>> CATHY: WE HAVE ANOTHER FULL HOLIDAY SEASON SHOW FOR YOU TONIGHT.

THE RETRO ALUMINUM TREES ARE ADORNING THE STUDIO.

THE CHORAL GROUP CANTUS IS HERE LIVE.

KEVIN KLING HAS A CHRISTMAS STORY FOR US.

LARRY FITZGERALD WILL TALK VIKES AND MORE.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE PLENTY OF POLITICAL NEWS TO COVER THROUGHOUT HOURS.

>> ERIC: NATIONAL POLITICS IS WHERE WE START TONIGHT.

ANOTHER BIG NEWS WEEK IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE SEIZURE OF AN OIL TANKER OFF THE COAST OF VENEZUELA.

A FAILED SENATE VOTE ON EXTENDING A.C.A.

INSURANCE SUBSIDIES.

MULTIPLE COURT CASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RELATING TO IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND MORE.

PROFESSOR DAVID SCHULTZ TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY AND IS ALSO AN ADJUNCT LAW PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST.

THOMAS.

WHAT I DIDN'T MENTION WAS THE DEMOCRATS ON THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAVE RELEASED A BUNCH OF BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS FROM THE EPSTEIN ESTATE WITH PICTURES OF PEOPLE LIKE BILL GATES, LARRY SUMMERS, FORMER PRINCE ANDREW.

ISSUE?

>> YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS POINT IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T NEED LEGISLATION TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.

COULD HAVE ONE IT ANYHOW.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO CONCERNED TRUMP IS GOING TO REDACT AND NOT RELEASE EVERYTHING.

OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE SOME STUFF AND KIND OF GOAD FOR FORCE HIM TO DO IT.

NOW, IS IT KIND OF PLAYING NASTY POLITICS?

YEAH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT'S SORT OF THE GAME IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW IS BOTH SIDES ARE TRYING TO PLAY GOTCHA POLITICS.

>> Cathy: BEFORE WE ASK YOU ABOUT THE A.C.A.

EXTENSION, I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT OIL TANKER BEING SEIZED, THE U.S.

SEIZING THAT.

COULD THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BE ACCUSED OF PIRACY?

>> YES.

ONE OF THE CLASSES I FINISHED TEACHING THIS SEMESTER IS MY INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, THAT'S A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AT THIS POINT.

AND IT'S ARGUABLY ALSO A VIOLATION OF DOMESTIC LAW AND EXCEEDS PRESIDENTIAL POWER ESPECIALLY UNDER THE WATER WAR POWERS ACTION.

SO THIS COULD BE IEWED AS EITHER PIRACY OR AN ACT OF AGGRESSION.

I WOULD EXPECT ON ONE LEVEL, VENEZUELA COULD TRY TO GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE AND SAY THE U.S.

HAS ACTED ILLEGALLY.

>> Eric: A HOUSE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT A HEALTH INSURANCE SUBSIDY BILL NEXT WEEK.

ANY PROSPECTS?

>> I DOUBT IT AT THIS POINT.

THE IRONY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT -- BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR, THE IRONY OF THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE SUBSIDIES UNDER OBAMACARE OMES FROM MITT ALE ROMNEY AND MITT ALE ROMNEY'S PLAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CLINTON HEALTHCARE REFORMS.

THESE WERE -- THE SUBSIDIES WERE ORIGINALLY WHAT?

THE IDEA OF USING MARKET DRIVEN PRINCIPLES TO BE ABLE TO IND AFFORDABLE CARE CARE.

BUT, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

BECAUSE REMEMBER, NO REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR THE A.C.A.

ORIGINALLY.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN ADAMANT IN TERMS OF OPPOSED TO IT THE WHOLE TIME.

SO NOW THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED.

THEY'VE GOT THE REPEAL ESSENTIALLY OF OBAMACARE.

NOW THEY GOT TO DEAL WITH THE POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS OF WHAT MAY FLOW FROM IT.

>> Cathy: THE A.C.A., THESE EXTENSION WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAD THE LONG SCHOENBERG ANYWAY, RIGHT?

SO I -- NO ONE'S GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF THIS, EXCEPT -- ESPECIALLY FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF THE GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY IS TO SAY, HOW DO WE CREATE AFFORDABLE, QUALITY, DECENT HEALTHCARE FOR AMERICANS, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, THAT HAS COMPLETELY ESCAPED THE DEBATE.

THE DEMOCRATS DIDN'T WIN ON POLICY BUT THEY WON THE RHETORICAL BATTLE.

SO NOW THEY GET TO GO INTO THE 2026 CAMPAIGN, ASSUMING SOMETHING DOESN'T HAPPEN NEXT WEEK AND SAY, GUESS WHAT, THOSE DIRTY ROTTEN SO AND SOS LIKE THAT, IDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HEALTHCARE.

THE REASON WHY YOUR PREMIUMS ARE GOING UP IS BECAUSE OF REPUBLICANS.

WHEN THEY DECIDED TO DO THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.

>> Eric: I.C.E.

IN THE TWIN TWIN CITIES, IS THERE LEGAL ACTION SURROUNDING THIS?

>> IF THE ACCOUNTS ARE ACCURATE, HERE, WE'VE GOT COUPLE THINGS GOING ON HERE.

ONE OF THEM IS, THEY MAY VERY WELL BE ARRESTING PEOPLE AND ENTERING PROPERTY WITHOUT DULY EXERCISED, EXECUTED WARRANTS.

THAT BECOMES A PROBLEM.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE CALL ME AND SAY, WELL, WHY DON'T THE LOCAL POLICE ARREST THE .C.E.

AGENTS FOR DOING THIS STUFF?

BECAUSE THEY CAN'T.

THE LOCAL POLICE CANNOT STOP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM BEING ABLE TO EXECUTE THE LAW.

BECAUSE REMEMBER AT LEAST IN THEORY, IT'S ABOUT WHAT?

ABOUT I.C.E.

SAYING WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND DO THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT?

YES.

BUT DO THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO DO RANDOM STOPS AND ARREST PEOPLE OR ENTER PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT WARRANTS?

THE ANSWER IS NO.

>> Cathy: THE TORY ABOUT THE INDIANA REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS REJECTING THE TRUMP BACKED REDISTRICTING PLAN.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> THAT IS REALLY QUITE SIGNIFICANT.

SO IF I WERE DOING A CHEER FOR SOMEBODY, MITCH DANIELS IS THRILLED AT THIS POINT.

REMEMBER, HE AN AGAINST TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT, AND MITCH DANIELS WAS PUSHING HARD.

BUT IT'S STARTING TO SHOW SOME CRACKS.

AND I SAY SMALL CRACKS IN THE TRUMP COALITION.

NOW, IF WE LOOK AT THE VOTERS, HIS ASE HAVE NOT MOVED FROM HIM.

WE KNOW THAT.

THE INDEPENDENTS HAVE.

BUT FOR SOME OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, LOOKING AT THE 2026 ELECTIONS, THERE IS A SENSE THAT THEY CAN'T DO EVERYTHING THAT TRUMP WANTS BECAUSE, REMEMBER, THEIR FIRST GOAL IS WHAT?

GETTINGRE-ELECTED.

>> Eric: ONLY 11 MONTHS UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION.

>> YES, THAT'S TRUE.

[ Laughter ] >> Eric: THANKS, PROFESSOR.