something to do with it. Oh, but no, says the White House, despite the fact that we promised we would do it, and then we crowed about how great it was after it happened, we had nothing at all to do with it.

Who did it? Well, Russia did it. They blew up their own pipeline, making their own country poorer and weaker in the middle of a major war because that is how crazy, but also diabolically effective the Russians are: Suicidal, yet brilliant.

And if you don't buy that story uncritically, if you have any questions about how exactly that might work, you're a disloyal American. Shut up.

Here's Chris Stewart, a Republican Member of Congress from Utah, making the very same point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: John Kirby with the National Security Council was on earlier in no uncertain terms, said the US was not behind and a proxy of the US was not behind the explosion on the Nord Stream pipeline.

From your perspective, both of you, do you agree with that?

REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): Oh, absolutely. This is the last thing that we want to raise gas prices further in Europe. It's pretty obvious this is a Russian sabotage operation.

BAIER: And for the people, Congressman Stewart, that say, why would Russia do that on its own pipeline, what do you say?

REP. CHRIS STEWART (R-UT): Well, the people who are suggesting the US, that is exactly what Vladimir Putin wants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: It's just so great. I mean, it's perfectly bipartisan. Here you have a Republican from Utah, Chris Stewart, and a Democrat from Massachusetts, Seth Moulton, agreeing precisely. It's exactly what Vladimir Putin wants. He wants you to blame the Biden administration for something he did. That's the bipartisan view in Washington.

What's interesting is they don't really know that. They have no evidence that that's true. Briefers from the Intel Agencies have, as of this afternoon, told Members of Congress they have no idea who committed industrial terrorism against these pipelines.

Now, that itself is a lie, of course. The CIA has no idea at all? Right, they have no idea, but as far as Members of Congress, Chris Stewart and Seth Moulton know, there is no evidence either way. They have no facts. That is a fact. They have no facts.

So, again, as a factual matter, neither of those guys nor any Member of Congress, no matter what Committee they sit on, has any idea who did this, but if you suggest the obvious, Russia probably didn't do it, because why would they do it, it's against their own interest, no matter what dumb story you're trying to sell us, if you suggest that, if you apply commonsense, you're evil, and then they go farther and say things that are like completely implausible.

Seth Moulton and we're quoting, "The last thing we want is to raise gas prices in Europe." Really? Seth Moulton, is that true? Because isn't the Biden administration philosophically opposed to low gas prices? Aren't they opposed to all fossil fuels?

Oh, right, they are. How do we know that? Is that Russian propaganda? No, because we can't read Russian propaganda because it's been banned in favor of our propaganda. We know that because Joe Biden himself has said so many times on television.

Okay. So maybe there is a motive here. Maybe there's more than one motive, but don't ask because, warned the media, asking obvious questions is forbidden. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATIE PHANG, MSNBC HOST: FOX News host, Tucker Carlson, irresponsibly claiming the United States was responsible for the leak.

JOSH ROGIN, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Other than Putin and Tucker Carlson, it seems pretty clear that everyone knows that Putin did this himself.

JONATHAN KARL, ABC NEWS: And Tucker Carlson this past week, actually once again directly repeated Russian propaganda, suggesting it was somehow the United States behind the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline. How real is that movement? Is it growing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: It's Russian propaganda. How dare they. Really? Is it really? Probably just a thought experiment here. A lot of Americans who don't feel any allegiance whatsoever to Russia, don't like Putin -- why would you, if you're an American -- but care a lot about their own country and the behavior of their own government.

So, their own government -- again the one they pay for, the one they supposedly control -- is doing things contrary to their interests and then lying about it. Maybe they think they have a right to know and ask obvious questions like, "Are you lying? And if you're not lying, speak slowly and tell us how your story, the one you're expecting us to believe, makes sense."

It's possible that asking questions is a patriotic duty of Americans. Shut up. That helps Putin. You're not allowed to say it. You're not allowed to quote the President of the United States promising to eliminate the Nord Stream pipelines. You're not allowed to quote his Secretary of State celebrating that sabotage. You're required to believe that Putin took out his own infrastructure. You must.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: How does this fit into Putin's playbook? Of course, as you would expect, Susan, Russia says, "Oh, we had nothing to do with this. We're going to launch an investigation," but come on.

SUSAN GLASSER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Look, you know, the indications are that foul play was involved and that it appears that, you know, Russia is certainly the likeliest suspect of this.

JOHN BRENNAN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: I think this is clearly an act of sabotage, of some sort and Russia is certainly the most likely suspect. I think this might be just the first salvo of some additional things that might be coming toward Europe.

BILL BROWDER, CEO, HERMITAGE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: What Putin is saying to us with -- by blowing up his pipeline is, "Look, I can blow up a pipeline if need be. I can blow up the Internet cables coming into your country. I can blow up functioning pipelines. I could do all sorts of stuff."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: Oh, it's Bill Browder. He's an expert on the subject. Believe Bill Browder. Don't believe your own lying eyes.

There was a moment after it was very clear that the war in Iraq was not helping the United States in any way and in fact, hurting the core interests of the United States that the media engaged in a rare nanosecond of self-reflection. How do we get here? What role did we, for example, "The New York Times," play in convincing the public that Saddam had WMD when he didn't?

For that one moment you thought, "Wow, maybe they're learning something. Maybe they won't do it again." But it turns out the opposite happened. Now, they're just completely doubling down on what's very obviously a lie and attacking anyone who asks to hear it explained rationally.

And it's not just the media, by the way. DC think tanks, whose purpose is long in doubt, like what's the point of a DC think tank? Oh, to run interference for the ruling class, to bolster the regime, to be Pretorian Guard.

The Brookings Institution filled that role for many years. They just produced this analysis: "US podcasters spread Kremlin narratives on Nord Stream sabotage."

What's interesting about this analysis is that nowhere in it does the august Brookings Institution rebut the evidence that the US or a proxy of the Biden administration had something to do with this. There's in fact, no evidence either way. Instead, they just attack anybody who ask questions. "The theories pushed by these podcast hosts align with Kremlin messaging." Oh, align with Kremlin messaging? They used to be called guilt by association.

Vladimir Putin likes dogs. What? You like dogs? What are you, a Russian sympathizer? Right. Okay, in alliance with Russian propaganda.

So, the point is, it doesn't matter whether or not it's true, it aligns with Kremlin messaging. Therefore, you must be censored.

But not everybody got the memo. There are tucked away in the deep recesses of American society, a few honest liberals still left. Maybe they've been, I don't know, in St. Barts for the last three years and didn't realize that you can no longer exercise free speech in this country.

One of them is a Professor at Columbia called Jeffrey Sachs. So, he went to Bloomberg the other day and was asked about the Nord Stream pipelines and he decided to respond rationally and he said, well, actually, there's quite a bit of evidence of the Biden administration was involved, but rather than follow up, the anchor, realizing that forbidden topics were being broached -- oh, we're not allowed to talk about this -- just shut down the segment, but not before Jeffrey Sachs said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFFREY SACHS, PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: The destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline, which I would bet was a US action, perhaps US and Poland, this is just speculation.

BLOOMBERG HOST: Jeff, we've got to stop there. That's quite a statement as well. Why do you feel --

SACHS: Absolutely.

BLOOMBERG HOST: That that was a US action? What evidence do you have of that?

SACHS: Well, first of all, there's direct radar evidence that US helicopters, military helicopters that are normally based in Gdansk were circling over this area. We also had the threats from the United States earlier in this year that one way or another, we are going to end Nord Stream.

You're not allowed to say these things in in the West, but the fact of the matter is, all over the world, when I talk to people, they think the US did it, and by the way, even reporters and our papers that are involved tell me privately, "Well, of course." Well, it doesn't show up in our media.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: The anchor is clearly getting instruction from the control room. "Stop him. Stop him."

What evidence do you have? Well, there's radar evidence. What? Be quiet. Shut up. Just cut him off. Never invite them back. Stop.

The only explanation allowed, of course, is the one the government wants you to believe: Vladimir Putin is so evil, he is destroying his own pipelines.

Aaron Mate is an actual journalist, he does not work at "The Washington Post." He works at The Grayzone. We are honored to have him join us tonight. Aaron, thanks so much for coming on.

Poor Jeffrey Sachs. It's like -- there are like eight traditional liberals left and I guess they don't know the rules.

So, I'm just wondering, look, I don't know the answer, but I also know that no Member of Congress knows the answer either. I have verified that.

So, why is it that everybody is demanding you believe something that's just not very plausible?

AARON MATE, THE GRAYZONE: It's pretty amazing when you consider the track record of the people who are telling us that Russia did this. They are the same ones who told us that Russia installed Trump in the White House and blackmailed him with a pee tape, who told us that Russia plays bounties on US troops in Afghanistan, that Russia was injuring US diplomats with supersonic microwave weapons, and that Russia invented the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop.

And we're supposed to take now their claims on faith, when, by the way, at the same time, for many years, those who've been opposing the pipeline, including many of those now accusing Russia, of blowing it up, have been telling us the reason they're opposed to it is because it gives Russia leverage over Europe by controlling its energy supply.

So, just think of it logically, why would Russia blow up its only form of leverage? It does not make any sense.

Now, the reason why someone else would want to blow this up from the West, and as you noted, John Kirby, when he was asked by Bret Baier did not answer the question of whether it could have been a US proxy, he only said that the US was not involved, which to me is very revealing.

And the reason why the US and its allies have been so opposed to Nord Stream for a long time is because as was recognized in the 2019 study, by the RAND Corporation, which is a US government-funded think tank, the Nord Stream was very profitable for Russia.

And also if it goes through, bringing gas from Russia to Germany and the rest of Europe, that makes Europe and Germany more intertwined, which in turn makes it a lot harder to wage a proxy war and impose sanctions on Russia, and that's why this RAND study said, a first step to weakening Russia would be stopping Nord Stream 2.

So the motive is there, and as you've noted, the intent was made very clear in public, but somehow we are supposed to not believe all logic and all facts and just believe, once again, that Russia is behind something that is so drastically against its own interests.

CARLSON: Well, exactly and of course, the danger and the reason that we should be really worried about this is it opens up the possibility of retaliation where we get really hurt by Russia, and why would Americans want that? Loyal Americans who love their country and not Russia, why would they want that?

Aaron Mate, I appreciate your clarity and your bravery. It takes bravery to say that, so thank you.

MATE: Thanks.

CARLSON: So, we released a trailer back in April for a documentary that we were working on, not everyone loved the trailer, because not everyone wants to talk about the problem, but the problem is an emergency and that is that men are becoming weaker, not just culturally but biologically.

Biologically, testosterone levels are collapsing and have been for 40 years and it is having very obvious effects. And if you don't think that's a big deal, why not? Because it inherently is.

So, the documentary is finally out. It's on FOX Nation. It is called "The End of Men." Here is a preview of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I welcome this opportunity to speak to the people of America about a subject which I believe to be most important, and that is the subject of physical fitness.

TEXT: In ages past, a cycle began. Hard times made strong men, made good times.

KENNEDY: A country is as strong really as its citizens and I think that mental and physical health go hand in hand.

TEXT: Good times made weak men.

KENNEDY: There is nothing I think more unfortunate than to have soft, chubby, fat-looking children. I hope that all of you will join and everybody in the United States to make sure that our children participate fully in a vigorous and adventurous life, which is possible for them in this very rich country of ours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's been a 50 percent drop in sperm counts in the last 40 years, along with a precipitous decline in testosterone production. We're headed for calamity and that's not hyperbole, it is not exaggeration. It's just a mathematical fact.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you recommend young man to tan their balls?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do what?

TEXT: In the current year, the cycle continues.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once a society collapses, then you're in hard times. Well, hard iron sharpens iron, as they say and those hard times inevitably produce men who are tough, men who are resourceful, men who are strong enough to survive and then they go on to reestablish order, and so the cycle begins again.

TEXT: Tucker Carlson Originals presents "The End of Men."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: If we could just quote JFK directly, "There is was nothing more unfortunate than having soft, chubby, fat little children." There's a quote the JFK Library ought to put on a banner outside its HQ in Boston, they probably won't though.

It is in the documentary as you just saw. It's called "The End of Men." Out now on FOX Nation.

A very sad story: a Coast Guard swimmer who saved lives during Hurricane Ian recovery efforts is about to be fired because he won't take medicine he doesn't need. We'll speak him directly after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CARLSON: We've been trying over the past couple of months to point out that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is really a conflict between Russia and the United States and it is escalating to the point where a nuclear exchange is becoming more likely than at any time in history since 1945, more than the Cuban Missile Crisis, much more, because there is no communication.

So, that may seem hard to believe. A nuclear war? Really? That couldn't happen.

Well, the Biden administration has just announced, sent out a press release from HHS that they're spending $290 million on emergency drugs to give Americans in the aftermath of a nuclear exchange. So, they think it's real. You should know that it is.

Well, speaking of the military, Technician Second Class Zach Loesch is a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, Loesch and other service members hit the water and they saved lives.

Last week, Joe Biden personally called Loesch to thank him: "I told him how proud I was of him and I thanked him for all the work he and his Coasties are doing to save lives," Biden said, which was all true.

What Biden didn't mention is that he is firing Zach Loesch. Loesch is set to be terminated within 30 to 60 days. What did he do wrong? Well, he didn't get the COVID-19 -- the thoroughly discredited COVID-19 vaccine. Instead, he submitted a request for religious exemption, but he was denied on the basis he was religious, can't have that.

So Technician Second Class Zach Loesch is still active duty, but he has signed his intent to discharge papers. With sadness, we presume, he joins us now.

Zach, thanks so much for coming on. This has got to be one of the saddest stories we've covered in a long time. Do we characterize it correctly? Are you really leaving because they want you to take this shot?

TECHNICIAN SECOND CLASS ZACH LOESCH, US COAST GUARD RESCUE SWIMMER: Hey, Tucker, thanks for having me on the show tonight. It's an honor.

CARLSON: Of course.

LOESCH: I'm going to be speaking as an individual and I am not representing the Coast Guard or DHS.

Yes, that is correct. I have already signed my intent to discharge papers, which gives me approximately a 30-to-60-day window before they discharge me.

CARLSON: I mean, I would think that the physical vigor required to be a rescue swimmer would be kind of off the charts. I mean, you can't be in bad health and be a rescue swimmer. I mean, is that a fair assumption?

LOESCH: Yes, it's a fair assumption. Our school is pretty difficult and rigorous. We have a pretty high attrition rate and quarterly, we complete PT tests to make sure that we are ready to go for duty.

CARLSON: Countries around the world are pulling back on not just their mandates, but the use of the vax because it has now obvious dangers. Why do you think the administration or the Coast Guard would be firing people for refusing to take a product that other countries no longer want people to take?

LOESCH: You know, I don't know why they would want to be doing that, but I do know that I would like to continue working this job and it is a job that I'm really good at, and a lot of others are really good at. There was other rescue swimmers down there in Ian with me, and we're all doing the same thing and we would all like to keep our jobs.

CARLSON: I mean, unlike, say, Members of Congress, you're actually improving the country and saving lives. Has anybody come to your aid? Has any -- I don't know what state you're from, but I have your Members of Congress stood up and said we're not going to allow this? Has anyone helped you?

LOESCH: I believe that some people are trying, but right now, a lot of what's happening is it's tied up in the Court system, and so it is just not happening fast enough for us to, you know, be saved from this before we get discharged.

CARLSON: It's just beyond belief. I mean of all people, you should be rewarded and praised for your actual service, not punished for it.

Zach Loesch, we are really rooting for you, sincerely, and thank you for what you've done. Good luck.

LOESCH: Yes. Thanks, Tucker. Appreciate it.

CARLSON: Well, fishing is widely acknowledged to be the greatest sport in the history of mankind. Just kidding. But a lot of you like fishing and honorable people fish, but recently, we saw a couple of fishermen go to unbelievable lengths to cheat at a major fishing tournament over the weekend.

The details are pretty astounding. How were they caught exactly? We have those details -- a fishing segment. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So, they were shafting you without your knowledge it sounds like.

TONY BOBULINSKI, FORMER HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE: Yes, it's called fraud.

CARLSON: And this is -- I mean, I don't see any other explanation for this, do you?

BOBULINSKI: I'm sure you can reach out to the Biden family.

CARLSON: The FBI had the contents of the laptop, they've had it for years now. Has there been an FBI investigation into this? And what's the outcome of it, do you know?

BOBULINSKI: I'm not aware of them focusing on those specific facts. Everything that I've been privy or briefed on is they're focusing on more legacy tax stuff, FARA stuff, they should be looking into that but.

CARLSON: Hunter Biden has not been indicted for this.

BOBULINSKI: I'm not aware of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So that clip is from our interview with Tony Bobulinski last night. We played almost an hour of Tony Bobulinski and it was a remarkable interview. We're not just saying that because it appeared on our air. If that was on MSNBC, we'd say the same thing. Holy smokes.

So this guy was not an observer or a bystander, he was a business partner of the Biden family, and he provided mountains of evidence, documents showing that Hunter Biden defrauded him, committed felony fraud.

He also provided evidence that Joe Biden was not unaware of this, he was directing his family's overseas influence peddling operation where they sold access to the US government, which is a felony.

So, this is a guy who would know. This is a guy who can prove it and this is a guy who talked about it for almost an hour on television last night. So, what's the response been?

Well, we checked in today, the White House didn't respond at all, neither did any major media organization. No television network in the United States of America said a word about it.

The single response from anyone came on Twitter from a lone CNN anchor and he didn't address anything that Tony Bobulinski actually said about the Biden's; instead, he scolded Tony Bobulinski for not appearing on his network years ago. That was it. That was the sum total of response.

We're listening to this. Last night, we even listened to the tape of an interview we'd done. We're thinking, "Holy smokes. This is a bombshell."

But no. If a bomb goes off in the forest and nobody hears it, did it explode? Apparently not. They're doing exactly what they did before the last election. We have an election next month. They're doing again.

They know that what Tony Bobulinski is saying is it true, provably true. They are just going to suppress the story and act like it didn't happen and it may work.

Well, there is a scandal brewing in the world of pro, fishing an arena that has relatively few scandals, thank God.

Two competitors were caught stuffing lead weights and other fish filets into their fish. Now, the point of the contest is to have the heaviest total catch to win prize money.

These guys would have won nearly 30 grand had they not been caught, but they were caught on tape.

Their names are Jake Runyan And Chase Cominsky.

The footage is from the Lake Erie Walleye Trail in Ohio on Friday. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got weights in fish.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There we go right there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: [Bleep].

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call the cops.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: [Bleep].

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy [bleep].

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A filleted fish.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: "Call the cops." And in the Lake Erie Walleye Trail, the cops might respond to that, weighting fish is not a joke. As Chris Bushart knows, he is a tournament angler and he joins us to explain exactly what happened.

Chris, we're grateful that you're coming on tonight. Thank you very much.

CHRIS BUSHART, TOURNAMENT ANGLER: I appreciate it, Tucker.

CARLSON: The people who discovered this -- oh, of course, we love fishing.

The people who discovered this seem genuinely shocked and outraged. Is this rare?

BUSHART: To be that shocked and outraged over what happened, no, that's not -- what happened is very rare, but they are outrageous. I would have done the same thing.

CARLSON: Yes. So did they have any chance of getting away with us? It's kind of a crude way to cheat, isn't it?

BUSHART: I'm going to -- well, speculation, you know how that is. They could have gotten away with it in the past, but this time, it was too obvious. This was pretty blatant.

I mean, the fish that's one way I'm going to say that they got caught is the fish just couldn't possibly be as heavy as they was by the size of their fish. I mean, you're looking at four to five pound framed fish, sized fish and here you got one that weighs almost eight pounds, and then almost 34 pounds from the total sack and that is a little farfetched.

CARLSON: It's a little farfetched and that's definitely true.

Why do you think these guys did it? I mean, we're just speculating here, but I'm just wondering. Most fishermen are famously honest, just kidding, but this is a lot. Do you think maybe there was drinking involved?

BUSHART: I don't think it's much drinking involved. As it was, they just - - it's all about the money, baby. The money and the notoriety just went to their head. They probably have gotten away with it in the past, and they just pushed the limits and you can get away with it a few times, but it will bite you in the rear end over time, and then they got bit hard, I hope really hard.

CARLSON: So, what does this mean? Is this like a doping scandal at the Tour de France? Are they banned from the tour?

BUSHART: Sure, I think it's worse than that, because everybody fishes, not riding them bicycles. This thing's rough right here now.

CARLSON: What do you think's going to happen? I mean, when they show up streamside next summer, are people going to turn away?

BUSHART: They better be in a secluded place if they show up streamside, because if anybody recognizes them and know what they did, they will have a lot popping on them, I am telling you, -- I mean, it's just not taken lightly.

I mean, this is an industry. I mean, most of the people do this for the fun of it as a hobby.

CARLSON: Yes.

BUSHART: Very few people do fishing tournaments as a living, and I mean, they took money from hard working family men and women, and it's just not acceptable and I hope they are punished to the furthest extent of the law.

I mean, it's not a good thing. It's just a blackeye in the industry. Ninety-nine percent of it is great, but when it comes to shine, when it comes to fruition, everybody knows about it.

CARLSON: Amen. And as much as people make fun of fishermen as being liars, they are honorable and great people. So, I love the fact that you're outraged. You're not cynical at all.

Chris Bushart, thanks so much for coming on tonight.

BUSHART: Thank you, brother.

CARLSON: So, we've been chronicling the sad descent of American cities into total chaos and violence and we have a new winner tonight. The murder capital of America, it is no longer St. Louis. We will tell you who got that title, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CARLSON: New Orleans has got to be one of the coolest cities in the world. It's just not like other places. The word "unique" is overused, but New Orleans really is. So people love to go to New Orleans. It is hard to go there now, particularly the French Quarter because it's just too dangerous and that is a factual statement.

New Orleans now has the highest per capita murder rate of any city in the United States. So obviously local media noticed that. Here is one report from a local news channel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WVUE REPORTER: Two hundred and twenty homicides so far this year. That's more homicides in the first nine months of 2022 than all of last year.

As New Orleans makes national headlines for becoming the murder capital of the country, Rafael Goyeneche you With the Metropolitan Crime Commission points to the amount of non-fatal shooting victims so far this year, 454.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So, this is an emergency. There is no bigger, it's even worse than global warming or COVID. People are dying at a greater rate than any place in the United States. So, if you were in charge of New Orleans, you would respond immediately. You come up with some plan to stop the murders.

But here's how the actual Mayor of New Orleans Latoya Cantrell responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: News Headlines spread around the world about New Orleans being the murder capital of the US.

MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL, NEW ORLEANS: I do not embrace that at all. I don't embrace it, because one, that is -- the data even used for that is more of a governmental term for that, it's not based on what is actually happening.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In spite of national and world headlines showing New Orleans murder rate is 17 times higher than New York City's. The Mayor downplayed the severity of the problem.

CANTRELL: Mostly all of them are aligned by people who know one another, not random at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: Oh, they knew one another. So, it doesn't matter if they're dead. The best part is when she said -- can someone be that dumb and be a mayor of a city, apparently -- she said she doesn't embrace the data. She doesn't believe them. Apparently, they are just crisis actors pretending to be dead.

Jeff Landry is the Attorney General of the State of Louisiana. He has just announced he is running for Governor. He joins us tonight.

Mr. Landry, thanks so much for coming on.

I don't think I've ever seen a mayor or leader of anything respond to murder statistics by denying that they're real.

JEFF LANDRY (R), ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA: I will tell you, Tucker, one thing is for sure is I love Louisiana, and that's the reason we're running for Governor. As Attorney General. seven years ago, back when Mitch Landrieu was the mayor, I call this problem. New Orleans was headed down this road.

Both him and this Mayor refused to address the problems in the city. We've got a police department that is severely both underfunded and under manned. And the statistics of real. This is not like shoplifting statistics. This is not like petty crimes. These are real people that are dying in the City of New Orleans, and it affects our economy, and it affects New Orleans.

The place is being run like a third-world country and we don't deserve that.

CARLSON: Well, I've been to a lot of third-world countries that are far better run than New Orleans. They are a whole lot safer. So, why doesn't the State just take it over? I mean, just call it racism or something and just move in and take control of law enforcement in New Orleans?

LANDRY: You know, it's a great question. One of the biggest problems we're having in that city is that city is under a Federal Consent Decree.

You know, right now in America, the three cities with the highest homicide rate are all under Federal Consent Decrees, and Federal Consent Decrees are basically a Federal takeover of your or that city's police department.

It is something that I've been complaining about. It's something that as Governor, we're going to do something about. And so, that's the way you start to take back control of these cities is by instituting local and State control in law enforcement. That's a big problem.

CARLSON: So the Feds took over control those police departments because someone yelled racism and the net effect is more dead Black people? How does that work? How is that fighting racism?

LANDRY: It's not. In fact, again, St. Louis, New Orleans, Baltimore, again, all three cities that are under Federal consent decrees. Those are things that as Attorney General, we have been fighting to try to wrestle the Federal government away from that.

The one thing that in Louisiana we have one of the most powerful executive departments in the country. The Governor is extremely powerful. He has the ability to bend that city to his will and he just doesn't.

CARLSON: Yes, well, he should because self-governance is not working under that Mayor. That's for sure.

LANDRY: But we will.

CARLSON: Attorney General Jeff Landry of Louisiana. Thank you.

LANDRY: Thank you.

CARLSON: Well, a lot of people, Tony Bobulinski for example have learned, you better not mess with the Biden family. Now, we know that's true, thanks to Joe Biden himself caught on tape. We have that tape, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CARLSON: Joe Biden was in Florida today blaming hurricanes on global warming, if only we give him control the weather, he'd fix it.

Well down there, he was caught on a hot mic warning his enemies. Here is what he said. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks for everything. Thanks for coming down. We appreciate it.

BIDEN: Keep the faith. And by the way --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll keep the faith.

BIDEN: You (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was, I was.

BIDEN" No one bleeps with a Biden.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you're goddamn right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: All right, tough guy. He is going to put a severed horse head in your bed if you don't stop asking questions. Pathetic.

Well that's it for us tonight. Sadly, we're out of time.

We'll be back tomorrow and every night, 8:00 PM, the show this is the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness, and groupthink.

Have the best night.

A man that nobody messes with, Sean Hannity, next.

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