[MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW".

I'M DAN CLARK.

IF YOU FOLLOW NEW YORK STATE POLITICS AT ALL YOU KNOW THAT ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

SO WHEN A NEW SLATE OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS JOINED THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR SOME TOOK THAT AS A SIGN OF WHERE DEMOCRATS WERE HEADED IN NEW YORK.

BUT THE SECRET IS THAT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS HERE ARE CLOSER TO THE MIDDLE THAN YOU'D THINK.

AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY LOUD VOICES IN THE PARTY TRY TO PUSH DEMOCRATS TO THE LEFT.

BUT AFTER TUESDAY THAT MIGHT CHANGE.

REPUBLICANS SWEPT SOME PRETTY KEY RACES ON ELECTION DAY.

ON LONG ISLAND THE DA'S RACE IN BOTH SUFFOLK AND NASSAU COUNTIES WENT TO REPUBLICANS.

THOSE OFFICES WERE HELD BY DEMOCRATS.

AND IN BUFFALO MAYOR BYRON BROWN A DEMOCRAT WHO WAS BACKED BY REPUBLICANS WON REELECTION THROUGH A WRITE IN CAMPAIGN AGAINST INDIA WALTON WHO BEAT HIM IN THE PRIMARY THIS YEAR.

SO REPUBLICANS ARE FEELING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW.

AND THEY SAY THAT MOMENTUM COULD CARRY INTO NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS.

STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR NICK LANGWORTHY.

>> AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO IN DEPTH MORE, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF VICTORIES TO POINT TO HERE.

BUT THIS WAS A VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE IN GETTING SETTING THE TABLE FOR WHAT WILL BE BIG VICTORIES IN A RESET FOR NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT NEXT YEAR.

>> SO LOTS TO TALK ABOUT.

LET'S GET INTO IT WITH KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO AND JOSH SOLOMON FROM THE TIMES UNION.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> SURE THING.

>> NO PROBLEM.

KAREN, I'D LOVE POLITICAL ANALYSIS FROM YOU WE SAW THE WINS ON ELECTION DAY.

REPUBLICANS DID WELL ON THE DA'S RACES ON LONG ISLAND AS JUST WE MENTIONED.

THE BUFFALO MAYOR'S RACE A DEMOCRAT WON BUT BACKED BY REPUBLICANS.

THEY GOT A LOT OF WHAT THEY WANTED.

>> I THINK IT'S A LOT OF SIGNALS FOR 2022 AND THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, SINCE IT'S ESSENTIALLY OPEN SEAT, EVEN THOUGH GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL WAS THERE, BEEN THERE ONLY TWO MONTHS BECAUSE OF ANDREW CUOMO RESIGNING, AND SIGNS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IN JUNE.

WILL BE A CROWDED FIELD, THAT MAYBE THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD NOT GO AS FAR TO THE LEFT AS THEY HAVE BEEN, BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME MODERATING FORCE HERE AS WE SAW ON LONG ISLAND, WHICH IS THE REGION THAT'S OFTEN BEEN THE SWING STATE IN THE STATE-WIDE ELECTIONS, GOING BACK TO THE REPUBLICANS AFTER MANY ELECTION CYCLES OF GOING BLUER AND BLUER I'D SAY THEY'RE AT LEAST PURPLE NOW.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING AS WELL.

YOU HAVE TWO COUNTIES ON LONG ISLAND, SUFFOLK AND NASSAU, BOTH WENT RED FOR THE DAs.

WONDERING IF THAT TRANSLATES, FOR ONE, TO THE STATE SENATE.

WILL WE SEE DEMOCRATS LOSE THEIR SEATS IN THE STATE SENATE BECAUSE THOSE REPUBLICAN AREAS ARE NOW MORE WILLING TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS?

>> I THINK SO, I THINK THE GOP HAS BEEN WEAPONIZING ISSUES LIKE BAIL REFORM, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A CRIME SPIKE AND PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE GOOD AT LINKING THAT TO BAIL REFORM, WHICH HASN'T NECESSARILY BEEN PROVEN.

BUT IT'S A NARRATIVE THAT'S WORKING AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT COUNTERACTED IT.

THEY'RE LIKE, NO, EVERYTHING'S FINE; THE CRIME'S CAUSED BY SOMETHING ELSE BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CAUSED BY.

THAT DOESN'T WORK AS WELL.

I WONDER, COULD THE REPUBLICANS START MAKING INROADS INTO THE STATE SENATE.

I THINK THEY'RE ENCOURAGED THEY COULD EVEN WIN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IF IT'S A MESSY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

WEDNESDAY MORNING THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT.

BECAUSE I HAD NOT THOUGHT THAT AFTER THE TRUMP ERA.

I THOUGHT PEOPLE IN THIS STATE DON'T LIKE TRUMP, THEY'LL NEVER VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN FOR GOVERNOR BUT THIS ELECTION MADE US REALIZE THAT TRUMP'S GONE.

>> I THINK THAT IN NEW YORK AT LEAST DONALD TRUMP IS A THING OF THE PAST.

IN MOST SITUATIONS I THINK.

HE'S STILL GOING TO BE THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT.

JOSH, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS FOR NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS ESPECIALLY I'M THINKING IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE WHERE IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS A NEW SLATE OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS AS WE MENTIONED WON ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATURE.

.

AND I THINK AT THE TIME PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE AN INDICATION OF WHERE THINGS WERE HEADED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK AFTER TUESDAY?

>> I THINK REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN NICK LANGWORTHY WAS TALKING A LOT ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES AND LINKING THE LOCAL TO THE NATIONAL, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING.

NOT JUST THE STATE BAIL REFORM LAWS.

OBVIOUSLY VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY WE'RE SEEING JERSEY PURPLE, VIRGINIA GOING RED.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE BAIL REFORM LAWS.

AND I THINK YOU SAW ESPECIALLY ON THE TV ATTACK AS FROM THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY YOU HAD ISSUES LINKED TO NATIONAL.

A LOT HAS TO DO WITH WHERE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND CONGRESS END UP BEING, HOW FAVORABLE ARE THEY COME 2022 AND THAT WILL LIKELY REFLECT PRETTY HIGHLY ON THOSE DOWN BALLOT RACES NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE MAY KNOW ABOUT THOSE RACES, LOCAL VOTERS MAY KNOW A LITTLE LESS.

>> RIGHT.

AND RIGHT NOW PRESIDENT BIDEN ISN'T DOING THAT WELL.

TERRIBLE MESSY PULL-OUT OF AFGHANISTAN AND THE DEMOCRATS JUST BICKERING AND BICKERING.

THEY HAVEN'T DELIVERED ANYTHING.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR.

SO I THINK THAT SUPPRESSES THE VOTES OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

LAST YEAR THEY WERE SUPER MOTIVATED; WE HAVE TO GET RID OF TRUMP, AND EVERYBODY WAS VOTING EARLY.

NOW THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, IT'S A LOCAL ELECTION, I'M NOT ALL THAT FIRED UP.

AND THAT COULD TRANSLATE TO NEXT YEAR, THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY RACES, BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS, THEY'RE STILL MAD.

AND A LOT OF THEM STILL THINK THE ELECTIONS WERE STOLEN EVEN, THOUGH, OF COURSE THERE'S NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEY'RE JUST GENERALLY ANGRIER AND THAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING, I THINK, GETS YOU TO THE POLLS.

>> I THINK VOTERS ALL THEY SEE IN HEADLINES, TO YOUR POINT, KAREN, RIGHT NOW IS INFRASTRUCTURE BILL BLOCKED BY THIS DEMOCRAT IN THE U. S. SENATE.

SO THEY'RE SEEING ALL THESE HEADLINES OF DEMOCRATS MAYBE WANT TO DO THESE THINGS BUT IT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING.

AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WOULD AFFECT DOWN BALLOT RACES AS JOSH SAID AS WELL.

IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, I WANTED TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS FANTASTIC PRESS CONFERENCE FROM TOM SUOZZI ON THURSDAY, CONGRESSMAN TOM SUOZZI, WHO IS CONSIDERING A RUN FOR GOVERNOR HIMSELF.

AND I THINK HE CAME OUT AS THE STRONGEST, AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN, AGAINST WHAT HE CALLS THE FAR LEFT OF THE PARTY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INDIA WALTONS AND AOCs, THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE.

DO YOU THINK HE COULD BE MORE VIABLE BASED ON THAT TUESDAY?

>> YES, I ABSOLUTELY DO.

I THINK HE DOES TOO.

THAT'S WHY HE CALLED THE ZOOM PRESS CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY.

AND I WAS SCROLLING, LOOKING AT THE REPORTERS, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, A LOT OF THE REPORTERS DIDN'T PEPPER HIM WITH QUESTIONS.

I WAS THERE, WE ARE ALL THERE, LISTEN, WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO SAY, IS HE VIABLE?

SORT OF LIKE SEEING WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE IS THESE DAYS.

I COVERED HIM WHEN HE RAN AN UNSUCCESSFUL RACE AGAINST ELLIOTT SPITZER.

HE'S BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

BUT HE MADE THE CASE THAT PEOPLE WANT MODERATE DEMOCRATS.

AND HE'S FROM LONG ISLAND.

HE'S KEPT HIS SEAT IN LONG ISLAND IN CONGRESS.

SO I THINK THAT HE'S THINKING, HEY, WELL, MAYBE THERE'S A WINDOW IF THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS ALL SPLIT AMONG MORE LEFTIST CANDIDATES THEN MAYBE I COULD GET IN.

>> IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

JOSH, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO MEAN IF DEMOCRATS REALLY CROWD THIS PRIMARY?

WE HAVE THE GOVERNOR.

WE HAVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

WE MAY HAVE THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR.

WE PROBABLY HAVE THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC ADVOCATE AND NOW MAYBE TOM SUOZZI.

NOW, FOR ONE, FINANCIALLY, THAT'S SPLITTING A LOT OF RESOURCES, BUT FOR TWO IT'S SPLITTING IDEOLOGIES IN THE PARTY.

I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S GOING TO TRANSLATE TO THE GENERAL.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE SAW ON TUESDAY WAS THE GENERAL ELECTION AND WHAT WE SAW IN BUFFALO IN THE PRIMARY WAS AN IMPRESSIVE WIN AND ULTIMATELY THE GOVERNORS ARE, THE DEMOCRATIC RACE FOR GOVERNOR IS THE PRIMARY.

THOSE VOTERS MAY STILL SKEW MORE TO THE LEFT THAN A LONG ISLAND CONGRESSMAN.

SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER AS WELL.

ALSO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS WAS A WAKE-UP CALL, A WAKE-UP CALL TO DEMOCRATS.

THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT TO PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS SAYING WE NEED TO BE BOLDER.

WE'LL SEE IN TERMS OF THAT CROWDED RACE OF WHO CAN DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES, WHETHER NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC ADVOCATE WANTS, JUMAANE WILLIAMS WANTS TO DISTINGUISH HIMSELF TO THE LEFT AND WHETHER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TISH JAMESON AND GOVERNOR HOCHUL SAY HOW AM I GOING TO JOCKEY WITH THE OTHER.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

ARE THEY GOING TO GET NASTY?

THAT'S WHAT I WONDER.

HOW DO THEY KEEP IT NICE LIKE WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, PORTRAYING THE OTHER ONE NEGATIVELY BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY WHAT WINS.

>> I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO GET MESSY.

AND IT WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH POLITICALLY TO SEE IF THE STATE ITSELF IS SHIFTING MORE TO THE RIGHT.

LEAVE IT THERE, JOSH SOLOMON FROM THE TIMES UNION AND KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS WE'VE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE STATE'S REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

AS YOU MIGHT KNOW THE STATE IS DRAWING NEW DISTRICT LINES FOR CONGRESS AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW AFTER LAST YEAR'S CENSUS RESULTS.

AND IT'S A DELICATE PROCESS.

THERE'S THIS PANEL THE INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION THAT'S DRAWING THESE NEW LINES.

AND ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO THEY RELEASED THEIR FIRST SET OF PROPOSED MAPS.

NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON A FINAL VERSION BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY AND IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE.

I SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH DAVID IMAMURA WHO CHAIRS THE COMMISSION FOR AN UPDATE.

[MUSIC] DAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT >> THANKS SO MUCH.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> OF COURSE.

WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

YOU'VE RELEASED TWO SETS OF MAPS FOR PUBLIC INPUT.

CAN YOU JUST REMIND US WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS, WHAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR, WHERE WE ARE, AND WHAT'S AHEAD FOR YOU?

>> RIGHT, DAN.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT I WANT TO JUST START BY SAYING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN COMPRESSED FROM A ONE-YEAR PROCESS INTO THREE MONTHS BECAUSE OF COVID THE CENSUS RESULTS CAME OUT SUBSTANTIALLY LATER THAN ANYONE EVER WOULD HAVE FORESEEN.

SO THE CENSUS RESULTS CAME OUT IN AUGUST.

WE PUT OUT AN INITIAL SETS OF LINES IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THEN WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC AND WE SAID WE HAVE THESE TWO SETS OF MAPS.

WE WANT YOUR HELP IN TERMS OF DETERMINING HOW TO DRAW THESE LINES BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THESE AREN'T OUR LINES, THEY'RE YOUR LINES.

WE NEED YOUR HELP AS AVERAGE NEW YORKERS TO DETERMINE HOW TO BEST DRAW THESE DISTRICTS.

AND SO AFTER THAT, GOING OUT OF THAT, WE WILL BE -- WE WILL TAKE THE PUBLIC'S INPUT INTO ACCOUNT IN DECEMBER AND THEN SUBMIT OUR LINES TO THE LEGISLATURE IN JANUARY BECAUSE OF THE OUTCOME OF THE REFERENDUM, THE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU DO THIS?

WHEN WE SEE THESE DISTRICTS EVERY 10 YEARS AND THEY'RE DRAWN IN WAYS SOME PEOPLE LIKE AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE, WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR YOU WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY, DECIDING AT THE VERY EDGE OF THESE DISTRICTS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE OUT, CARVE A TOWN IN, WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

WHAT IS THE PROCESS WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AT THAT TABLE?

>> IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT, DAN, BECAUSE WE ARE WEIGHING LITERALLY DOZENS OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.

WE'RE WEIGHING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.

WE'RE WEIGHING GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES.

WE'RE WEIGHING WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE IN TERMS OF POPULATION.

AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO COME TOGETHER AND DRAW DISTRICTS THAT REALLY REFLECT COMMUNITY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT DRIVES THE MAPS IS THE MAT, IS THE POPULATION, THE RESULTS OF THE CENSUS.

SO I COULD HAVE THE STRONGEST OPINIONS ABOUT A CERTAIN COMMUNITY HOW THEY HAVE TO BE TOGETHER BUT IF THE CONSENSUS RESULTS COARSE DISTRICTS TO BE SEPARATE, FORCE COMMUNITIES TO BE SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED PROCESS.

AND I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SAY IT'S AN ART, NOT A SCIENCE.

I WISH THAT WE COULD PUT THE REDISTRICTING INTO A MACHINE AND OUT WOULD COME PERFECT DISTRICTS, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS.

IT'S A HUMAN -- THERE'S A HUMAN FACTOR TO IT.

THERE'S DRAWING DISTRICTS THAT REFLECT COMMUNITIES, THAT REFLECT PEOPLE.

SO IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

BUT I THINK THAT ALL TEN OF US ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.

>> WE ARE LOSING A SEAT IN CONGRESS THIS YEAR DURING THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

FOR THOSE THAT ARE CURIOUS, DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT SEAT IS BEING LOST IN TERMS OF AREA OF THE STATE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH?

I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHAT DOES IT DEPEND ON?

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT DISTRICT OUT AND CARVE SOMETHING NEW?

>> SO, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, DAN, OF WHERE THE MATH DRIVES THIS.

AND IT REALLY -- THE RESULT IS THAT UPSTATE IS WHERE THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WILL BE LOST.

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE POPULATION WAS DISTRIBUTED IN THE CENSUS, THE SEAT THAT HAS TO BE REDISTRIBUTED IS MOST LIKELY UPSTATE.

AND BOTH THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PLANS HAVE THAT SEAT BEING.

.. >> WE DID SEE WITH THE FIRST SET OF MAPS THAT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE HEARINGS THERE WERE ACTUALLY TWO SETS OF THE MAPS BECAUSE BOTH SIDES OF THE COMMISSION COULDN'T AGREE ON ONE SET.

AND FOR SOME THAT WAS AN INDICATION THAT THINGS MAY NOT BE GOING WELL INTERNALLY.

SO WHAT'S THE ROAD TO GETTING TO THAT ONE SET OF MAPS WHEN YOU SUBMIT THEM TO THE LEGISLATURE OR WHEN YOU RELEASE THEM PUBLICLY IN JANUARY, RATHER?

>> WELL, I DISPUTE THE NARRATIVE THAT THE FACT THAT WE PUT OUT TWO SETS OF MAPS IS OUT OF DYSFUNCTION.

THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO REDISTRICTING COMMISSION PUT OUT 11 SETS OF MAPS AND STATE OF COLORADO PUT OUT FIVE SETS OF MAPS.

THAT'S HOW AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION WORKS.

RATHER THAN US DRAWING THE MAPS IN A SMOKE FILLED ZOOM AND THEN PRESENTING THEM TO THE PUBLIC, WE'RE GIVING THE PUBLIC DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND WE'RE SAYING TELL US WHICH MAPS REFLECT BEST YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY BOTH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE THAT THE REPUBLICAN MAP IS BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW.

AND THAT WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE DRAWING THE MAPS.

SO I WOULD DISPUTE THAT AS EVIDENCE OF DYSFUNCTION.

>> SO TUESDAY WAS ELECTION DAY.

AND ON THE BALLOT WE DID HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE STATE'S REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND IT DIDN'T PASS.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAD A POSITION ON THAT.

ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED THAT VOTERS REJECTED IT OR DID IT NOT MATTER SO MUCH TO YOU?

>> SO I WAS A VERY PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE AMENDMENT.

I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT IT DIDN'T PASS.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE STILL JUGGING ALONG.

IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF THE AMENDMENT IN MY PERSPECTIVE WAS CHANGING THE DEADLINES THAT THE COMMISSION HAD TO WORK WITH.

WHEN THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2014, PRIMARIES WERE IN SEPTEMBER.

AND THEN THEY GOT MOVED BACK TO JUNE.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DEADLINES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED FOR THE COMMISSION DO NOT REFLECT THAT THE DEADLINES ARE, THE PRIMARY IS IN JUNE.

SO WE HAVE DEADLINES GOING INTO FEBRUARY THAT NO LONGER MAKE SENSE BECAUSE IF WE ACTUALLY FINISH IN TIME FOR FEBRUARY THEN BOARDS OF ELECTIONS WILL BE UNABLE TO CHANGE THE MAPS IN TIME.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW ONE.

CANDIDATES ARE LITERALLY STARTING TO ANNOUNCE THEIR CANDIDACIES NOW, BUT THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT DISTRICTS THEY ARE RUNNING IN.

NOW THAT THE AMENDMENT FAILED TO PASS, I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD GIVE OUR STAFF MEMBERS MAYBE A DAY OR TWO AROUND NEW YEAR'S TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF.

BUT THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION IS GRAPPLING WITH RIGHT NOW.

BUT, YEAH, THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

>> SOME DAYS OFF, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH A CONDENSED TIMEFRAME FROM WHAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> YES.

>> I GUESS WE'LL BE WATCHING IN JANUARY TO SEE WHEN THEY'RE RELEASED.

>> YES.

>> REALLY EXCITING TIME FOR NEW YORK.

DAVID IMAMURA THE CHAIR OF THE INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, DAN.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> SO STAY TUNED ON THAT.

AND WE WILL LINK TO THE FULL SET OF MAPS ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NY NOWDOTWMHT.

ORG.

IN THE MEANTIME AN UPDATE ON THE STATE'S PLANS TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE.

DARRELL CAMP IS HERE WITH MORE.

DARRELL.

>> THANKS DAN.

SO 2020 WAS A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR NEW YORKERS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.

THE RISE OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC PRECIPITATED HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, MANY OF THE STATE'S MAJOR CITIES SAW A RISE IN VIOLENT CRIME THAT PROMPTED FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO TO DECLARE A GUN VIOLENCE EMERGENCY IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.

THAT EMERGENCY EXPEDITED FUNDS FOR VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS LIKE“GIV”, THE GUN INVOLVED VIOLENCE ELIMINATION INITIATIVE.

AND UNDER“GIV” IS THE SNUG OUTREACH PROGRAM, THAT'S NOT AN ACRONYM.

IT'S ACTUALLY GUNS SPELLED BACKWARDS.

SNUG HELD THEIR BIANNUAL CONFERENCE AND TRAINING IN ALBANY THIS WEEK.

I SPOKE WITH DAMON BACOTE, THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF YOUTH JUSTICE WITH THE STATE'S DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES.

HE SAYS THAT SNUG'S APPROACH IS A UNIQUE ONE, MEANT NOT TO REPLACE, BUT TO SUPPLEMENT THE EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH CREDIBLE MESSENGERS.

>> AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO HAVE LIVED SOME OF THE SAME LIFESTYLES THAT SOME OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

SO THEY KNOW THEM.

THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE, IF THEY DON'T KNOW THEM, THEY KNOW THEIR UNCLES, THEIR FATHERS, THEIR MOTHERS, AND YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW WHAT SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE UP TO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY USED TO BE UP TO.

SO THEY CAN IDENTIFY THE YOUNG PEOPLE, TALK TO THEM, AND WORK WITH THEM, AND HOPEFULLY SHOW THEM DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.

>> HE SAYS ALL OF THE REASONS FOR INCREASES IN GUN VIOLENCE AREN'T CLEAR, BUT ONE OF THEM, WAS CERTAINLY THE PANDEMIC.

>> WHEN NEW YORK WENT ON PAUSE, THAT MEANS WE WENT ON PAUSE, THAT MEANS THAT THERE WERE NOT HOSPITAL VISITS, YOU KNOW WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THROUGH USING FACETIME AND PHONE CALLS, WHERE BEFORE WE WERE SEEING THEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ON THE STREET, WHERE THEY WERE, SO ALL OF THAT WENT ON PAUSE TOO.

SO THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE IN PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> BACOTE SAYS OVERALL THINGS SEEM BETTER THIS YEAR AND ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, DARRELL.

MOVING ON NOW TO THE ENVIRONMENT NEW YORK'S CRYPTOCURRENCY INDUSTRY IS GROWING AND FAST.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT CRYPTO IS, IT'S BASICALLY VIRTUAL MONEY AND SOMETIMES IT CAN BE WORTH A LOT.

YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BUY IT.

THERE'S THIS THING CALLED MINING WHERE SOMEONE CAN WIN CRYPTOCURRENCY ON THE INTERNET.

BUT THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ENERGY.

SO ONE FACILITY NEAR ITHACA ACTUALLY BOUGHT AN OLD POWER PLANT TO POWER THEIR CRYPTOMINING OPERATIONS OFF THE GRID.

BUT LOCALS SAY THAT'S DOING SOME REAL DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND THE STATE NOW HAS TO DECIDE IF THE FACILITY CALLED GREENIDGE SHOULD HAVE ITS PERMIT RENEWED OR SHUT DOWN.

AND THAT COULD SET A MAJOR PRECEDENT FOR OTHER CRYPTO FACILITIES IN NEW YORK.

FOR MORE ON THAT I SPOKE WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER ANNA KELLES A DEMOCRAT WHO REPRESENTS THE AREA.

[MUSIC] >> ASSEMBLY MEMBER ANNA KELLES.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FACILITY IN THE FINGER LAKES.

IT'S OWNED BY GREENIDGE AND IT DOES CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING.

WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, SO WE CAN GET INTO THAT.

BUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT'S CAUSING SOME POLLUTION IN THE AREA AND I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

I GET THE ISSUE, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS CAUSING THIS CARBON IMPACT IN YOUR AREA?

>> YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO STEP BACK AND EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING.

>> PLEASE.

>> SO WE HAVE FIAT CURRENCIES, BANK, GOVERNMENT CURRENCIES, EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.

SO IF YOU GO TO AN ATM AND YOU PUT YOUR CARD IN, WHAT HAPPENS?

IT ASKS YOU FOR A PIN.

SO IT VALIDATES THAT YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE BEFORE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO ANY TRANSACTION.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S A FIAT CURRENCY OR GOVERNMENT CURRENCY.

SO A CRYPTOCURRENCY USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS INSTANTANEOUS BUT DECENTRALIZED, WHICH MEANS THAT NO ONE ENTITY CONTROLS IT LIKE A GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE TO VALIDATE THE TRANSACTIONS.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT METHODS TO VALIDATE A TRANSACTION.

AND THERE'S ONE TYPE THAT'S CALLED PROOF OF WORK.

THERE'S ABOUT 16 DIFFERENT TYPES.

THERE'S ONE TYPE CALLED PROOF OF WORK.

AND THAT IS A SYSTEM WHERE, FOR EACH TRANSACTION, THERE'S A COMPLICATED MATHEMATICAL EQUATION THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THAT TRANSACTION.

THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S COMPETITIVE.

THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT THE MATHEMATICAL EQUATION IS BASICALLY A SERIES OF NUMBERS ZERO FROM INFINITY EACH ONE OF THEM, I'M SIMPLIFYING, BUT THERE IS NO SOFTWARE THAT CAN BE DESIGNED THAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAVE A GREATER CHANCE BECAUSE IT'S MORE EFFICIENT OF SOLVING THE MATHEMATICAL EQUATION THAN I WOULD, WHICH MEANS THAT BRUTE FORCE IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SOLVE IT.

WHICH MEANS THAT THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD HAVE AN EDGE OVER ME IS IF YOU HAVE MORE COMPUTERS.

A LARGER AMOUNT OF COMPUTER PROCESSORS THAT RUN AT THE HIGHEST SPEED 24/7, THE MORE BITCOIN YOU WILL WIN.

SO THERE'S TWO WAYS TO GET BITCOIN.

YOU CAN EITHER BUY AND SELL IT ON A DIGITAL EXCHANGE.

OR YOU CAN TRY AND WIN IT.

AND IN THIS CASE IT'S COMPETITIVE.

IT USES THE PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF ENERGY BECAUSE OF THE CONSOLIDATION OF COMPUTERS.

>> IT'S JUST SO COMPLICATED.

IT'S SO WEIRD TO ME THAT WE CAN BASICALLY LIKE CREATE MONEY BY DOING MATH.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE COMPUTER.

SO YOU HAVE THESE COMPUTERS POWERING 24/7 TRYING TO EARN THIS BITCOIN OR WIN THIS BITCOIN.

SO THE POLLUTION COMES FROM THAT ENERGY USE, I ASSUME?

>> RIGHT.

SO IT COMES FROM MULTIPLE THINGS, BUT PRIMARILY THE ENERGY USED.

SO IF YOU HAVE 30,000 COMPUTERS, WHICH BY DECEMBER 31ST, GREENIDGE WILL HAVE 30,000 COMPUTERS.

YOU HAVE THEM RUNNING 24/7, ANYONE WHO HAS HAD A LAPTOP ON THEIR LAP FOR TWO LONG NOTICE THAT THEIR LAP IS KIND OF WARM, VERY WARM.

SO IT'S THE HEAT AND ALSO THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE COSTS TO EARN BITCOIN, MAXIMIZE PROFITS.

GREENIDGE BOUGHT THEIR OWN POWER PLANT.

THEY MAKE THEIR OWN ENERGY.

THEY USE IT IN HOUSE BEHIND THE METER.

THEY USE THE WATER FOR FREE TO COOL THE ENTIRE POWER PLANT SYSTEM OF MAKING THE ENERGY.

>> WATER FROM SENECA LAKE?

>> RIGHT.

SO THEY PULL IN FROM THE LAKE ABOUT 130 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.

ITS IMPACT IS OBVIOUSLY ON THE WATER.

OBVIOUSLY THE WILDLIFE.

AND THE GHG EMISSIONS, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE MAXIMIZED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW GOING TO BE MAXIMIZING THE USE OF THEIR AIR PERMIT.

NOW THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER TO USING THAT MAXIMUM.

SO THE AIR, THE IMPACT ON AIR, GHG EMISSIONS AND THE WATER IMPACT ARE SIGNIFICANT.

>> SO IF CRYPTOCURRENCY IS HERE TO STAY, THEN HOW DO WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT DESTROYING THE PLANET?

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION.

SO I HAVE TWO BILLS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ACTIVE AND WILL BE SORT OF REENGAGED WITH THEM IN JANUARY WHEN THE SESSION OPENS.

ONE OF THEM, ASSEMBLY 389, IS A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE A THREE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING, PROOF OF WORK MINING, IN POWER PLANTS THAT USE ANY FORM OF FOSSIL FUELS.

SOME OR ALL FOSSIL FUELS.

AND ALSO WOULD REQUIRE THE DEC, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, IN NEW YORK STATE TO DO A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT, EVALUATING THE IMPACT ON AIR, WATER AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CLIMATE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY A LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN 2019.

SO WHAT I WANT THEM TO DO IS EVALUATE THAT AND SAY, CAN WE GET TO NET ZERO THAT WE ARE BY LAW REQUIRED TO DO BY 2050.

IF WE'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY ALLOWING UNREGULATED AND UNFETTERED INCREASE IN CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING IN THE STATE, SIMULTANEOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO GET ON TO FULLY RENEWABLE.

AND THERE'S ONE OTHER BILL WHICH IS 7768, AND THAT ONE WOULD REQUIRE THAT ALL OF THE RETIRED POWER PLANTS RELINQUISH THEIR AIR PERMITS.

SO WE HAVE A SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE ABOUT 30 RETIRED POWER PLANTS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T COMPETE ANY MORE ON THE MARKET, WHICH THEY'RE THE MOST INEFFICIENT.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE AT RISK OF BEING PURCHASED.

RIGHT NOW THERE ARE TWO.

GREENIDGE IS ONE.

THE NORTH TONAWANDA FACILITY IS ANOTHER ONE THAT'S STARTING.

THEY BASICALLY REOPENED THE OLD PERMITS THAT THEY HAD WHEN THEY WERE FIRED FOR ENERGY CONSUMPTION OR ENERGY CREATION FOR THE GRID.

SO IF THIS LAW PASSES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RELINQUISH THOSE AND APPLY FROM SCRATCH UNDER THE MORE RIGOROUS ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

SO BOTH OF THOSE COULD SIGNIFICANTLY HELP ADDRESS AND HOPEFULLY PREVENT AN EXCESS USE OF GREENHOUSE OR CREATION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AS A RESULT OF THIS TYPE OF OPERATION IN OUR STATE.

>> IT'S SUCH A COMPLICATED SITUATION.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT DO YOU KNOW THE ROAD.

ASSEMBLY MEMBER ANNA KELLES.

THANKS SO MUCH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR COVERING THE TOPIC.

>> AND IN A STATEMENT GREENIDGE DEFENDED THE FACILITY SAYING QUOTE, THIS IS NEW YORK; WE HAVE INCREDIBLY TIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.

EVERY ECOLOGICAL IMPACT IS CAREFULLY TRACKED, MEASURED, AND PUBLICLY CATALOGE YET OUR CRITICS CANNOT POINT TO A SINGLE PIECE OF DATA TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS OF DAMAGE TO THE REGION.

THEY'VE ALSO PURCHASED ENOUGH CARBON OFFSETS THAT IT'S NOW CARBON NEUTRAL WITH PLANS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE'LL KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT.

BUT WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR THE WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S NEW YORK NOW HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.