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Who?
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) — Co-chair, Congressional UAP Caucus
What? Bonus!
Flipping through our notes, we realized Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo ran into Luna back to back the last two days Congress was in session before taking a 2 week long Easter break.
Transcripts are at the bottom, but just below we tried to highlight most of the highlights in these newsy, if short, exchanges.
LISTEN: Laslo & Luna II (3-22-2024)
Ask a Pol asks (Interview II):
Are you worried the SAPs [Special Access Programs] that UFO whistleblower David Grusch warned about are hidden within military contractors?
Key Luna (Interview II):
“That’s exactly why we need more oversight,” Luna exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “I think that there is absolutely, without a doubt, something there, and, I think, from the level of pushback that we get, it’s pretty obvious. And so I look forward to being able to hopefully get something seriously considered for the next Congress in regards to an actual committee, because I think it should be investigated. And you guys can see there’s a ton of bipartisan support.”
Caught our ear:
“We have a lot of information going to our offices, so being able to see what’s accurate, what’s disinformation, I think that that’s incredibly important,” Luna says. “So we’re making sure that we’re not putting out wrong information or false information to discredit the movement.”
Ever talk to home state Sen. Marco Rubio about UAPs?
“I have not been able to talk to anyone in the Senate,” Luna reports to Ask a Pol. “We’ve reached out to see what we can find from different staffers and whatnot. But, yeah, we’d be happy to sit down and have a meeting with all of them.”
Luna on new AARO report (Interview I):
“I’m skeptical,” Luna tells Ask a Pol.
Below find 2 transcripts of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interviews with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), slightly edited for clarity.
LISTEN: Laslo & Luna I (3-21-2024)
TRANSCRIPT I — Rep. Luna; Thurs., 3-21-2024
SCENE: Luna’s on her way to vote on the floor of the US House when she runs into Laslo and then another reporter.
Matt Laslo: “You got any updates?”
Anna Paulina Luna: “Not yet.”
ML: “Nothing?”
APL: “Not yet.”
ML: “What umm — what are you looking for next? Actually, I haven’t asked you about the AARO report. What do you make of that?”
APL: “As of right now, our next steps are, I think, a field hearing, so we’re waiting to kinda [finalize?] that.”
ML: “What do you make of that declassified AARO report?”
APL: “I’m skeptical.”
ML: “Yeah?”
APL: “Yeah.”
Reporter: “Can I ask you quickly about your IVF bill?”
Pro Tip: Never start an interview by asking if you can ask a question — cause you just wasted a question! Hop right in.
APL: “Yes.”
The soothing sounds of congressional chaos as Laslo greats another lawmaker whose heart looked to already be on spring break…
ML: “Have a good one, sir!”
TRANSCRIPT II — Rep. Luna; Fri., 3-22-2024
SCENE: As lawmakers in the House of Representatives were casting their last votes before their 2-week Easter recess, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — whose staff alerted Laslo the move was coming, which wrecked his morning (haha) — walked to the dais and laid a motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson from his new role yielding the Speaker’s gavel.
THROWBACK: When Laslo found McCarthy’s fate in a restroom…
After the vote ended, most lawmakers flooded down the marble steps, hopped in idling cars and rushed to the airport. Luna was rushing back to her office across the street — where a pro Palestinian protest was occurring — when Ask a Pol bumped into her.
Matt Laslo: “Do you have any thoughts on the motion to vacate?”
Anna Paulina Luna: “I haven’t seen it be introduced yet.”
ML: “Oh yeah? What do you — did you see that Joint Chiefs of Staff memo on UAPs?”
APL: “I have not yet.”
ML: “What do you — I mean, it’s interesting that it goes to that level.”
APL: “I mean, I’ve told you guys, I think that there is absolutely, without a doubt, something there, and, I think, from the level of pushback that we get, it’s pretty obvious. And so I look forward to being able to hopefully get something seriously considered for the next Congress in regards to an actual committee, because I think it should be investigated. And you guys can see there’s a ton of bipartisan support.”
Laslo maneuvered around a metal barricade while walking backwards at times as he’s recording the brisk walking congresswoman.
ML: “Yeah.”
APL: “But, you know, I’m at the point where I’m also too…”
As they walk through the protest the sidewalk narrows to fit a large banner, which Laslo accidentally brushes against.
APL: “…you know, we have a lot of information going to our offices, so being able to see what’s accurate, what’s disinformation, I think that that’s incredibly important. So we’re making sure that we’re not putting out wrong information or false information to discredit the movement.”
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Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
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