Sen. Eric Schmitt: FBI and DOJ Corruption, and How Politicized Judges Are Undermining America

As Attorney General, Schmitt had unilateral authority to initiate lawsuits challenging federal overreach without needing approval from other officials. This position gave him an ability to act decisively during a critical era. The Senate, in his view, requires consensus and is therefore less agile. Schmitt highlights this distinction to emphasize how much influence courts and legal battles currently hold over American policy, often surpassing the legislative branch's effectiveness.

Courts as the New Battleground for Political Power

Schmitt expands on the shift in American politics, noting that real power now seems to reside more in the courts than in legislatures elected directly by voters. He explains that conservatives have long perceived courts as the domain where the left entrenches its policies, often criticizing judges for "making up law as they go along." However, the appointment of over 200 federal judges by President Trump, along with a more conservative judiciary, presents an opportunity to restore judicial interpretation based on the original language of the Constitution.

Schmitt emphasizes the importance of fighting in the courts to preserve constitutional liberties. He references landmark victories in Missouri's challenges against vaccine mandates, student loan debt forgiveness, and other federal policies pushed by the Biden administration. These legal battles, according to Schmitt, exemplify how courts are crucial in checking executive power—especially as legislative and executive branches sometimes fail in their duties.

Fighting Administrative Overreach and Social Policy

Schmitt reflects on the evolving nature of the attorney general's role, noting how it has expanded from traditional crime-fighting into contesting overreach in social policy through legal challenges. He identifies a troubling abdication by Congress, which has increasingly delegated lawmaking authority to administrative agencies. This delegation, he argues, enabled those agencies to exercise unchecked power—leading to regulations and censorship that are neither democratically accountable nor constitutionally grounded.

The Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine, which deferences agency decisions, signals a rebalancing of power toward Congress and the courts. Yet Schmitt stresses that Congress must now write laws more clearly and resist outsourcing its responsibilities to bureaucratic entities. His approach as AG involved aggressively challenging administrative abuses in courts to protect citizens' rights, a strategy he intends to carry forward in the Senate to dismantle the sprawling administrative state.

The Biden Administration's Censorship Regime

One of the most detailed discussions involves Schmitt's lawsuit against the Biden administration over its partnership with Big Tech companies to censor political speech. He describes how the government outsourced censorship to platforms like Facebook and Twitter under the guise of fighting disinformation. Through discovery in the Missouri v. Biden case, Schmitt's office unveiled emails and texts revealing high-level White House involvement in demanding social media companies "silence" dissenting voices, including vaccine skeptics and critics of election integrity.

Schmitt paints this censorship enterprise as "the most egregious violation of the First Amendment in American history," revealing coordination between agencies such as the FBI, CDC, and a cyber security administration working with tech companies. He underscores the unconstitutional outsourcing of government censorship and highlights the importance of his team's legal fight, which helped expose this covert operation prior to the Twitter Files revelations. This episode stands as a pivotal moment in combating politicized suppression of free speech.

The Mishandling of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The podcast delves deeply into Schmitt's views on the origins of COVID-19 and the federal government's flawed pandemic response. He recounts his office's 2020 lawsuit against China for unleashing the virus, asserting it likely originated from a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Schmitt rejects the wet market theory as disinformation, pointing to whistleblowers and leaked information that China and the World Health Organization covered up the truth.

Schmitt is critical of Dr. Anthony Fauci and other public health officials who pushed lockdowns and mask mandates with what he describes as scientific obfuscation and political motives. He details his own deposition of Fauci, portraying the public health czar as evasive and inconsistent. The pandemic response, Schmitt argues, damaged American society through overreach and censorship, severely undermining trust in institutions and causing lasting social and economic harm.

The Weaponization of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

Schmitt laments the politicization of agencies like the FBI and Department of Justice under previous administrations. He argues that these bodies were weaponized against political opponents, particularly President Trump, rather than focusing on traditional crime-fighting. This misuse of resources and authority is a major reason for the current erosion of public confidence in government institutions.

Discussing "Russia Gate" and other conspiracies, Schmitt points to unmasking operations, spying, and prosecutorial overreach that targeted Trump based on unfounded allegations. He expresses hope that ongoing investigations will finally bring accountability to those involved in this "lawfare" and restore the integrity of justice. However, he acknowledges the difficulty of prosecuting political elites but insists the process is essential for healing the republic.

The Crisis of American Trust

Throughout the conversation, Schmitt emphasizes that widespread distrust in government stems from repeated failures and perceived corruption across branches. The narrative of a fair, impartial justice system has been damaged due to what he terms selective enforcement and lack of transparency in high-profile scandals. From pandemic mismanagement to election controversies to unprosecuted political crimes, the public's skepticism is justified.

This distrust imperils the fabric of self-governance, which relies on citizens' faith that leaders abide by the rule of law and accountability mechanisms exist. Schmitt insists that rebuilding this faith requires real consequences for misconduct—without vengeance, but with justice. This renewal, he believes, is a necessary foundation for preserving America's constitutional order and maintaining citizen participation in democracy.

The Courts, Originalism, and Judicial Courage

Addressing concerns over the politicization of the Supreme Court, Schmitt advocates for a return to originalism—the judicial philosophy that interprets the Constitution based on its original meaning rather than evolving societal norms. He cites Justice Antonin Scalia as a pivotal figure in promoting this approach, which aims to limit judicial overreach and maintain the separation of powers.

Schmitt also highlights the importance of judicial character, focusing on a judge's courage to rule according to the law regardless of political pressures or social backlash. He identifies justices like Clarence Thomas as courageous examples. Looking ahead, he believes the Senate Judiciary Committee must prioritize this quality in confirming judges, lest fear of social ostracism lead to compromised rulings that further erode public respect for courts.

The Decline of Traditional Politics

Schmitt discusses the transformation both major parties have undergone, noting how the Republican Party under Trump has shifted toward a populist coalition that emphasizes fighting for working-class voters and the "little guy." This coalition includes diverse figures united around themes like economic nationalism, cultural identity, and skepticism of globalism and big government. Schmitt sees this as a "historic" moment, involving generational change and new priorities.

By contrast, Schmitt characterizes the Democratic Party as fragmented and drifting leftward, increasingly controlled by activists disconnected from mainstream voters. He believes their refusal to moderate positions on immigration and social policies alienates many and weakens their long-term prospects. However, the left's embrace of identity politics and progressive activism poses ongoing challenges to national cohesion that conservatives must confront.

The Impact of COVID-19

Beyond the origins and policies, Schmitt reflects on the profound societal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. He highlights increased mental health problems, family strains, disrupted education, and general social fragmentation caused by government overreach and fearmongering. Mask mandates and school closures, in particular, inflicted harm on children, with vulnerable groups like deaf students and those with disabilities suffering disproportionately.

Schmitt expresses deep empathy for affected families, including his own experience raising a son with epilepsy. The pandemic's legacy, he asserts, will be a more polarized and fragile America vulnerable to disinformation and political exploitation unless cultural healing occurs. He believes preserving genuine free speech and pushing back against authoritarian tendencies are key parts of this recovery.

National Security & Economic Sovereignty

Turning to broader policy topics, Schmitt addresses America's dangerous dependency on foreign powers—principally China—for critical supply chains and pharmaceuticals. He warns that reliance on overseas manufacturing for essential drugs and minerals weakens national security and exposes vulnerabilities in crises. The pandemic revealed how global supply disruptions can imperil lives due to shortage of vital medicines or components.

Schmitt advocates for bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and limiting exposure to hostile regimes. This includes fostering advanced manufacturing, securing critical minerals, and protecting industrial capacity. He credits the Trump administration's trade policies for beginning this pivot but insists more decisive action is needed. Economic sovereignty, in his view, is inseparable from national defense and preserving American independence.