1 [ THEME MUSIC ] >> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS OUT WITH A NEW WARNING ON COVID-19.

WE'LL DISCUSS.

THEN CONGRESSMAN TOM SUOZZI ON HIS RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

LATER, WAYS TO STOP THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS.

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

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

I'M DAN CLARK.

A ROUGH RIDE AHEAD.

THAT'S HOW GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL DESCRIBED THE DIRECTION OF COVID-19 IN NEW YORK HEADING INTO THE WINTER MONTHS.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE OMICRON VARIANT.

WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE NUMBER OF DAILY POSITIVE CASES OF THE VIRUS DOUBLE IN THE LAST MONTH AND STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAID THIS WEEK THAT IF WE FOLLOW THE SAME TREND AS OTHER COUNTRIES, WE COULD HAVE A MAJOR SPIKE IN CASES AND SOON.

THAT'S, OF COURSE, NOT SET IN STONE BUT HOCHUL SAID THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THINGS TO GET WORSE.

>> NOT SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN ABOUT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T WARNED ABOUT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T PREPARED FOR.

HOWEVER, IT IS UPON US.

THAT WINTER SURGE IS IN FULL FORCE AND I BELIEVE IT'S 2 GOING TO GET EVEN STRONGER AND MORE VIRULENT AND WE ARE IN FOR A ROUGH RIDE THIS WINTER SEASON.

>> HOCHUL'S NEW MASK MANDATE STARTED THIS WEEK BUT THERE COULD BE MORE TO COME.

BERNADETTE HOGAN FROM THE "NEW YORK POST" IS HERE WITH MORE.

BERN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

SO THIS IS A REALLY UNIQUE SITUATION.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A MASK MANDATE IN NEW YORK SINCE JUNE I THINK WAS WHEN WE STOPPED PIT IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE HAVEN'T HAD MASKS REQUIRED.

THE CDC RECOMMENDED THEM TO BE WORN BUT NOT EVERYBODY WAS WEARING THEM.

SO NOW WE HAVE-- THE GOVERNOR CALLS THEM OUTLIER COUNTIES BUT AS YOU AND I WERE TALKING BEFORE WE GOT ON AIR THEY'RE NOT SO MUCH OUTLIERS.

SO WHAT IS THE PUSHBACK RIGHT NOW?

>> RIGHT.

SO GOVERNOR HOCHUL MADE THIS MASK MANDATE EFFECTIVE ON MONDAY FOR ALL BUSINESSES, ALL EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS GOING INTO THE STORE.

THIS APPLIES TO EVERYBODY, THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

AGAIN, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS A CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS SINCE THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC REALLY.

IT BECAME-- IT WAS A NEW THING AND THEN IT BECAME THE NORM.

IT WENT AWAY AND NOW IT'S BACK.

SO THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY WAS SAYING THERE ARE OUTLIER COUNTIES THAT 3 ARE REFUSING TO ENFORCE THIS RULE.

HOWEVER, WHEN SHE SAYS OUTLIER, SHE'S TALKING ABOUT OVER 30 COUNTIES.

THERE'S 62 COUNTIES IN THE STATE.

FIVE OF THEM BEING IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF THE STATE ARE.

AND MASK COMPLIANCE DOWN THERE IS VERY PRETTY G THOUGH HAVE STRICTER VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER BARS AND RESTAURANTS.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE UPSTATE COUNTIES, SO THE 50 SOMETHING-- I'M NOT GOOD AT MATH, 57... >> 57, YEAH.

>> I'M LIKE, OH, NO, I HAVE TO DO MATH ON AIR!

[LAUGHTER] >> BUT I GUESS 55 MINUS LONG ISLAND.

>> RIGHT.

MINUS LONG ISLAND, EXCEPT LONG ISLAND, TWO DEMOCRATIC COUNTY EXECUTIVES ARE SAYING THEY WON'T BE ACTIVELY ENFORCING THIS MANDATE, BUT THEY WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WEAR IT, BUT THE REASON BEHIND THIS IS BECAUSE COUNTIES ARE ALREADY OVEREXTENDED.

THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON VACCINATIONS, GETTING PEOPLE THEIR BOOSTER SHOTS, TESTING, AND WITH THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES, THEIR ARGUMENTS AND OF COURSE, COUNTY EXECUTIVES, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATIC SOURCES AND EXECUTIVES NOW, OF COURSE, LONG ISLAND, ARE SAYING WE ARE STRAPPED TOO 4 THIN AND ALSO THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TOLD THEM, DON'T ENFORCE-- DON'T ENFORCE THIS.

THEY SAID DIRECT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ESSENTIALLY IF YOU CAN.

THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES AND THEN ALSO WITH THE LOCAL-- WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WHO MET WITH THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK.

SO ANOTHER THING IS, TOO, THIS IS A GUIDANCE.

THIS IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE FORMER GOVERNOR WAS ISSUING THOSE EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITH FORCE OF LAW UNDER PENALTY, BUT HOCHUL'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A GUIDANCE THAT ESSENTIALLY IT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO FOLLOW.

>> YEAH.

IT'S A WEIRD BALANCE BETWEEN-- SO SHE NEVER WANTED TO BE THAT GOVERNOR THAT RULES FROM THE TOP.

RULE BEING A WORD THAT I WOULD NOT LIKE TO USE IN GOVERNMENT.

BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON THAT WAS THE OVERARCHING POWER.

SHE REALLY WANTED TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE COUNTIES AND IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING BECAUSE THE COUNTIES CAME BACK AND SAID, WE REALLY NEED THE STATE TO COME UP WITH A BIGGER PLAN AND THE STATE CAME UP WITH A SEMI-PLAN AND THE COUNTIES WERE LIKE, OH, WE DON'T LIKE THAT PLAN THAT YOU CAME UP WITH.

MOVING FORWARD, ON THURSDAY, SHE REALLY PAINTED A PICTURE IF WE FOLLOW THE 5 TRENDS OF OTHER COUNTRIES, THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BAD HERE.

DO WE KNOW WHAT COULD BE MORE TO COME?

>> THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY, THE SPREAD OF OMICRON.

I THINK YESTERDAY JUST LOOKING AT NEW YORK CITY, THE OMICRON CASES ACCOUNT FOR SOMETHING LIKE 13% OF CASES DOWN THERE, WHICH IS PRETTY CRAZY BECAUSE ONLY AROUND THANKSGIVING THERE WERE-- THERE WERE-- WHAT?

TEN COUNTIES, NOT TEN COUNTIES, TEN CASES, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT.

BUT NOW BECAUSE THE VARIANT, AS WE SAW WITH DELTA, IS RAPIDLY SPREADING.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT RATE OF TRANSMISSION, RIGHT?

AND THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER WAS SHOWING US HOW IT'S JUST SO MUCH FASTER WITH THIS OMICRON VARIANT, LOOKING AT MODELS FROM, I BELIEVE, IT WAS CORNELL AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE SAW MODELS IN NORWAY AND-- >> AND DENMARK >> AND DENMARK BUT ANOTHER THING, TOO, WE DID HAVE A SPIKE LAST YEAR WITH THE CORONAVIRUS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON BETWEEN THANKSGIVING AND NEW YEAR'S AND PEOPLE ARE INDOORS.

IT'S COLDER, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE CASES RISE.

RIGHT?

WE SAW THE POSITIVE CITY IN NEW YORK CITY DOUBLE WITHIN THREE DAYS.

THAT WAS A BIG DEAL THAT EVERYONE-- MAYOR BILL de BLASIO WAS TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY.

WHAT ELSE COULD 6 COME?

THE CITY, OF COURSE, DOES HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU SHOW A VACCINE CARD COME DECEMBER 27th WHEN YOU ENTER BUSINESSES WHEN YOU'RE WORKING THERE.

THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE THAT.

SO DEPENDING ON HOW BAD THIS GETS, WILL THE MASK MANDATE TURN INTO-- OF COURSE, IT'S MASK OR HAVE A VACCINATION REQUIREMENT, WILL THIS TURN INTO A FULL VACCINATION REQUIREMENT?

SEEMS UNLIKELY BUT HOCHUL HAS OTHER OPTIONS, TOO.

YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE STATE WORKFORCE.

WHAT WILL SHE DO WITH THE STATE WORKFORCE?

WILL THERE BECOME A VACCINATION REQUIREMENT THERE INSTEAD OF THE MASK OPTION?

SO, AGAIN, IT'S ONLY MID-DECEMBER, BUT WE'VE GOT-- WE'VE GOT THE FULL WINTER MONTHS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE INDOORS.

SO HOW BAD WILL THE VIRUS GET?

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT REALLY SCARY STUFF.

NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE, BERNADETTE HOGAN FROM THE "NEW YORK POST".

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS.

>> THANKS.

>> SO NOT EVERYONE'S HAPPY WITH HOW THE STATE'S HANDLING COVID.

SOME WANT FEWER RESTRICTIONS BUT OTHERS WANT A LARGER, MORE DETAILED PLAN FOR THE WINTER.

THAT INCLUDES CONGRESSMAN TOM SUOZZI, A DEMOCRAT WHO IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, WITH NEW YORK A.G. TISH JAMES DROPPING OUT OF 7 THE RACE LAST WEEK, SUOZZI HAS A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP SUPPORT, AND HE'S TRYING TO DO THAT BY SELLING HIMSELF AS A QUOTE, COMMON SENSE DEMOCRAT.

SAYING HE CAN BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT.

BUT AS WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK, MOST VOTERS DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS, AND THAT COULD BE A MAJOR CHALLENGE MOVING FORWARD.

IN A CAMPAIGN LIKE THIS, NAME RECOGNITION IS EVERYTHING ESPECIALLY WHEN THE RACE ALREADY HAS A FRONTRUNNER IN THE POLLS.

THAT'S GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL.

BUT SUOZZI SAYS HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN.

SO WE SPOKE WITH SUOZZI THIS WEEK TO GET A HANDLE ON HIS CAMPAIGN AND WHERE HE STANDS ON TOP ISSUES.

TAKE A LOOK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] CONGRESSMAN SUOZZI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> YEAH, DAN.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> OF COURSE.

ANYTIME.

SO YOU HAVE A VERY LONG RESUME.

I WANT TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE WITH VOTERS.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE CRISS-CROSSING THE STATE AS YOU RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

RIGHT NOW, AS YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT VOTERS CARE ABOUT IN NEW YORK, WHAT ARE THOSE TOP ISSUES THAT ARE TOP OF MIND FOR NEW YORKERS, THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT EVERY DAY, AND WHEN THEY GO TO THE POLLS THEY WILL DECIDE THIS ELECTION BASED ON?

8 >> WELL, I'M A COMMON SENSE DEMOCRAT.

I'M A VERY PRACTICAL PERSON AND ALL ABOUT GETTING THINGS DONE.

I'LL WORK WITH ANYBODY.

I'LL WORK WITH DEMOCRATS.

I'LL WORK WITH REPUBLICANS.

I'LL WORK WITH CONSERVATIVES.

I'LL WORK WITH PROGRESSIVES.

I'LL WORK WITH MODERATES.

I'M A LIFELONG DEMOCRAT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY VALUES, BUT I'LL WORK WITH ANYBODY TO TRY AND SOLVE PROBLEMS AND HELP PEOPLE.

I'M A REAL PROBLEM-SOLVER.

AND SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE NOW WANT SOMEBODY THEY CAN TRUST IN OFFICE, THAT HAS PROVEN EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE LIKE I DO, AND I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

FIRST, COVID AND THE ECONOMY ARE THE THING THAT OVERLAY EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

IN NEW YORK STATE, WE HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.

I WANT TO FIGHT TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES AND INCOME TAXES.

I WANT TO MAKE OUR STATE MORE COMPETITIVE.

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING OUR STATE IN DROVES.

WE HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM.

WE SEE CRIME SKYROCKETING IN SOME OF OUR MAJOR CITIES UPSTATE AS WELL AS DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY.

PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL SAFE.

I WANT TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

I WAS THE NEW YORK STATE ENVIRONMENTALIST OF THE YEAR FOR THE WHOLE STATE, BY THE NEW YORK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS FOR THE WORK I'VE DONE THROUGHOUT MY 9 CAREER CLEANING UP POLLUTED SITES AND PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MY MOST PASSIONATE THING THAT I CARE ABOUT THE MOST IS I WANT TO HELP OUR TROUBLED SCHOOLS BECAUSE KIDS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO BRING ALL OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICES INTO OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP KIDS BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS OF SOCIETY START IN GRADE SCHOOL.

SO AFFORDABILITY, LOWER TAXES, FIGHT CRIME, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND LOOKING OUT FOR OUR TROUBLED SCHOOLS AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, COVID AND THE ECONOMY.

RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WE NEED ONE.

>> SO TALK TO ME ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

IF YOU ASK ANY MIDDLE INCOME NEW YORKER WHO OWNS A HOME OR OWNS A PROPERTY, PROPERTY TACKS ARE TOP OF MIND.

THEY ARE HUGE.

ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE DOWN IN YOUR DISTRICT.

I MEAN, NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES, LONG ISLAND AND WESTCHESTERER OUT OF CONTROL, OVER $10,000 EVERY YEAR.

WHAT'S YOUR PLAN FOR THAT?

HOW WOULD YOU REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES IN A SYSTEM THAT SEEMS TO RELY FOR AND ADMINISTER ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PAYING FOR THESE THINGS THAT BOOST THOSE PROPERTY TAX BILLS?

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE MY WHOLE LIFE.

WHEN I RAN FOR GOVERNOR LAST TIME, I RAN ON THE ISSUE OF A PROPERTY TAX CAP.

SPITZER 10 BEAT ME BUT A YEAR LATER, HE APPOINT ME AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, AND MY PLAN FOR PROPERTY TAX CAP ACTUALLY BECAME LAW IN NEW YORK STATE TO CAP THE GROWTH OF PROPERTY TAXES, BUT I WROTE IN THAT REPORT WHAT THE DIFFERENT DRIVING FACTORS ARE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS WE NED TO WORK TO CHAIN THESE UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES INTO GUIDELINES.

WE CAN'T HAVE A STATE GOVERNMENT THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.

IT DRIVES THE COSTS UP AND THEY DON'T GIVE YOU THE MONEY TO DO IT.

THOSE SHOULD BE GUIDELINES AND IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING A GOOD JOB, LEAVE THEM ALONE.

WE NEED THE STATE AID FROM THE STATE TO INCREASE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST COST PER STUDENT IN THE COUNTRY, BUT WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST PERCENTAGES OF THE PERCENTAGE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT PAID FOR THROUGH STATE AID.

WHEN THAT STATE AID COMES DOWN, WE HAVE TO USE IT TO TRY AND DRIVE DOWN PROPERTY TAXES FOR PEOPLE.

FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE IT AN AGENDA ITEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T OFTEN HEAR, AS I SAID BEFORE, DEMOCRATS TALKING ABOUT LOWERING TAXES AND FIGHTING CRIME.

BUT DEMOCRATS CARE ABOUT THOSE ISSUES JUST AS MUCH.

THEY WANT TO SEE AFFORDABILITY.

THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.

THEY WANT US TO FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.

11 >> DO YOU THINK THAT THE PROPERTY TAX DEBATE AND THE CRIME DEBATE, DO YOU THINK THOSE ARE THE TO TWO TOP THINGS TO KEEP NEW YORKERS HERE IN NEW YORK.

?

AS WE KNOW, ABOUT FIVE DOZEN NEW YORKERS MADE THE DECISION THAT WE ARE LOSING A CONGRESS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT BY NOT FILLING OUT THE CENSUS IN THE LAST GO-ROUND.

WE HAVE PEOPLE LEAVING IN DROVES HERE.

OUR POPULATION IS RELATIVELY STABLE, BUT IT'S NOT GROWING IN A WAY AS A TEXAS OR A CALIFORNIA.

DO YOU THINK WE CAN GET THOSE TAXES AND CRIME UNDER CONTROL, WE CAN REVERSE THAT TREND?

>> I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

YOU KNOW, WE MADE A BIG FOCUS IN NEW YORK STATE OF DOING INDIVIDUAL, TARGETED, MONETARY INCENTIVES TO TRY TO BRING BUSINESSES IN HERE.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT.

WE HAVE TO MAKE NEW YORK STATE MORE ATTRACTIVE.

SO MORE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE HERE AND MORE BUSINESSES WANT TO LOCATE HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT UPSTATE NEW YORK.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER THAT PEOPLE AREN'T MOVING THERE.

I MEAN, LOOK TO OUR NORTH IN CANADA.

I MEAN, THEY'RE BOOMING IN PLACES RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER.

WE HAVE TO MAKE NEW YORK STATE MORE ATTRACTIVE BY MAKING IT-- MORE AFFORDABLE, MAKING IT SAFER, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

WE HAVE GREAT THINGS 12 IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK STATE'S AWESOME.

IT'S FANTASTIC!

BUT THE TAXES ARE TOO HIGH AND PEOPLE HAVE GONE WAY TOO FAR TO THE LEFT IN THEIR POLITICS AND SOME PEOPLE WAY TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT, AND WE NEED TO START WORKING TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEMS AND MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.

>> SO ONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS AND WE BROUGHT IT UP SEVERAL TIMES IS CRIME, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT THE BAIL REFORM LAW.

REPUBLICANS HAVE ARGUED THAT THE BAIL REFORM LAW IS THE CAUSE OF THE SPIKE IN CRIME.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO PROVE THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW LAWMAKERS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.

ASIDE FROM BAIL REFORM, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE CAN DO IN THE STATE TO REDUCE CRIME HERE?

OR, DO YOU THINK THAT BAIL REFORM IS THE ONLY ANSWER?

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MIGHT HAVE MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS.

>> SO LET ME FIRST SAY, I WAS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN NASSAU COUNTY.

WE HAD THE LOWEST CRIME RATE AND STILL HAVE THE LOWEST CRIME RATE OF ANY COMMUNITY OVER 500,000 PEOPLE ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF COMMUNITY POLICING.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF USING STATISTICS TO TARGET RESOURCES.

THAT'S BY HAVING ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS ON THE STREET THAT 13 ARE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY POLICING.

I BELIEVE IN REFORM, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN'T LET POLICE OFFICERS ENGAGE IN RACIALLY INEQUITABLE PRACTICES THAT ARE UNFAIR.

WE HAVE TO REFORM AND GO AFTER BAD ACTORS, BUT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR COPS.

I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HELP THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY BY GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO GIVE DISCRETION TO JUDGES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE DANGEROUS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.

CASH BAIL IS UNFAIR.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

I WAS COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

I OVERSAW A JAIL.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT LINGERED IN JAIL FOR LOW-LEVEL OFFENSE WITH $100 BAIL BUT THEY COULDN'T PAY THE $100.

WE ACTUALLY RAISED MONEY FOR PEOPLE TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL TO PAY THAT $100 IN BAIL.

SO CASH BAIL, WE KNOW IS UNFAIR.

BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE JUDGES THE DISCRETION TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE CASE LIKE THEY DO IN 49 OTHER STATES AND TAKE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS IF THEY'RE A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF POLITICS, SOME PEOPLE HAVE MADE-- HAVE IDENTIFIED SIMILARITIES BETWEEN AND YOU FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO AND I KNOW THAT YOU PUSHED BACK ON THAT SAYING OBVIOUSLY, YOU ARE NOT ANDREW CUOMO.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I HAVE COVERED 14 ANDREW CUOMO FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND I HAVE NOW COVERED YOU.

CAN YOU POINT OUT SOME DIFFERENCES THERE?

JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND WHERE HE WAS SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE YOU AS JUST ANOTHER ANDREW CUOMO RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR?

>> WELL, LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I KNOW HOW TO MANAGE BIG ENTERPRISES AND I KNOW HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER.

I'M NOT GOING TO PICK AND CHOOSE PEOPLE BASED UPON THEIR POLITICS.

I'M GOING TO BRING IN THE BEST AND THE BRIGHT TOAST WORK TOGETHER IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION TO TRY AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.

I LOOK AT THE COVID ISSUE.

I HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS ABOUT THE WAY THE GOVERNOR IS CURRENTLY DOING WITH COVID, OKAY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW TO DEAL WITH COVID, YOU HAVE TO BRING IN YOUR EXPERTS, PEOPLE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THEY WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY WANT TO DO VACCINES, THEY WANT TO DO MANDATES.

THEN YOU BRING IN YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOLKS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT MESSAGE.

WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE ECONOMY.

WE CAN'T SHUT DOWN THE ECONOMY AGAIN.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE ECONOMIC FACTORS.

YOU CAN BRING IN YOUR POLITICAL FOLKS AND SAY, WELL, THE PUBLIC IS SICK OF THIS AND THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.

YOU LOOK AT YOUR POLLS AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE 15 HOSPITALS AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SMALL BUSINESS AND A LOT OF THESE MESSAGES WILL BE COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER.

THE JOB OF A CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS TO TAKE ALL THOSE VARYING INPUTS AND CONDENSE THEM INTO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THEN SELL THAT PLAN TO THE PUBLIC.

THAT'S WHAT I PLAN TO DO IF I'M THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE.

NOT JUST WITH THE ISSUE OF COVID AND THE ECONOMY, BUT WITH EVERY SINGLE ISSUE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LONG PRIMARY.

WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK ANYTIME.

CONGRESSMAN TOM SUOZZI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANKS, DAN.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I WILL COME ON IF YOU'LL HAVE ME ON.

>> OF COURSE.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> SO WE'LL BE WATCHING SUOZZI'S CAMPAIGN AND WE HAVE INVITED GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL TO THE SHOW, BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK.

MOVING ON NOW, YOU MIGHT BE GATHERING WITH FAMILY OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

AND IN TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATE, HOLIDAYS CAN BE TENSE ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT BE TRUE.

THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY.

THANKS, IN PART 16 TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND FAKE NEWS WEBSITES.

AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT'S A BAD THING.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

A NEW COALITION IN NEW YORK SAYS IT'S ALL ABOUT MEDIA LITERACY AND THEY'RE PUSHING A PACKAGE OF BILLS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS STARTING WITH THE YOUNGEST NEW YORKERS, BUT AS WE KNOW, THERE'S NO AGE LIMIT ON MISINFORMATION.

I SPOKE ABOUT THAT AND MORE WITH BRIANA McNAMEE FROM THE NEW YORK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND KELLY WETHERBEE FROM DEMOCRACY AND WHY NOW.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> BRIANA AND KELLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED MEDIA LITERACY WHICH IS A TERM THAT HAS COME UP MORE AND MORE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AS WE'VE SEEN THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION, FAKE NEWS ONLINE.

BRIANA, I WANT TO GO TO YOU FIRST.

WHEN WE SAY MEDIA LITERACY, WHAT DO WE MEAN?

WHAT'S IN THAT DEFINITION OF THINGS?

>> YEAH, SURE.

THERE'S MULTIPLE DEFINITIONS OUT THERE, BUT I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS THE ABILITY 17 TO ACCESS, TO ANALYZE, EVALUATE, CREATE AND ACT WITH ALL FORMS OF MEDIA WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BILLS THAT WE'RE REFERENCING TODAY AND LATER ON IN 2022, THERE'S A HEAVY INFLUENCE IN THE DIGITAL SPACE AND IN THE DIGITAL WORLD.

>> SO KELLY, HOW DO WE TARGET THIS APPROACH?

WE SEE, LIKE I SAID, ALL THIS INFORMATION EVERYWHERE AND I THINK WE SEE EIGHT CROSS THE BOARD IN TERMS OF CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, ADULTS.

WHERE DO WE TARGET THIS APPROACH TO HAVE THE BEST IMPACT?

>> WELL, OUR-- WE BELIEVE THE BEST APPROACH IS TO ACTUALLY EDUCATE STARTING K-12 TO HAVE THE STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE OR MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS INFORMATION.

THERE IS DIGITAL INFORMATION, MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, MAKE SURE THEY KNOW HOW TO EVALUATE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE GETTING, AND THEN THE LAST PART IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT UNDERSTANDS THAT WHAT THEY DO LEAVES A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT THAT WILL BE WITH THEM FOREVER AND ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, BE A GOOD DIGITAL CITIZEN AND THAT'S ALL PART OF WHAT WE HOPE, IF WE CAN GET OUR STANDARDS, THE MEDIA LITERACY STANDARDS, PUT INTO PLACE, WE HOPE THAT WILL BECOME COMMONPLACE AND IF YOU START AT KINDERGARTEN AND SCAFFOLD IT THROUGH UP TO GRADE 12, 18 THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE THIS.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY.

I WAS JUST THINKING WHEN I WAS A KID WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LIKE EIGHT OR NINE, THE INTERNET WAS JUST STARTING.

LIKE, WE WERE JUST GETTING THE INTERNET ONLINE AND POPULAR.

I REMEMBER AT THE TIME, LIKE OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S WEB PAGES EVERYWHERE, MY PARENTS WOULD SAY TO ME, DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN POST ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET.

AND THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME, I GUESS, BECAUSE NOW I, YOU KNOW, I WORK IN A FACT-BASED BUSINESS.

>> UH-HUH >> BUT A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T TEACH THEIR KIDS THAT KIND OF THING WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THIS IN SCHOOLS, HOW DO YOU APPROACH THAT IN TERMS OF CURRICULUM?

WHAT ARE WE TEACHING THESE CHILDREN SPECIFICALLY?

>> WELL, SPECIFICALLY, WE START WITH HOW DO YOU ACCESS YOUR INFORMATION, SO IF YOU'RE ACCESSING IT ON GOOGLE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS VALID?

LET'S GIVE THE STUDENTS THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION, THIS ISN'T GOOD INFORMATION.

MAKE SURE WHAT YOU DO IS LOOK AT WHERE THE INFORMATION'S COMING FROM, FIND OUT WHO THE AUTHOR IS, FIND OUT WHO THE PEOPLE 19 BEHIND THE WEBSITE ARE AND YOU DO THAT BY OPENING UP A WHOLE NEW TAB, DOING SOME BACKGROUND.

NOW, HERE'S THE RUB IS THAT IT TAKES TIME TO DO THAT.

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

BUT FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO DOES IT ALL DAY LONG, IT IS JUST VERY NATURAL AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE IT THAT WAY FOR THE STUDENTS, AND IF WE JUST REINFORCE AND SCAFFOLD IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ALL OF THE GRADES, IT WILL BE THAT WAY.

>> IT'S BECOMING A NATURAL HABIT AND SOMETHING THAT YOU SUBCONSCIOUSLY JUST AUTOMATICALLY DO WITHOUT LIKE THINKING ABOUT IT.

AND I THINK IT'S ABOUT EXPOSURE.

IT'S THE MORE YOU KNOW WHAT SOURCES TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT INFORMATION TO LOOK FOR, LIKE WHEN WE WERE SCHOOL, AND I THINK WE'RE AROUND THE SAME AGE, IT WAS LIKE WIKIPEDIA WAS THE SOURCE.

>> YES >> NEVER SOURCE A WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE AND NOW I THINK LIKE SOURCES LIKE ESPECIALLY IN THE STUDENT SPACE AND IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SPACE, LIKE STUDENTS ARE JUST CONSTANTLY BEING BOMBARDED BY INFORMATION.

SO IT'S MORE THAN WIKIPEDIA NOW.

>> AND THESE STUDENTS DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WEBSITES ARE LEGITIMATE AND WHICH WEBSITES ARE NOT LEGITIMATE.

20 IF YOU GOOGLE-- I DON'T KNOW-- LIKE CIVIL WAR FACTS, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE ONE WEBSITE IS PORTRAYING THE CIVIL WAR IN ONE WAY AND ANOTHER IS PORTRAYING IT ANOTHER WAY, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

>> CORRECT.

>> THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THIS IS THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH ADULTS, TOO.

MY GENERATION, YOUR GENERATION, THE GENERATIONS BEFORE US, HAVE FALLEN INTO THIS SLUMP OF THEY WANT INSTANT INFORMATION, RIGHT, SO WE GOOGLE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO KNOW.

>> OR, THEY RECEIVE THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA SO MUCH OF OUR POPULATION NOW.

THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE RECEIVING THEIR NEWS, WHETHER IT BE TWITTER OR FACEBOOK AND AS WE ALL KNOW, BASED ON ALGORITHMS AND DEPENDING ON WHO YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH, THAT INFORMATION MIGHT BE REALLY SKEWED.

>> IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

IT REALLY DRIVES ME CRAZY.

I JUST WISH PEOPLE WOULDN'T GET THEIR NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

MAYBE I'M BIASED AS A JOURNALIST AND I WANT PEOPLE TO JUST WATCH THE SHOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

I THINK WE HAVE TO BRING STUDENTS BACK TO THAT POINT, WHERE THEY SAY, OKAY, 21 I NEED TO VERIFY.

MAYBE YOUTUBE IS NOW THE BIGGEST SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> 81% OF-- ACCORDING TO PUGH RESEARCH, 81% OF PEOPLE USE YOUTUBE.

FACEBOOK'S CLOSE BEHIND AT 69% AND THEN INSTAGRAM.

SO STUDENTS AND THERE ACTUALLY WAS A STUDY DONE BY THOMPSON MEDIA DONE IN 2019 SAYS MOST STUDENTS AGES 14 TO 19 GET THEIR NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

SOME WILL VERIFY BUT MOST WILL NOT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO WE NEED TO GET THEM TO COME BACK AND I GUESS I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THIS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IS TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE THIS EDUCATION AS WELL.

>> RIGHT.

>> RIGHT?

BECAUSE THEY ARE DIGITAL NATIVES FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT.

THEY'VE HAD IT SINCE THEY WERE VERY YOUNG.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

>> RIGHT.

I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

THEY NEVER HAVE THAT TRANSITION BETWEEN WHERE WE HAD TO GO TO A LIBRARY AND LOOK SOMETHING UP AND THEN MAYBE GO ON THE INTERNET AND LOOK SOMETHING UP AS WELL.

THEY ARE STRICTLY INTERNET.

I GUESS 22 IN SOME WAYS THAT'S GOOD.

YOU LOOK AT ACADEMIC JOURNALS ON THE INTERNET, THAT'S GOOD.

YOU HAVE JAY STORE, THAT'S GREAT.

BRIANA, I WANT TO BRING IT BACK FOR JUST A SECOND.

THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THIS ENGRAINED INTO THESE KIDS BUT I FEEL LIKE SO MANY ADULTS HAVE JUST-- ARE STUCK WITH HOW THEY'RE ABSORBING INFORMATION, HOW THEY'RE ABSORBING MEDIA A LOT OF THE TIME THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR INDEPENDENT OBJECTIVE MEDIA, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT CONFIRMS THEIR VIEWS AND VALIDATES IT.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR OWN ECHO CHAMBERS.

>> YES.

>> IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN CHANGE THAT?

>> I THINK YES AND NO.

I THINK WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE K THROUGH 12 SPACE, WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN NATURALLY BRING HOME THE INFORMATION AND THE WORDS THAT THEY HEAR AND THEY LEARN.

WHETHER IT'S FOR GOOD OR FOR BAD.

I THINK HAVING OUR CHILDREN HAVE THAT EDUCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HOPEFULLY IS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD AND THAT SPARKS THE INTEREST OF THE ADULT.

I ALSO KNOW FROM, OF COURSE, PLUGGING THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE OUT THERE AND THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE AS WELL THAT ARE WORKING ON DIGITAL LITERACY, THEY'RE 23 WORKING ON THE DIGITAL NARRATIVE AND REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ADULTS OF ANY AGE, WHETHER YOU ARE 25, 35 OR 95 THAT AT LEAST YOU CAN OPEN YOUR MIND AND LISTEN TO A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

I HOPE SO.

YOU KNOW, JOURNALISTS LIKE ME, WE TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE, AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE JUST IGNORE US BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THAT ANYMORE AND HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE BACK TO THAT?

>> I THINK WE'RE VERY POLARIZED AS A SOCIETY.

>> YES.

>> SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO COME FROM ALL MEDIA SOURCES, WHETHER IT IS OUR NEWSCASTERS OR OUR BROADCASTING STATIONS OR IN PRINT, REALLY JUST HAVING THAT DUE DILIGENCE OF PUTTING THE BEST INFORMATION FORWARD AS YOU CAN AND LETTING PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

>> YEAH.

EXACTLY.

>> CAN I ADD INTO THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS THE ALGORITHMS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

NOT THAT WE CAN CONTROL THAT, BUT I THINK WE CAN, AS VOTERS, TALK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON BIG 24 TECH.

WHETHER IT BE GOOGLE OR FACEBOOK TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS MODEL IS SUCH THAT YOU'RE ONLY GIVING ALL OF US WHAT WE HAVE LIKED.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO LIKE IT OR NOT-- IT JUST RECONFIRM WHAT WE THOUGHT.

>> THE BIAS.

>> SO THAT MODEL HAS TO CHANGE AND I KNOW INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK IS BEFORE CONGRESS TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING SOME-- THEY'RE HOPEFULLY GOING TO ASK THEM TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THEIR BUSINESS MODELS.

WE'LL SEE.

>> YEAH.

I JUST-- I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET TO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T JUST GOING TO THEIR OWN ECHO CHAMBERS.

THAT WOULD BE A PERSONAL GOAL OF MINE AS A JOURNALIST, HOPEFULLY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE.

BRIANA McNAMEE FROM THE NEW YORK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

KELLY WETHERBEE, THE COCHAIR OF THE DEMOCRACY READY NEW YORK COALITION, MEDIA LITERACY COMMITTEE, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> A REALLY INTERESTING 25 DISCUSSION, BUT WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR THE WEEK AND JUST A PROGRAMMING NOTE, WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT SOME OF OUR BEST STUFF FROM THE PAST YEAR OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AS THE CREW HERE AT NEW YORK N.O.W.

TAKES A WELL-DESERVED BREAK.

BUT WE'LL CATCH YOU IN THE NEW YEAR.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S "NEW YORK NOW."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.

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