>>> TONIGHT ON THE FRONT PAGE FORECAST.

AS COVID CASES SURGE, WILL WE SEE RETURN TO LIFE IN LOCKDOWN?

IS IT SAFE TO RIDE THE SUBWAY, WHAT'S NEXT AFTER THE BROOKLYN ATTACK?

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION AND BY -- ♪♪ >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE "METROFOCUS" FRONT PAGE FORECAST.

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOOK AHEAD, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL PLEDGES TO AVOID FUTURE LOCKDOWNS AS RECOMMENDS NEW YORKERS MASK UP ONCE AGAIN.

LOOKING FOR NEW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AFTER RESIGNATION AMID CORRUPTION CHARGES.

WHAT DOES THE SCANDAL MEAN FOR FORMER BOSS HOCHUL AND THE UPCOMING PRIMARY.

ALSO TRYING TO ENSURE NEW YORKERS THE SUBWAYS ARE SAFE AFTER HORRIFIC SHOOTING IN BROOKLYN.

SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN HOW HE WAS ABLE TO EVADE POLICE SO LONG AND FUTURE OF SUBWAY SAFETY.

TO GIVE US THEIR TAKE, WE ARE JOINED BY JC PLANCKO, ATTORNEY, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND GREAT TO HAVE YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NIALA IS A FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL BLACK, LATINO AND ASIAN CAUCUS.

WELCOME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> ALYSSA KATZ, DEPUTY EDITOR OF THE NONPROFIT NEWS WEBSITE COVERING NEW YORK.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.

>> GLAD TO BE BACK.

>> START AT TOP.

ALYSSA, LET'S TALK ABOUT COVID.

WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE WERE DONE TALKING ABOUT COVID, AND THAT IT WAS ENDEMIC, BUT WE'RE SEEING CASES STARTING TO GO UP AGAIN.

DO YOU SEE NEW YORK CITY -- THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS OF MASKING INDOORS AGAIN BUT SEEMS LIKE MOST PEOPLE ABLE TO TAKE OFF THE MASK, DON'T WANT TO PUT IT BACK ON.

DO YOU SEE IT AS SOMETHING THE CITY MIGHT TRY TO ENFORCE AGAIN?

>> INTERESTING QUESTION.

SEEN PHILADELPHIA, NOT FAR FROM HERE, ALREADY REINSTATED ITS MASK MANDATE FOR INDOOR SPACES.

I COULD SEE THAT POTENTIALLY HAPPENING HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.

IN ADDITION TO OF COURSE THE MANDATE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SET THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

WE CAN USE THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS AS A GOOD BELLWETHER FOR HOW NEW YORKERS ARE CONDUCTING THEMSELVES EVEN WITH A MANDATE.

WE HAVE NO ENFORCEMENT.

AT THIS POINT WHEN I RIDE THE SUBWAY, THIRD OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT WEARING MASKS, OTHER TWO-THIRDS ARE.

WE'RE AT MOMENT THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IN PUBLIC AS WELL.

PEOPLE MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

I THINK -- IT'S HARD TO SAY FROM WHERE I SIT.

EACH GO THROUGH LIVES WITH RISK TOLERANCE, VULNERABILITIES AND RISKS, BUT KEY QUESTION NOW, WHETHER SET YOUR OWN RISK TOLERANCE POLICY, WEAR IF YOU CHOOSE TO, DON'T IF YOU DON'T, IS THAT GOING TO BE VIABLE AS CASE RATES GO UP.

ESPECIALLY IF WE DON'T SEE RISE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS OR DEATHS.

WHETHER MAYOR ERIC ADAMS AND GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL WILL SEE THAT AS POLITICALLY FOR THEM AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, ACCEPTABLE TO LET EVERYONE MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

>> JC, GET YOUR TAKE ON THIS, TALKED ABOUT THE PERSONAL RISK ASSESSMENT THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING.

IS, I GUESS, A MASK MANDATE REALLY A MANDATE IF THERE'S NO HARD ENFORCEMENT?

>> I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MASK MANDATE ANYTIME SOON.

NOT A DOCTOR BUT POLITICALLY SPEAKING IN ELECTION YEAR, GOING TO TELL NEW YORKERS TO PUT ON A MASK BECAUSE OF VARIANT COMING OUT WHEN MOST OF US ARE BOOSTERED, THOSE THAT QUALIFY.

TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS RATIONAL NEW YORKERS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, BOOSTERED WHEN QUALIFYING AND WILL BE BOOSTERED FOR ANOTHER ONE IF RECOMMENDED.

IDEA OF WEARING MASKS AT THIS POINT IS OBSCENE, NOT IN ELECTION YEAR.

TIRED OF MASKS, SEEING KIDS IN MASKS.

BARRING A VARIANT HOSPITALIZING A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW YORKERS, NOT GOING TO SEE IS, POLITICIANS WON'T PUSH FOR IT, NEW YORKERS WON'T STAND FOR IT, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US BOOSTERED UP.

LOT OF PEOPLE WEAR THEM INTO SUBWAYS AND ON THE BUS BUT IDEA WE'RE GOING TO WALK AROUND LIKE TWO YEARS AGO, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> NIALA, DO YOU THINK IT'S FAIR?

LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING CASE NUMBERS ARE UNDERCOUNTED WITH ACCESS TO AT-HOME TESTS.

>> I AGREE WITH THE POINTS THAT JC AND ALYSSA MADE.

THERE'S PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS BUT DURING ELECTION YEAR, POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS.

CLOSEST WE MAY GET TO MANDATES IS PEOPLE CHOOSING TO WEAR MASKS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT IF THEY HAVE TO GO TO, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES THAT STILL REQUEST THAT PEOPLE WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY GO IN.

BUT POLITICALLY IT'S DIFFICULT THREAD TO NEEDLE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO ENGAGE AND RETURN TO QUOTE, UNQUOTE NORMAL LIFE, WHICH HAS BEEN THE MESSAGING EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

TO THE POINT YOU RAISED, IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

AT-HOME TESTING IS ACCESSIBLE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AS PUBLIC OR FEELING AS INTENSE AS IT WAS A YEAR AGO, TWO YEARS AGO.

IF YOU TESTED POSITIVE.

NOW PEOPLE CAN ISOLATE AND STAY HOME FOR FIVE, SIX DAYS, WHATEVER THE MEDICAL RECOMMENDATION IS, AS LONG AS THEY CHOOSE TO.

WE'RE AT POINT IN THE PANDEMIC WHERE PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE BEST, YOU KNOW, ALIGNED WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO DO MORE SO THAN REALLY TRYING TO STAY IN ANOTHER LOCKDOWN OR BEING FORCED TO QUOTE, UNQUOTE GO BACK TO MANDATE AS WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO.

>> OF COURSE.

I DO WANT TO CIRCLE BACK, AS YOU MENTIONED, PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR ON THE SUBWAY.

I KNOW MASKING IS SOMETHING THAT NEW YORKERS ARE PROBABLY CONSCIOUS OF BUT PROBABLY PUSHED WAY FAR BACK IN PEOPLE'S MINDS.

MUCH MORE FRONT AND CENTER IS SAFETY ON THE SUBWAYS.

BACK TO THE SHOOTING LAST WEEK, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SUSPECT IN CUSTODY RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, ONE THING THAT WE KNOW IS THAT HE WAS SOMEONE WITH AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF VIDEO EVIDENCE OF HIS STATE OF MIND.

SOMEBODY WHO HAD HIS OWN YOUTUBE CHANNEL, PUT UP VIDEOS WHERE HE SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE OBSESSED WITH DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

AND ALSO INCREASINGLY RECENTLY OBSESSED WITH NEW YORK CITY, ITS LEADERS.

IN FACT WITH THEIR -- THE ANTIGUN AND ANTICRIME SUBWAY ENFORCEMENT.

HE HAD VIDEOS DEDICATED TO EVERYTHING MAYOR ERIC ADAMS WAS DOING AND MOCKING IT.

PUTTING UP NEWS CLIPS THAT WERE -- ADAMS WOULD SAY WE'RE GOING TO GET CONTROL OF CRIME IN THE SUBWAYS AND GUNS, THIS GUY MOCKING IT, SAYING HA, WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT.

ANYONE CAN -- HE MADE FUN FOR INSTANCE OF THE INCIDENT WHERE A WOMAN GOT ATTACKED BY GUY WITH A CANE IN QUEENSBORO PLAZA STATION SAYING OLD GUY COULD DO THIS, HE HAD A CANE, LAUGHING AND LAUGHING.

EVIDENCE WAS OUT THERE.

QUESTION IS WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT?

NEW YORK CITY FROM 9/11 AND OTHER HORRIBLE INCIDENTS, RACIST ATTACKS HAPPEN THIS WAY, PEOPLE SEE NEW YORK CITY AS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA STAGE AND VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY AS WAY TO GET ATTENTION, FULL FULL SICK FANTASIES, AND THE ISOLATION OF THE PANDEMIC AND DESTRUCTIVE ROLE IN MENTAL HEALTH HAS MADE THAT KIND OF ATTACK ON NEW YORK CITY BY UNHINGED LONE INDIVIDUAL LIKE THIS ALL THE MORE LIKELY UNFORTUNATELY.

>> OF COURSE.

AND JC, WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU -- INITIALLY HE GOT AWAY, 30 HOURS BEFORE HE WAS LOCATED AND CAPTURED AND THERE ARE STORIES HE ALERTED THE POLICE.

GOOD SAMARITAN WHO FLAGGED DOWN OFFICERS WHEN HE SAW HIM IN McDONALD'S, ET CETERA.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WAY IN GENTLEMAN WAS CAPTURED, HOW LONG IT TOOK -- DOES THAT SEND UP ANY RED FLAGS FOR YOU?

>> SO MANY RED FLAGS, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT ABOUT RACIST PEOPLE, PEOPLE ONLINE MAKING STATEMENTS LIKE THIS MAN DID, WHITE SUPREMACISTS, ANTI-WHITE THINGS, ANTI-MUSLIM THINGS.

HAPPENING EVERY CORNER OF SOCIETY, NOT JUST WHITES, BLACKS, MUSLIMS.

THIS IS HAPPENING.

THIS MAN HAD HIS OWN CHANNEL SPEWING HATE ACROSS ALL SORTS OF MEDIA.

ALSO REMIND YOUR VIEWERS.

SORRY IF PANELISTS DON'T AGREE, COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, PROGRESSIVE ELITE IN NEW YORK CITY WERE DEMANDING THAT COPS LEAVE THE SUBWAYS BECAUSE OF A CHURRO LADY VIDEO, LOT OF PEOPLE CLUTCHED THEIR PEARLS, DEMANDED THAT COPS BE OUT OF THE SUBWAYS AND NEEDED MORE ELEVATORS.

WE SEE THE REALITY, INCREASE IN CRIME IN TRAINS.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS, PEOPLE SHOVED, ATTACKED, STABBED.

SAME PEOPLE TWO YEARS AGO BEGGING FOR US TO TOP PUTTING NYPD IN THE TRAINS ARE SAME PEOPLE COMPLAINING AND PASSING MEMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND TWITTER WHY IT TOOK THE NYPD 30 HOURS.

THERE'S 10 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.

ONE INDIVIDUAL GOT OUT OF A TRAIN, CHANGED ATTIRE, TOOK OFF GAS MASK.

THANK GOD WE FOUND HIM IN 30 HOURS AND NEW YORK PULLED TOGETHER AND HELPED GET HIM ARRESTED.

I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

IF HE CALLED IN HIMSELF, MAYBE HE WANTED TO SURRENDER, COULDN'T LIVE WITH HIMSELF.

WE HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP SAYING BAD PEOPLE ARE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL IN THE COMMUNITY, TALKING ABOUT IT A LONG TIME.

BUT WE HAVE BAD PEOPLE OUT THERE AS WELL.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD A DIAGNOSIS, LET'S WAIT UNTIL WE GET INFORMATION FROM PSYCHIATRIST EVALUATING HIM.

>> NIALA, BRING YOU IN, THERE ARE SO MANY RED FLAGS THIS BROUGHT UP.

WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU.

>> I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH A FEW POINTS JC MADE.

I DO WANT TO QUICKLY PUSH BACK ON THE POINT REGARDING THE NARRATIVE THAT FOLKS ON THE LEFT, PROGRESSIVES, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY CALLING FOR FROM MY UNDERSTANDING A COMPLETE LOSS OF PRESENCE OF NYPD IN THE SUBWAY TRANSIT SYSTEM, MORE WHO THEY WERE TARGETING AND FOCUSING ON IN EVERYDAY WEEK.

I BELIEVE THE ARGUMENT WAS THE LADY SELLING CHURROS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST, YOU KNOW, WAY TO FOCUS.

WHEN YOU HAVE LEGIT CRIMINALS SUCH AS SUBWAY SHOOTER FROM LAST TUESDAY.

TO YOUR QUESTION, JENNA, AGAIN A LOT OF RED FLAGS AND BREAKDOWNS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND SUBWAY SYSTEM.

I THINK FOR ME, WHAT STANDS OUT FOR ME IS THE CHALLENGE THAT MAYOR ADAMS HAS, WHO ALSO BEGAN, I BELIEVE HIS CAREER AS A TRANSIT COP MANY YEARS AGO, THIS IDEA OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND HOW IT HAS DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS DEPENDING ON WHERE IN NEW YORK YOU ARE.

THERE ARE TO JC'S POINT FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT COPS IN THE SUBWAY NECESSARILY.

THERE ARE FOLK WHO DO WANT PRESENCE BUT NOT FOCUSING ON THE SMALLER MISDEMEANOR PETTY CRIMES AND MORE FOCUSED AND INVESTED ON GETTING THE MORE LEGITIMATE HARMFUL, DANGEROUS TYPE CRIMINALS.

THEN THERE ARE FOLKS WHO WANT A LOT OF PRESENCE OF COPS.

I THINK FOR ME, TAPS INTO THE LARGER CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR SOME TIME AS NEW YORKERS IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES PUBLIC SAFETY MEAN AND FOR WHOM.

AND HOW DOES THE USE AND FUNCTION OF THE NYPD HELP US MOVE TOWARDS THIS IDEA OF WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS FOR US AS NEW YORKERS REGARDLESS OF WHICH BOROUGH WE'RE IN AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS OF NYPD CAN BE VASTLY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON OUR EXPERIENCE AS NEW YORKERS.

>> GOES WITHOUT SAID THE WAY YOU VIEW THE NYPD WOULD HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY, ECONOMIC STATUS, ET CETERA.

BUT I WANT TO PIVOT AND ASK DO YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF THIS NOW, THERE IS PRESSURE -- THERE WAS PRESSURE ON MAYOR ADAMS TO ADDRESS CRIME IN THE CITY, NOW TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE ON THE SUBWAY.

ARE THERE NEW INITIATIVES THEY'RE PUTTING FORWARD OR FLOATING?

>> WHAT THEY IMMEDIATELY DID, STILL IN PLACE, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE NUMBER OF POLICE PATROLLING ON THE SUBWAYS.

I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS, SEEING PAIRS OF OFFICERS IN SUBWAY CARS, AT STATIONS, AT THE READY.

I THINK IT IS SO HARD SOMETIMES SO -- YOU KNOW -- I THINK THERE'S TWO ISSUES WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFLATE.

INCREDIBLY HARD TO PREVENT INDIVIDUAL LIKE THIS, AS I SAID BEFORE, WAS IN PART PROVOKED ALMOST ON A DARE BY ADAMS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO ESCALATE SUBWAY SAFETY.

HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED WITH GOVERNOR HOCHUL A SAFETY PLAN WITH POLICING, AND INDIVIDUAL SAID HA, WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT.

BUT MORE BROADLY SEEN A GENERAL INCREASE IN CRIME ACROSS THE CITY AND INCREASE RELATIVE TO RIDERSHIP, STILL DEPRESSED ABOUT 60% PREPANDEMIC LEVELS.

INCREASE IN CRIME IN GENERAL.

INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE, DEPENDING WHERE, WHEN, WHAT TIME OF DAY, WILL BE A DETERRENT.

IF AS PROMISED, ADAMS SAID WE'LL ENFORCE TURNSTILE JUMPING AND OTHER INFRACTIONS LESS SERIOUS, THE RULES.

ONE THING HE'S UP AGAINST, SAID THIS IS AN ISSUE, YOU HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, WHO ALREADY SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROSECUTE TURNSTILE JUMPING.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE INTERACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE AND WHAT IS IT UP TO.

YOU PUT POLICE IN THE SUBWAY, MAYBE A DETERRENT BUT NOTHING IS NECESSARILY GOING TO HAPPEN EVEN IF THE POLICE ARREST SOMEONE.

SO SOME OF THE ISSUES HAVE TO GET WORKED OUT POLITICALLY AND PRACTICALLY AS WELL.

>> OF COURSE.

I DO WANT TO PIVOT A LITTLE BIT THOUGH.

THE STORY THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE "A" STORY, THE RESIGNATION AND ARREST OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

JC, FACT THERE'S HELP WANTED IN ALBANY, NEED ANOTHER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL OUT OF ALBANY GETTING EMBROILED IN SCANDAL AND ARRESTED SAYS TO THE PUBLIC GOING INTO THE PRIMARY SEASON?

>> PUBLIC HAS TO START TAKING POLITICS SERIOUSLY.

WE SEE NEW YORK CITY HAVE DISMAL VOTER TURNOUT.

COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS GETTING ELECTED WITH FEW VOTES.

NEIGHBORHOODS NEEDING MOST HELP ARE NOT TURNING OUT TO VOTE.

WE HAVE TO TAKE ELECTIONS SERIOUSLY, ASK WHAT IS GOING ON.

FACT OF THE MATTER IS, BRIAN BENJAMIN'S RESUME IS STELLAR, BROWN, HARVARD, INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU THINK HE'S GREAT.

BUT REALITY IS THERE WAS RUSH TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT, SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL AND DIDN'T STUDY THE BACKGROUND ENOUGH, PUT INDIVIDUAL A HEARTBEAT FROM THE GOVERNORSHIP OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

CONSERVATIVE TO MODERATE DEMOCRAT FROM WESTERN NEW YORK GOING TO MOST IMPORTANT BLACK POWER BASE IN THE WORLD, HARLEM, AND PICK A SENATOR TO BE LIEUTENANT GENERAL.

SHE'S NOW PAYING A PRICE FOR THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP WITH A BACKGROUND CHECK.

NEW YORKERS ARE DISHEARTENED WITH THE CORRUPTION IN ALBANY.

WE HAVE ONE PARTY RULE, FOLKS GETTING ELECTED WHO SHOULDN'T BUT THEY ARE.

THERE'S POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GOVERNOR TO EXTEND A OLIVE BRANCH TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN NEW YORK AND REALIZE WHITES HAVE EVERY OFFICE STATE AND CITY WIDE AND SAY YOU LATINOS MATTER, ESPECIALLY HISPANICS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WHO CONSISTENTLY SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATS AND APPOINT A DEMOCRATIC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT LATINOS MATTER.

IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR HER.

>> BRINGS UP TWO IMPORTANT ISSUES.

ONE, DO YOU SEE THE GOVERNOR COULD BE LOOKING AT LATINO PERSON TO TAKE OVER AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ON THE TICKET?

AND TWO, WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE FORMER SENATOR BENJAMIN TURNED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR -- WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS LEAVING HIS POLITICAL BASE?

DO YOU SEE THEM SUPPORTING SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS CARBON COPY OR TURNING TO DIFFERENT TYPE OF CANDIDATE?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT GOVERNOR HOCHUL WOULD BE WISE TO ELECT SOMEONE OF COLOR.

TO JC'S POINT, THERE IS A HUNGER FOR LATINO/LATINA REPRESENTATION.

I WOULD SAY A CHALLENGE SHE WOULD HAVE WITH THAT, GOES BACK TO GUBERNATORIAL POLITICS FROM LAST AUGUST WHEN SHE DID HAVE A POTENTIAL CHALLENGER, NOW ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES, SHE NEEDED SUPPORT FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THOUGHT SELECTING BENJAMIN, HE WOULD DELIVER HARLEM, A STRONGHOLD OF ELECTORAL POWER.

I WOULD SAY IT'S SHIFTED NOW TO BROOKLYN BUT HARLEM STILL HAS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REPRESENTATIVE AND SYMBOLIC POWER WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK POLITICS IN THE CITY.

THAT SAID, I THINK TO JC'S POINT, IF GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL WANTS TO INVIGORATE A BLOCK THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN INVIGORATED, SHE WOULD BE SMART TO BRING ON LATINO OR LATINA ON HER TICKET.

WITH THAT SAID, THREADING THE NEEDLE TO NOT NECESSARILY MAKE THE ERROR SHE MADE WITH BRIAN BENJAMIN.

YOU HAVE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION BUT ELECTORALLY -- FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BRIAN BENJAMIN HAD NEVER RUN A COMPETITIVE CAMPAIGN, ALWAYS APPOINTED TO HIS POSITION.

DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE HIS OWN VOTING BLOC TO DELIVER TO HER.

SHE DOES GO THE WAY OF IDENTITY POLITICS IN SELECTING SOMEONE, WHO IS LATINO OR LATINA TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DELIVER VOTES TO HER, NOT JUST TO HAVE ON THE TICKET.

WHERE DOES BENJAMIN'S BASE GO, THE BASE IS -- DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF HIS OWN FRANKLY TO SAY IT SIMPLY.

IN TERMS OF AGAIN, HE NEVER RAN FOR HIS OWN SENATE DISTRICT, HE WAS ALWAYS APPOINTED, NEVER HAD A PRIMARY CHALLENGER.

THEN WHEN HE RAN FOR CITY COMPTROLLER, HE WAS IN FOURTH.

HIS BASE AS BLACK ELECTORATE ARE FAITHFUL DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

WHOEVER IS ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET, BASE WILL LIKELY GO WITH IT AS WELL.

>> I JUST REALIZED AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, MIGHT BE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS ARRESTED AND RESIGNED MIGHT NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT FOR.

CAN YOU GIVE US RECAP OF WHAT EXACTLY IT WAS THAT LED UP TO HIS CORRUPTION CHARGES?

>> SURE, AND THIS GETS RIGHT BACK TO WHAT JC WAS SAYING BEFORE, HOCHUL DID NOT PROPERLY VET BENJAMIN.

THIS IS A LITTLE SELF-PROMOTION HERE BUT MY ORGANIZATION IN LATE 2020 IDENTIFIED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THAT LOSING COMPTROLLER CAMPAIGN WHICH THE BENJAMIN CAMPAIGN SUBMITTED FOR MATCHING PUBLIC DOLLARS WERE SUSPICIOUS.

MONEY ORDERS, PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES BEGAN WITH LETTER "A," WHO SAID WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF BRIAN BENJAMIN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE GAVE MONEY TO HIM.

THAT CAME OUT IN JANUARY 2021 AND HOCHUL COULD HAVE CHOSEN EVERYONE BUT CHOSE BENJAMIN WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE AFTER ANDREW CUOMO RESIGNED.

WHAT DID BENJAMIN DO?

WE HAD SEEN SIGNS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS LOOKING AT.

WHAT HE DID ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, HE ARRANGED FOR A GRANT TO SUPPORTER HE ASKED TO MAKE -- NOT JUST MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO MY CAMPAIGN, LIMITED TO NOT MUCH MORE THAN $2,000 IF HARLEM FIGURE HAD GIVEN A LEGITIMATE DONATION.

SAID I WANT YOU TO COME UP WITH SMALL DONATIONS SO WE CAN GET MATCHING DOLLARS.

WANTED TO GAME THE MATCHING DOLLAR SYSTEM.

NOT CLEAR WHETHER OR NOT BENJAMIN KNEW THAT THIS GUY WAS FAKING ALL THE SMALL DONATIONS AND PROVIDING THE MONEY OR PAYING PEOPLE BACK TO TUNE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, BUT BENJAMIN ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS KNEW THAT MIGDALE HAD DONE IT PREVIOUSLY FOR SENATE CAMPAIGN.

MUST HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS UP.

PROSECUTORS SAID THIS IS A QUID PRO QUO.

BENJAMIN ARRANGED FOR THE GRANT.

CALLED DONOR, I GOT YOU THIS MONEY.

AND HE SAID HEY, HERE'S DONATIONS.

WOULD PICK UP ON STREET CORNER OR IN APARTMENT, STACK OF MONEY ORDERS.

CLASSIC QUID PRO QUO.

IT'S HARDER TO DO THESE INVESTIGATIONS BECAUSE OF SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE MEETING OR OTHER FAVOR THAT'S NOT MONETARY IN EXCHANGE FOR BRIBERY, BUT IN THIS CASE IT WAS CLASSIC, TEXTBOOK, THEY WERE ABLE TO CHARGE HIM.

AND HE OF COURSE PLEADED NOT GUILTY, BENJAMIN, BUT DIFFICULT CASE TO PROVE.

THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE AND THE DONOR IS COOPERATING WITH THE FEDS.

QUESTION IS WILL HOCHUL PAY A POLITICAL PRICE FOR FLABBERGASTING DECISION TO APPOINT BENJAMIN WITH THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT HIM.

>> TWO STORIES WE WILL BE FOLLOWING CLOSELY.

THANK MY ROUND TABLE PANEL OF GUESTS.

JC POLANCO, NAIALA AND ALYSSA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THE "METROFOCUS".

>>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND BY -- ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪