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♪ >>> HI, EVERYBODY, IT'S "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, SO WE JUGGLED OUR SCHEDULES AND FOUND SOME TIME THIS WEEK, WHICH IS FORTUITOUS SINCE THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING OUT THERE.

GURBIR GREWAL, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MAN, WELCOME.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE, DAVID, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> LET'S START WITH THE STORY THAT IS STILL RESONATING ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT MASS SHOOTING IN COLORADO, CALLS AGAIN FOR TOUGHER GUN REGULATIONS.

NEW JERSEY HAS SOME OF THE NATION'S STRICTEST GUN LAWS, WHICH WHAT IMPACT DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY HAVE HERE IN NEW JERSEY IN REGARDS TO GUNS?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S COLORADO, DAVID, THE WEEK BEFORE, IT'S ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND CERTAINLY THE GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC IS REAL, AND IT REINFORCES ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

IN NEW JERSEY, WE'RE FOCUSED ON PREVENTION.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON TREATMENT, AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON ENFORCEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO GUN VIOLENCE BECAUSE WE'RE TREATING IT FOR WHAT IT IS, AND THAT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, AND PREVENTION IS WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE STRONG FIREARMS SAFETY LAWS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE FIREARMS DON'T GET THEM, TO MAKE SURE THAT DANGEROUS WEAPONS DON'T COME INTO OUR STATES, TO MAKE SURE THAT GHOST GUNS DON'T COME INTO OUR STATES, LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES, SO WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT THERE IN ENFORCING THOSE LAWS ON THE PREVENTION SIDE.

ON THE TREATMENT SIDE, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS HOW WE'RE BEING INNOVATIVE IN THIS STATE.

WE'RE SPENDING $20 MILLION FOR HOSPITAL-BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE RECIDIVISM RATE FOR GUNSHOT VICTIMS TO VICTIMIZE SOMEBODY ELSE OR TO BE REVICTIMIZED IS REALLY HIGH, SO WE WANT TO STOP THAT CYCLE.

AND ON ENFORCEMENT, WE'RE TAKING DOWN THOSE BAD ACTORS THAT PEDDLE IN FIREARMS, THAT USE FIREARMS IN FURTHERANCE OF NARCOTICS ACTIVITY, WHO TRAFFIC IN GHOST GUNS, AND SO WE'RE USING BOTH OUR CRIMINAL AND CIVIL ENFORCEMENT TOOLS THERE.

SO WHEN I SEE THINGS LIKE THE TRAGEDY IN COLORADO, MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE THERE, FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE IN THE ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AREA, BUT IT REINSTILLS IN ME THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH HERE IN NEW JERSEY DOING ALL WE CAN TO REALLY END THE SCOURGE OF GUN VIOLENCE.

>> OUR ISSUE HERE IS PROLIFERATION OF ILLEGAL GUNS, THAT IRON PIPELINE.

IS IT STILL FLOWING AS ALWAYS?

HOW MUCH IMPACT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ON THAT FRONT?

>> SO, IT IS STILL FLOWING, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY SHOWING FOLKS THAT OUR LAWS ARE WORKING, THAT WE ARE MAKING IT HARD FOR BAD ACTORS TO FIND GUNS HERE, BUT THEY STILL COME FROM OTHER STATES WHERE IT'S TOO EASY FOR SOMEBODY TO GET A FIREARM AND THEN BUY MULTIPLE FIREARMS, WHETHER IT'S A STRAW PURCHASER, SOMEBODY WHO'S BUYING MULTIPLE FIREARMS TO THEN RESELL HERE IN NEW JERSEY TO BAD ACTORS, SO YOU KNOW, OUR DATA SHARING EFFORTS, OUR GUN STAT REPORTS, WE'RE PUTTING OUT THIS INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER STATES TO NAME AND SHAME THEM, REALLY, TO REALLY DO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

>> SHOULD THERE BE A NATIONAL APPROACH TO GUN LAWS?

I MEAN, OUR LAWS HERE ARE STRICT, BUT OTHER STATES, NOT SO MUCH.

>> THERE HAS TO BE A NATIONAL APPROACH.

THERE HAS TO BE A WILL TO HAVE A NATIONAL APPROACH, WHETHER IT'S AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, WHETHER IT'S OTHER STRONGER LAWS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO KEEP DANGEROUS WEAPONS OUT OF THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS, UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.

CERTAINLY, THAT WOULD HELP.

NEW JERSEY, WE HAVE A MODEL, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN LOOK TO THE TOOLS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE SAFETY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER STATES, DAVID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING OUR TOOLS.

THERE MIGHT BE A COMPANY OUT OF STATE THAT MANUFACTURES GHOST GUNS, AND THEY ARE SELLING ONLINE INTO OTHER STATES, BUT WE HAVE LAWS HERE THAT PREVENT THEM FROM BEING SOLD HERE, AND THEN WE JUST RECENTLY ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT WITH THE GHOST GUN MANUFACTURER WHO HAS AGREED TO PUT ON THEIR WEBSITE, WE'LL SELL TO THESE STATES BUT WE CAN'T SELL TO NEW JERSEY BECAUSE THEIR LAWS PREVENT US FROM DOING SO.

WE HAVE A STRONG MODEL HERE.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK TO THE STATES WE'VE TAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COPS BY KEEPING THESE DANGEROUS WEAPONS OUT OF THE HANDS OF, WELL, LISTEN, GHOST GUNS.

GHOST GUNS ALLOW PEOPLE TO EVADE THE BACKGROUND CHECK PROCESS.

THEY ALLOW PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE DOMESTIC ABUSERS, MIGHT HAVE A CRIMINAL HISTORY, MIGHT HAVE INTENTIONS TO COMMIT DOMESTIC TERRORISM TO GET A FIREARM WITHOUT ANY PROCESS WHATSOEVER.

AND WE THINK THAT'S WRONG.

AND SO AGAIN, NEW JERSEY'S A GREAT MODEL HERE FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT ON HOW WE CLOSE THESE DANGEROUS LOOPHOLES.

>> THE OTHER BIG STORY, THE SHOOTING IN GEORGIA, SIX OF THE EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED OF ASIAN DESCENT.

IT WAS REALLY JUST A STARK EXAMPLE OF WHAT MANY ASIAN-AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE BEEN SEEING OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THE STATE JUST RELEASED THESE STATISTICS THAT REALLY PUT IT IN DRAMATIC PERSPECTIVE.

AN 82% INCREASE IN BIAS INCIDENTS AGAINST ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS.

COVID IS OBVIOUSLY DRIVING THAT.

WHAT'S THE PLAN OF ATTACK ON THIS FIGHT?

>> YEAH, WE HAVE -- LISTEN, A HATE PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY AND NEW JERSEY'S NOT IMMUNE FROM IT.

WE HAVE SEEN THE ESCALATION NOT JUST BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020.

WE'VE SEEN IT ON THE INCREASE OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

WE KNOW WHY IT'S HAPPENING.

WE KNOW WHAT THE CAUSES ARE.

AND WE HAVE A FORMER PRESIDENT THAT NORMALIZED HATE.

HIS ENABLERS NORMALIZED HATE.

WE HAD SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS THAT LET THEM SPREAD THESE HATEFUL MESSAGES WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS WHATSOEVER, AND THAT BROUGHT THESE TERRORIST -- DOMESTIC TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND THAT LED TO A PROLIFERATION OF HATE IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE SAW IT IN GEORGIA.

WE'VE BEEN RINGING THE ALARM FOR YEARS.

IN 2018, I GAVE A SPEECH IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TO AN ASIAN-AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS CONFERENCE SAYING THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR RHETORIC BECAUSE WE WERE SEEING THE PRESIDENT'S ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC GIVING RISE TO ATTACKS ON BROWN PEOPLE LIKE ME.

AN INDIAN ENGINEER IN KANSAS WAS KILLED BECAUSE HE WAS BEING TOLD TO GO BACK TO HIS COUNTRY.

SO IS THERE ANY SURPRISE WHEN THE PRESIDENT AND HIS -- FORMER PRESIDENT AND HIS ENABLERS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE KUNG FLU AND THE CHINESE VIRUS, THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN UPTICK IN THESE TYPES OF HATE CRIMES?

WE HAVE A PLAYBOOK IN NEW JERSEY ONCE AGAIN HERE TOO.

THE GOVERNOR PUT TOGETHER A YOUTH BIAS TASK FORCE IN 2019 WHEN WE SAW THIS RISING, AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, ANTI-BIAS EDUCATION, STRICTER ENFORCEMENT, AND BETTER DATA SHARING.

I'M GOING TO NOW START RELEASING DATA ON BIAS OFFENSES ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY.

WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO WAIT AN ENTIRE YEAR TO LET 2020 GO BY AND RELEASE NUMBERS NOW AND LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND TRY TO THINK ABOUT SOLUTIONS.

SO, I'LL DO IT GOING FORWARD ON A MONTHLY BASIS SO WE CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS NOW TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO REPORT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING HAPPENING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR COPS ARE OUT THERE RESPONDING, AND WE ARE IN THIS STATE.

WE ARE RESPONDING.

>> I JUST GOT A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

I WANT TO TALK REAL QUICKLY ABOUT THIS EVICTION CRISIS THAT IS LOOMING.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, MAYBE SOME GETTING BACK TO WORK NOW, BUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS AND SOME WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A MORATORIUM IN PLACE, STILL GETTING EVICTED.

WHAT'S YOUR OFFICE DOING ABOUT THAT?

>> IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME PANDEMIC, AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE FOLKS WORRYING ABOUT HOUSING IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC.

THEIR CONCERN SHOULD BE THEIR SAFETY, AND SO THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZING THIS ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER VERY EARLY ON IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR PREVENTING EVICTIONS.

THERE'S A LIMITED CARVEOUT WHEN IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE, BUT REALLY, THE EVICTION PROCESS CAN START, LANDLORDS CAN START THE PROCESS, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE SOMEBODY OUT OF THEIR HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.

THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

THOSE RULES ARE IN PLACE.

THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S CONFUSION ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD BE ENFORCED AND LANDLORDS THAT ARE BEING UNSCRUPULOUS IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC CHANGING THE LOCKS ON DOORS, MAYBE NOT GOING THROUGH AN EVICTION PROCESS, SO WE'RE HOLDING A ROUND TABLE THIS WEEK WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS AS TO WHAT THE RULES OF THE ROAD ARE TO MAKE SURE FOLKS CAN STAY IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND NOT WORRY ABOUT BEING EVICTED ON TO THE STREETS DURING THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME HEALTH CRISIS AND WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE TO MAKE SURE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND ARE PROTECTING PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE LANDLORDS ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF RENTERS OR ANYONE IN THE SHORT-TERM LEASE.

OR EVEN HOMEOWNER.

>> ONE QUICK QUESTION BEFORE I HAVE TO LET YOU GO.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE STATE'S COURTS SYSTEM?

WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT REOPEN?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, JUDGE GRANT, ARE BRINGING BACK SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS NOW, AND THERE'S A PLAN IN PLACE TO START THAT UP AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN DOING VIRTUAL GRAND JURIES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO KEEP THINGS MOVING AND TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING HELD PENDING TRIAL FOR EXTRAORDINARY PERIOD OF TIME BUT THERE ARE NO TRIALS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS SO IT'S MY HOPE THAT THE NUMBERS START SUBSIDING, THAT WE'RE SEEING A DIFFERENT TREND RIGHT NOW, BUT I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS HAS PLANS IN PLACE TO BRING FOLKS BACK, BECAUSE WE NEED TO START MOVING THINGS IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF CASES IN THE BACKLOG.

>> ALL RIGHT, ATTORNEY GENERAL GURBIR GREWAL, WISH WE HAD MORE TIME.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.

I'D LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN SOON.

>> KATHERINE IS NEW JERSEY BUREAU CHIEF FOR POLITICO.

CO COLLEEN O'DAY, AND MIKE COVERS NEW JERSEY FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

WE HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THERE, BIAS INCIDENTS NUMBERS UP IN NEW JERSEY.

COLLEEN, CRAZY NUMBERS.

YOU WROTE ABOUT THIS.

IT MAKES OUR STATE, WHICH IS OTHERWISE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE COUNTRY, JUST LOOK TERRIBLE, NO?

>> YEAH, IT SURE DOES, DAVID.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY FROM 2016 ON, IT'S JUST A HUGE, HUGE INCREASE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN DOUBLING.

AND IF YOU -- FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, RACISM ISN'T A THING ANYMORE, MORE THAN 40% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED WERE AGAINST BLACKS OR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THERE WERE ALSO LARGE NUMBERS OF INCIDENTS AGAINST JEWS, YOU KNOW, GAYS, TRANSGENDER, ASIAN-AMERICANS, AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID, AND HISPANICS.

SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, IT'S JUST -- IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR THE STATE, AND IT'S DISTURBING.

>> YEAH.

MIKE, CAN WE TELL IF THIS IS MORE PEOPLE REPORTING INCIDENTS OR MORE INCIDENTS OCCURRING?

I GUESS PEOPLE FEELING THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST SAFELY REPORT THESE INCIDENTS IS A BRIGHT SPOT THAT WE CAN TAKE AWAY, NO?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, DAVID, IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUMPED OUT TO ME IN THE REPORT FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT THIS WEEK WAS THEY MENTIONED AN INCREASED REPORTING MECHANISMS.

THERE'S A 1-877 NUMBER FOR PEOPLE TO CALL.

THERE'S A BIAS REPORTING WEBSITE.

AND COLONEL CALLAHAN ACTUALLY POINTED TO THE -- THE INCREASED REPORT MECHANISMS AS A FACTOR IN WHY THE NUMBERS MIGHT BE UP AND YOU HEARD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAY THE OTHER FACTOR THAT HE PINNED IT ON WAS THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENT.

AND HE ALSO MENTIONED IN THE REPORT THE IDEA THAT SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES WEREN'T DOING ENOUGH TO STAND UP TO THE KIND OF SPEECH AND COMMENTARY ON THEIR PLATFORMS THAT COULD LEAD TO THESE KIND OF BIASED ATTACKS.

>> YEAH.

SPEAKING OF BIAS, THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION FACES CHARGES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN A NET NEGATIVE FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

PASTOR DAVID JEFFERSON SAYING THERE'S TWO DEMOCRATIC PARTIES IN NEW JERSEY, ONE WHITE, AND ONE BLACK.

KATHERINE, ANY SENSE THAT THE PASTOR'S LETTER TO PARTY LEADERS, WHICH REIGNITED THIS CONVERSATION THIS WEEK, HAS MUCH SUPPORT ACROSS THE GOVERNOR'S BASE?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, PRECISELY, BUT I THINK WHAT THE LETTER DID WAS IT REALLY STRUCK A NERVE, YOU KNOW.

THERE'S A REAL SENSE RIGHT NOW NOT JUST WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT I'VE SPOKEN FREQUENTLY WITH PEOPLE IN IMMIGRANT GROUPS WHO, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN TOKENIZED BY THE GOVERNOR AND FEEL AS THOUGH THAT HE MADE ALL THESE PROMISES EARLIER ON AND HE HASN'T BEEN FOLLOWING THROUGH.

MOST RECENTLY, FOR IMMIGRANT GROUPS, IN GIVING AID TO UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS.

SO, I THINK THERE IS THIS REAL SENSE RIGHT NOW.

>> COLLEEN, SOME PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION SAY THAT THIS THING WITH PASTOR JEFFERSON IS PERSONAL, THAT HE REPRESENTS THIS FINANCIAL FIRM THAT LOST SOME WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OR WITH THE STATE.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

BUT SOME BLACK LEADERS I SPOKE TO SUGGEST THAT MURPHY LACKS A STRONG BLACK VOICE IN THE INNER CIRCLE, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR NOTWITHSTANDING.

DO YOU SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU POINT THAT OUT.

WE COULD TURN TO THE RECENT CANNABIS COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS AND THE IDEA THAT THE FIRST APPOINTMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR MADE WAS NOT A BLACK MAN.

THERE WAS NO BLACK MAN ON THE COMMISSION, AND THAT CERTAINLY WAS A PLACE WHERE HE WAS SEEN AS KIND OF TONE DEAF, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE DRUG WAR AND THIS HAS SWEPT UP SO MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND A LOT OF YOUNG BLACK MEN THAT IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WOULDN'T HAVE APPOINTED SOMEONE.

>> YEAH.

MIKE, THEY RECTIFIED THAT BY ADDING CHARLES BARKER TO THE COMMISSION THIS WEEK, BUT I MEAN, THAT WAS THE VERY DEFINITION, IT SEEMS, OF AN UNFORCED ERROR, NO?

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT, DAVID.

AND I WAS -- THE THING THAT STRUCK ME MOST ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MR. BARKER THIS WEEK WAS THE INCLUSION OF RICHARD SMITH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE NAACP'S STATEMENT THAT SAID, IN THE -- PUT OUT BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT SAID THAT HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THE GOVERNOR -- THAT IT TOOK THE NAACP PUSHING THIS FORWARD AND MAKING A PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT THE LACK OF A BLACK MAN BEING INCLUDED ON THE PANEL FOR THAT TO BE INCLUDED.

I THINK IT'S AN INDICATION OF JUST HOW PUBLIC THE SENTIMENT HAS BECOME, AND IT STRUCK ME AS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T SEE EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY IN A STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

>> YEAH.

ALL THAT SAID, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU THINK MURPHY GETS LESS THAN 90% OF BLACK VOTES IN NOVEMBER.

ANY OF YOU?

NO, RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.

SO, THEN, LET'S TALK ABOUT REPUBLICANS.

THEIR PRESUMED GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IS HAVING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT CAMPAIGNING IN LAKEWOOD, MOST RECENTLY AT A CROWDED MATZAH FACTORY, WHERE, BY THE WAY, A LOT OF WORKERS WERE BARE FACED TOO.

IS MASKING GOING TO BE AN ISSUE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, KATHERINE?

>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE AN ISSUE.

I THINK THE -- I THINK THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE IS GOING TO FOCUS SOLELY ON THE GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC AND CITTARELLI IS GOING TO ATTACK HIM ON NURSING HOMES AND UNEMPLOYMENT AND MURPHY IS GOING TO BE TRYING TO DEFEND HIS RECORD.

A PHOTO OF THIS IS SOMETHING THEY CAN POINT TO TRY TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION.

YEAH, I MEAN, FOR HIS PART, I THINK HIS SPOKESPERSON SAID HE REGULARLY DOES WEAR A MASK, BELIEVES IN MASK WEARING, BUT I MEAN, THE PROOF IS IN THE PHOTO.

HE WASN'T WEARING ONE.

SO, I THINK THIS IS KIND OF AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION.

>> REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO HOLDING THEIR OWN HEARINGS ON SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT KATHERINE JUST MENTIONED ON UNEMPLOYMENT.

ANY EVIDENCE THEY'RE MAKING ANY IMPACT, MAKING ANY INROADS?

COLLEEN?

>> THAT'S HARD TO KNOW AT THIS POINT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF IN OUR OWN BUBBLE WHERE WE FOLLOW THIS STUFF REALLY CLOSELY SO I'M NOT SURE THAT ANYBODY OUT IN THE PUBLIC IS REALLY PAYING ATTENTION.

BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUSINESS OWNERS, RESTAURANT OWNERS, FOR INSTANCE, WHO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN ROLLING OUT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, REOPENING.

SO, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THESE KIND OF EVENTS REALLY ARE HITTING HOME.

NOW, IN TERMS OF THE BROADER IMPACT, I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE AS THE CAMPAIGN PROGRESSES.

>> ALL RIGHT, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND WE ALWAYS RUN OUT OF TIME SO THIS WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, OTHERWISE, OUR PRODUCER SAYS WE CAN NEVER TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN.

RACES TO WATCH NOT IN NOVEMBER BUT IN JUNE.

MIKE, INTRAPARTY FIGHTS LOOK VERY LIKELY TO BE OCCURRING IN A COUPLE OF DISTRICTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITES?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK PROBABLY THE HIGHEST PROFILE RACE IS IN BERGEN COUNTY WHERE LORETTA WEINBERG IS RETIRING AND GORDON JOHNSON AND VALERIE HUDDLE ARE DUKING IT OUT FOR -- TO SUCCEED LORETTA WEINBERG.

JOHNSON HAS THE COUNTY PARTY LINE AND THE GOVERNOR AND WEINBERG HAVE COME OUT WITH A STATEMENT SUPPORTING JOHNSON, AND YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE THE SORT OF PROGRESSIVE, MORE LEFT-LEANING GROUPS THAT HAVE COME OUT -- THAT I'VE SEEN COME OUT BEHIND HUDDLE AND THAT LOOKS TO BE INTERESTING.

I CERTAINLY ONE THAT I'M WATCHING FOR.

AND IT'S BIG SHOES TO FILL IN LORETTA WEINBERG, WHO'S A FACE OF THE LIBERAL WING OF THE PARTY IN NEW JERSEY AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY RIGHT UP THERE, DAVID.

>> HOW ABOUT YOU, COLLEEN?

ANY OF THESE JUMP OUT AT YOU?

>> SO, IN ADDITION TO THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A RACE IN THE 20th DISTRICT, SENATOR JOE IS UP FOR RE-ELECTION AND HE'S FACING SOME -- AT LEAST A COUPLE OF OPPONENTS, IT CERTAINLY SEEMS.

AGAIN, THE PROGRESSIVE WING AND YOU'VE GOT ASSEMBLYMAN HOLLY WHO HAS BEEN REALLY CRITICAL OF HIM.

SO, THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF INTRAPARTY FIGHTING.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS ALSO COMES DOWN TO -- THERE'S A SECOND STORY HERE, WHICH IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BACKLASH, A GROWING BACKLASH AGAINST THE PARTY LINE IN THE STATE AND THE PARTY LINE HAS REALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW, ALMOST GUARANTEED RE-ELECTION FOR SOMEONE.

WE SAW TWO YEARS AGO WHEN A REPUBLICAN DOWN IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE 8th, LOST THE PARTY -- AN ASSEMBLYMAN LOST THE PARTY LINE.

HE DIDN'T WIN THE PRIMARY.

SO, IT'S REALLY -- IT'S REALLY VERY STRONG, AND THERE ARE SOME COURT CASES PENDING, SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF THOSE GO ANYWHERE.

>> YEAH.

LET ME STAY WITH YOU HERE, COLLEEN.

EARLY VOTING BILL, IT SEEMS TO BE HEADED FOR THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE.

WHAT'S THE BASICS OF THIS, AND HOW IS THE STATE GOING TO SCREW IT UP?

>> WELL, THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF WAYS THAT THE STATE COULD SCREW IT UP.

YES, THE GOVERNOR IS -- WE HEAR THE GOVERNOR MAY SIGN IT NEXT WEEK.

THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD ALLOW EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND VOTE UP TO TEN DAYS BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION IN-PERSON, ON A MACHINE, AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE CALLING FOR THAT LAST YEAR WHEN WE -- EVERYBODY WAS PRETTY MUCH VOTING REMOTELY.

WHAT COUNTY CLERKS AND COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE SAID IS THAT GETTING THIS NEW EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS, WHICH ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T VOTE MORE THAN ONCE, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THESE TALK TO THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE IN, YOU KNOW, IN TURMOIL, MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS, YOU KNOW, UP TO DATE AND KNOWS HOW TO WORK THESE THINGS, AND THEN EDUCATING VOTERS.

DOING THAT ALL FOR THE ENTIRE STATE IN THE SPAN OF A FEW MONTHS IS GOING TO BE REALLY HARD.

>> WE HEARD LORETTA WEINBERG'S NAME BROUGHT UP.

SHE'S RETIRING.

BUT ALSO, HEADY ROSENSTEIN AND JEFF DIDDAL, THEY'RE LIKE THE HOLY TRINITY OF LEFTY POLITICS IN TRENTON AND THEY'RE ALL RETIRING.

IT LOOKS LIKE A CHANGING OF THE GUARD IN TRENTON.

CAN WE TELL YET WHO'S THE NEXT HEADY OR LORETTA OR TIDDLE, KATHERINE?

>> YEAH, SO, I KNOW THAT HEADY'S SUCCESSOR WAS ANNOUNCED, AT LEAST IN HER CAPACITY.

BUT IT IS A REALLY INTERESTING TIME RIGHT NOW IN TRENTON.

YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE MAJOR PLAYERS RETIRING.

IT'S LIKE WHAT'S TRENTON WITHOUT JEFF, WITHOUT LORETTA WEINBERG, WITHOUT H EDY?

THEY'RE OFTEN QUOTED IN MANY OF OUR ARTICLES SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW IT LOOKS GOING FORWARD.

I LIKED -- I THINK IT WAS DUSTIN'S TWEET EARLIER THIS WEEK, WHO AM I GOING TO QUOTE NOW?

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING REALLY -- I MEAN, IT'S OFTEN INTERESTING.

IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING, BUT IT'S ALSO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, A GOOD QUIP.

AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR US TO DO OUR JOBS, I THINK.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO LEADERSHIP CHANGES COMING IN THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL.

A LOT OF THOSE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE OPEN AS WELL.

LET ME, IN THE LAST COUPLE MINUTES I HAVE HERE, GET EACH OF YOU TO REFLECT ON THIS HISTORIC EVENT THIS WEEK.

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE.

I'LL START BY SAYING, HE HAD A LOT OF NOTES.

COLLEEN, YOUR IMPRESSION?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK HE DID FINE.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A HARD JOB TO BE PRESIDENT, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH HAVING NOTES, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS, HOPEFULLY HONESTLY RATHER THAN JUST RIFFING AND SAYING WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, COMES OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE HAD FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

>> YEAH, COULD BE DANGEROUS.

MIKE?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT I CAN SAY ABOUT IT IS IT SHOWS SUCH A CONTRAST COMPARED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO WHENEVER HE SPOKE TO THE MEDIA, THERE WAS A FLURRY OF TWEETS AFTERWARD, IT WAS HARD TO MISS WHAT HE SAID, AND I THINK THERE'S JUST SUCH A CONTRAST WITH THE CURRENT PRESIDENT, AND THAT'S PROBABLY, I MEAN, IT LOOKS TO BE BY DESIGN THAT THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENT WAS SO OUTSPOKEN AND SO OMNIPRESENT IN THE MEDIA AND IN EVERYONE'S LIVES, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT JUST SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN THAT DOWN A NOTCH OR TWO.

>> KATHERINE, FINAL THOUGHTS?

>> I'M GOING TO PUT MY MEDIA CRITIC HAT ON.

I THINK THE PRESS CORPS WAS CRITICIZED FOR ASKING HIM TWICE IF HE WAS GOING TO BE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION, AND APPARENTLY THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC I SAW, AND YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY FRUSTRATING FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN VIEWER, AND I THINK IT OPPONENPOINTS TO THE FT WE NEED TO HAVE A PRESS CORPS THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTRY THAT WE COVER.

>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD POINT.

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