American Family Association offers biblical insight on issues that others aren't willing to touch
>> : Every day, AFA offers biblical insight on issues that others aren't willing to touch in the hopes that you'll become a world changer. That's why we're offering an in depth, worldview training course called Activate. Thirteen different professors teaching 18 sessions, all available online, including a printed workbook to help you apply what you've learned and one year access to AFA streaming content to give you even more resources. Find out more about Acctivate and sign up today at Acctivate.AFA.net
>> Tim Wildmon: welcome to today's
>> Ed Vitagliano: Issues, offering a Christian response to
>> Tim Wildmon: the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of
>> : the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning everybody and welcome to the Today's Issues program here on American Family Radio for this Wednesday, April 29, 2026. And I'm going to introduce our slightly better than average panel, today. Ed Battagliano, back from several days missing the show.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right. I'm doing great. Was in Dallas, a, little small family reunion. My sisters were, were there. Had a couple of nieces and their families.
>> Tim Wildmon: They live all over the country. Your family does?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I have a sister who lives in Frisco te, north of Dallas and my other sister lives in Seattle, the Seattle area. Olympia, Washington, y'.
>> Tim Wildmon: All. I'll get along politically.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yeah, no, we're all conservative. Yeah, my sister up in Washington, she's just waiting for her husband to retire so they can bolt. They're gonna move to Texas. She's told me on occasion she's like, these lefties are whack wacky here. We can't stand it.
>> Tim Wildmon: But they're getting out as soon as they can.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, her husband's in the military and the surgeon and, and so that' he's, he's at. And
>> Tim Wildmon: Welcome back. Glad you got home. Oh, yeah, it was safe and sound.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. Was a great time.
>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley Wman.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Hey, glad to be here. What kind of food y' all have?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, here's the problem. My sisters are both very health conscious.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So we, we ate, we ate right. The whole time. I actually lost two pounds while I was there. But, the food was, is excellent and it was healthy, but it, they are very health conscious. My, brother in law is a work fanatic.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I just said I can't, man. I gotta pray, you know.
>> Tim Wildmon: Uh-huh.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He's he's in spectacular shape. So.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Ate well for about five days straight.
>> Tim Wildmon: Good morning, Fred.
>> Fred Jackson: Good morning.
Ed Wildman says thunderstorms almost grounded his flight last night
I I just wanted to pick up something that Ed said. Small family. Italians never have a small family get together.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, wasn't the whole crew just the siblings and their. Whatever and this and. And. And two of the, Two of the kids. None, of the. My kids. And so it was a small. It was smaller, smallish.
>> Tim Wildmon: M. You know, I know a lot of people are going to be shocked by this, but we have a direct. I said direct flight.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: From the Tupelo airport to the DFW airport. Am I right?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That is correct.
>> Tim Wildmon: they're not exactly alike, the airport. There's some differences. but there is a direct flight.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and the Lord was, The Lord was with, With. With our flight on Flight. No, it wasn't physical. Yeah, it was. So, heading back last night, they, almost diverted us to Alabama, to Muscle Shoals because thunderstorms were popping up. But we got in just in the nick of time before all the big storms rolled in.
>> Tim Wildmon: Do they tell you that in advance? They say we're going to get in just in the nick of time. Is that the word they know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And that's a more technical, That's a kind of a. A technical flight term. Nick of time. you know, so you do
>> Fred Jackson: have to worry when the pilot says, we're on a wing and a prayer.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: You want to hear that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Don't want to hear that at all.
>> Tim Wildmon: I've told this story before that it's not going to stop me from telling it again.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right. There are people who hadn't heard it.
>> Tim Wildmon: So my dad, the founder of this ministry, Don Wildmon, early on in the late 70s and all throughout the 80s and into the 90s, he did a lot of travel. He did a lot of travel, bless his heart. I mean, founding speak all over the place, speaking everywhere. Getting it. Getting this organization started. He, by necessity, he had travel. Well, he was flying home. He's flying from Dallas to Memphis.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: And this is a springtime, like. Like you're just him right now. And anyway, so between. Dallas would have been in the 80s, probably between Dallas and Memphis, springtime. These thunderstorms can pop up like you're talking about. And, so they got in one that just. He said. My dad said they were bouncing around. You could see lightning all out the window. You know, they were just. It was terrifying.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Even to experience flyers, you know. And so he said, like, one person in front of him was praying the rosary. You know, Catholics. You know how Catholics do that. You know, Am I right about that,
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And then he said another person was drinking heavily. So. So you got two different worldviews right there. One of us praying to God, let this plane land. The other one's saying, if it ain't gonna land, I'm going out with a bang.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, so, And I'm not advocating heavily. Heavily drinking.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Saying this.
>> Ed Vitagliano: True.
>> Tim Wildmon: This is what he observed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: But. And he said. My dad said it was so serious. I was thinking about my life insurance because he had four kids.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And, you know, my. And my mom. He was the one like, oh, I don't. You know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, he was just telling this story, obviously, after the.
Back in the 80s, pilots weren't as adept at predicting storms
But he said. He said the funny thing was it wasn't funny to. You landed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: He said the funny thing was we landed. The pilot didn't say squat. Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It was probably white knuckle time for the pilot.
>> Tim Wildmon: He didn't say anything. Yeah. Ah, he didn't say the whole. He didn't say. He didn't say buckle up or anything like that. And he. But he said they got landed in Memphis, taxied up to the gate, turned the plane off, and the pilot said, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Memphis. I just want to tell you, I'm as happy to be here as you are.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It was scary for the pilot.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: That was a pilot.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's when you know it's. It's bad.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: when you were saying that. And I know we got stories to get on, a lot of excellent stories.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: By the way, folks, we're going to
>> Tim Wildmon: get to the end of the world, people.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Hold on back. But back in the 80s, probably on into the 90s, they. They were not as adept at predicting storms as we are now. Now, you.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Several days out. This is probably going to roll in. It could be tornado, whatever, And. But, back then, it. You were taken by surprise a little more.
>> Tim Wildmon: Was it a bumpy ride for you last night, though?
>> Ed Vitagliano: I mean, because we did not. We did not make a time thing. We talked about Nick of time. That technical flying language.
>> Tim Wildmon: Anyway, welcome home.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. Good to be back.
Fred Jackson: Supreme Court decision involves pregnancy crisis centers
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Fred Jackson, what's your first story?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, a big Supreme Court decision this morning that involves pregnancy crisis centers.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right.
>> Fred Jackson: And, this was the case out of NewSong Jersey. NewSong Jersey went after First Choice Women's Resource center there. in that state, they accused this crisis pregnancy center and brief explanation. They give advice to young women who come in with what people term as an unwanted pregnancy. Okay. and so the state of NewSong Jersey went after First Choice Women's Resource center, accusing them misleading people into believing that if you went there, they would provide an abortion. All right. Which is totally false. But anyway, the state of NewSong Jersey Democrats there went after this first, Choice Women's Resource center and subpoenaed the, resource center, saying, we want to know your donor list. We want to know anybody who donates to you, because we're going to go out and we're going to talk to them to verify that you don't advise people that you offer abortions. All right, so this case has gone all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. And very interesting, the, First Choice Women's Resource center had the support of the aclu, the American Civil Liberties Union, because First Choice argued, this is a First Amendment case, we should be allowed to speak to clients the way we want. And by the way, we should not be forced to give up our donor list. And that's where the ACLU came in and said, yes, we agree, because that would intimidate people from donating to you
>> Ed Vitagliano: and it could backfire on aclu, liberal
>> Fred Jackson: groups, too, and other groups.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: All right. So the decision this morning was unanimous that First Choice can fight this subpoena in federal court. but it is a victory not only for First Choice and this pregnancy center, but I think it's a victory for any nonprofit group that has donor lists, because we've had cases before, reports before, where the government, some governments would love to get their hands on donor lists for particularly conservative organizations. So that's a major victory this morning.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's always the leftist groups that want access to the donor lists. Yeah, they like to try to dox people, get them fired and intimidated so they stop giving.
>> Wesley Wildmon: As you pointed out, this is a big win, obviously for the, for, the Choice Women's Resource Center. But this is also a big win for all nonprofits, and particularly, as Ed pointed out, the conservative non profits and the Christian non profits. Because, in years past especially, I remember this coming up under the. When did this go to the. Because this discussion was taking place during the Biden administration.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Fred Jackson: This goes back a year and a half at least, I believe.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay. I remember having this conversation wondering, you know, how this will play out, but I'm glad to see that that's a win.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes, absolutely.
>> Wesley Wildmon: We got some more wins, too. We got the Vermont win, but I guess we'll get to that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we're going to get that with a. Probably. I will say this I don't understand. I do understand and I don't understand, but it doesn't make sense why there's such opposition on the political left. And the pro abortion people, they would call themselves pro choice to the work of crisis pregnancy centers. Crisis pregnancy centers. And they're mostly, most all of them are supported by Christians in their local communities. JJ dash for speaks for the fundraising for these events all over the country. And a crisis. The local crisis pregnancy centers. Many people who work for them are volunteers. They provide services for women who are pregnant who need help or they come in and they want an ultrasound, much like what preborn does, and they want to. The crisis pregnancy centers have paid many thousands of dollars to buy one of these. And the woman will, or in some cases girls, okay, will observe their baby in the womb and will choose life. The whole idea is to convince the. It's. That's not, They want to convince the young, the women to keep the babies or to give them up for adoption. They'll even help with, you know, get them in touch with the. Who can help them with. If they want to give their child up for adoption.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Often gives them resources and they also
>> Tim Wildmon: awesome witness to them, about the Lord. So it's a wonderful Christian, ministry, these crisis pregnancy centers. But these people on the left, they even object to doing that, because I guess they're so fixated with, promoting abortion. It's like satanic almost.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I think that the ultrasounds, which most of these crisis pregnancy centers do. And by the way, let me just say this, folks. If you go to a ch and you're living in a community and you don't know whether there's a crisis pregnancy center in your community, please find out. There's probably a crisis pregnancy center in your community. They need the help of churches and Christians, financial help and volunteers. So a lot of Christians don't even know whether there's one. Just try to find that out and get your church involved in helping. But, these ultrasounds where the women come in and they're being told for the most part, if they're coming, if they're pregnant and it's an unwanted, unexpected pregnancy, they're being told it's just a blob of tissue. You just come in. It's like having your appendix removed. Just come on and we'll take care. If they go to a crisis pregnancy center and they see an ultrasound and they see sometimes 3D images of their baby moving, they are becoming aware quickly. This is not A blob of tissue. This is a baby that has fingers and toes and it moves and a heartbeat and a heartbeat and it yawns. That imagery is so powerful, I think it kind of dispels the deception that pro abortion groups often say it's just a blob of tissue. And that's what I think these pro abortion groups want to shut down. They don't want people finding out the reality because that changes hearts and minds about the whole idea of abortion.
Tim: I think that what crisis pregnancy centers are doing also shows Christians positively
>> Wesley Wildmon: And one other angle to this, to your point, dad, is that these types of ministry, nonprofits, like a preborn or like a local pregnancy center, these are. No one's being coerced to go. There's no incentive.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Wesley Wildmon: But to go. These are.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's why I don't understand why the opposition is so, why people are so, why the political left, the pro abortion crowd, are so obsessed with stopping the work of crisis pregnancy centers, which are, which people only come in there voluntarily. Nobody goes and rounds up pregnant girls and says, you got to go down here, look at your ultrasound.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: So we're. The work is a Christian outreach and it's a.
>> Ed Vitagliano: But it's powerful.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. Maybe that's what it is.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And I think that, I think that what crisis pregnancy centers are doing, it also shows Christians in a positive light. These Christians love on these young girls and women and they try to help them and provide for them.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And they show them the love of Christ. And you don't want that in your community if you want only abortion. Provided.
>> Tim Wildmon: You are listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Tim with Ed Wesley and, Fred.
Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's second majority black congressional district
>> Fred Jackson: Fred, next story, another Supreme Court decision this morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. they've been working hard down there. Supreme Court hasn't.
>> Fred Jackson: It's getting close to summertime. They just want to finish.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I got you.
>> Fred Jackson: Supreme Court. This is a headline. You'll find it at afn.net, supreme Court voids majority black congressional district in Louisiana. And, this was a case of a, predominantly black district that was being challenged. It was a 6 to 3 decision in this case. It struck down the court, struck down Louisiana's second majority black congressional district. and this is Chief, Justice Jon Roberts described this district as a, quote, snake, end quote. It stretched more than 200 miles to link parts of Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and baton rouge areas. 200 miles. So it was, There's a lot of talk about redistricting right now in various states, whether it's Texas, you know, Illinois, we had Virginia last Week, all of these sorts of things. So there's a lot of fighting going on right now over these.
>> Tim Wildmon: Now repeat what you said, because I typed in Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. Is that what you're talking about?
>> Fred Jackson: It's no. Could open the door for it. It struck down Louisiana's second majority black congressional district.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't understand. I'm sorry,
>> Wesley Wildmon: Ed.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm looking.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm not sure what the number of the district is.
>> Fred Jackson: No, they're not talking about the number of the district.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm not faulting you, Fred. You're just a. Sometimes I'm a little slow.
>> Fred Jackson: That's okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: Rarely, but that happens.
>> Fred Jackson: They have two predominantly black congressional districts in Louisiana. This case was about one in particular, which the majority of justices decided this morning was really gerrymandered.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Fred Jackson: This is why Chief, Justice Jon Roberts called it a snake, because it stretched more than 200 miles.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, that's a trail there.
>> Fred Jackson: That is a trail. You know, and the, Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote for the Six Conservatives, said that map is an uncon.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, I see it now, Jerry.
>> Fred Jackson: Map.
>> Tim Wildmon: I see what they did now, Looking at it.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: this.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Tried to do.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Huh?
>> Tim Wildmon: Huh?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Tried to do.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. What they tried to do.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sneaky Democrats trying to sneak that one by. Yes.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That was too obvious. In your face.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that's like. Yeah, that's like. Let's see.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It was the. Louisiana's 6th congressional district.
>> Tim Wildmon: What?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's the number of it. The Louisiana 6th congressional district.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, the number.
>> Tim Wildmon: But it's the.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's the second Congressional District that was majority black. I think that's the issue.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, why do you think. Why does it. Why are districts drawn up according to color of skin? That seems racist to me.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I think originally the idea was if you have a black minority in a state.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Let's say it's 30% of the population and they're scattered throughout the state. They will never. This is the argument. I'm not saying I agree with it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They will never get representation for causes that are dear to the black community.
>> Tim Wildmon: Why not?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because you only have white representatives. So the idea was, if you have solid, areas that are black, you make that an entire district that is basically going to always have a black representative. So you'll have a black representative in
>> Tim Wildmon: your state on color. Skin color.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Isn't that the definition of racism?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, not technically. I mean, racism, I think technically would be to act, against a particular group based on. Against their interests, based on their Skin color. it doesn't mean that anything that's based on skin color is necessarily racist. Although I'm going to have a hard time arguing with you if you push that any further. I understand what you're saying. Technically, you are favoring a group of people based on their skin color.
Wesley Bell: There was a time in America where affirmative action was needed
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Against.
>> Tim Wildmon: If you did that with whites, that's racist.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That is. No, you're.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: That's.
>> Tim Wildmon: Or his. Huh? Am I right?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, that's. You're. You're right.
>> Tim Wildmon: I nailed you to the wall.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You did. But that's because you forced me to defend the liberals. That's the great point. Explain the liberals. Hey, listen, here's the district, by the way.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just see it.
>> Fred Jackson: It's.
>> Tim Wildmon: It. It is. It's. It's a snake trail.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: They've. They've created, this district.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They basically went through all the communities. Are you black? Okay. District.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. We're going to make you a part of this district. listen, just. We can move on here. But, I don't always believe everything I say because I'm just trying to. You.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Provocative.
>> Wesley Wildmon: No, you're trying to be a good radio.
>> Tim Wildmon: I am. I'm trying to reason through an argument, see if there's any weaknesses.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Our list want to hear that.
>> Tim Wildmon: But I would say this. There was a day and time in America where you did need. You did need to force the issue on race because the, Especially after the civil rights movement. This is my opinion. People may disagree. After the civil rights movement, you did need, some quotas. You did need some, What am I trying to say? You did need some affirmative action. Yeah, I would say, to sort of get the ball rolling on, giving everybody in America, including black Americans, a more equal opportunity in society. Does that make sense?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Because prior to the civil rights movement, they didn't have. They couldn't even vote. I mean. Good night. You know what? I'm.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. There were. There were. There were. Like we always hear now, there were systemic policies.
>> Tim Wildmon: This. But you don't, you don't need that anymore. Okay? We're in 2026, and every opportunity in the world is available to every American, including the legals. Include. Well. And Wesley's champions. The cause of illegal.
>> Wesley Wildmon: But yet to your point.
>> Tim Wildmon: To my point. Listen, there, I've seen it where there are scholarships available at colleges more for blacks than there are for whites.
>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well.
>> Fred Jackson: And for.
>> Tim Wildmon: And I'm not saying I'm not. I'm m. Just. What I'm saying is that there is if you want to make it in America today, you can, you can, you can with hard work, keeping your nose clean, staying out of trouble with the law. Don't get three girls pregnant before you're 16 years old.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: There's, there's things you go to church, live by the, by the golden rule. You do those things, you work hard, you get a high school diploma, you don't even have to get a college degree. you can make it okay, and you can have a good life right now. But you. But, so I'm just saying there's no need for these kind of gerrymandering districts anymore like they were trying to do in Louisiana, where you basically say we're trying to blow up, drop a district just for black folks to vote in. Yeah. by the way, also in this day and age, I know traditionally blacks have voted for Democrats and they still do, but there are a lot of black Americans who are independents or who are, who will vote for a Republican, over a Democrat if the situation's right. So I just don't, I just don't see the need for these drawn up districts just to make, give it to a Democrat or a Republican.
Louisiana's districts are so narrow, some are narrower than Strait of Hormuz
and when you have to stretch a district across the whole state 200 miles. Yeah, 200 miles. Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's separate. It sits in the middle of another district.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah. Well, you've got districts so narrow. Some places it's narrower than the Strait of Hormuz. Am I right? Look at that. It's absolutely narrower, in the Strait of Hormuz.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And you have an easier time getting through in Louisiana than you would the Straight of Hormuz.
>> Tim Wildmon: We'll be back momentarily with more of today's issues on American Family Radio. Stay with us.
The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations
>> Ed Vitagliano: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr the
>> : AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. It won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those Things you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app.
>> Tim Wildmon: This is today's issues.
>> : Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's issues are available for listening and viewing in the archive@afr.net now back
>> Tim Wildmon: to more of, Today's Issues.
American Family Radio Network welcomes constructive criticism via email
M. All right, welcome back, everybody, to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. If you want to send us an email, you can do so as long as it's positive and encouraging. it's a K. We call it a K. Love email@comments afr.net comments afr.net don't send us any. Hey, you know, you critics,
>> Ed Vitagliano: you know, we don't even like constructive criticism.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't. You don't. Do you want that?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No.
>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, you're Wednesday, for sure.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We don't want sarcasm or just.
>> Tim Wildmon: We don't even practice that here.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: So, like, I just didn't.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Like, I just didn't do.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, now, we'll take constructive criticism. We just won't read it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We'll 86 it.
>> Tim Wildmon: which leads us to details to follow.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Oh, we decided we weren't covering that today.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, we did.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I don't know. In my mind I did. So I'll just check out during that time.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, anyway, we appreciate our listeners. We do jam. We do try our best, to provide you with.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And sometimes we make mistakes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Excellent program.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, we're. We're fallible.
>> Wesley Wildmon: So please let us know at.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no, that's what I'm saying.
>> Wesley Wildmon: We don't want.
>> Tim Wildmon: We don't. I don't want people reminding me I'm foul.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I misspoke.
>> Tim Wildmon: I know that already.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Don't let us know at.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no.
>> Wesley Wildmon: email.
>> Tim Wildmon: Huh?
>> Ed Vitagliano: you're gonna give the email comments fr.net okay. Commentsfr.net you got any name?
>> Tim Wildmon: Negative to say. Give him Tony's address.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I was gonna give him walkers.
>> Tim Wildmon: Give him walkers. Yeah. Yeah.
Tim: Abraham Hamilton is a constitutional attorney and also a pastor
All right. I'm Tim with Ed Wesley and Fred. Fred Jackson, our news guy here. And, joining us now is our brother and our colleague Abraham Hamilton iii, who is a constitutional attorney and he's also the host of the Hamilton Corner.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He's also a pastor.
>> Tim Wildmon: Each afternoon. Well, he's at Hamilton, corner each afternoon. I paused there for just a. Oh, and I jumped at, from 5 to 6 o'. Clock. Central time right here on American Family Radio. Many people listening now listen to Abe show in the afternoon. And to your point, he's also also a pastor.
>> Ed Vitagliano: he pastors from 5:00pm Central Time. No, he's also father the rest of
>> Tim Wildmon: the day the father of six.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Whatever other spare time he has, he passed me more years before you hit
>> Tim Wildmon: grandfather stuff because you're gonna have about 30, huh?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: if I'm fortunate.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Amen, brother.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yes, my oldest is 15, so.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, a few more years. But I, I told, you know, I also. We have 11 grandchildren.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: That's a wonderful.
>> Tim Wildmon: So I, when I had, we had our 10th, I just went ahead and proclaimed myself a patriarch. I think you hit 10 grandchildren, you're
>> Ed Vitagliano: patriarch, you've got a tribe.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: I don't see the problem.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got a certificate
>> Wesley Wildmon: this self made.
>> Tim Wildmon: I made it up.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Well, I see no problem with that whatsoever.
>> Tim Wildmon: He says we are now. I am now bestowing unto myself a patriarchal, title honor.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's kind of like some people can get ordained through a website online. You can, you can become a patriarch.
>> Wesley Wildmon: You just pay 10 bucks online.
This involves a Christian school in Vermont. In fact, it's called Mid Vermont Christian School
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, we got, we had, there was a big win for religious freedom yesterday. And Fred, why don't you tell us about the story and then we want Abe to comment because this does involve the law. Yep.
>> Fred Jackson: This involves a Christian school in Vermont. In fact, it's called Mid Vermont Christian School. The conflict goes all the way back to 2023, when the girls basketball team, for that school, they decide to forfeit a postseason game against a team with. Are you ready? A trans athlete. In other words, they didn't want to have to play against a boy who was on that other team.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. So they opted out. They forfeited.
>> Fred Jackson: They opted out. Well, the state went after them and basically said, okay, girls, if you will not play this team with a boy on it, we're going to ban you from competing in all sports. In fact, they went even further. They even banned their academic teams like spelling. Spelling. Bt.
>> Tim Wildmon: Who's a bigot now?
>> Fred Jackson: Exactly.
>> Tim Wildmon: Good. So the state of Vermont.
>> Tim Wildmon: Was the state of Vermont or their regulatory agency having to do with high school athletics or whatever.
>> Fred Jackson: Vermont Principals Association. Vermont State Board of Education.
>> Tim Wildmon: You talk about vindictive.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: they, they decided, okay, this school is Christian school. Doesn't. They're not going to play a team that has a boy on the volleyball team. Basketball, basketball team. Boy calls himself a girl and he plays on the girls team. The Christian school said, we're going to we'll just soon forfeit and move on to where their schedule. And the state of Vermont said, oh yeah, we're going to, we're going to go after you and punish you. Didn't they?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah, I mean, aggressively so. radically so. And like Fred said, they said, if you won't play in this basketball game. It was a playoff basketball game in Vermont. I remember this. I covered this on the Hamilton corner. The state of Vermont said, well, you can't participate in anything. No spelling bees, no science fairs, nothing. Nothing sanctioned by the state. Yeah, yeah. It was directly vindictive. And they were bold in saying it's because of your decision to refuse to play in the game. Even going so far as to say that your beliefs are wrong. Your beliefs are wrong. and you're on the wrong side of history. They would say those things to the mid. Mid Vermont Christian School.
>> Tim Wildmon: So the Mid Vermont Christian School decided to go to court.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: And defend their position. And, and what was it? What were their claim? Who?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Our friends at the Alliance Defending Freedom represented them. And this case dates back to 2023. So they've been in court for the last three years. What happened over this case at the district court level? They went all the way up. Bottom line. It came to a settlement where the courts indicated to the state of Vermont that, you need to settle this because you are going to lose. You can't tell American citizens, American Christian schools, American churches that you don't like their beliefs. That is textbook violation of the First Amendment. And so following that, it was a
>> Fred Jackson: multi, what, six figure settlement, $566,000.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, Abe, a lot of our listeners may not know that. They hear the separation of church and state argument all the time. And they are pretty familiar with the argument that the government. It's not constitutional for the government at any level to promote a particular religion. What many of our listeners may not know is that that same kind of, whatever you think about that line of reasoning, the law at least says currently you can't promote a rule, but you can't be hostile to it either.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Well, that's literally the First Amendment says. And just to be clear on what Tim's earlier question was, the case was filed at the district court. They went all the way up to the Federal Appellate Circuit. At the Appellate Circuit, the appellate court said, state of Vermont, you must reinstate. Reinstate this school. Which you did violated the First Amendment.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'll tell you what, let's give a handclap for that decision. Praise the Lord.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: So that was in 2025. And so with that, reinstatement instruction, the litigation still continues, because now you had several girls, like, there's several girls who were seniors in 2023 and 2024, didn't get a chance to participate in all these other kind of things. And so they were through negotiations. They settled at the $567,000amount between the Christian school that has about 111 students and the state of Vermont. But to your point, the concept of promoting a religion, what the First Amendment prohibits is the government at any level basically establishing a, denomination or saying, you must worship in this way. But the First Amendment literally says, congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. So it is a restraint on government. It is a limiting factor imposed upon government. And because those eight words, separation of church and state, have been decontextualized from its original introduction into the American experience, which is a personal letter from Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptist Christians in Danbury, Connecticut, to where Thomas Jefferson was writing to ensure the Christians that this federal government that we've created, there's a wall of separation between the church and the state that prohibits the state from dictating polity and doctrine and worship practices to the church. There is no, wall going in the opposite direction saying that the government is protected from being penetrated by the church. That is not what the First Amendment stands for. And so, with the clarity of the First Amendment, that Congress shall make no law, and by application to the states, cannot make any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. And if the mid Vermont Christian school says we have a girls basketball team and, it violates our faith for our girls to be required to play with a biological male, then Vermont, you cannot tell me my beliefs are wrong. Right.
Vermont's ruling does not ban biological men from women's sports
>> Wesley Wildmon: So I got a question.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, go ahead.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Moving forward from here, does it mean now that biological men can no longer play in Vermont's women's high school sports? Not necessarily, no.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: It doesn't go that far. All. All it does is says that the state of Vermont cannot penalize Christian schools in Vermont, religious schools in Vermont. If they decide that they make the election, that they do not want to violate their beliefs by participating in particular sport, but doesn't go so far to say so, then Vermont can't do what you just said.
>> Wesley Wildmon: So then let's play this back. Let's say this happened today. Now, moving forward, if they choose to forfeit and say, because I read about this, this was a very well thought out and a very. It was a. This. They didn't just walk in and go, we're gonna not play this, would it. There was a lot of emotions involved in some of these discussions because there were other things that they were considering, such as, high school seniors not getting to play in the playoffs. However, when it was all said and done, credit to this school's leadership and their teachers and their students, this was a hundred percent on board. This is the right call. This is what we're going to do.
>> Tim Wildmon: Even though it meant the seniors would never be able to play in there.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And you can't get that right. And there were some there. I see. Anyway, so I saw some interactions. I read some things on that. So if they were to do it now and they say we're going to forfeit, they're not going to be punished.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: That's right. Okay, that's, that's what this ruling means, is if Vermont or any other Christian school decide, Mid Vermont Christian, any other schools decides that we're not going to participate in this game or this sport because of our faith, then the state of Vermont cannot come and say, well, then you're banned from all scholastic sports.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Can I ask a logistical question? So on something like this, let's just use this as the example. Let's say the Supreme Court, has made a clear ruling about this that applies all over the country. You cannot penalize a Christian school, what have you. And let's say people on the left say, well, we're just going to do it anyway. And more m. Lawsuits follow and the Supreme Court keeps upholding its view. Is there a way that the Supreme Court can punish schools that just basically ignore prior rulings? I mean, when I say punish, maybe grant, you know, large sums of money and that kind of. How does the Supreme Court handle schools that say, okay, well, you viewed, you said that in Vermont. Well, you're going to have to rule in the rest of the 49 states because we're not listening to what you said.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah, I mean, the Supreme Court would have to do whatever action they take. It would have to be the product of a case presented before them. They can't. They're not an enforcement arm. They're not an executive branch of government. And so they would have to navigate what a, case or controversy, that's raised before them on that point. but if there were, let's say another state decided to do so, or Vermont decided to come back and do it again. Yeah. for example, the Supreme Court can affirm and uphold, extensive penalties, but then it would Be a part of the responsibility of the other branches of government to do their jobs. Yeah. To enforce what the laws are. And so if there's a ruling in that particular. For example, in Vermont, and let's say the state of Vermont decided to do the exact same thing again, if another case was brought before them, the Supreme Court can uphold any type of penalty, financial penalty, or whatever that will be employed, but it has to be the product of a case problem.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, I think this. This, this idea of males being able to play female sports is. Is losing. I think they had hoped to ride the wave of the lgbtq, movement overall in America, which has made a lot of advancements to. For their causes, but this one is blatantly unfair, and everybody knows it. And you can't. You. So I, I just think that, well, maybe in some parts of California, maybe in these deep blue states, they'll continue to pretend that males can be girls until they start.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Until someone gets sued like they did
>> Tim Wildmon: with the, Vermont here.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Well, when you think about the movement of. In the medical field of trans. Now, some of the trans are suing, the doctors and the d. Transition, detransitioning. So at some point, there's good. At some point, there's gonna be a female that gets injured to a degree.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. That's hospitalized by a male who says he's a girl.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm just guessing. I'm thinking about the places in California. I'm trying to think of what would cause those most radical places to make a change.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just. I just think it. Look, the U.S. well, not the U.S. but the, Olympics. The Olympic Committee.
>> Fred Jackson: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Said, we're not doing this. We're not doing this anymore. You got to be a boy, and they have test and play. You got to be a boy to play to qualify for male, and you got to be a girl to qualify for girls. And that's. That's the end. That's the end of that. That's what the Olympic Committee said. So they're not going to deal with this anymore, because they had some controversy, you know, last Olympics, you know.
Fred: Former FBI Director James Comey indicted for advocating assassination against president
All right, there was another story we wanted to ask Abe about.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. Former FBI Director James Comey, back in the news again.
>> Tim Wildmon: What do you do, Fred?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, we have a new acting Attorney General. Mr. Blanche and Mr. Blanche announced yesterday that they've indicted the former FBI Director, James Comey. And this is kind of a deja vu case. We've already seen this. These are the shells in the sand. You may remember the.
>> Tim Wildmon: They were a good group. They really were. They didn't get enough credit.
>> Fred Jackson: They were called the 8647.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, the shells in the sand.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Do those numbers mean anything? Those numbers mean something.
>> Fred Jackson: Ah, well, to Todd Blanche, they do. They represent a, ah, advocating assassination against the 47th President. 86, being determined as meaning, we want to put an end to 47, the 47th president.
Abe Lincoln: Can you convict James Comey for attempted assassination
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, can I interrupt here? Because most people I know, our listeners are really in touch with, I shouldn't say that with pop culture. So when I say six, seven, they know what I'm talking about.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That most of them probably know by now. But.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I'm just, Listen, what. I just wanted to make sure people understand what happened here. James, call me, I don't know, a year ago or so years ago, anyway, James Comey, former FBI director, was fired by Trump in his first administration. He has an Instagram account, okay. And he posted a picture he said he took of seashells on the beach that he found, that he found where the consecutive numbers. 86, 47. I got this right? 86 means. I don't know where we. Is commonly known.
>> Ed Vitagliano: To me, it just means get rid of. Get rid of, ah, cancel. Throw it in the garbage.
>> Tim Wildmon: So get rid of a, so 86, 47, ah, means, easily be interpreted get rid of Trump, okay? Because he's the 47th president, United States. And that would make sense because Trump and Comey are. They hate each other, right? So then Comey argues that he didn't know what it was. He just thought it was pretty cool to be out on the beach.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He took a picture of it and, posted it on social media.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's, he's telling a whopper right there because he knew exactly what he was doing. However, the question is not whether he. The question is can you, can you indict? Well, I guess you can die in a ham sandwich is what they say in your profession, right, Abe? Can you get convicted? I'm no fan of James Comey, but can you convict a man for attempted assassination for posting a picture of get rid of Trump? That, that doesn't mean assassinate Trump or kill Trump. You know, Jonathan Turley, he doesn't think this is going anywhere, am I right?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: I, I have a hard time,
>> Tim Wildmon: thinking it's going to make it anywhere.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: I, I do because it's, it's a, it's a picture you post on social media. And, and, and it.
>> Tim Wildmon: If it said kill Trump, that Would be.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: That'd be different. That'd be different.
>> Tim Wildmon: But 86 is interpreted as dismiss or get rid of it doesn't mean kill Peach.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Could be a lot of things.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: And, Comey is saying he didn't think the numbers meant anything in particular.
>> Tim Wildmon: He went to Burger King.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yeah. And so he would prove that, you know, and, and, and I don't see unless this, the Department of Justice has some kind of evidence. Otherwise you're gonna have to prove mens rea. That's the Latin expression for the mindset that Comey posted this anticipating someone particular, not generally, but a particular person to respond to this, to take action, and to take an attempt at President Trump. Specifically because of what Comey posted. I just think that's the stretch.
>> Tim Wildmon: This is Trump, ah, getting back at Comey. this is. And I don't have any evidence to prove this, but I think, Trump is,
>> Wesley Wildmon: By the way, you were right. It's a year ago.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is a year ago. he was just walking the beach one day a year ago, me on a peaceful beach, you know, stroll.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And he wants to know what this means.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Look at this.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just think this is, you know, they went after Trump and now he's going after them.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Well, I mean, and I'm no fan of Jim Comey. I think he's done a lot of things he needs to be right, accountable for. Like his whole thing about nobody, no reasonable prosecutor would prosecute.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that's crazy.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: She should never be president.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: that's just absurd. I'd prosecute her.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah, Well, I think. Yeah, I just think. I just think this is, you know, we're gonna make. Call me. we're going to. He. He probably. They probably know they don't have a chance to win there, but they're going to make him spend some money on lawyers and things. That's what happened to Flynn. You remember General Fan.
>> Wesley Wildmon: They made.
>> Tim Wildmon: Basically made him sell his house to defend himself. And, and he didn't do anything wrong. So I think this, some of this is political payback.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: But some of the other Trump administration officials went to jail, though. It wasn't all just, we're going to do this, and nothing comes out of it. There were some people who, who went to jail.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you remember Trump? Trump said, well, I know you're supposed to forgive your enemies, but I'm not.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Did he say that?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, he said, I understand. Yeah, listen, I understand he's not a preacher. Yeah, you know, as a Christian, we should forgive others right. 70 times 7. But, but yeah, Trump said he was talking about Charlie Kirk. He was talking about Charlie Kirk and assassin.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yeah.
But I won't. I don't forgive. And he was, it was complimenting Erica Kurt
But I won't.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: But I won't.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't forgive. I don't forgive it, forget.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And he was, it was complimenting Erica Kurt.
>> Tim Wildmon: He was, he, he wasn't, he was saying, I try to live up to it, but I just can't do it. Right. Because that's not his world that he grew up in or lived in or did business in. Anyway. all right, so, we'll see what happens with that.
Tim Carney: This could be a way to challenge Fauci's pardon under Biden
All right, Abe, what do you got on this afternoon?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: I'm going to do a little bit of contrasting between Todd Blanche, the acting Attorney General currently, and Pam Bondi. Seems all of a sudden with a new person in the seat, things can happen. I mean, Fauci's right hand man has been indicted. You have the S4.
>> Tim Wildmon: What are they saying? Fauci's right hand man did Anthony Fauci's
>> Abraham Hamilton III: and left a paper trail of it. The Fauci's right hand man has a paper trail of, Fauci hiding all of the evidence that he had that the Wuhan flu did start in China, that the vaccine didn't have any efficacy, and that Fauci knew all of these things and was actively lying. But Fauci has destroyed all the evidence and he has the paper trail to show that Fauci knew those things. So basically what it seems to me is to be is a way that's being set up to potentially challenge Fauci's pardon under Biden.
>> Tim Wildmon: What about Fauci himself?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: That's my point. If, if you can put up enough information that will provide the public support for revisiting the efficacy of Fauci's pardon, you can put versus it potentially, if you're able to argue, if you're able to. Biden didn't have the mental capacity and was not involved in his pardoning decisions, you can maybe establish with the auto pen presidency that m. The pardon was legitimate. Now, I'm not saying that, I'm saying that's a tenuous thing. But to have Fauci's right hand man now under indictment is a significant step.
>> Tim Wildmon: Let me ask you this. And if we have to stay over to cover this, I think this is important. And and this is one of those questions where a lot of people are going to say, duh, Tim, you don't know the answer to that. You know, you need to do more reading or research. I think I Do know the answer to this, but I'm going to ask it anyway because I think it's important.
Anthony Fauci accused of hiding information and destroying evidence
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, we got an attorney here and
>> Tim Wildmon: he's not billing us.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, that's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: At least by the hour. Don't tell me. I don't want to know. so Anthony Fauci was you. We all know him because he came to fame during the COVID crisis. so my question is, top lieutenant, that's who we're talking about here, has been indicted.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: And been accused of hiding and hiding information and destroying evidence.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Having to do with the, like you said, the things you described, the Wuhan lab connection. My question would be, why would you cover stuff like that up? What does that matter? What to Anthony Fauci or him? Why are you trying to hide stuff?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Well, also the efficacy of things like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin directing people as. As a treatment standard toward remdesivir. Because Fauci has an interest in the intellectual pop property. I mean, he can make money if more people use in brim. Disappear. Fauci. Fauci gets rich, gets even more rich.
>> Tim Wildmon: So that's a direct conflict of interest for somebody in his position.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Exactly.
>> Tim Wildmon: What do you have stock in the company?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Yes. That's allegations.
>> Tim Wildmon: And he didn't get rid of it. Oh, that's what the allegations are. That hasn't been proven.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: It hasn't been proven. But the allegations are that he has a financial.
>> Tim Wildmon: That being said, why would he try to protect the Wuhan lab in China from being connected to.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Well, for years he had said, because our law prohibited funding gain of function research. And for years Fauci said he wasn't involved in that at all. But the evidence shows he was involved in it directly. And he was sending money to the Wuhan lab through a, circulatory around the way federal tax dollars to fund the gang of fund.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's why Rand Paul was always going after.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: So that is a part of this entire.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did he ever admit it? Did Fauci ever admit doing this?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Fauci never admitted it.
>> Tim Wildmon: But did he deny it?
>> Abraham Hamilton III: He denied it. He expressly denied it. Which. Which could be.
>> Ed Vitagliano: But if you're pardoned. If you're pardoned, you can't be charged with purge.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: Which is why a lot of people saying, well, why is Fauci being pardoned if he didn't do anything wrong? Why is there a preemptive pardon for Fauci with this indictment of his right hand man? That brings the attention again back. Well, some of the criminality.
>> Tim Wildmon: Even if he's been pardoned, he could be called to be a witness against this guy.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: In fact, because you have been pardoned, you cannot avail yourself with the Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Interesting.
>> Abraham Hamilton III: you cannot invoke the Fifth.
>> Tim Wildmon: we'll be back in five minutes. Stay with us. Thank you. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
