CRYSTAL: I, EVERYBODY.

TONIGHT ON GREATER BOSTON, WITH OVER 12 HOURS TO GO UNTIL THE POLLS OPEN UNTO -- ON SUPER TUESDAY, A SUPREME COURT RULING IS PAVING THE WAY FOR TRUMP TO WIN THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.

PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTSS ARE ENCOURAGING DEMOCRATS T VOTE NO PREFERENCE.

KATIE LENNON JOINS ME ON THAT, AND HER ONE-ON-ONE WITH NIKKI HALEY.

THEN, THE INFAMOUS WALTER E. FERNALD STATE SCHOOL WAS HAUNTED BY REPORTS OF PATIENT MISTREATMENT BEFORE IT WAS SHUTTERED A DECADE AGO.

THE FAMILIES OF FORMER PATIENTS CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.

FINALLY, WHY DO POLITICIANS SAY I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE AT THE END OF THEIR ADS?

EDGAR B. HERWICK III EXPLAINS.

A DAY BEFORE POLLS OPEN ON SUPER TUESDAY IN 15 STATES, INCLUDING MESSAGES THAT’S, THE SUPREME OR RULED -- COURT RULED THE STATES CANNOT INVOKE THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO BLOCK TRUMP ON THE BALLOT, DECIDING CONGRESS HAS THE POWER.

IN THE BAYSTATE, THERE IS MOUNTING PRESSURE AGAINST A BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH WITH PROTESTERS FROM THE LEFT URGING DEMOCRATS TO VOTE NO PREFERENCE, AND REPUBLICAN NOMINEE NIKKI HALEY MADE A RARE CAMPAIGN STOP IN DARK BLUE MASSACHUSETTS, PITCHING HERSELF AS A CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO TRUMP.

AMB.

HALEY: OUR KIDS DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT NORMAL FEELS LIKE.

CRYSTAL: HALEY SPOKE WITH POLITICS REPORTER KATE LANNAN, WHO JOINS ME NOW.

IT IS VERY RARE THAT SOMEONE LIKE A NIKKI HALEY ACTUALLY STOPS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS LIKE?

KATE: SHE IS IN THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE SUPER TUESDAY.

SHE HAS BEEN CRISSCROSSING THE COUNTRY.

SHE WAS IN MAINE, VERMONT, TEXAS TODAY, REALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE POINT THAT SHE IS STILL IN THIS RACE, DESPITE DONALD TRUMP BEING WELL AHEAD IN COUNTS.

AND THAT HER SUPPORTERS NEED TO TURN OUT TO THE POLLS.

SHE WANTS THEM TO KEEP UP THE FAITH IN HER CAMPAIGN.

AND THAT IS HER MESSAGE.

EVERY STATE MATTERS.

SHE SAID, SATURDAY NIGHT IN NEEDHAM, THAT BASICALLY YOU DON’T GET TO COMPLAIN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IF YOU DON’T VOTE IN THE PRIMARY.

CRYSTAL: YOU THINK THAT ABOUND IN D.C.

HELPED FUEL THAT THINKING?

KATE: MAYBE.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN HER CLAIM A PRIMARY VICTORY BEFORE.

THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR MOMENTUM COMING OUT OF THAT D.C.

WHEN.

THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS LOOKING TO USE THAT WHEN TO SHOW -- WIN TO SHOW SHE IS THE D.C. INSIDER CANDIDATE.

IT CAN BE A GOOD THING OR BAD THING DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IN THIS PRIMARY.

CRYSTAL: SPEAKING OF EVERY STATE MATTERS, WE HAVE SOUND FROM YOUR INTERVIEW WITH NIKKI HALEY.

AMB.

HALEY: WE THINK EVERY STATE MATTERS.

WE THINK MASSACHUSETTS MATTERS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATE OF OUR COUNTRY, OUR COUNTRY IS IN DISARRAY, THE WORLD IS ON FIRE.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHERE WE NEEDED A NEW GENERATIONAL LEADER, THAT LEADS -- LEAVES THE BAGGAGE BEHIND AND STARTS FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

CRYSTAL: AS FOLKS HEADED INTO SUPER TUESDAY, I’M THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS FORCE NIKKI HALEY IS, IN AND OF ITSELF, AND THAT SHE IS STILL IN THIS RACE WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE DROPPED OUT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, AS WE MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION TO THE SEGMENT, YOU HAVE FOLKS SAYING, DON’T VOTE FOR ANYONE, VOTE NO PREFERENCE.

MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT THE CONFLICT HAPPENING IN GAZA.

IT SEEMS LIKE VOTERS HAVE A LOT TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE POLLS.

KATE: MOST OF THE VOTERS IN MASSACHUSETTS, ALMOST TWO THIRDS, OR ON ENROLLED.

THE FIRST THING THEY WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS WHAT BALLOT THEY WANT TO VOTE ON, IF THEY WANT TO VOTE IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

THEY CAN PULL A LIBERTARIAN BALLOT AS WELL.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, THERE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PUSH TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE NO PREFERENCE, TO SHOW THEIR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE WAY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS HANDLED THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

THAT IS SOMETHING ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE WATCHING.

THE STATE PARTIES WILL PROBABLY BE WATCHING THAT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

BECAUSE IF THAT CROSSES A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DO MAKE THAT NO PREFERENCE VOTE, THAT WILL AFFECT HOW MANY OF THE STATES DELEGATES GO TO JOE BIDEN.

THEORETICALLY, IF ENOUGH PEOPLE VOTE THAT WAY, SOME OF THOSE DELEGATES INSTEAD OF GOING TO JOE BIDEN WOULD BE NO PREFERENCE DELEGATES.

CRYSTAL: THAT’S INTERESTING.

I’M ALSO THOUGHTFUL OF VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ON THE BRIDGE RECENTLY, CALLING FOR A TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE IN THAT CONFLICT.

.

WHAT KIND OF SWAY WILL THAT HAVE WITH VOTERS?

KATE: THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

IT IS ALWAYS TOUGH TO SIT HERE TODAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY AND GUESS WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOPING TO PUSH THOSE NO PREFERENCE VOTES ARE REALLY DESCRIBING THAT AS A RESULT OF THE PRESSURE THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THE WHITE HOUSE SO FAR.

THEY SAY IT SHOWS THAT THE MOVEMENT IS WORKING.

WE SAW IN MICHIGAN, THE UNCOMMITTED BALLOT OPTION WAS THE MECHANISM.

THEY ARE LOOKING TO KEEP THAT PRESSURE GOING ON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

CRYSTAL: IT LOOKS LIKE FROM YOUR REPORTING, NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU TOLD US A TOP HALEY ALLY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, HE IS.

HE SAID, HE WANTS FOLKS TO SHOW THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THAT WE AIN’T OVER BY A LONGSHOT.

MEANING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

KATE: MEANING THE HALEY CAMPAIGN.

AND HALEY SUPPORTERS DO SEE THIS AS A CHANCE TO STAKE OUT A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE PARTY, OR A RETURN TO AN OLD DIRECTION, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

THE PRE-TRUMP REPUBLICAN PARTY VALUES.

YEAH, CHRIS SUNUNU’S TAKE WAS BASICALLY THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS A PLACE WHERE VOTERS CAN CHANGE THE NARRATIVE, CAN SURPRISE THE MEDIA AND THE POLLSTERS.

AND REALLY COME OUT STRONGLY FOR NIKKI HALEY.

SHE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP TRUMP TO UNDER 50% OF THE VOTE TO GET ANY DELEGATES HERE.

A STRONG SHOWING HERE COULD BE SYMBOLIC FOR HER.

DEPENDING ON ALL OF THE OTHER STATES THAT VOTE ON TUESDAY.

CRYSTAL: YEAH.

DO YOU THINK IN TERMS OF, IN YOUR REPORTING AND TALKING TO FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN OUT THERE, NEEDHAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT PEOPLE FEEL OVERWHELMED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GENERAL WITH NIKKI HALEY, DONALD TRUMP, AND ALL OF THE COURT CASES CONNECTED TO HIM, SOME OF THE THINGS HAPPENING AROUND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

IT SEEMS LIKE VOTERS ARE IN A TOUGH SPOT AND THEY GO AND HAVE TO CHOOSE.

KATE: ABSOLUTELY.

GENERALLY, WE HAVE HEARD THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM NECESSARILY AROUND THE CHOICES PEOPLE HAVE.

AS HE MENTIONED, NIKKI HALEY IS THE ONLY REMAINING NON-TRUMP REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AFTER THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER CANDIDATES WHO DROPPED OUT.

IT HAS WINNOWED DOWN TO THOSE TWO ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, IT’S, WE HAVE A COUPLE CANDIDATES, AND THE NO PREFERENCE OPTION.

IT IS A LOT OF THINGS WRAPPED UP IN THAT ONE CHOICE THAT VOTERS WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE ON TUESDAY.

CRYSTAL: WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE VOTES BREAK DOWN.

FOLKS WHO ARE UNCOMMITTED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RESULTS IN MICHIGAN, WHICH WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, HAD JUST OVER 100,000 UNCOMMITTED VOTES, 13% OF THE VOTE.

AND RECEIVED TWO DELEGATES, JOE BIDEN, 81.2%, UNCOMMITTED, 13.2%.

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, 3%.

AND DEAN PHILLIPS, 2.7%.

THIS IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE IF ALL THAT IS HAPPENING CAN AFFECT THE POPULACE IN MICHIGAN, JOE BIDEN BEING FROM MICHIGAN, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU CAN’T NECESSARILY CALL ANY STATE FOR SURE.

KATE: ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A STATE THAT HAS A STRONG TIE IN ITS DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO JOE BIDEN.

HE HISTORICALLY DOES VERY WELL HERE.

HE HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF FOLKS FROM MASSACHUSETTS INVOLVED IN HIS ADMINISTRATION, OR HIS CAMPAIGN.

DEEP ROOTS.

BUT CERTAINLY NOTHING THAT CAN BE COUNTED OUT.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THAT BIG BOX -- BIG BLOCK OF INDEPENDENT OR UNAFFILIATED VOTERS DO IN MASSACHUSETTS.

ONE THING THAT THE TOP ELECTIONS OFFICIAL POINTED OUT TODAY IS SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN AROUND 13,000 DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE ON ENROLLED, WHO HAVE DROPPED THEIR PARTY RESID -- REGISTRATION, POTENTIAL BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PULL A REPUBLICAN OR LIBERTARIAN BALLOT.

THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER 2000 DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE SWITCHED THEIR PARTY REGISTRATION TO REPUBLICAN.

WE MIGHT SEE SOME FORMER DEMOCRATS VOTING IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

WE MIGHT SEE -- WE WILL CERTAINLY SEE A LOT OF INDEPENDENTS BOATING IN BOTH PARTY PRIMARIES.

NIKKI HALEY HAS SAID SHE IS TRYING TO BUILD A COALITION OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THE STATUS QUO IS NOT WORKING FOR THEM, WHO FEEL REPUBLICANS WHO LEFT -- WHO FEEL LEFT BEHIND BY THEIR PARTY.

DEMOCRATS WHO FEEL LEFT BEHIND BY THEIR PARTY.

AND INDEPENDENTS WHO DON’T SEE EITHER AS THE ANSWER.

THERE WILL BE A LOT TO WATCH WITHIN THAT BIG SLICE OF THE VOTING POPULATION IN MASSACHUSETTS.

CRYSTAL: IN CLOSING THE LOOP WITH YOUR INTERVIEW, BACK TO THAT, DID IT SEEM LIKE -- I IMAGINE THE ROOM WAS FULL OF HER SUPPORTERS.

BUT DID IT SURPRISE YOU AT THE VEHEMENCE OF THEIR SUPPORT FOR NIKKI HALEY AT A TIME WHERE DONALD TRUMP IS ALSO THE CONSERVATIVE NOMINEE IN SO MANY OTHER STATES?

KATE: ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS WORTH NOTING THERE IS A REALLY STRONG TRUMP BASE IN MASSACHUSETTS AMONG THE REGISTERED MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF PASSION ON BOTH SIDES.

DEFINITELY A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT NIKKI HALEY TO EMERGE AS THE WINNER ON TUESDAY.

BUT THERE IS ALSO PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH DONALD TRUMP SINCE THE LAST TWO ELECTIONS IN INTO THIS ONE.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU THINK MASSACHUSETTS WILL BECOME A PURPLE STATE ANYTIME SOON?

KATE: IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU DEFINE IT.

THERE IS PLENTY, IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP, THE CENTER OF THE STATE DOES TEND TO VOTE RED.

IT IS NOT BLUE THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS.

WE ARE PROBABLY STILL GOING TO END UP A BLUE STATE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

WE DO HAVE DEMOCRATS CONTROLLING ALL THE STATEWIDE AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE, BOTH BRANCHES OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

IT IS SAFE TO SAY A BLUE STATE IS WHERE THE POWER IS.

BUT VOTERS HAVE MANY OF THEIR OWN VIEWS BEYOND THAT.

CRYSTAL: KATIE LENNON, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FOLKS PULL THAT LEVER, OR FILL OUT THE CIRCLE.

KATE: DOUBLE THAT IN.

CRYSTAL: THANK YOU.

KATE: THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: NEXT, WHAT WAS ONCE THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE’S OLDEST PUBLIC INSTITUTION FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, NOWADAYS ABANDONED, FILLED WITH MOUNTAINS OF PATIENT FILES AND CONFIDENTIAL PAPERWORK STREWN ABOUT ITS SHATTERED BUILDINGS.

BY THE END OF ITS NEARLY 70 YEAR OPERATION, THE WALTER REED ALL THE STATE HAD BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH ALLEGATIONS OF MALNOURISHMENT AND ABUSE.

RELATIVES OF FORMER PATIENTS ARE TRYING TO GET ANSWERS ON HOW THEIR LOVED ONES WERE TREATED IN THAT SCHOOL.

SO FAR, THE STATE HAS REFUSED TO HELP.

I’M JOINED BY CAMBRIDGE AUTHOR, LAURA ZIGMAN.

SHE IS TRYING TO TRACK DOWN INFORMATION ABOUT HER SISTER WHO WAS HOUSED AT THE INSTITUTION, AND GBH NEWS FEATURES EDITOR, JENNER FOR MORE, WHO HAS BEEN REPORTING ON FAMILIES EFFORTS TO LEARN WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR LOVED ONES.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME.

JENNIFER, I WILL START WITH YOU.

TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW YOU BECAME SORT OF ENTRENCHED IN THIS REPORTING, BECAUSE I IMAGINE IT STARTED WITH ONE CASE, AND THEN IT SORT OF ENDED UP GOING ON THE NEXT ONE AND THE NEXT.

JENNIFER: YOU ARE RIGHT.

IT STARTED WITH LAURA.

I SAW HER AT AN AUTHOR SIGNING, AND SHE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER LATE SISTER, SHERYL.

WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IS SHE MENTIONED THAT EVEN THOUGH SHERYL HAD BEEN HOUSED IN A STATE INSTITUTION, THAT SHE COULD NOT ACCESS THE RECORDS ON HER OWN SISTER.

THAT REALLY SPOKE TO ME, AS A SIBLING, AND A SOMEBODY WHO APPRECIATES TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.

I FOLLOWED UP WITH AN EMAIL AND IT WENT FROM THERE.

CRYSTAL: HOW MANY OTHER CASES HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING TO CRACK OPEN OR AT LEAST GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT?

JENNIFER: IN THE COURSE OF OUR REPORTING, WE INTERVIEWED TWO ON THE RECORD FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THEN SEVERAL OTHERS WHO DID NOT WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PRIVACY.

AND IN SOME CASES, SECRECY, SURROUNDING THE FACT THAT THEY EVEN HAD RELATIVES WHO WERE IN THESE INSTITUTIONS.

OVER THE COURSE OF ALL OF OUR REPORTING, WE SPOKE TO DOZENS OF PEOPLE, BOTH WHO HAD RELATIVES THERE, AND THOSE WHO WORKED AT OR DO RESEARCH ON INSTITUTIONS LIKE THIS.

CRYSTAL: LAURA, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SISTER, SHERYL.

LAURA: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION I THINK IF I HAD THE FILES, I WOULD KNOW MORE.

MY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT.

I WAS TRYING TO DO RESEARCH FOR A NOVEL.

AND MY SISTER HAD A MEDICAL CONDITION.

SHE WAS BORN IN 1958 WITH A RARE BONE DISEASE.

AT SOME POINT, I WOULD LIKE THE FILES TO KNOW WHEN SHE WENT FROM LIVING AT HOME, TO LIVING AT FERNALD, AND ONE OF THE GOOD MEDICAL BUILDINGS.

SHE DIED THERE WHEN SHE WAS SEVEN.

MY SEARCH FOR RECORDS IS LESS ABOUT POSSIBLE MISTREATMENT, AND MUCH MORE JUST A CURIOSITY ABOUT WHEN SHE GOT THERE, WHAT THE DISCUSSIONS WERE ABOUT, ABOUT WHY SHE WENT THERE.

SHE HAD A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT MADE IT NECESSARY.

JUST ALL OF THE CURIOSITY, THINGS WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A SIBLING YOU NEVER REALLY KNEW.

I WAS THREE WHEN SHE DIED.

MY OTHER SISTER WAS FIVE.

DID SHE TALK?

DID SHE WALK?

THOSE ARE BASIC QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

CRYSTAL: HOW FRUSTRATING WAS IT WHEN YOU STARTED TO TRY TO LOOK INTO YOUR SISTER, AND COULDN’T GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THE STATE?

LAURA: IT WAS SUPER FRUSTRATING.

OF COURSE I BLAMED MYSELF THAT I WAS DOING IT WRONG.

I WENT ONLINE IN EMAILED, AND I WAS NOT GETTING ANYWHERE.

I STILL DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS.

THEN I FOUND ALEX GREEN, WHO IS A LECTURER AT HARVARD AND AN EXPERT IN THESE INSTITUTIONS.

I FOUND HIM ON TWITTER, AND I JUST MESSAGED HIM AND SAID, HEY, I THINK I’M DOING SOMETHING WRONG, I’M TRYING TO GET MY SISTERS RECORDS BUT I CAN’T.

HE WAS LIKE, CALL ME.

HE SAID IT IS REALLY HARD.

TESSA JESUS HAS SOME OF THE TIGHTEST PRIVACY LAWS -- MASSACHUSETTS HAS SOME OF THE TIGHTEST PRIVACY LAWS.

HE SAID YOU WILL NEED A LAURA -- A LAWYER TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE RECORDS.

THEN ESTABLISH GUARDIANSHIP.

HE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO ESTABLISH GUARDIANSHIP FIRST, AND THEN ASK IF THERE WERE RECORDS, AND I MIGHT DO ALL OF THAT AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANY RECORDS.

CRYSTAL: ESTABLISH GUARDIANSHIP OF YOUR SISTER?

LAURA: YES.

CRYSTAL: HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?

LAURA: A LAWYER.

CRYSTAL: THAT’S INCREDIBLE.

DENVER, -- JENNIFER, IS THIS NORMAL?

IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER IN A STATE INSTITUTION WHERE YOU WOULD NOT GET ACCESS TO THEIR INFORMATION?

JENNIFER: IT VARIES BY STATE.

THERE ARE FEDERAL LAWS THAT TALK ABOUT PRIVACY OF HEALTH RECORDS.

YET THESE STATE INSTITUTIONS, OR FORMER INSTITUTIONS, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER OPEN.

THEY REALLY FUNCTION AS MANY DIFFERENT ROLES.

FIRST OF ALL, THEY DID GIVE MEDICAL CARE.

IN SOME SENSE, THEY WERE A HOSPITAL FOR PATIENTS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM THAT.

IN SOME SENSE, THEY WERE DISCIPLINARY PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WENT WHO HAD PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, AND IT WAS SEEN AS A DISCIPLINARY THING.

IN OTHER PLACES, IT WAS ALMOST SEEN AS A PRISON AND THEY WERE REFERRED TO AS INMATES.

THERE WAS A WIDER QUESTION ABOUT, WHAT EXACTLY WAS THE ROLE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS?

GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT, IS IT NORMAL?

THIS REALLY DOES VARY BY STATE.

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, IF YOU ARE IN WISCONSIN, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO SEE THIS MORE AS A HISTORICAL RECORD.

AND THEY HAVE A LIMITED PROCESS WHEREBY FAMILY MEMBERS CAN GO AND HAVE SOME ACCESS TO THE RECORDS OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

CRYSTAL: INTERESTING.

WE HAVE TWO PATIENTS FROM A 1966 ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SCHOOL, CITING THE NUMBER OF PATIENT DEATHS, THEIR AGES, HOW LONG THEY WERE A RESIDENT IN THE SCHOOL, AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE DIAGNOSES HERE WERE LISTED AS IDIOT, IMBECILE, MORE ON -- MORON.

THERE WERE TWO YOUNG TO TEST OR DIED BEFORE AN IQ TEST OBTAINED.

.

I AM SO INTERESTED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE FEMALES LISTED IS BELIEVED TO BE YOUR SISTER, SHERYL.

ALL YOU HAVE TO REALLY WORK ON IS THIS LIMITED ACCOUNTING OF SOME SORT OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST.

LAURA: EXACTLY.

THAT WAS SOMETHING I FOUND ONLINE.

WITH MY GOOGLING SKILLS.

THE ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH IS OVER 100 PAGES LONG, TYPED ON A TYPEWRITER.

I FOUND THAT.

SHE DIED IN NOVEMBER OF 1965.

I LOOK AT THE 1960 61.

EXACTLY AS HE SAID, THE NAMES ARE NOT ON THERE FOR THE DEAF.

BUT I NARROWED IT DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITH MY SISTER’S DIAGNOSIS, OSTEOPOROSIS, WHERE THE BONES DON’T PRODUCE ROMERO SO YOU DON’T GROW.

WHEN I SAW THAT WITH THE CLASSIFICATION, IMBECILE, IT WAS QUITE SOMETHING TO SEE THAT.

I KNOW THERE -- I KNOW THOSE WERE TERMS USED AT THE TIME, AND THAT’S JUST HOW IT WAS.

TO SEE THAT IS REALLY QUITE SOMETHING.

CRYSTAL: HOW HAS THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY REACTED TO WHAT LITTLE YOU HAVE UNCOVERED?

LAURA: MY PARENTS ARE GONE, AND THAT WAS THE FRUSTRATING PART.

WHEN YOU GROW UP IN A FAMILY OF LOSS, I FELT LIKE I LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF MY SISTER’S GHOST FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.

IT WAS SUCH STUPID TIMING ON MY PART, THAT BY THE TIME I WAS READY -- I HAD ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS, BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE GONE.

IN THE INSTITUTION SHUT DOWN, AND I COULD NOT GO ON CAMPUS, COULDN’T GO TO THOSE BUILDINGS.

THAT IS WHEN I TURNED TO WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE AN EASY PROCESS OF GETTING HER FILES.

I HAVE A SISTER IN LOS ANGELES, AND WE ARE BOTH REALLY JUST CURIOUS IN A WAY THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO FIND VERY PAINFUL ANSWERS.

OUR THING IS REALLY MOSTLY CURIOSITY.

LAURA: AND I IMAGINE -- CRYSTAL: AND I IMAGINE IN TALKING TO OTHER FAMILIES, THIS IS THE FRUSTRATION THEY FEEL THERE IS NO ONE LEFT TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.

JENNIFER: THEIR SIBLINGS AND RELATIVES ARE BY AND LARGE DEPARTED AT THIS POINT.

THEY HAVE PASSED AWAY.

NOW, IT REALLY DOES FALL TO THE STATE TO FIND A SOLUTION TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE HOUSED THERE, WHO WERE UNDER THE CARE OF THE STATE, AND ALSO TO HONOR THE RIGHTS OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS JUST TO KNOW.

CRYSTAL: WHAT CAN FOLKS DO AT THIS POINT?

NOW THAT YOU’RE REPORTING ON LAURA’S BOOK HAVE COME TO LIGHT, IS THERE ANY ACTION ON THE STATE’S PART TO HELP THESE FAMILY MEMBERS?

JENNIFER: THERE IS SOME MOVEMENT IN THE STATEHOUSE.

THERE IS A JOINT BUILT IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE MOVING FORWARD THAT, IF PASSED, IT WOULD OPEN UP RECORDS AFTER 75 YEARS.

THAT IS SEEN AS PROGRESS.

IF IT PASSES.

BUT THAT WOULD NOT HELP FAMILIES LIKE LAURA WHOSE RELATIVES PASSED AWAY MORE RECENTLY THAN A.

CRYSTAL: AND WE ARE NOT NEAR THE 75 YEAR -- PROBABLY WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF THE 75 MARK.

JENNIFER: I THINK SHERYL PASSED AWAY IN 1965.

NOT QUITE THERE.

CRYSTAL: WOW.

INCREDIBLE.

INCREDIBLE REPORTING.

WE WILL FOLLOW YOUR WORK.

LAURA, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

LAURA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

CRYSTAL: IN THE RUN-UP TO ELECTION DAY, THERE IS NO DOUBT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING ADD AFTER ADD FROM THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

YOU HAVE LIKELY BEEN HEARING THAT FIVE WORD PHRASE THAT HAS BECOME AS UBIQUITOUS IN CAMPAIGN ADS AS IMAGES OF AVERAGE VOTERS AND AMERICAN FLAGS.

AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

THE CURIOSITY EDGAR B. HERWICK III LOOKED INTO WHY.

>> I’M JOE BIDEN AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

>> I’M NIKKI HALEY AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

>> OH, DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING.

>> I’M DONALD J. TRUMP AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

EDGAR: AND YOU APPROVE THIS MESSAGE!

OKAY, SERIOUSLY, WHAT GIVES WITH THIS, RIGHT?

WHY DOES EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE SAY "I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT EVERY CYCLE?

DOES THIS PHRASE POLL WELL?

DOES IT CAST SOME SORT OF SUBLIMINAL SPELL ON VOTERS?

>> READ MY LIPS.

NO.

EDGAR: OF COURSE NOT.

CANDIDATES DO IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO.

BY LAW.

IT’S COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE STAND BY YOUR AD PROVISION.

>> THE STAND BY YOUR AD RULE GOES BACK TO A LAW THAT CONGRESS PASSED IN 2002 CALLED THE BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN REFORM ACT.

THIS WAS A LARGE OVERHAUL OF ALL OF THE FEDERAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE RULES.

AND ONE OF THE PROVISIONS IN THAT LAW SAID FEDERAL CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL COMMITTEES THAT ARE DOING ADS ON RADIO OR ON TELEVISION, THEY NEED AN AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENT THAT SAYS THAT THEY APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

EDGAR: NOW, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DISCLOSURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN REQUIRED.

WATCH ANY POLITICAL AD FROM ANY ERA AND YOU’LL SEE TEXT ON THE SCREEN AT SOME POINT INFORMING VOTERS WHO PAID FOR THE SPOT.

ANOTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN COMMON IN POLITICAL ADS FOR AS LONG AS THERE HAVE BEEN POLITICAL ADS, GOING NEGATIVE.

HERE’S DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER IN ONE OF THE VERY FIRST EVER TV ADS FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

>> INSTEAD OF ASKING WHAT PARTY WILL BRING PRICES DOWN, WHY NOT ASK WHAT PARTY PUT PRICES UP?

THEN VOTE FOR A CHANGE.

EDGAR: BUT THROUGH THE 1970S, 1980S, AND INTO THE 1990S, THOSE NEGATIVE ADS STEADILY BECAME MORE COMMON AND MORE BITING.

>> YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF FOUR YEARS FROM NOW THAN YOU ARE TODAY.

>> WELL, IT’S FOUR YEARS LATER.

HOW’RE YOU DOING?

EDGAR: SICK BURN.

SO CONGRESS PASSED THE NEW LAW REQUIRING NOT JUST TEXT, BUT ALSO THAT ACCOMPANYING DECLARATION BY THE CANDIDATE THEMSELVES THAT THEIR CAMPAIGN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AD.

THAT STATEMENT MUST BE MADE IN THEIR VOICE ON RADIO.

AND ON TV, IT MUST INCLUDE VIDEO OF THEM SAYING IT OR THEIR VOICE MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR IMAGE.

>> I THINK WHAT WE PUT IN THOSE ADS IS DIFFERENT.

SOME CANDIDATES ARE LESS LIKELY TO WANT TO GO NEGATIVE AGAINST THEIR OPPONENTS IN THOSE ADS.

THEY MAY BE LESS LIKELY TO WANT TO FOCUS ON CERTAIN CONTROVERSIAL AREAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO THAT.

EDGAR: PROBLEM SOLVED, RIGHT?

WELL, -- >> ON THE ONE HAND, THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THAT PURPORT TO SHOW THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STAND BY YOUR AD RULE DID LOWER THE AMOUNT OF NEGATIVE ADS RUN BY THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK IF YOU ASKED ANYONE ON THE STREET, THEY WOULD SAY NEGATIVE ADVERTISING IN POLITICS IS WORSE THAN EVER.

EDGAR: DID YOU CATCH THAT?

BY THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES.

CRUCIALLY, THE STAND BY YOUR AD PROVISION ONLY APPLIES TO ADS RUN BY THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE CANDIDATES, NOT ANY THIRD PARTY GROUPS.

LIKE THE SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH, WHO FAMOUSLY CRITICIZED JOHN KERRY’S VIETNAM RECORD IN A SERIES OF ADS IN 2004.

>> CAN AMERICA TRUST A MAN WHO BETRAYED HIS COUNTRY?

EDGAR: OR PRIORITIES USA, WHO SPENT MILLIONS ON ANTI-DONALD TRUMP ADS IN 2020.

>> DONALD TRUMP IS FAILING AMERICA.

EDGAR: IN THE 2022 ELECTION CYCLE, OUTSIDE GROUPS SPENT MORE ON ADS THAN THE CANDIDATES COMBINED IN 54 DIFFERENT FEDERAL RACES.

>> THEY CAN TAKE UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF MONEY, WHERE THE CANDIDATES AND THE CAMPAIGNS ARE LIMITED BY CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS.

IT’S JUST NATURAL FOR THE TV AD BUY TO GO TO THESE SUPER PACS WHO CAN RAISE UNLIMITED MONEY AND CAN SAY THINGS THAT THE CANDIDATES CAN’T.

EDGAR: ANOTHER CRITICAL CAVEAT NOW THAT WE’RE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, THE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE CANDIDATES TO STAND BY THEIR ADS ON THE INTERNET.

>> WHAT WE’RE SEEING OVER THE LAST FEW CYCLES IS THAT THE ABILITY TO TARGET MESSAGES AND TALK TO INDIVIDUAL VOTERS ONLINE AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND OTHERS IS HAVING A BIGGER AND BIGGER IMPACT.

>> NOW THAT WE ARE 22 YEARS PAST THE PASSAGE OF THE BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN REFORM ACT, THE INTERNET IS EATING UP MORE AND MORE CAMPAIGN DOLLARS RELATIVE TO TV AND RADIO.

EDGAR: THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS EFFORTS TO EXPAND THE STAND BY YOUR AD PROVISION.

SOME BILLS WOULD REQUIRE CEOS OF THIRD PARTY GROUPS TO APPEAR AND APPROVE, JUST LIKE THE CANDIDATES.

OTHERS WOULD EXTEND ALL THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO ADS ONLINE.

>> A LOT OF THOSE ADS ONLINE ARE 10 OR 15 SECOND ADS.

AND SO IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD TO HAVE ENFORCED THIS RULE.

I MEAN, NOW YOU’RE CUTTING A 10 SECOND AD DOWN TO FIVE SECONDS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE FIVE-SECOND DISCLAIMER AT THE END.

EDGAR: FOR NOW, EVEN ONLINE ADS MUST STILL INCLUDE A VISUAL DISCLOSURE.

SO, BE AWARE AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO DO A LITTLE DIGGING TO SEE WHO IS SELLING YOU WHAT.

>> IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK BEHIND THE ADS AND THEY CAN DO THAT THROUGH THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.

ANY POLITICAL COMMITTEE, ANY CAMPAIGN THAT IS RUNNING ADVERTISING, YOU CAN SEE WHO THEIR CONTRIBUTORS ARE AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY’RE SPENDING MONEY ON.

EDGAR: ALL THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT A PRETTY EASY TO REMEMBER URL FEC.GOV.

WELL, THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS.

OUR THANKS TO EMERSON COLLEGE FOR ALWAYS KEEPING US CURIOUS.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I’M EDGAR B. HERWICK III.

AND -- >> SAY IT!

EDGAR: AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.

STAKE HERE IS OUT THERE.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT.

COME BACK TOMORROW.

WE WILL HAVE THE FINAL WORD BEFORE POLLS CLOSE ON SUPER TUESDAY.

THEN, A NEW REPORT FROM EMBRACE BOSTON SHOWS HOW THE CITY’S’S PASSED IS STILL AFFECTING BLACK RESIDENTS TODAY.

THAT AND MORE TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I’M CRYSTAL HAYNES.

GOOD NIGHT.