>>> TONIGHT, AFTER A FIERY DEBATE IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, WE ARE BREAKING DOWN WHAT'S NEXT FOR KATHY HOCHUL AND LEE ZELDIN WITH FORMER GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON AND FORMER SENATOR AL D'AMATO.

WILL IT BE A REFERENDUM ON CRIME OR ON DONALD TRUMP?

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

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

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

THE TWO MAJOR CANDIDATES FOR NEW YORK GOVERNOR FACED OFF LAST NIGHT IN THEIR ONE AND ONLY LIKELY TELEVISED DEBATE AHEAD OF THE GENERAL ELECTION NOW LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY, ON NOVEMBER 8th.

DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND HER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, CONGRESSMAN LEE ZELDIN, SPARRED ON ISSUES RANGING FROM CRIME, ABORTION, CORRUPTION, THE ECONOMY AND THE 2020 ELECTION.

LEE ZELDIN ACCUSED HOCHUL OF BEING SOFT ON CRIME AND PROMISED TO GET RID OF MANHATTAN D.A.

B BRAGG IF ELECTED.

HOCHUL DEFENDED HER RECORD ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND FOCUSED ATTACKS ON ZELDIN'S VOTE TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION AND HIS SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP.

>> THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF US TOGETHER, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AS NEW YORKERS TO MAKE SURE OUR STREETS ARE SAFE AGAIN, TO MAKE SURE OUR SUBWAYS ARE SAFE AGAIN.

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT, WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE STATUS QUO WHERE THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVEN'T PASSED ENOUGH PRO-CRIMINAL LAWS OR WE CAN TAKE CONTROL OF OUR DESTINY AND MAKE SURE LAW ABIDING NEW YORKERS ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR STREETS AGAIN.

>> IN LEE ZELDIN'S WORLD, YOU OVERTURN ELECTIONS YOU DON'T AGREE WITH.

YOU CAN'T THROW OUT SOMEONE WHO IS DULY ELECTED.

I WORKED WITH OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND GIVEN THEM MORE POWER TO DO THEIR JOBS.

FOR SOMEONE WHO VOTED TO OVERTURN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, I'M NOT SURPRISED HE THINKS WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO, HE CAN JUST UNDO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT THE DEMOCRACY WE LIVE IN BUT IT'S THE WORLD THAT LEE ZELDIN DOES.

>> HERE WITH THEIR TAKEAWAYS OF THE DEBATE AS WELL AS THEIR PREDICTION AS THE GOVERNOR'S RACE HEADS INTO THE FINAL STRETCH, WE ARE JOINED BY DEMOCRAT DAVID PATERSON, THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK.

WELCOME, GOVERNOR PATERSON.

>> NICE TO BE WITH YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY FORMER NEW YORK SENATOR REPUBLICAN AL D'AMATO.

SENATOR, WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>> NICE TO BE WITH YOU AND ALSO WITH MY DEAR FRIEND DAVID PATERSON.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD A HISTORY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS OF WORKING TOGETHER.

IT'S ONLY WITHIN THE PAST DECADE THAT WE NOW HAVE A TOUGH SITUATION ON OUR HANDS WHERE THERE'S LESS THAN COOPERATION.

AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.

THE GOVERNOR AND I HAVE HAD A RELATIONSHIP GOING BACK TO THE DAYS BEFORE.

AND HIS DAD WAS A WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC PUBLIC SERVANT.

I'M DELIGHTED TO BE ON THE PROGRAM WITH DAVID.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, SENATOR.

I MUST SAY BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BATTLE OVER THE DEBATE THAT I WENT TO VISIT SENATOR D'AMATO IN WASHINGTON.

I WAS THERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

HE INVITED ME INTO A MEETING THAT HE WAS DOING ON AN ISSUE THAT I DON'T REMEMBER.

HALFWAY THROUGH THE MEETING, HE ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT SOMETHING.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO FALL OFF MY CHAIR.

VERY WELCOMING AND OBVIOUSLY HARD WORKING AND GREAT FRIEND.

>> I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL.

USUALLY, THESE CONVERSATIONS END WITH SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON.

BUT WE ARE STARTING THERE.

LET'S GET RIGHT INTO THE DEBATE.

SENATOR D'AMATO, AS YOU POINTED OUT, WE ARE IN A VERY, VERY POLARIZED TIME.

THERE WERE SEVERAL DEBATES HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BUT THE ONE IN NEW YORK HAS BEEN GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION BECAUSE IT'S TIGHTENING.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE EXPECTED THAT.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WAS IT THAT CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN NEEDED TO DO TO DRIVE HOME HIS POINT AND SHORE UP HIS VOTE?

>> WELL, I THINK THE ISSUE OF CRIME IS NATIONWIDE ONE OF THE BIG ONES.

AND HERE IN NEW YORK AND PARTICULARLY AREAS -- BIG CITIES, CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES, YOU WILL FIND THESE COMMUNITIES, THE PEOPLE ARE BEING IMPACTED VERY ADVERSELY.

NEW YORK IS BEING HURT.

JOBS ARE LEAVING.

PEOPLE ARE LEAVING.

THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.

SO CRIME IS A TREMENDOUS ISSUE.

NOW, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE IT A SAFER COMMUNITY AND REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN APPROACH IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS?

I THINK ZELDIN HAS PULLED UP TO A POSITION WHERE THIS IS NOW A JUMP BALL.

THREE WEEKS AGO, HE WAS LOSING BY 8 TO 10 POINTS.

NOW, THIS IS TIGHTENED TO WHERE IT'S ANYBODY'S RACE.

AND ZELDIN CAN PICK IT UP.

AND CRIME IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

>> GOVERNOR, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT CRIME IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE ACROSS NEW YORK STATE?

>> YES, I DO.

I THINK THAT IN THE JUNE PRIMARIES AND IN THE AUGUST PRIMARIES, FOLLOWING THE DECISION IN ROE V. WADE, THAT DEMOCRATS WERE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS DECISION AND TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT.

THAT WAS WHAT I WOULD SAY -- THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS WHO WERE CANDIDATES WERE DOING.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL WON HER PRIMARY EASILY AMONG THEM.

HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WERE SOME HIGH PROFILE CRIMES.

TWO THINGS ABOUT CRIME NOW THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO, EVEN THOUGH AT THE TIME THE CRIME RATE WAS HIGHER THAN NOW.

FIRST OF ALL, THE CRIME RATE FROM 30 YEARS AGO WAS REALLY THE OUTGROWTH OF THE PRESENCE OF CRACK, WHICH FIRST CAME INTO THE COUNTRY THROUGH NEW YORK IN 1985, 1986.

A LOT OF THE SHOOTINGS WERE DRUG DEALERS SHOOTING EACH OTHER AND FIGHTING OVER TERRITORY.

THEY WERE IN COMPARTMENTALIZED PARTS OF THE CITY.

AS LONG AS YOU STAYEDAREAS, YOU MUCH SAFE.

A LOT OF THE PERPETRATORS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

THERE WAS A MAN KILLED IN A RESTAURANT AT 62nd AND PARK AVENUE LAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF THIS KIND OF A ROBBERY THERE.

I THINK THAT HAS IGNITED ANXIETY AND FEAR ALL AROUND THE STATE.

THE SECOND THING THAT I THINK THAT IS FUELLING THIS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE IS THE ISSUE OF BAIL AND BAIL REFORM WHICH WAS AMENDED IN 2019 BY THE LEGISLATURE.

WE ARE THE ONLY STATE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW JUDGES THE PREROGATIVE TO ASSESS THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THE DEFENDANT.

AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT BY THE CURRENT GOVERNOR TO REVERSE THAT IN THE LAST BUDGET PROCESS.

BUT SHE HAS A VETO-PROOF MAJORITY.

THEY CAN OVERRIDE EVEN IF SHE WERE TO VETO THAT BILL.

SO I THINK SHE'S GOING TO WAIT HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR AND PUT PRESSURE TO TRY TO CREATE THAT AGAIN.

>> OKAY.

>> I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S POINT IS ABSOLUTELY ON.

HE IS CORRECT.

THIS IS A DISGRACE THAT WE ARE THE ONLY STATE THAT DOES NOT GIVE THE LATITUDE TO A GOVERNOR TO HOLD SOMEONE THAT THEY FEEL IS A DANGER -- THAT THE JUDGE FEELS IS A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I THINK THAT HOCHUL'S POSITION ABOUT PLACING RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE PEOPLE WHO LEGALLY HAVE A PISTOL PERMIT, A GUN PERMIT, FROM GOING INTO CERTAIN AREAS LIKE TIMES SQUARE -- SHE USES THAT -- THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

THE LEGAL GUN OWNERS -- THOSE WHO ARE REGISTERED -- THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING AROUND COMMITTING THESE CRIMES.

THAT'S A JOKE.

YOU GOT TO GET PEOPLE WHO COMMIT CRIMES, WHO DON'T REGISTER THEIR GUNS OFF THE STREETS.

YOU GOTTA GIVE THE JUDGES AND THE COURTS THE ABILITY TO HOLD THEM AND NOT TO JUST RELEASE THEM AND THEY GO OUT AND COMMIT MORE CRIMES AND MORE CRIMES.

WHETHER IT'S WITH A GUN OR WITHOUT A GUN.

I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNOR AND I DISAGREE ON THAT.

>> TGOVERNOR, DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

>> I THINK THAT THE ISSUE OF BAIL HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT MISUNDERSTOOD.

PEOPLE NOW ARE ASSESSING WHAT THE BAIL SHOULD BE BASED ON WHAT THE CRIME WAS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT BAIL DOES UNDER THE SIXTH AMENDMENT OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

BAIL ASSURES THAT THE DEFENDANT WILL BE PRESENT FOR TRIAL.

SO THE BEST WAY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE PUT A LOT OF MONEY UP TO GET OUT ON BAIL, AND THEN THEY ARE NOT LIKELY TO GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE THE COURT IS HOLDING THEIR MONEY.

OR YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE PUT THE MONEY UP AND THEY GET -- THEY CAN'T PUT THE MONEY UP AND THEY ARE REMANDED UNTIL THE TRIAL TAKES PLACE.

I THINK THAT THE BAIL REFORM ISSUE IS ACTUALLY CONFUSING ALL OF US AS OPPOSED TO THE CRIME ISSUE WHERE I THINK THE REAL ISSUES ARE THAT THE PREDICATE FELONS, PEOPLE WHO KRITCOMMIT CRIMES, WE HAVE TO SET A LIMIT HOW MANY TIMES WE ALLOW IT.

TWICE OR THREE TIMES.

THAT WAS GOVERNOR PATAKI'S IDEA.

WE HAD IT FOR A WHILE.

I THINK WE COULD RETURN TO THAT.

>> I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR TOO MUCH ON THIS POINT.

TO BUILD ON THE ADDRESSING OF THE ISSUE OF CRIME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN HAS PROMISED IS THAT HE IS GOING TO GET RID OF THE MANHATTAN D.A.

FIRST OFF, AS I'M SURE YOU BOTH KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GET SAID ON THE CAMPAIGN.

BUT THEN EXECUTION IN OFFICE DON'T ALWAYS WORK OUT THAT WAY.

SENATOR D'AMATO, FIRST OF ALL, CAN THE GOVERNOR DO THAT?

WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF HE DID?

>> I THINK -- FIRST OF ALL, YES, THERE ARE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

BUT HE DOES HAVE THE POWER IF HE CAN SHOW OR DEMONSTRATE THAT HE HAS NOT FOLLOWED THE LAW IN A MANNER WHICH IS GOING TO REALLY PROTECT THE PEOPLE.

HE DOES HAVE THAT POWER.

NOW, HE HAS TO PROVE IT.

BRAGG IS A CASE THAT I THINK PROBABLY COULD BE MADE.

BUT HE WILL BE SETTING AN EXAMPLE BY SAYING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE A FAILURE TO PROSECUTE CASES THAT SHOULD BE PROSECUTED OR WHERE YOU SHOULD BE SEEKING TOUGHER PENALTIES AND YOU ARE NOT DOING IT.

WE DID GIVE THE GOVERNOR THAT AUTHORITY.

WILL IT HOLD UP CONSTITUTIONALLY?

I THINK IT WOULD.

>> OKAY.

>> GOVERNOR PATAKI WAS UPSET WITH THE BRONX -- WHEN NEW YORK PASSED THE DEATH PENALTY, JOHNSON SAID HE WOULDN'T ENFORCE IT.

WHAT GOVERNOR PATAKI DID WAS HE TOOK THE POWER AWAY FROM JOHNSON.

HE DIDN'T FIRE HIM.

HE TOOK THE POWER AWAY FROM HIM SO THAT HE COULD NOT STOP CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CRIMES FROM GOING FORWARD.

IT WAS AFTER SOME SCRUTINY THAT GOVERNOR PATAKI DID ABOUT THE D.A.

AND OTHER ISSUES IN THAT RESPECT.

I WOULD HOPE THAT WHAT CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN SAID LAST NIGHT, THE MINUTE HE IS IN, THAT BRAGG IS OUT, I WOULD HOPE THERE WOULD BE SOME TYPE OF INVESTIGATION TO CLEAR THIS, BECAUSE HE IS MAKING A JUDGMENT WITHOUT SEEING ALL OF THE FACTS IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A LITTLE CAMPAIGN RHETORIC AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING REAL THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

>> DO EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN THAT THIS MIGHT SET -- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OPTICS OF IT.

THIS MIGHT SET A QUESTIONABLE OR MAYBE IN SOME PEOPLE'S EYES DANGEROUS PRECEDENT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE IDEA OF SOMEONE COMING INTO OFFICE AND IMMEDIATELY REMOVING POLITICAL OPPONENTS THEY DON'T LIKE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OPTION FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE?

WE COULD POSSIBLY SEE MORE OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

SENATOR, I WILL GO WITH YOU.

>> WELL, LOOK, THERE ARE HURDLES YOUHURD HURDLES.

YOU CAN START A PROCESS.

THIS IS A CAMPAIGN, SO THE RHETORIC ON BOTH SIDES GETS A LITTLE BIT OVERSTATED.

HE WOULD START THE PROCESS.

BUT THERE'S A LEGAL PROCESS.

HE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE.

HE CAN START THE PROCESS OF REMOVAL.

I THINK THAT'S -- THE BAIL REFORM IS REAL THOUGH.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T CARE WHO THE GOVERNOR IS, THEY HAVE TO DO.

I BELIEVE -- THIS IS MY OWN -- THAT HOCHUL HAS NOT HAD THE NERVE TO STAND UP TO TAKE ON THE LEGISLATURE AND TO FORCE SOME OF THE MORE LIBERAL ELEMENTS IN HER PARTY TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

SO SHE STAYED AWAY.

I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE TO THE PROSECUTORS THE ABILITY TO HOLD PEOPLE.

AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR STATED, WE'RE THE ONLY STATE WHERE THE D.A.

OR THE JUDGE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD SOMEONE BECAUSE HE FEELS THEY'RE A THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WRONG.

WHY ARE WE THE ONLY ONE?

WE'RE WRONG.

>> GOVERNOR, DO YOU AGREE?

>> WELL, YES, ABOUT US BEING THE ONLY STATE.

NEW JERSEY IN 2019 AND CALIFORNIA WERE THE OTHER TWO STATES, THEY BOTH HAVE NOW CREATED AN ALGORITHM THAT RELATES TO PREVIOUS OFFENSES AND BAIL.

I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A MODEL FOR US TO FOLLOW IF WE WANT TO DO IT.

ON THE ISSUE OF THE POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR, ON JULY 6 OF 2021, RIGHT BEFORE, UNFORTUNATELY, HIHIS S RESIGNATION, GOVERNOR CUOMO PUT IN A PROCUREMENT -- THERE HAD BEEN SHOOTINGS OVER THE JULY 4th WEEKEND.

SO HE BASICALLY SUSPENDED THE LAW THERE AND EVERY 30 DAYS HE HAS TO REINFORCE IT.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL HAS REINFORCED IT SINCE HE HAS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW SENATOR D'AMATO FEELS, BUT I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT EXECUTIVES ARE TRYING TO TAKE TOO MUCH POWER.

FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME MAYBE WHAT GOVERNOR CUOMO DID WAS FINE.

BUT HERE WE ARE -- WE ARE GOING ON A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, AND THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT EMERGENCY DECLARATION.

LEE ZELDIN WANTS TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION WITH RESPECT TO CRIME.

SHOULD HE WIN, I HOPE HE SAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE WAS SAYING LAST NIGHT, WHICH IS THAT HE ALREADY ASSESSED THAT THE LAW WASN'T BEING FOLLOWED AND THAT HE IS GOING TO TAKE THOSE POWERS.

WHAT HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IS, HE CAN'T SUSPEND THE WHOLE LAW.

HE CAN SUSPEND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.

THAT'S WHAT ARTICLE 28 OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW ALLOWS HIM TO DO AND THE CONSTITUTION UNDER ARTICLE 4 WHERE HE HAS THAT BROAD SUPERVISORY POWER.

BUT HE CAN'T SPECIFICALLY SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING HE DOESN'T LIKE.

>> OKAY.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET INTO IT FURTHER.

I WOULD.

A CONVERSATION ABOUT EXECUTIVE POWER.

BUT I WANT TO TURN FROM THE TOP ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE GIVING VOTERS OF THE MOST ANXIETY TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE SECOND CLOSEST, THE ECONOMY.

THAT WAS A STICKING POINT IN LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE.

SENATOR D'AMATO, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNOR TO DO?

A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING EVERYDAY NEW YORKERS' LIVES ARE ISSUES THAT INVOLVE THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE, THE SUPPLY CHAIN, ET CETERA.

WHAT CAN THE GOVERNOR DO?

>> LET ME JUST POINT OUT A LITTLE ONE THAT HAS NOT GOTTEN THE ATTENTION IT SHOULD.

THE MTA HAS TENS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED, BOTH FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE AND STATE SIDE, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T SPENT.

IT WOULD TAKE THEM MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.

THEY ARE WAY BEHIND.

AND YET, THEY ARE GOING TO DO CONGESTION PRICING.

ALL OF THOSE IDIOTS ON THE BOARD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE -- I CALL THEM ALL IDIOTS -- ARE CLAPPING FOR IT.

LET'S DO IT.

PUT A $20 OR $30 TAB ON THE CAR COMING INTO THE CITY.

WILL YOU STOP MANY OF THEM?

YEAH.

HOW MANY OF THEM WILL MOVE?

WILL YOU STOP PEOPLE FROM NEW JERSEY WHO COME OVER, CONNECTICUT WHO COME OVER?

HOW MANY OF THEM WON'T COME OVER ANYMORE?

YOU THINK THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GO TO MASS TRANSIT?

YOU DON'T DO THAT AT AN ECONOMIC TIME IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME.

YOU WORK WITH THIS THING.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IMPOSE IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR SO.

THEY'RE A BUNCH OF JACKASSES.

YOU DON'T DO THAT.

YOU GOTTA STOP THIS BUSINESS OF TAXING, TAXING, RAISING MORE MONEY, RAISING MORE MONEY, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE STAYING IN THE STATE.

MY GRANDCHILDREN, I HAVE TWO OF THEM WHO ARE MOVING OUT.

I HAVE A THIRD THAT MOVED TO NEW JERSEY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE?

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS RELOCATING.

YOUR FINANCIAL SECENTER DOES NO HAVE TO BE NEW YORK ANYMORE.

SO WE ARE IN DANGER OF TAXING BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE OUT OF THE STATE.

WE SEE IT PLAYING OUT IN FRONT OF US.

LET'S CUT IT OUT.

LET'S WAKE UP AND START TO THINK, WHERE CAN I REDUCE, HOW CAN I MAKE THIS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO BRING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES IN?

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING, POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS ARE TOUGH.

YOU GOTTA RAISE MONEY TO GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS.

BUT I HAVE NEVER, NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE WHAT HAS GONE ON WITH HOCHUL.

I MEAN, THIS BUSINESS OF HER SAYING THAT SHE HAD TO SPEND $637 MILLION FOR THE COVID TEST KITS, TWICE WHAT CALIFORNIA SPENT, TWICE FOR THE SAME ONES.

AND SHE DIDN'T BUY THEM FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

SHE BOUGHT THEM FROM SOMEBODY WHO WHOLESALES.

THAT GUY MADE OVER $300 MILLION PROFIT ON THE BACK OF OUR TAXPAYERS.

>> OKAY.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON'S BUDGET?

>> LET ME FINISH.

YOU DON'T SPEND $300 MILLION OVER AND ABOVE WHAT ANOTHER STATE PAID AFTER YOU SUSPEND THE BIDDING RULES.

WHY?

WHY DID SHE SUSPEND THE BIDDING RULES?

TELL ME.

SHE SAID, WE WERE IN AN EMERGENCY.

THAT'S BULL.

CALIFORNIA BOUGHT THE SAME TESTS FROM THE SAME COMPANY, NOT THE WHOLESALER, DIRECTLY WITH THE COMPANY AND SAVED HALF OF THAT.

THAT GUY OVER IN NEW JERSEY MADE 300 AND SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS.

BY THE WAY, HE RAISED $300,000, IT'S CALLED PAY TO PLAY, $300,000 FOR HER CAMPAIGN.

YOU WANT TO KNOW THE LAST THING?

>> VERY QUICKLY.

>> I WILL FINISH.

THEY HIRED THE GUY'S SON TO WORK ON HER CAMPAIGN.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

DID YOU?

>> POLITICAL SHADINESS ABOUNDS ON BOTH SIDES, SENATOR.

ABOUNDS ON BOTH SIDES.

>> PAY TO PLAY, THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN.

THE GOVERNMENT FOR SALE IN THAT MANNER, TERRIBLE.

TERRIBLE.

>> GOVERNOR PATERSON, SIMILAR QUESTION.

THESE SO-CALLED KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES -- I SAY SO-CALLED BECAUSE, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR VIEWING AREAS IN APARTMENTS, THEY DON'T HAVE KITCHEN TABLES.

BUT HOW DO YOU SEE THE ECONOMY AS PLAYING A TOP ROLE IN WHAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE DECIDING, WHOEVER WINS?

>> OBVIOUSLY, INFLATION IS A BIG ISSUE THAT'S HIT THE AMERICAN ECONOMY.

IT'S IN NEW YORK.

IT'S EVERYPLACE ELSE.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY AFFECTING NEW YORK CITY IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC SUPPOSEDLY ENDING.

IT HAS HURT UPSTATE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS TO TRY TO REGENERATE BUSINESS.

IN THAT RESPECT, IT MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA -- I WAS IN SUPPORT OF CONGESTION PRICING.

RIGHT NOW WITH THE REBUILDING THAT SENATOR D'AMATO REFERRED TO, IT MIGHT BE BETTER EVEN IF YOU AGREE WITH THE IDEA TO TABLE IT FOR A COUPLE YEARS TO GIVE THE CITY A CHANCE TO COME BACK.

AS FAR AS THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GOVERNOR HOCHUL, SHE WAS EMPHATIC IN HER DENIAL THAT THAT WAS PAY TO PLAY.

HOWEVER, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, I DEFENDED GOVERNOR CUOMO WHEN HE HAD ACCUSATIONS, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF -- LET THE INVES INVESTIGATION, YOU KNOW, COME TO A CONCLUSION.

THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT HE HAD MADE A NUMBER OF REAL BAD DECISIONS.

THAT'S WHY HE HAD TO RESIGN.

I THINK THAT THE ALLEGATIONS MAY BE THERE.

BUT YOU KIND OF IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE TO PROVE THEM BEFORE YOU CAN REMOVE A GOVERNOR OR CREATE A FEELING ABOUT THE DECISION.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU, GOVERNOR.

I AGREE WITH GOVERNOR PATERSON.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT BOTHERS ME?

NOT ONE INVESTIGATION BY A DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BY A U.S. ATTORNEY OR BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OVER $300 MILLION OVERCHARGE AFTER $300,000 AND A SUSPENSION OF THE BIDDING.

SHE SUSPENDED THE BIDDING.

>> I APPRECIATE AND I THINK OUR VIEWERS APPRECIATE.

BUT WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE LAST QUESTION.

THAT IS THE HEALTH OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

WE KNOW THAT THE CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN DID VOTE TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF ANXIETY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY GOING FORWARD DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS.

WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

SENATOR, YOU FIRST.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE HEALTH OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

>> WELL, I HOPE THAT WE HAVE LEARNED, BECAUSE THIS IS A DEBACLE THAT TRUMP'S EGO LED HIM INTO AND THAT HIS WHACK-A-DOODLE LAWYERS, GIULIANI ONE OF THEM, PRECIPITATED.

IT WAS WRONG.

PASS THE ELECTION LAWS YOU WANT TO PROTECT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO VOTES IS ENTITLED TO VOTE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU INSTALL THE PROPER MECHANISMS.

DON'T COMPLAIN AFTER THE ELECTION ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE LEGALLY PERMITTED, THAT YOU COULD HAVE CHALLENGED BEFORE, BUT WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE RESULTS.

I HOPE WE LEARNED A LESSON.

I THINK THAT DEMOCRACY WILL BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE.

DON'T WAIT UNTIL AFTER TO SAY, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HARVESTING BALLOTS.

MAKE SURE THE LAW IS SUCH THAT BALLOTS ARE HARVESTED THE RIGHT WAY.

EVERYBODY WHO IS A CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE.

>> GOVERNOR PATERSON, A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

>> I ADMIRE THE SENATOR'S CANDOR.

HE IS A REPUBLICAN.

THAT'S THE MINORITY VIEW THERE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT HE THINKS IS RIGHT.

I ADMIRE HE SAID THAT.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO MEET HIM HALFWAY AND SAY THIS.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE, BOTH CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN AND GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANSWERED QUESTIONS, THEY DIDN'T REALLY INTERRUPT EACH OTHER WHEN THEY WERE TOLD THEIR TIME WAS UP, THEY STOPPED, AND THEY SHOOK HANDS AT THE END OF THE DEBATE.

ON THAT NOTE, LET'S JUST HOPE WHOEVER IS ELECTED, THEY WILL SERVE THE STATE WITH THE SAME POISE AND SAME CHARACTER THAT I SAW FROM BOTH CANDIDATES IN DEBATE LAST NIGHT.

I DON'T CARE WHO WINS THE ELECTION, AS LONG AS IT'S GOVERNOR HOCHUL.

>> ON THAT NOTE, WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE IT.

GENTLEMEN, I APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO GIVE US YOUR WELL-INFORMED AND THOUGHT-OUT OPINIONS AND VIEWS ON THE DEBATE AND THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IN GENERAL.

FORMER SENATOR AL D'AMATO AND FORMER GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT ON "METROFOCUS."

>> GOOD BEING WITH YOU.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY --