The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (01/02/2024):

3:05pm- Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows determined that the U.S. Constitution bars Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s primary ballot—citing his involvement in riots outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. In her 34-page decision, Secretary Bellows accuses Trump of engaging in insurrection and, consequently, determines he is ineligible to hold office under the Fourteenth Amendment. Interestingly, despite calls from the Lieutenant Governor to “explore every legal option” to remove Trump from the ballot, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the former president would remain on the state’s primary ballot.

3:20pm- While appearing on CNN, David Axelrod—former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama—said “I do think it would rip the county apart if [Trump] were prevented from running because tens-of-millions of people want to vote for him.”

3:25pm- A new USA Today/Suffolk University poll indicates that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump currently has greater support within the Hispanic American community than does President Joe Biden—39% to 34%. In 2020, Biden won that demographic by 33%—65% to 32%. You can read more here: https://www.mediaite.com/news/shock-poll-biden-who-won-the-hispanic-vote-by-33-points-in-2020-now-trails-trump-by-5-among-hispanics/

3:40pm- Stefanos Chen and Jeffery C. Mays of The New York Times write: “Hundreds of migrants bound for New York City took a detour in New Jersey over the holiday weekend, in an apparent attempt to bypass a city order that seeks to limit the chaotic flow of arrivals…The surge in New Jersey arrivals appears to be an end-run around an emergency executive order last week by New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, requiring charter bus companies to provide 32 hours’ advance notice of the arrival of migrants and restricting the times of day when they can be dropped off.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/nyregion/ny-nj-migrants-buses.html

3:50pm- According to a Fox News report, migrants who have entered the United States illegally are currently lined up in New York City to receive taxpayer-funded housing. New York City, which previously declared itself a “sanctuary city,” guarantees free housing to migrants.

4:05pm- Claudine Gay has resigned as President of Harvard University—making her the shortest tenured president in the school’s nearly 400-hundred-year history. Last month, Gay testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee. During one noteworthy exchange with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Gay refused to say calls for the genocide of Jews is speech that is violative of the school’s code of conduct. Gay also faces dozens of credible plagiarism allegations.

4:15pm- In a recently surfaced video, former Director of the National Institutes of Health Dr. Francis Collins conceded that the federal government made mistakes with its public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains, “if you’re a public health person…you attach zero value to whether this actually totally disrupts people’s lives, ruins the economy.” In November of 2021, Dr. Collins, who is now serving as an advisor to President Joe Biden, infamously performed “Somewhere Past the Pandemic”—an original song to the tune of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Rich, Matt, and Henry will find any excuse to play it.

4:35pm- On Monday, Rich appeared on Fox News to preview the 2024 presidential election. The clip went viral on social media, but Matt didn’t include it on today’s cut sheet!

4:50pm- Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows determined that the U.S. Constitution bars Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s primary ballot—citing his involvement in riots outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. In her 34-page decision, Secretary Bellows accuses Trump of engaging in insurrection and, consequently, determines he is ineligible to hold office under the Fourteenth Amendment. Interestingly, despite calls from the Lieutenant Governor to “explore every legal option” to remove Trump from the ballot, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the former president would remain on the state’s primary ballot.

5:05pm- Congressman Guy Reschenthaler— U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District & House Republican Chief Deputy Whip—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss Claudine Gay’s resignation as President of Harvard University making her the shortest tenured president in the school’s nearly 400-hundred-year history. Last month, Gay testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee. During one noteworthy exchange with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Gay refused to say calls for the genocide of Jews is speech that is violative of the school’s code of conduct. Gay also faces dozens of credible plagiarism allegations. Will this resignation have an impact on the radical leftist teaching agenda at America’s oldest university?

5:25pm- The New York Times reports: “Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey—already accused of using his political influence to benefit Egypt—was newly charged on Tuesday with using his power to help the government of Qatar.” You can read the full report from Tracey Tully, Benjamin Weiser, and Nicholas Fandos here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/02/nyregion/robert-menendez-qatar-influence.html

5:40pm- Anna Betts of The New York Times writes: “Al Sharpton, the civil rights leader, expressed disappointment in Claudine Gay's resignation in a statement to CNN, blaming a relentless campaign against her led by the financier Bill Ackman. ‘This is an attack on every Black woman in this country who has put a crack in the glass ceiling,’ Sharpton said, adding that his organization, the National Action Network, would picket outside Ackman’s New York office on Thursday.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/02/us/claudine-gay-harvard/404581e4-b049-5652-9b24-3bc104a53fe5?smid=url-share

5:50pm- The Pop-Tarts Bowl vs the Duke’s Mayo Bowl: which college football game was weirder?

6:05pm- Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows determined that the U.S. Constitution bars Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s primary ballot—citing his involvement in riots outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. In her 34-page decision, Secretary Bellows accuses Trump of engaging in insurrection and, consequently, determines he is ineligible to hold office under the Fourteenth Amendment. Interestingly, despite calls from the Lieutenant Governor to “explore every legal option” to remove Trump from the ballot, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the former president would remain on the state’s primary ballot.

6:15pm- While appearing on CNN, David Axelrod—former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama—said “I do think it would rip the county apart if [Trump] were prevented from running because tens-of-millions of people want to vote for him.”

6:30pm- CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said that Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows barred Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot based on “things that would never pass the bat in a normal court”—like relying on YouTube clips.

6:45pm- A new USA Today/Suffolk University poll indicates that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump currently has greater support within the Hispanic American community than does President Joe Biden—39% to 34%. In 2020, Biden won that demographic by 33%—65% to 32%. You can read more here: https://www.mediaite.com/news/shock-poll-biden-who-won-the-hispanic-vote-by-33-points-in-2020-now-trails-trump-by-5-among-hispanics/