Trump PANICS As Pennsylvania Voters TURN ON HIM!!

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]I often say here at Katie Fang News that it's time. It's time for our electeds in DC to really represent us as the American people. That means getting rid of the weak sauce, spineless electeds that won't be our voices there and putting people in those places of power that actually have lived experiences that bring empathy to what we're going through. I've shared the story with a few candidates with whom I've had the pleasure of interviewing so far and I'll share it with you. There was a time when I had just graduated from law school and I was carrying uh a sixf figureure student loan debt and I went into public law. I went into being a government attorney, a prosecutor, and at that time, which was in August of 2000, my salary was $19,600 before taxes. Now, you can imagine what that looked like um after taxes.

[00:01:15]And look, I got a bump after I successfully passed the bar exam of maybe I want to say maybe four or $5,000. So m whopping 25 grand gross before taxes. I mean look, is it more than other people are making? Yes. But was it enough to really really be able to live? No. And so there was a time um in my 20s, even my late 20s, because I was still working as a prosecutor then, where I kind of had to have a gut check about what am I going to sacrifice this month, right? Because after I paid rent and I paid my car payment and my car insurance um and I paid my monthly installment payment for my student loans, there wasn't a lot left. I mean, I knew down to the penny what I had in a bank account. I knew how much debt I was carrying on my credit cards. And for me to have conversations with candidates that understand that not all of us have it easy and that we work hard and sometimes we have to work multiple jobs to be able to make ends meet. That's the kind of person I think brings value to the table in Washington DC right now.

[00:02:27]The divide between the halves and the have nots has gotten so profound that I think there is truly a disconnect between a lot of the people that are currently serving in Congress and the rest of us. Which is why when I get to have a conversation with a guy like Bob Brooks, um it's nice. It's refreshing. I mean, this guy has been everything from a pizza delivery driver to a landscaper to um a 20-year firefighter to a bartender. Um, I mean, he he he's like the real deal when it comes to being a workingclass American. And he's saying that like other working-class Americans, they're fed up. They're fed up with the lies. They're fed up with the gaslighting. They're fed up with people in Washington, in Congress, that just aren't representing their interests. And so, I invite you to listen to this conversation that I had with Bob. He's running in Pennsylvania in an incredibly competitive race in a good way for us.

[00:03:25]In fact, the seventh district is one of the nation's most competitive rated a tossup by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. And so, we are keeping our eyes on Pennsylvania's seventh district. And the current Democratic nominee who just won the primary, his name is Bob Brooks.

[00:03:43]Take a listen. Joining me now is Bob Brooks. I'm going to call you the firefighter because that's kind of the label that I've been seeing for you. But all kidding aside, you are running to represent Pennsylvania 7th in Congress.

[00:03:56]Bob, it's good to see you.

[00:03:57]>> All right, Katie, thank you for having me. I appreciate, you know, every time I get the opportunity to deal with anybody from the mightest touch I'm in. So, >> well, listen, part of what I like to do here um on my channel is I like to introduce my viewers to congressional candidates that really one are coming from lived experiences that I think reflect a lot of what we've had to go through um in our own lives and b that are from different parts of this country. I think sometimes we get siloed pretty heavily in what the hell is going on in our own backyards and we don't really realize um the similarity of issues that we're all confronting and and and frankly some of the unique things that are that are in your neck of the woods. So Bob, if for people who don't know, let them get a flavor of what Pennsylvania 7th district is like.

[00:04:46]>> Uh okay, Pennsylvania 7th district is literally loaded with workingclass people. Uh from corner to corner, it's everybody has the same issues. It's west things cost right now. Uh quite honestly, I um was just with the building trades guys before I came home.

[00:05:01]And on my way home, I had to stop and fill up my truck. So, I have three diesel pickup trucks cuz I have run a small business on top of being the firefighter. And I don't know if you've seen the videos, the commercials, fireman, snowplow driver, bartender, you know, we got it all. Um but I do own my own small business. Me and my wife have been doing this for years. And uh I have three diesel pickup trucks. So, I had to stop and fill one up and I had a quarter of a tank. It cost me over $150 to get 3/4 of a tank of diesel. So, everybody's having that issue right now. I mean, that the cost of fuel, the cost of living, what things cost for medical coverage, like that's what it comes down to is everybody's struggling to pay the bills. They're trying to work two or three jobs at a clip. I have done that.

[00:05:43]I have lived that life. And my opponent, Ryan McKenzie, has never had a job.

[00:05:48]>> Yeah. You know, Bob, congratulations cuz you won the primary to be able to be the Democratic nominee and the incumbent is this guy uh Ryan McKenzie who to your point really has just kind of taken being a slacker to next level here. Bob, I want people to understand because you're a 20-year firefighter, retired now. You've been the union president for the Pennsylvania Firefighters Association. And one of the favorite things that I loved about your campaign is you said Washington has burned the working people. Why run for Congress?

[00:06:22]Why not do something else? I mean, you've clearly worn many different hats.

[00:06:26]Why Why try to go to DC? Well, because in my life, as you just listed, you know, my history and I've always been serving people, whether it was bartending, serving them food, whether it was delivering pizzas, whether it was a firefighter where, you know, we get up the opportunity to run in on somebody's worst day. Like we were able to go in when somebody's house is burning, like they're having their worst day, which is something I've lived through also. So, my house burned down when I was a senior in high school. So that gave me an opportunity to give back to the community. The community has that stood up for me when I was having my worst day. So now I get to continue doing that. So as the the local president and officer within local 735, which is the Bethlehem firefighters, I was able to help my members. So it's always about helping people. And then as I took over the state role as president with the PPFA at Pennsylvania National Firefighter Association that we shorten it with letters, um you know, I was I was able to do the same thing. these were nothing that I had like on my radar or I like to say about running for Congress. It wasn't on my bingo card.

[00:07:31]Um, but then the opportunity arose and I'm and I'm watching Ryan McKenzie take these votes against working-class people and against my members and my people.

[00:07:41]And I decided when the opportunity was there like like that target can be hit and we can send a workingclass candidate, workingass person, union leader to Washington DC to help try and fix it. Cuz I'm not one for complaining.

[00:07:55]If I if I complain about issues, I usually go fight for those issues. and I'm complaining about what's going on in my life and everybody else's life and I'm ready to go fight for those issues.

[00:08:04]And I think as we can see with the votes and the tallies that came in in the primary, people around here are pretty sick of what's going on, too. They're tired of the status quo and they want change. And I'm offering that change.

[00:08:16]>> See, you don't just talk the talk, you walk the walk. As president of the Pennsylvania Firefighters Association, you helped pass legislation to expand PTSI benefits and healthc care access for first responders. I mean, that's become kind of one of the groups that this particular Trump administration has been neglecting, right? I mean, they like to talk a lot about taking care of law enforcement and first responders and yet when you start slashing health care opportunities and when you start going after the unions, you're trying to bust them. You're showing that you're really not about the working people.

[00:08:48]>> Well, correct. But you know what he did is he talked about working people. So, when he ran for office, he talked about working people. He talked about supporting us. We watched a lot of our membership drift to either the middle and become independents or to the right because they were tired of a Democratic party because they thought the Democratic party was becoming a party of elites, right?

[00:09:06]>> Um, >> so we watched that happen and it's because this guy just talked about him.

[00:09:10]Like I haven't just talked about him.

[00:09:12]I've been fighting for these people for 20 years. So, you know, a lot of first responders, they trust me. No matter what it is, a D or an R behind my name, it's a D. I'm a Democrat. I'm a lifelong Democrat. I've voted for a Democratic president since I was 18 years old. Um, so that's not of question. But these people that I work for, you know, the first responders that we got this post-traumatic stress, this mental health coverage for workers comp is what we were after. That's it. And one of the biggest opponents to that legislation was Ryan McKenzie himself. He was a co-chair for Jim Cox. And Jim Cox wouldn't bring it to the floor. He wouldn't get it even let it out of committee. And Ryan McKenzie, he caused that. He helped cause that to happen.

[00:09:55]And uh when we finally got him to vote for it or to even engage on it, he had some Florida model that was horrible and not helpful for what we wanted.

[00:10:05]Obviously Florida's a Republican state, right? So that's where he went and got his information from. And uh he only voted for it because quite honestly, he was going to run for Congress. He couldn't have that on his record. And we were getting every other vote. So kind of forced his hand to vote for it. But in and before then it wasn't like he no voted. He wouldn't even bring it to the floor. They they wouldn't let it out of committee. And uh all we wanted was mental health coverage. We wanted somebody to be able to get help, come back to work. And that was a problem. Uh told me one time that, you know, I took the job, I should be able to handle it.

[00:10:36]We like to say you have a cup of coffee, right? So if you fill that fill that cup of coffee and you keep pouring coffee, it eventually overflows. And that's what happens to military first responders.

[00:10:45]Like we see a lot of bad stuff and yes it's our job but at the end of the day like again it's people's worst day that you got to handle and figure out how to cover. We wanted our people to get we're killing ourselves. Our members were killing ourselves and we wanted to stop that from happening and that seemed to be a problem for Ryan McKenzie.

[00:11:05]>> Bob I want to stay a minute on what you said about how Donald Trump said that he was about the working people. He liked to say that he was the populist president. I think that he made a lot of promises on the campaign trail that he has not kept and he's certainly broken.

[00:11:20]Do you think that at this moment it's become less about party because you just mentioned it. Does it make a difference if there's a D or an R next to your name? Um although you are a Democrat. Do you think it's now become less about party and more about this idea of finding leaders that are going to pick the people over the prophets?

[00:11:38]>> I I think the proof is in the pudding.

[00:11:41]And we just watched the Republicans spend $1.7 million against me in a primary because they're afraid of what we're going to bring to the table and they're afraid of that exact thing.

[00:11:51]People are tired. They're sick and tired of being lied to. So when I mentioned earlier that my membership and some other me people have left the Democratic party because they felt left behind.

[00:12:02]There's a difference between being left behind and being lied to. Because right now they feel lied to. He promised lower prices on day one. He promised Epstein files released. He and people have different problems. Like some people it is the Epstein files. Some people it's the price of gas. Like you know people have different problems but they all have problems against the same people.

[00:12:23]And that's Donald Trump and the Republicans in and Brian McKenzie is a lap dog for Donald Trump. Like I said he was a lap dog for Jim Cox. He is a lap dog for Donald Trump. Uh we like to call him the arsonist. We got all kinds of names for him. We like to call him the arsonist. Right. So he voted for the big beautiful bill which cut everybody's uh Medicare coverage. Cut cut cut cut stuff that people can't afford every day. But then two weeks later he going to run a bill to try and replace that. Too late pal. You already started the fire. So he's the arsonist that started the fire calls the fire department 10 minutes later. It's too late. You already took the no vote. You know so I I think people are tired. The answer to your question I think is is yes. It matters.

[00:13:03]people are tired and I think you're going to start seeing people voting for people rather than party >> and that's the reason why I like having these conversations because as I mentioned at the beginning of of this episode with you um I think the lived experience speaks a lot you know um I shared with another person the other day that very early on in my career um I was in I was a prosecutor right wasn't making a lot of money whatsoever had all these student loans no forgiveness on those and I knew down to the penny what was in my bank account, right? Like I knew I knew what I could and could not afford to eat. I knew what I could and could not afford to do. I you know, we we kind of were joking about the different hats you've worn. And yet I do think these are important for people to understand. You've been a firefighter for more than 20 years, but you've driven a beer truck, which I do want to ask you about. All kidding aside, you've delivered pizza. You've been a bartender, a landscaper, a snowplow driver. I mean, the list goes on and on.

[00:14:01]And I was like trying to furiously write it down when I was watching one of your videos. But I mean all of these provide um a lens into what it's like to be a workingclass American. These are all jobs that are in industries that are very physical, very, you know, very dependent upon your ability to be strong and to stay healthy to get a paycheck to put food on the table.

[00:14:24]>> Most of the time I was doing those jobs at the same time.

[00:14:27]>> Yeah. So it was driving beer truck and bartending or it was being a firefighter and a landscaper and a snowpaw driver and bartending sometimes, you know, whatever it took. So at at one point in my life, um my wife had some medical issues and I had to decide whether I was going to pay the medical bills or pay the mortgage.

[00:14:46]>> So I I paid the medical bills because there was more medical bills to follow and then I had to catch up on a mortgage later. Like and that's the thing. I I know kind of what people have lived through and nobody should ever have to do that and that's why I want to do this. That's why I want to fight for people like I've always done. I want to continue that. I just want to expand the people I'm fighting for. Um I I taken SNAP benefits as a young adult and and a kid with my mom. I was raised by a single mom in North Adams, Massachusetts. Moved down here in 1991.

[00:15:14]And uh again, like I told you earlier, my house burned down. So I needed the community to stand me up. I want to stand up the community now. I want to give back. That's why I'm doing this.

[00:15:23]That's why I want to be involved in this. And that's why I want to go to Washington. I just want to stand up for people that I don't think people are standing up for now. Well, listen, I think it's something that is noteworthy because a lot of people these days just like to stand on the sidelines and ring their hands and complain and about what's going on. And a lot of people aren't willing to actually step up and do it. But you seem to be one of a generation of candidates that have said, "I I don't want to be that complainer. I don't want to be that person who isn't trying to do something to make a change." For example, in your district, they there are a lot of because I I wanted to read up about this, right?

[00:16:02]There's a lot of former coal towns in your district that suffered from the closings uh and and the hard-hit steel industry. And so unemployment hovers about above average right now, almost 5% in that district. And so benefits make a difference. Strong government programs.

[00:16:19]Um and and we're talking like we're talking real real assistance to people that actually make real differences in their daily lives.

[00:16:29]>> The the Bethlehem Steel, like so the city where I was a firefighter was in Bethlehem. The Bethlehem Steel >> ran that city. Like I mean it was it was great in its heyday. Now there's a casino in its place. You we just still have the history but the business went away. You know the same thing in the coal towns up up here in in Carbon County. You know th those people are trying to find different ways to make a living. Um and they and they feel like they're being attacked every day and and it's time we start attacking for them.

[00:16:57]It's time we start protecting the people that are struggling here and and give them reason. And like you say, all those benefits that you just mentioned have been cut in the big beautiful bill. Who voted for that bill? Ryan McKenzie.

[00:17:10]>> I mean, it's it's not much clearer than that. At the end of the day, I can look and say, "Hey, Ryan, what's the price of fuel?

[00:17:16]>> H what's what why did you cut why did you cut that service? Why did you cut Head Start? Why did you cut You know, we it's really about record and I fight for people and he votes against them."

[00:17:29]>> Yeah. And Bob, it's not just the working class that is backing you in this campaign. You have actually assembled an incredibly broad coalition of support. I think it's noteworthy also because sometimes, like I said, we we like to think that we're only traveling to benefit a certain group of people, but it looks to me like you've definitely got the backing of a wide variety of the community that wants to make sure that you get across that finish line.

[00:17:56]>> We've really built a coalition. Um, and it starts with Governor Josh Shapiro.

[00:18:01]Uh, he's a good friend of mine. I've worked hard and that's why I think he got me be behind me is he's seen the work I do for my members in Harrisburg.

[00:18:10]He knows that I've fought for some bills already and we've helped write and pass legislation in Washington DC. So, he knows my abilities and my tenacity to get after it when it means something to the people I care about. So, but the coalition, if you look at the, you know, the CPC and the Blue Dogs, right? Like those two don't cross that much.

[00:18:33]>> They don't, >> but they're crossing here with Bob Brooks for Congress. So, um, I think there's so much that maybe your viewers would want to see that we might not get to them. Brooks for Congress uh, has a lot of information on there and you can really look at the coalition that we built. I've had people ask me like, "How'd you do it?" And I'm like, "I work hard. I've worked hard my entire life.

[00:18:53]Uh I've I've gone and and talked to people and given them my story and said this is why I'm doing this and that's why people have got behind this. I mean from they say Josh Shapiro beat Buddha Judge Ro like you name them. We're all over the board and it's because everybody sees that we need change.

[00:19:10]Washington's broken. The system is rigged and we need to fix it. And we're not going to fix it. I'm sorry. I know you said you're an attorney one point with another attorney. You know what I mean? like like >> not offended. It's okay. There are there are an enormous number of lawyers that are currently politicians in DC. I will concede that point 100%.

[00:19:30]>> Right. It there's there's 2% of Congress comes from the working class while 60% of America does. Like that has to change. We have to fix that. I want to create a path. I want more working-class people to follow me to Washington DC so that we can actually make a difference.

[00:19:44]uh you know there there are people there that I know that I've worked with that are can't wait for me to get there so I can I can give I don't want to call expertise experience >> life experience >> to help make decisions and uh you know experience doesn't always come from college >> no it doesn't and I think it like I said the lived experience can actually inform a lot of the the journey that you've had that's going to make you have empathy >> because there's not a lot of empathy these days out of >> there is not >> they don't they don't there's not a lot of empathy about like you said about sometimes having to make one of the toughest decisions about you know a medical bill getting paid or the mortgage food or not food right I mean like these are the types of things that a lot of people haven't had to go through and I'm not saying that suffering is required but the experience that you mentioned I think is really important you just mentioned the website I want to remind people something you just said a couple of minutes ago Bob which is you are such an amazing opponent to Ryan McKenzie that the Republicans have thrown almost $2 million behind trying to take you out.

[00:20:47]So, I want people to have that website again so they can go, they can check out your campaign. They can also figure out ways to send you help, whether it's donations, whether it's volunteering, whatever it is. I have seen that my viewers, even though they may not be from Pennsylvania, even though they're out of state, they always want to help great candidates.

[00:21:04]>> Well, I appreciate that. Again, it's brooks for congress.com.

[00:21:08]Um, we have a lot lot of information on there. My team is very very good at at posting stuff and you know getting it all in. Look at the endorsement page. I think you're going to be shocked.

[00:21:18]>> Well, Bob Brooks, um I am so grateful that you took the time to come and hang out with me. I'm incredibly excited for your primary win and looking forward to helping you, like I said, get across that finish line and head over to DC and put out that dumpster fire that you have called in DC. I'm looking forward to that, my friend.

[00:21:37]>> Katie, thank you very much for everything. I I appreciate the opportunity to come on and I appreciate you and your your followers.

[00:21:45]>> Thank you. Thanks, Bob.

[00:21:46]>> Thanks. Have a good one.

[00:21:47]>> Katie Fang here. We launched the Katie Fang News Channel in partnership with the Midas Touch Network so we could bring you the latest in legal and political news. Straight no chaser. So, if you're a fellow trutht teller, hit that subscribe button and share the word about this channel so we can build a highinformation America