SC Congressman Jim Clyburn: “I Didn’t Know” What AI Was Until Recently (Ep 857)

Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

Newly released documents are providing a remarkable look inside the FBI investigation that eventually led to the search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

The records show the FBI tracked the travel plans of Melania Trump and Barron Trump as agents prepared to execute the search warrant.

Why?

Investigators wanted to know when the former president and his family would be away from Mar-a-Lago.

The documents also reveal extensive monitoring of the phone activity of Susie Wiles, who was helping run Trump’s political operation at the time and would eventually become his White House chief of staff.

Between February and May of 2023, investigators compiled records showing Wiles’ contacts with lawyers representing Trump, campaign advisers, political operatives, journalists and Trump himself.

The records include the timing and duration of calls and other phone activity.

The investigation—known internally as “Plasmic Echo”—focused on Trump’s handling of classified and national-security documents after leaving office and possible obstruction involving their return.

Trump and his allies say the newly disclosed investigative tactics are evidence of the weaponization of federal law enforcement.

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith has defended his Trump investigations, denied acting for partisan reasons and said his team followed Justice Department rules.

So what exactly did the FBI collect?

Why were Melania and Barron’s movements part of the planning?

And how extensively was Susie Wiles’ phone activity monitored?

We’ll walk through the newly released documents and separate what they actually show from what they don’t.

🏠 WOULD YOU LET THE GOVERNMENT TAKE YOUR HOME?

Here’s one for the “nothing surprises me anymore” file.

Fox News Digital went to the Takoma Park Street Festival in Maryland and asked people about socialism, private property and whether they would be willing to let the government take private property—including their own homes—to benefit other people.

And some of the answers were remarkable.

One Maryland resident said there is privately owned property that could be put to better public use for housing and resources.

Another woman, when asked about giving up her housing as part of a broader redistribution system, responded:

“I’d be so game.”

A third man said he might not like having his property taken but would at least consider it if he believed the result was beneficial.

Now, let's keep this in perspective.

These were street interviews with a handful of people at one festival.

This was NOT a scientific survey of Maryland residents or Democrats nationally.

And other people interviewed rejected the idea.

But it does provide an interesting window into the debate over socialism, private property and just how much authority some Americans are willing to give government.

We’ll let you hear the arguments and decide what you think.

🏚️ FORECLOSURES ARE RISING — AND SOUTH CAROLINA TOPS THE LIST

There’s another warning sign in the housing market.

More American homeowners are losing their homes to foreclosure.

According to ATTOM’s latest data, lenders repossessed 5,794 homes in August.

That represents a 42% increase from a year earlier.

Overall foreclosure filings—including default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions—affected more than 40,000 properties during the month.

And here's the number that should get our attention in South Carolina:

South Carolina had the highest foreclosure rate in the country.

Approximately one out of every 1,547 housing units in South Carolina had a foreclosure filing during August.

Why is this happening?

Families continue dealing with high housing costs, borrowing costs, insurance, taxes and the cumulative effects of higher everyday living expenses.

But some perspective is important.

Foreclosure activity remains well below the levels America experienced during the Great Recession.

So this isn't 2008 all over again.

At least not based on the current numbers.

But when completed foreclosures jump 42% in a year—and South Carolina leads the country in foreclosure rate—it deserves our attention.

We’ll break down the numbers and what they could mean for homeowners and the broader economy.

🤖 JIM CLYBURN’S AI ADMISSION

And finally, here's one that hits close to home.

South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn was asked during a podcast interview whether he uses artificial-intelligence tools such as ChatGPT or Claude.

His answer?

“Believe it or not, I didn’t know what that was until a week ago.”

Yes.

South Carolina.

Clyburn is 86 years old and one of the most senior Democrats in Congress.

The interview actually took place over the summer, but the clip is circulating again as Washington debates how government should regulate artificial intelligence.

Clyburn said he relies heavily on knowledgeable staff and outside experts to help him understand complicated subjects.

And that raises a broader question that goes well beyond one congressman or one political party:

How much should lawmakers personally understand about the rapidly changing technologies they are being asked to regulate?

Artificial intelligence could transform employment, education, medicine, national security, elections and virtually every part of American life.

Congress will inevitably be asked to make major decisions about it.

So how technologically knowledgeable should the people making those decisions be?

We’ll show you what Congressman Clyburn said and talk about the larger question his comments raise.

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