Epstein Fallout and Trump Money (Hour 1)

Transcript

Epstein Fallout and Trump Money (Hour 1)

Civic Media Mornings · Thu Feb 19, 2026

Kathryn Lake

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I'm Brian Noonan.

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Our old man, it's the dominoes are starting to fall in regarding the Epstein files.

You know, there were 3 million more documents released a couple of weeks ago, still more that have not been released.

But why quibble over the facts or over the law or over deadlines?

The problem now is that other countries are really starting to follow up on this and make some moves to hold people responsible whereas here in the U.S.

we're doing our best to just cover up and deflect and again just protect people who really deserve no protection but now things are happening across we've got we have some new

People that are resigning that whose careers are being impacted.

Yeah, and Jamie the biggest one today.

This was breaking overnight.

Yes across the pond in the UK

Was anybody surprised by this though just based on the information we've current we've previously had in this particular

What I am surprised by is the are the charges?

Yes, he so we're talking about former Prince Andrew of Prince now just Andrew Mount Button Windsor.

He was arrested over

night.

Yes, it's on suspicion of misconduct in public office because remember his role or anything that took place With his name in it in the Epstein files is when he was actually still titled Prince Andrew, right?

So he was arrested by the Tames Valley police this morning At least six unmarked police cars arrived at Wood Farm.

What on what is Andrews?

This is I mean, what a bad way to spend your birthday.

It's a

66

birthday today.

Happy birthday,

brother.

Here's

a warrant.

And

in this case, if any of the allegations and the Epstein files are true, it is probably best that that is where Prince Andrew might be.

And of course, this is all through the investigation by the Tames Valley police over whether he shared confidential information with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has consistently denied all claims

made against him in relation to Epstein, but I guess if the local police have even started investigating and have found the ties and your name shows up that many times in a file, then you're probably going to have to answer some questions, right?

Yeah, and again, this is about sharing information.

This is not about, at this point, he was arrested because of...

alleged sharing of confidential information.

So that's the part that surprised me.

We'll see if there if more things come out or if or if these charges even hold water, we don't know yet.

But you know, the prince has said that or the king rather, he's the king now.

Yes, Charles has said that he you know, he stripped the title and he is they are all about

getting to the bottom of this.

It's interesting to me how quickly the royal family acted once there was greater suspicion, which also tells me that there might be some truth in this, right?

Because they were very quick.

All of a sudden, Prince Andrew, we don't see him.

He doesn't come out of his room.

We're going to take away his title.

We're going to move him over into the property far away from the rest of us.

And that is just where he is going to dwell.

And so it kind of, you know, if

If I'm a betting person, it tells me that there's maybe a little meat on the bone just based on how they reacted and public perception, of course.

Nobody

wants to.

I think the the royals have their own challenges and they don't need one more thing piled on top from some ancillary family member.

So at that point it's just cut, go.

put them out of here.

We don't we don't need this hassle in our life.

We will cooperate with all the investigations.

We will make sure that it comes to life.

But we don't want any anything.

Just just casting a light on us.

We're going to pretend this isn't happening and we want him over there far separated from the rest of us.

Now he's not the only domino to fall.

Now this the arrest of Andrew this morning was probably one of the biggest moves we've seen since these three million files have been released

or however many.

There's no arrest happening over here.

There's not.

Well.

that we would actually have to think that anything in the Epstein files was true in order for that to happen.

But interestingly enough, a tie back to Andrew, his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.

Remember Duchess Fergie?

We all loved

Kathryn Lake

her.

She

did the Weight Watcher commercials at 1.2.

Her charity is actually shut down after the email showed that she stayed in contact with Epstein after his conviction.

It's not looking great for the...

royal family

right now.

No, it's not looking great for so many people.

No.

And the list, the people that we're going to talk about to some degree this morning, let's be clear, these are just allegations, but this is just a small portion of the people around the globe being affected by these files.

Peter Adia, who is a physician and longevity expert, stepped down from his advisory roles after emails showed friendly and crude correspondence with Epstein.

He has apologized and denied any wrongdoing.

Well, if there's no wrongdoing.

why are we apologizing?

Your name was in the files.

Just, I mean, you know, maybe I'm parsing my words too much.

Lawrence Summers, who was the former US Treasury Secretary and Harvard President, he had to step back from public roles after there were revelations of a long relationship with not only Jeffrey Epstein, but Ghislaine Maxwell.

The former British ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, has resigned from the Labor Party and House of Lords in the middle of all of these investigations.

Let me be clear, it's also affecting some of the Democrats' names.

You know, you might recognize George J. Mitchell, who is a former senator.

He's resigned from all honorary roles after being mentioned hundreds of times in the files.

And Kathy Rumler, who was a Goldman Sachs chief legal officer and a former Obama White House counsel has announced she's going to step down from her role.

And then there's this name, Casey Wasserman, and you might have heard it.

He's selling

his talent.

Yeah, he's

selling his talent agency after there were emails with Ghislaine Maxwell in those, this three million.

file dump that we now have.

Yeah this is not and that's that always takes the bullets out of some of these Republican protectors and say well would you want them released if there's Democrats in there yeah

Kathryn Lake

yeah

because 90 I'm gonna guess 95% of us really cannot stomach the thought of what is being alleged happened or what is documented that happened on that island and if you're part of it

Yeah, I don't care who you are.

This isn't partisan.

You gotta go.

No, none of this is partisan.

It shouldn't be.

It shouldn't be.

It shouldn't be.

Yeah.

This cut and dry illegal matter.

Right.

But there is no cut and dry with this administration, especially when the head of the administration, and I don't have to say allegedly, he is mentioned in these files.

Thousands of times.

Thousands of times.

Yes.

Yeah.

You

know,

and the more that comes out in these Epstein files, the worse it gets.

You know, again, not any of this has been proven, but even if a small portion of it turns out to be true, this would be one of the most...

disturbing and one of the largest crime networks of many of our lifetimes.

I mean, this is peanuts in compared to what we've seen on many, many levels on in other political realms.

And this isn't going to be just let's be clear as well.

This isn't just politicians.

We are also talking some

of your favorite

business

leaders.

Yes, it

is everybody.

I mean, and the list goes on, right?

There's criminal investigations happening right now in the NFL.

They're reviewing communication.

between New York Giants owner Steve Tisch and Epstein.

And one of the biggest scandals right now tied into the Epstein files is Les Wegster.

Now if you were a young girl, if you're a woman who grew up in the 90s.

You're going to know all of his brands because he made his billions on the limited Victoria's Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works and Amber Cromby and Fitch.

He has told Congress, he's mentioned so often and so closely to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell that he had to write this letter to Congress telling them that he had no knowledge of the crimes.

He says he was conned and he gave Epstein power of attorney and major financial control in the past.

But I don't know him.

con

yeah con really I don't know listen people get conned that part I you know there's a lot of Ponzi out there a lot of schemes that are happening people get conned but

come

on this this is

powerful people.

And Epstein may have been a con, a really good con artist.

And he had Ghislaine with him.

And, you know, there's a lot here, but the problem is we're not investigating it.

We could get to the bottom of this.

The Justice Department could find out, are some of these people, were they targets of Epstein, as opposed to just friends or...

People who were going along with what was the black

male happening in the Epstein universe was was vast as well We have a text coming in this morning from we don't have a name attached to this one So thank you if you're a newer texture they say one goat can protect a herd or group of monkeys from predators

get you think of this morning, doesn't it?

Who

is the goat?

Would it be Pam Bondi?

Is she the

goat?

Oh, I don't

know.

Caroline Leavitt, we know, is a goat or a monkey.

She's going to tell everybody that there's nothing to see here, which is what she's been doing at the podium for months

now.

Very

good.

She's

good at her job, I

guess.

She is, and she says it with a smile to the point where you think that she's not slicing you all at the same time, which is even scarier.

No, last week,

Here on this program, as we mentioned a little bit about the early start of the fallout from the Epstein files, we had kind of ruminated on the fact that we were probably going to see more

action from Europe right away because it seems like they were a little bit more on top of this, taking some of these allegations a little bit more seriously.

And that's starting to hold true.

Obviously, we talked about the arrest of Andrew, former Prince this morning.

Now, France has also launched major new investigations into human trafficking and some of these financial crimes that have been connected to Epstein.

What they're showing is that some of these newly released files, plus complaints from child protection groups, and they are really looking right now at human trafficking and some of the financial crimes, including the money laundering, the corruption, and the tax fraud that is also alleged in the files right now.

I think that's where they're going to end up getting more people with these financial crimes.

Of course.

And it goes all the way back to Al Capone.

Yes.

because because unfortunately people don't believe victims

and

so it's going to be much easier to prove financial crimes because numbers are numbers and the math sometimes it ain't math and no it's not so that I that's where that's where the

the convictions will come, I believe.

And I think it's important to remember, if you want to watch news happening overseas, that France is a really key location in all of this because Epstein owned luxury apartments in Paris and frequently visited the country.

Now, there was a previous French investigation that actually closed three years ago after a key associate of Epstein died in prison.

It's funny how we've seen that story

play out before.

Are there quotes around died again?

No, it's just he died.

prison.

We don't really know much about it right now.

No, no, no, no.

But prosecutors say that this new probe will be massive and complex.

They call it a Titanic.

They call it Titanic work.

And it's also interesting because we found out yesterday that the UN Human Rights Council panel has suggested that all of these files point to this possible global criminal enterprise, duh, tied to Epstein's network and experts at the UN.

say that some of these crimes could meet the threshold for crimes against humanity, describing it as systematic abuse and exploitation of women and girls.

They want a global, global independent investigation at the UN.

So it's going to be interesting to me to see how long this administration can hold out saying, we don't know anything.

It's fine.

We did what we needed to because the rest of the world is not saying that.

Well.

They're gonna go down with the ship, because they're not gonna admit anything.

It's not

happening.

No, no, of course.

That's kind of how they've always operated.

619 right now, you're listening to Civic Media Mornings.

My name is Jamie Martinson.

And I'm Brian Noon, and Governor Evers wants to join the World Health Organization Alert Network, one candidate.

Oh, he's calling to vote

Kathryn Lake

against it.

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I was not prepared for that.

We're talking about the who.

We are talking

about.

Well, we are talking about the who.

They had a lot of songs other than the teenage rate.

We're coming up with a dog dying.

Look up Casey Casey.

Wow.

OK.

I'm sorry.

I'm just a little shocked.

All right.

It's 6.23 right now.

Civic media morning on the Civic media network.

My name is Jamie Martin.

I'm not going to tell you who I am because I can't be associated with what just happened.

But I will tell you, if you want to get involved in the program, and if you're as shocked as I am, 8-5-5-7-5-CIVIC, 8-5-5-7-5-2-4-8-4-2.

And yes, in very remote reaches, we are going to talk about the who, but not Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon.

We are talking about the World Health Organization and their disease alert network, because the other night in the state of the state, Governor Evers said,

that he plans to have Wisconsin join that global outbreak alert and response network because he wants Wisconsin to have the ability to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.

That sounds very well intentioned.

Sounds like a good idea.

Other states are doing it.

And you know the fact that the U.S.

has pulled out of the World Health Organization is crazy in my opinion.

But so the governor wants to do this.

I think it's great.

But Jamie, no surprise, one of our Republican gubernatorial candidates who has the blessing.

from above, from dear leader.

He's not happy about this.

No, he's not.

Tom Tiffany, of course, is who we're talking about.

Let's be clear.

This network shares early warnings, data, and expertise among more than 360 public health institutions around the world, so they kind of know a thing or two, right?

They know how to keep us healthy.

They

know how to keep us

safe.

Well, do you want to believe science?

or your own feelings?

Well, I guess in this case, we're going to believe our own feelings.

And other states like California, Illinois, and New York have already agreed to join this World Health Organization Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

So Governor Evers just wants to join them and basically, you know, try to make sure that if there is something like another pandemic down the road, we have science leading the way instead of, you know, what we might feel like is happening.

The decision, though, is

obviously political, because Tom Tiffany says that he would remove Wisconsin from the network if elected.

Democrats say the partnership is a science-based step to keep residents safe and prepared for future health threats.

Now, here's what Tom Tiffany had to say on X yesterday.

No, listen, I'm reacting in advance because I've read it.

I know, I

know.

I'm

trying to get through it because it's just so, it's not very long, but it's so riddled with inaccuracies and false information.

Tom Tiffany

says- Why would you expect anything else?

I know, I

guess maybe it's the Pollyanna and me hoping for better

minds

at some point.

Tom Tiffany says, quote, I will immediately remove Wisconsin from any World Health Organization network during COVID.

The WHO acted as a puppet for communi-

I led the fight in Congress against the Hu Pandemic Treaty and will always defend Wisconsin and America's sovereignty.

What does sovereignty have to do with it?

I have no idea.

This is a worldwide cooperative effort to fight diseases.

Sovereignty?

Are you insane?

Yes,

they

are insane.

This is insane talk.

It is.

How are you defending Wisconsin by cutting off information?

You didn't want to wear a mask because somebody got upset that you couldn't go to church on a Sunday Yeah, all you please can we go back and just show these people?

file footage of the temporary morgues and the piles of bodies and The yes, were we in convenience?

Yes, we were all in convenience.

Did it suck?

Yes, it

Kathryn Lake

did.

Did it

harm some businesses?

Yes, it did It was a disease.

We had no control over and if you're still arguing that point

Listen, go to med school, become an expert in diseases.

But don't come at me because you went on Google and you think you know what you're talking about because you have zero idea.

Absolutely.

I mean, that's essentially what this is.

John from Oshkosh listening on WISS this morning says, heaven forbid we have leaders looking out for the, for other safety, the outrage.

Couldn't agree more.

And let's be clear.

As of February, Wisconsin health officials have confirmed multiple measles cases tied to international travel, which is a reminder that diseases don't respect the borders.

And just because you say that they don't exist and you don't want the science behind them doesn't mean that they actually don't.

harm people.

Tom Tiffany, talk to measles about your sovereignty.

Yeah, I'm sure they will stop at the border.

Right.

And just maybe they'll stay in Canada or in Mexico, but they won't come here because you're sovereign.

You know, and when I start hearing our world leaders are the people who are supposed to be helping

I mean, I don't want to say take care of us because we need to do that ourselves.

But they're supposed to be helping protect our safety, right?

Like that's

what we like them for.

Right, and you and I aren't virologists.

No!

We're not supposed to take care of ourselves to a point.

Yes.

Then there's other people who are experts in this, who've studied this, who've

devoted

their lives to trying to figure out how to stop this.

And they're the ones who are giving us the warnings.

If we are too ignorant to heed those warnings, then that's back on us.

When did we start agreeing that science was not fact-based?

When did we quit?

That's what I keep going back to, because I want people to tell me the facts.

I want to know.

It started with vaccines well before the pandemic.

because people like Jenny McCarthy and all the alleged ties that have been debunked time and time again, and, you know, all the vaccines cause autism.

No, they don't.

That's been studied.

We don't want to wear a mask, so all the science is fake.

Well, the information you gave us yesterday is not the same information you're giving us today.

Because it changes, because it's science.

Jamie, again, facts and logic have no place in these arguments.

I mean, right now, we're watching this presidential administration dismantle public health infrastructures.

They're questioning vaccines.

They're downplaying data.

We need leaders focused on prevention and preparedness and science.

I mean, make

your choices

wisely.

Drink whole milk unless you talk to like Pam Yonkey who says, uh, no, whole milk is bad.

But any, any actual ag person goes, no, you need some pasteurized milk.

No, no, no.

And work out your

genes just like RFK.

629 right now.

You're listening to Civic Media Mornings.

I'm Jamie Martenson.

And I'm Brian Noonan and the Trumps are trying to make money on their name

again.

Thanks.

Surprise.

Civic Media Morning.

635 right now.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

If you're listening in Eau Claire on 93.5 the tap or in Wausau and WXCO.

If you're in the Appleton Oshkosh area listening on WISS.

Thank you so much for having us on this morning.

We're going to have a chance for you to qualify for some state fair concert tickets next hour.

So be listening for your chance to text in and win.

Win them before you can buy them even

as well,

right?

Yeah,

so rub it in your friends faces.

Be

listening for the word of the hour next hour.

My name is Jamie Martinson.

And good morning.

I'm Brian Noonan.

If you want to get in on the conversation, 855-755-CIVIC-855-755-248-42.

Or you can listen on the app.

And as Jamie said, listen on the app.

Go to YouTube if you want to stream the show and see what we look like and see here, fascinating conversations during the break.

Show behind the show.

Oh, there's a lot of talk about dirt rain.

You'll have to.

How do we learn about dirt rain?

Well, listen, go to the stream.

Oh, my goodness.

We know that there

Nothing Donald Trump likes more than well, there's a couple things probably but one of his putting his name on stuff

Oh,

he oh he wants his name on everything.

It is a it's a central argument in one of the Alderman or the one of the statewide races here in Illinois regarding the Trump Tower and the big name and who allowed that to happen We see it all the time.

He loves monuments to himself.

Well now

There is a bill in Florida, and lawmakers are advancing this to rename the Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport.

It passed the Florida House, 8130.

Now it heads to the Senate and then goes to Ron DeSantis.

Now, that in itself...

is just another eye roll like oh my god seriously dude we get it you have very small parts that you need to overcompensate you're the

president we get

it you're already the most powerful guy on the planet sure seriously you need to name that well all my friends fly into Palm Beach when they're coming to Mar-a-Lago okay that's fine you know whatever if you need your ego stroke that badly we get it this is not an issue but

The issue becomes, as we have talked about here and has been talked about all over, the Trump family is really, really benefiting from this term in office, up to a billion dollars so far.

And now they're, JV, they're trying to make sure that any time the president's whims are met and things are named after him, they will continue to enrich themselves.

They will, because at the same time this vote is happening.

the Trump organization filed trademarks for Donald J. Trump International Airport, President Donald J. Trump International Airport, and DJT, which has raised a lot of concerns among lawmakers.

So some Democrats say that this trademark filing could open the door for the Trump family to profit from branding or merchandise tied to the airport name, like they haven't already done this, and we actually

will go

through some of the other things they've done while in office.

One lawmaker even reversed his support for the renaming in Florida and tried to add an amendment blocking any profit to this particular legislation, but that effort failed.

Now, of course, the Trump organization is saying that the family would not receive royalties or licensing fees from the airport name itself and would provide the branding at absolutely no cost.

Remember, they've made over a billion dollars in just the last year.

However, the organization has not clarified whether it would profit from merchandise.

linked to that

trademark.

There's always little caveats, right?

Like the gift store, the gift shop he has in the Oval Office.

Yes, yes.

So trademark experts say that these filings are obviously unusual because airports named after past presidents typically didn't involve any sort of private trademark ownership.

Applications cover a wide range of potential products and services, meaning the name could be potentially licensed for merchandise.

Get your DJT international airport t-shirt right here.

I can see it now.

Oh, and you know what, unfortunately?

I can I could see the same people whose MAGA hats

have worn out going I need me a DJ T international airport shirt that honey I know we don't have money to pay the rent but let's get on a flight and go into DJ T airport because I want to I want to get a new Sunday go to meeting shirt

only 4599 and that t-shirt can be yours so

he deserves it though Jamie don't please don't make fun of the price I would pay any price

to support my president.

He is the bestest man on the planet.

So if I have to get some long johns with a flyaway bottom with the president's face right there, I would do it.

And I will support that man.

And I will proudly own the Libs.

Sadly, I can't argue with the thing that you just said.

So supporters say trade marks can also could be used simply to prevent misuse of a name.

Trump has floated renaming other transportation hubs like Washington, Dulles International Airport, New York Penn Station.

after himself, which could create confusion if multiple airports end up sharing the same

name.

Uh, ladies and gentlemen, Friday at DJT.

Yeah, I'm supposed to be going to Cleveland.

This is acronym.

Yeah.

Oh yeah, that's DJT.

It's all DJT.

We all live in DJT.

So here's what Caroline Levitt actually had to say during Tuesday's daily press briefing.

Cut one, please.

So

are you going to answer any of those questions?

No, we don't actually answer the questions.

That's not what we actually do.

I think the answer to her first question is easy.

Why not?

No, why?

Why?

Why?

It should be the continuing question out of reporter's mouth.

Now, we mentioned it a few minutes ago, but I'm going to re...

Pete this because reports estimate that Trump has made and the family has made at least at least $1.4 billion in personal profit.

That's billion with the B, by the way,

Kathryn Lake

since returning to

office in 2025.

So I found this fascinating because as this news was coming out yesterday about this trademark, Don Jr.

and Eric were on CNBC doing an interview and they were asked specifically about the family's conflict of interest.

Here's what he had

Kathryn Lake

to

say.

Cut two, please.

Well, don't put words words in our mouth Don but you know, whatever Who is it?

Who's the they is it

the family the family

in general?

No, no, who's the they that tried to put them?

Oh,

I believe

the mythical Democrats.

I

think so I think

that all powerful

Democrats and he's referring to anybody who basically disagrees with the family and their ability to make money as as as

the first family of the United States.

I also think it's a little, the irony here is really thick with Don Jr's comments, right?

Because this family has spent years attacking the Biden crime family over trading on a famous name.

And now critics are saying that the Trump family is doing the same thing on a much larger scale.

Well, they just want us to curl up into, no, what are we?

My head, my head spins trying to, because there's no.

There's no counter argument to them.

No matter how many facts are presented, no matter how many numbers are presented, nothing sticks to them.

They will deflect the deny, deny, deny and go on the counter attack and argue as we learned yesterday when we were talking about the affordability and things.

Argue in the alternative.

Kathryn Lake

That's a

legal term.

So they don't argue to defend themselves.

They argue

Against other people.

Absolutely.

So there's no there's because there is no defense.

That's that's the thing.

They have no defense.

No,

absolutely

They keep talking

and here

we are

Len from Madison texted in, and you can too at 855-75 Civic, how about Trump bathroom tissue with his face on every sheet?

I think that's out there already.

He could make another fortune, a real wipeout.

Ooh, puns

for days.

I love it.

Thank

you so much, Len.

Thank you, Len.

Now, I think it is interesting, though, that this is not the first time, as a lot of us are aware, that this family and the administration have benefited.

So, just a little reminder of some of the profit-making

Ventures, we'll call them, that this family

Kathryn Lake

has

had.

We're gonna start with the current term.

A large

Kathryn Lake

share

of the wealth is tied to cryptocurrency venture.

It's estimated at about $867 million.

That's right, his company has also pursued more than 20 international real estate licensing projects, including a $1.5 billion golf project in Vietnam that started shortly before the tariffs on that country were lowered.

There's also been major media and business deals,

$28 million paid by Amazon for that Melania Trump documentary and more than 90 million in legal settlements from tech and media companies after his reelection.

Qatar also gifted a $400 million jet intended for presidential use.

Wait a minute, don't let's not lump that in.

Do you expect him to just fly around in his own?

Plain that Obama

used.

Oh, I can't imagine that the plane that was set for presidents for many years and is secure and has everything you need in it It's basically like its own little flying condo, but it wasn't it didn't wasn't gold laden so I understand where the consternation

I think I saw that they're repainting it actually are

they I

think I don't I haven't seen what no his favorite colors, but I'm sure

favorite colors.

Yes, which are what do we know

what his favorite colors are

just gold, okay?

Green

and gold.

All right.

Now,

if we look back at the first term, if we look back at the first term, Trump reported more than $1.6 billion in outside revenue.

His businesses received millions from foreign governments, including five and a half million from China at Trump properties.

The Secret Service was also reported to have paid above standard rates when staying at Trump-owned hotels

during presidential

travel.

He did.

He also earned millions through branded merchandise, including

the Bibles, the watches, and even those sneakers.

And hey, folks, if you're wondering how we're getting by with this, we shouldn't be, because in the Constitution, you have the emoluments clause.

Oh, and let me, may I read that?

Yes, please, please,

please.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation, which shall neither be increased or diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected.

And he shall not receive within that period any other emol-

from the United States or any of them.

He is not supposed to be taking gifts.

Remember when he wasn't even going to be accepting.

He didn't need it.

He wasn't even going to be taking a salary

as

president of the United States.

He doesn't.

It would be a pay cut from what he's raking.

Right.

Yes.

And so I mean, here's the thing, though, if you voted for this is for him, is this what you voted for?

I mean, that's the question that I keep going back to, because if you're a Republican, you would have been so upset if Obama had done this, if Biden had done this, if any other.

Democrat

had been doing

this.

I know.

There is only one person who can lead us.

And China spent five and a half million.

You mean the China that he's always angry at and putting tariffs on?

He made money from them too.

Who's going to also

make that t-shirt with his face on it that says DJT International Airport,

right?

All the tiny laborer fingers in China making his DJT merch.

I saw those Bibles when I was covering the Republican convention.

And I saw the size of the gift shops.

And it was just- There's a lot of

merch.

There is

a lot of merch.

And like, I don't understand this.

And then for, I don't know if you saw Megyn Kelly raging on that the Democrats are a cult.

And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, wait, a cult worships one leader who can never do anything wrong.

Maybe look in the mirror, Megyn and the rest of the group.

Well, you'd think at some point they'd have to, but it

sure

hasn't worked up until this point.

It's 6.48 right now.

You're listening to Civic Media Mornings.

My name is Jamie Martenson.

And I'm Brian Noon, and let's turn our attention to state parks before those are taken away too.

We'll talk about that and more on the Civic Media Network.

Kathryn Lake

You're listening to Civic Media.

Find the latest news, information, and archives of all your favorite shows on the Civic Media website, civicmedia.us.

652, right now you're listening to Civic Media Mornings on the Civic Media Network.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Some cooler temperatures around the state today, some areas going to receive some snow as well.

We said fake spring, that was the thing.

My name is Jamie Martenson.

And good morning, I'm Brian Noonan.

Do you go to state parks in Wisconsin?

If so, what ones would you recommend?

85575 Civic, 8557524842.

I think the national park system and the state park systems are two of the greatest things we have in this country because it does give us a link to the past and a true place to go and connect with nature.

And the Wisconsin state parks saw almost 21 million visitors last year.

That is good and it's the highest since

2021, but Jamie some state parks are not

They're not being put to good use.

Some are visited a lot.

Yeah, and it's interesting because last year was the 125th anniversary of the Wisconsin State Park System.

And visits actually increased from right around 20 million in 2024 to just over 20 million in 2023, I should say.

The system does include 50 state parks, 44 trails, and 15 state parks.

If you live in the southern portion of the state, you are probably very familiar with Devils Lake State Park.

It is actually the most visited state park in the state, around 2.3 million visitors annually.

We lived in Baraboo for a very long time.

Devils Lake State Park was a very important part of our summer rituals.

I will say this, as beautiful as it is, as much as I love Devils Lake State Park, you feel every bit of those 2.3 million visitors.

Oh

really?

It is really hard to do a lot at Devils Lake during peak summer months.

I personally in the area love

Governor Dodge State Park, which is a little bit more of a drive.

If you do a little hiking, there's a wonderful waterfall kind of buried deep down, which is absolutely exquisite and so awesome to hang out in.

I also am a stickler for Mirror Lake State Park, a lot less traffic, great hiking trails.

If you love to kayak and camp, it's got some beautiful, beautiful scenery.

Really?

And let's be realistic, Ishnala, the supper

club

is also in Mirror Lake.

So

there you have it.

You're not getting a free dinner for that mention?

No, I am not.

But if you love a good supper club and you want an iconic one, just be prepared to wait because they don't take reservations.

And it's always very busy.

Grab about eight old fashions and go sit by the lake.

And then you can really commune with nature.

Yes, you

absolutely can.

They got a nice little beach there and everything.

But I actually love... Mirror Lake actually was about maybe five minute drive from our house when we lived in the...

Delz, Baraboo, Reedsburg area.

So I spent a lot of time hiking at Mirror Lake.

Now for the other most visited parks in the state of Wisconsin, behind Devils Lake State Park, you have Kettle Moraine State Park, the Southern unit, with just about 1.5 million visitors last year.

Peninsula State Park, also fantastic.

I've received just over one million visitors and some others that made the list.

Highcliff State Park, which is over near the Green Bay area, also absolutely beautiful.

the Kohler Andre State Park and Rib Mountain, also some of our most visited last year.

And then Brian, of course, if you have your most visited, you have your least visited.

Menominee Ribber Recreation Area was the least visited last year with about 7,500 visitors.

And some others to make the least visited list include Governor Knowles State Park, the Natural Bridge State Park, which is over by the North Freedom Area.

It's not a big state park, but it's a

really cool if you love hiking.

The scenery is beautiful and so you definitely need to check it out if you're in that vicinity and Buffalo River State Trail also one of the least visited over the last year.

So a lot of

options.

It's funny like Buffalo River and some of the others of the least visited there seem to be more they get a lot of their visitors in the fall so that's when people are heading out to Leaf Peep.

Yes.

Rib mountain is fantastic for leaf peeping,

by the

way.

Yes.

Alicia chiming in on our YouTube, uh, chat this morning saying hide cliff and Mirabelle caves, which is a county park.

Yes.

Our

Kathryn Lake

wonderful

totally agree with both of those assessments.

So, you know, there's plenty of opportunity all around the state, no matter really where you're at to, to check out some really cool state parks.

So please do so.

Yeah, and if you don't want to go to Baraboo and fight the crowds, there's plenty, plenty of other places to go.

Yeah, absolutely.

We've got Mark from Prairie to Sack on the phone this morning.

Mark, what do you got for us?

Yeah, well, there's there's the park that I grew up with was Paterson State Park in far northern Wisconsin south of superior there

That

beautiful park with the two to why with the waterfalls there the big man of two falls and little man of two falls that Oh nice.

Yeah that are on the river that it's a great.

It's you know, I learned to swim in interfalls lake that With that, you know a little dammed up lake there and it's just a beautiful park and that's one of the older parks

donated I think by one of the lumbermen that you donated the territory for by one of the lumbermen back in the day and Because you wanted you know people to have a place to enjoy.

Yeah, thank you so

much That's

one of the areas I want to get up to is into that northern part to go see the falls and to really camp up there We do

our

fair share of camping.

I I

hike

campers.

We are a

pop-up tent camp pop-up trailer camper

Yes,

that's

what

we do, which is

essentially like having a tent and not any less work than if you actually were tent camping.

I was going to say, it looks like it would be more work other than you're up off the ground.

Yes,

that's essentially all it is.

And you can close it up if the nights get cool.

Now, if you're interested in visiting any of these exquisite state parks that we have to offer around the state, if you have a Wisconsin license, a 12 month pass is $28.

A daily pass is $13.

It is, but if you're going to come

from out of state because I know we have some streamers in the out of state area.

You can get a 12 month pass for $50 or a daily pass for $16.

So, you know, pretty reasonable though if you want to spend some time in Wisconsin.

Yeah, exactly.

It'll be that time soon.

Yeah,

absolutely.

I'm sure over the last couple days people have thought, oh, let's go out and there's been some hiking going on the last couple days.

Yes, yes.

Oh, I would love to be out on the trails right now.

I've always wait till it's a little less muddy though.

I don't like the mud.

And the dog goes with me so it's not worth the hassle.

Definitely.

It's 6.59 right now.

You're listening to Civic Media Mornings.

My name is Jamie Martenson.

And I'm Brian Noonan and tariffs are hitting your favorite motorcycle company.

We'll talk about that and more in the next hour on the

Kathryn Lake

Civic Media Network.

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