>> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS LIFTED MOST COVID RESTRICTIONS DUE TO VACCINATION BUT NOT WITHOUT CRITICISM.

KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO JOINS US WITH ANALYSIS.

THEN THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL PRIMARY IS ON TUESDAY AND IT'S WIDE OPEN.

WE'LL HAVE DETAILS AND LATER, SATURDAY IS THE FIRST PROPER JUNETEENTH AS A STATE HOLIDAY.

WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

I'M DARRELL CAMP AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

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

I'M DARRELL CAMP IN FOR DAN CLARK.

THE NEW YORK STATE ON POLICY EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS FIRST SIGNED IN MARCH 2020.

THAT ORDER SHUTDOWN SO-CALLED NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AND IMPOSED OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON DAY-TO-DAY LIFE IN NEW YORK WITH THE HOPE OF CONTROLLING THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

RESTRICTIONS HAVE INCREMENTALLY EASED OVER TIME BUT ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, THE GOVERNOR SEEMED TO CLAIM VICTORY OVER COVID-19 DUE TO THE VACCINATION RATE AND EASED MOST OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS KAREN DEWITT FROM NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC RADIO.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> HEY, I'M GOOD.

>> SO, THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE'S MIND FROM THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT IS, WHAT TYPES OF FACTS ARE THOSE?

>> WHAT TYPES OF FACTS?

YOU'RE RIGHT.

70% OF NEW YORKERS OVER THE AGE OF 18 HAVE RECEIVED THE FIRST DOSE OF THE VACCINATION, AT LEAST THEIR FIRST DOSE.

THAT IS SUBSTANTIAL FROM 70% FULLY VACCINATED AND REACHING THE SO-CALLED HERD IMMUNITY.

ACTUALLY, ONLY 50% OF NEW YORKERS ARE VACCINATED WHEN YOU COUNT CHILDREN UNDER 12 WHO AREN'T YET ELIGIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE.

IT WAS KIND OF AN ARBITRARY NUMBER, AND I THINK THE TIMING WORKED FOR GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO WHO IS UNDER ALL THESE SCANDAL, INVESTIGATIONS, YOU KNOW, FROM SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND YOU ARE LOOK AT ME LIKE, REALLY?

>> AND MAYBE A FIFTH ONE.

>> IS THERE SOMETHING CONNECTED WITH THAT?

RIGHT.

>> WE'LL GET TO THAT LATER.

THERE MAY BE A FIFTH INVESTIGATION.

WHO KNOWS?

>> IT WAS A GOOD TIME FOR HIM TO DECLARE VICTORY.

WE'VE CONQUERED COVID.

IT'S OVER.

WE CAN GO ON WITH OUR LIVES.

LET'S HAVE FIREWORKS, YOU KNOW, LET'S LIGHT UP ALL THE STATE BUILDINGS IN BLUE AND GOLD.

LET'S HAVE A CELEBRATION OVER HOW GREAT EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE.

I GUESS YOU CAN SAY HE'S FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE, RIGHT?

>> UH-HUH.

>> I FIND IT KIND OF JARRING THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF OVER 40,000 PEOPLE WHO DIED FROM THE VIRUS, INCLUDING OVER 15,000 PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES WHICH THE GOVERNOR'S A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH FOR POSSIBLY FUDGING THE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIED.

>> YOU THINK IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIS IS A MASSIVE PLAGUE THAT ILL CANNED A TON OF PEOPLE.

I DID SEE SOME THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM PEOPLE ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT SAYING THIS IS A BIT OF IRONY.

THIS SHOULD BE MORE OF A MEMORIAL AS OPPOSED TO A CELEBRATION.

>> NOT EXACTLY INAPPROPRIATE.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TO JOE BIDEN'S INAUGURATION.

THEY HAD A MIX OF BOTH.

THEY DEFINITELY HONORED THE PEOPLE WHO HAD DIED AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT I THINK THEY ALSO DID HAVE FIREWORKS AT THE END.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE WE WERE ONLY FOCUSING ON ONE THING AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THEM AND I KNOW THEM WHO LOST RELATIVES OR FRIENDS AND YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SAD FOR THEM RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE NOT SUPER HAPPY JUST BECAUSE COVID'S OVER, AND I FELT LIKE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THAT-- THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE.

I'M SURPRISED THAT HAS NOT COME.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MOTIVE WAS?

BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN A FOLLOW THE SCIENCE GUY AND ERRED ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION GENERALLY.

WHY DO YOU THINK HE MADE THE DECISION?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SPECULATING, HEY, IT'S A DISTRACTION.

RED HERRING, THERE'S AN IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION GOING ON.

>> AND THAT'S THE LEAST OF IT.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS INVESTIGATING HIM OVER SEXUAL HARASSMENT CHARGES.

THE FEDS ARE INVESTIGATING HIM OVER THE NURSING HOMES AND ALSO WHETHER HE MIGHT HAVE USED STAFF INAPPROPRIATELY TO WRITE A MEMOIR FOR WHICH HE WAS PAID $5.1 MILLION.

THERE'S A LOT OF BAD SWIRLING AROUND AND IT'S GETTING CLOSER TO THE TIME WHERE THOSE REPORTS MIGHT COME OUT.

SO IT JUST SEEMED LIKE HE WAS KIND-- KIND OF HASTY.

WHY JUST BE DONE WITH THIS.

BEFORE THE 4TH AND THE JULY AND THE SUMMER AND LAY LOW FOR A WHILE AND NOT HAVE TO BE OUT THERE.

BECAUSE WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS-- AND I WOULD MENTION THIS EVENT DIDN'T HAVE-- >> HAPPENED TUESDAY.

>> IT WAS DEFINITELY A CAMPAIGN RALLY.

>> HIS I HAD A DREAM SPEECH.

>> HE SOMETIMES SAID THINGS THAT WEREN'T COMPLETELY THE BEST ANSWER, BEST UNMESSAGED ANSWER WHEN HE'S ASKED ABOUT THE SCANDAL.

IT SOUNDS LIKE HE WANTS TO START A NEW CHAPTER >> BAD NEWS POTENTIALLY FOR THE GOVERNOR WAS ABOUT JOSEPH PRE-COCOA'S BILK PAID POTENTIALLY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE GOVERNOR.

>> YEAH.

AND HIS SISTER MADELEINE CUOMO IS SOLICITING FUNDS FROM A LOT OF LONGTIME ASSOCIATES OF MARIO CUOMO AND THE CUOMO FAMILY, THE PEOPLE WHO WATCH THE SHOW AND FOLLOW POLITIC FORCE A LONG TIME MIGHT KNOW LIKE SANDY FRUCHER, MICHAEL DOWLING WHO IS THE HEAD OF NORTHWELL HEALTH AND TOP AIDES TO THE GOVERNOR AND STEVEN COHEN, ANOTHER ASSOCIATE AND THE GOVERNOR'S SISTER IS SAYING, CAN YOU GIVE MONEY?

JOE NEEDS MONEY FOR HIS APPEAL.

WE WANT TO START A FUND FOR HIS CHILDREN.

HE SAYS ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" THAT ANDREW CUOMO DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

IT WAS A BIG SECRET FROM HIM.

APPARENTLY THEY'RE DOING SOME KIND OF FAVOR FOR HIS FRIEND BUT THEY DIDN'T TELL HIM ABOUT IT AND I GUESS THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN PROVE OTHERWISE.

>> PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY.

>> AND ANOTHER QUESTION IS, ARE THEY PAYING JOE PRE-COCOA GIVING HIM THIS MONEY WHILE HE'S IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY LIKE HIM SO MUCH AND HE WAS A FAMILY FRIEND, OR IS IT TO KEEP HIM QUIET?

BECAUSE HE SAID THAT HE DID ALL KINDS OF BAD THINGS, EMBEZZLEMENT, KICKBACKS AND ONCE AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T IMPLICATE ANDREW CUOMO IN ANY WAY.

SO IS THIS MONEY OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS, OR ARE THEY TRYING-- DO THEY WANT HIM TO CONTINUE TO KEEP QUIET?

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER TO.

>> LAST THING HERE AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, I ASSUME, IS THERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION OF ETHICS OR A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THAT IS, TWO MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE REPORTEDLY WERE AT A DINNER AT THE EXECUTIVE MANSION RECENTLY WHILE THE GOVERNOR IS BEING INVESTIGATED.

IS THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?

HE HAD BEEN SECRETLY HAVING DIFFERENT DELEGATIONS.

THE BUFFALO DELEGATION, I THINK THE ROCHESTER DELEGATION TO DINNER AT THE MANSION WHICH IS KIND OF-- IMPRESSES LAWMAKERS AND IMPRESSES ANYBODY WHO GOES THERE.

IT'S LIKE THE GOVERNOR IS HOSTING YOU AT THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.

BUT YES, IF THEY'RE ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND THEY'RE SUPPOSEDLY DOING IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE.

>> MOVING FORWARD, ARE YOU EXPECTING SOME SORT OF PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE TWO, OR WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?

>> DARRELL, DARRELL, DARRELL, THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAPPENING.

SORRY.

>> AM A LITTLE BIT TOO NAIVE AND OPTIMISTIC GETTING INTO THIS POLITICAL SPHERE?

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE POLITICAL INQUIRY WILL GO ON FOR A WHILE AND WHO KNOWS IF IT WILL HAVE A CONCLUSION, RIGHT AND >> WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY.

THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF ROUNDTABLE.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, KAREN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TUESDAY IS PRIMARY DAY IN NEW YORK AND THE MOST WATCHED PRIMARY RACE AND MOST CONSEQUENTIAL IS THAT OF NEW YORK CITY MAYOR.

MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY HOLDS A LOT OF CLOUT IN ALBANY BECAUSE A LOT OF LAWMAKERS REPRESENT THE FIVE BURROWS AND WHOEVER WINS WILL BE A BIG DEAL FOR THE LEGISLATURE.

OUR DAN CLARK HAS A PREVIEW OF THAT RACE WITH JENNA FLANAGAN FROM WNET'S METRO FOCUS AND JOSEFA VELASQUEZ FROM THE NONPROFIT NEWS ORGANIZATION, THE CITY.

>> JOSEFA AND JENNA, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OF COURSE.

ANYTIME.

SO I WANT TO START BROAD AND I WILL GO TO YOU FIRST, JENNA, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WATCHING AROUND THE STATE MAY NOT BE TOO INTERESTED OR CONNECTED TO THIS RACE.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING AT AS THE FRONTRUNNERS AS WE GO INTO THE PRIMARY?

>> OKAY.

SO WE ARE-- WELL, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK WHO ARE LOOKING AT AS FRONTRUNNERS, BASED ON THE LAST DEBATE, WE HAVE AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FRONTRUNNERS AND THAT WOULD BE SCOTT STRINGER.

HE WAS THE CITY COMPTROLLER OR CONTROLLER.

I GET THE TWO TITLES CONFUSED.

[LAUGHTER] BETWEEN ALBANY AND NEW YORK.

HE MANAGES THE MONEY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE JOBS.

THEN WE ALSO HAVE ERIC ADAMS.

HE IS A FORMER FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE MIGHT KNOW HIM AS A FORMER STATE SENATOR AND ALSO A FORMER NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICER.

HE HELD THAT JOB FOR 20 YEARS AND APPARENTLY THAT IS THE REASON WHY HE SHOULD BE MAYOR.

ANOTHER NAME PEOPLE MIGHT RECOGNIZE IS ANDREW YANG.

HE, OF COURSE, VERY FAMOUSLY RAN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, GATHERED TOGETHER WHAT HE REFERS TO AS THE YANG GANG AND SORT OF TOUTS HIMSELF AS AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPOVERISHED OR STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY AND WANTS TO CREATE A BASIC INCOME FOR INDIVIDUALS.

WE ALSO SHOULD NOT FORGET THERE IS KATHRYN GARCIA.

SHE IS NOT AS FANCY AS SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES AND I SAY THAT HER CAMPAIGN IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON HER HISTORY AS MAINTAINING OR MANAGING, EXCUSE ME, THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION, ER GO, SHE IS A MANAGER AND SHE WILL COME IN AND MANAGE THIS CITY WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A MASSIVE BUDGET, SO MANY DEPARTMENTS.

SHE HAS EXPERIENCE IN THAT AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN THE CRUX OF HER CAMPAIGN, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE CANNOT FORGET MAYA WILEY.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT RECOGNIZE HER FROM BEING A CONTRIBUTOR ON MSNBC.

SHE'S ALSO A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER.

SHE WAS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD, I BELIEVE.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS CAMPAIGN HAS FOCUSED ON HER BEING COUNSEL TO MAYOR DI BLASIO AND SHE'S SEEN AS ONE OF THE MORE AND IF NOT MOST PROGRESSIVE IN THE RACE.

>> LET'S START WITH ANDREW YANG.

AT THE START OF THE RACE, WHEN ANDREW YANG JUMPED INTO IT, I THOUGHT THERE'S NO CHANCE.

HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT.

OBVIOUSLY, HE HAS NAME RECOGNITION.

WILL NEW YORKERS GO FOR HIM AND THEN HE TOOK THE LEAD IN THE POLLS.

DO WE KNOW WHY NEW YORKER WERE SO QUICK TO SUPPORT HIM?

IS THAT SUPPORT REALLY-- IS HE MAINTAINING THAT SUPPORT HEADING INTO THE PRIMARY?

>> SO ANDREW YANG HAS DONE FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY WELL IN ALL THE POLLS THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR AND IT GOES TO WHAT YOU SAID, DAN.

IT'S NAME RECOGNITION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WHO HE IS.

THEY RECOGNIZE HIM FROM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

THE THING THAT THROWS A WRENCH INTO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT NEW YORK CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS GOING TO DO THIS THING CALLED RENT CHOICE VOTING WHERE VOTERS WILL GET A BALLOT AND THEY GET TO PICK FROM THE SLATE OF CANDIDATES AND RANK THEM ONE THROUGH FIVE.

RIGHT NOW, THE POLLS HAVE BEEN SORT OF WISHY WASHY BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH RANK CHOICE VOTING.

JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, YOU SAW DIANA MORALES WHO IS A NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE, HER CAMPAIGN COMPLETELY IMPLODED SO JUST THIS PAST WEEK ALONE, YOU HAD ERIC ADAMS WHO IS A LEADING CONTENDER HAVE HIS CAMPAIGN BE QUESTIONED BECAUSE OF WHERE HE MAY OR MAY NOT LIVE.

>> THIS IS THE WEIRDEST THING.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT'S VERY BIZARRE, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE PRIMARY FOR THINGS TO JUST GET COMPLETELY THROWN FOR A LOOP.

>> SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ERIC ADAMS HAS COME UP IN THE POLLS AT LEAST IN THE LAST RECENT POLLS THAT I'VE SEEN.

JENNA, WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF ERIC ADAMS?

IT SEEMS LIKE HE IS GOING FOR THE I'VE BEEN A COP.

I WANT TO CLEAN UP CRIME TYPE OF THING.

IS THAT A PRIORITY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY RIGHT NOW?

IS THAT THE TOP THING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY IT IS A VERY BIG, IMPORTANT CONCERN.

NEW YORK'S STILL BY-- IN TERMS OF I GUESS PER CAPITA OR SOMETHING DOES HAVE A LOW CRIME RATE BUT THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AND SHARP INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, AND I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY AS IT EMERGES FROM COVID LOCKDOWNS, ET CETERA.

THAT VERY UNDERSTANDABLY HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE SHAKEN AND JITTERY AND THAT IS A TOP PRIORITY.

AND YES, HE IS LEADING VERY HEAVILY ON HIS HISTORY OF 20 YEARS BEING A COP, WALKING THE BEAT IN NEW YORK CITY AS HIS CREDENTIALS WERE BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

>> I WANT TO GO TO SCOTT STRINGER NEXT WITH YOU, JOSEFA.

SCOTT STRINGER WAS THOUGHT TO BE A FRONTRUNNER, A POSSIBLE CHALLENGER TO ANDREW YANG ON THE TICKET AND THEN HE WAS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH TO TANK HIS CAMPAIGN HEADING INTO THE PRIMARY?

>> IT'S POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, YOU HAD ONE FORMER CAMPAIGN WORKER.

IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER SHE WAS AN INTERN OR WHETHER SHE WAS A VOLUNTEER WHO ACCUSED SCOTT OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT SOME 20 ODD YEARS AGO.

SCOTT SAID THAT THEY WERE IN A CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP.

BUT AFTER THOSE ALLEGATIONS EMERGED, ALL OF THOSE PROGRESSIVE SUPPORT THAT SCOTT HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND AS A RESULT, SCOTT HAS BEEN ON THE DEFENSE FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

ALL OF HIS ENDORSEMENTS HAVE SORT OF CRUMBLED BENEATH HIM.

YEAH.

I MEAN, SCOTT STRINGER'S CAMPAIGN REALLY IS STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO RANK HIM, WHICH IS, AGAIN, RANK CHOICE VOTING IS REALLY GONNA BE THE THING TO LOOK OUT FOR HERE.

>> I THINK THIS SOUNDS SO FUN, RANK CHOICE VOTING BEING ABLE TO PICK YOUR ONE, TWO, THREE, AND IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE A FUN TIME TO ME.

I WANT TO GO TO KATHRYN GARCIA WITH YOU, JENNA.

SO SHE WAS-- IS IT COMMISSIONER OF SANITATION THAT SHE WAS?

>> YES.

>> SO IS THAT-- I GET THAT IT'S A MANAGEMENT ROLE, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT VOTERS ARE MAYBE PUT OFF BY THAT BECAUSE SANITATION IS LIKE TRASH, I GUESS?

I GUESS WHAT'S HER APPEAL TO IT VOTERS?

IS IT THAT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE?

>> I DO THINK THE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE IS A BIG APPEAL AND SOMETHING THAT SHE'S REALLY TOUTING.

NEW YORKERS, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THIS POINT ARE PRETTY EXACERBATED WITH THE DI BLASIO ADMINISTRATION AND SOME OF WHAT THEY SEE AS MISMANAGEMENT OR MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OR MISHANDLING OF THINGS.

WHAT I THINK-- WHAT I KIND OF GET FROM AT LEAST MY READ ON NEW YORKERS IS THAT THERE'S REALLY A HUNGER FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO CREATE CALM AND NORMALCY AND THAT'S WHAT SHE'S REALLY TRYING TO PUSH WITH HER MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE.

BUT I ALSO DO WANT TO CIRCLE BACK AND SAY THAT, YEAH, IN A CITY LIKE NEW YORK, GETTING YOUR TRASH PICKED UP REGULARLY AND ON TIME IS A BIG, BIG DEAL.

>> YEAH.

IF IT PILES UP, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THERE.

[LAUGHTER] >> NO.

NOT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

GOOD LORD, NO.

>> NO.

SO LET'S RUN IT OUT WITH MAYA WILEY, AND I WANT TO GO TO YOU, JOSEFA.

SHE WORKED IN THE DI BLASIO ADMINISTRATION.

DI BLASIO ISN'T EVERYONE'S FAVORITE MAYOR.

IS THAT GOING TO DISSUADE VOTERS FROM VOTING FOR HER, DO YOU THINK?

OR, DO YOU THINK SHE'S BUILDING UP THIS PROGRESSIVE BASE THAT MIGHT GIVE HER SOME SUPPORT?

>> SHE'S REALLY BEEN TRYING TO CAST HERSELF AWAY FROM BILL DI BLASIO BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, HE'S BECOME EVERYONE'S FAVORITE PUNCHING BAG OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WHILE SHE WAS HIS CHIEF COUNSEL AT SOME POINT, SHE WAS ALSO THE HEAD OF THE CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD WHICH OVERSEES THE NYPD THAT HAS COME UNDER FIRE IN THE LAST-- I MEAN, IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO OVER AGGRESSIVE TACTICS WITH PROTESTERS.

BUT EVEN BACK WHEN SHE WAS THE HEAD OF THE CCRB, THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE WAS ACTUALLY INDEPENDENT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR WHETHER SHE WAS CARRYING THEIR WATER ON THIS OVERSIGHT BOARD.

BUT SHE HAS TRIED TO PITCH HERSELF IN A NEW LIGHT OF I AM A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER.

FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO SHE'S BEEN A COMMENT RATER ON MSNBC AND REALLY TRYING TO BUILD UP HER CREDENTIALS.

IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT SHE CAN DISTINGUISH HERSELF AMONG THIS SLATE OF PEOPLE RUNNING.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO HAVE WHAT'S LIKELY TO BE A LOW TURNOUT ELECTION.

LET'S BE REALLY HONEST.

PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY VOTE ALL THAT MUCH IN NON-PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.

SO IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, A FASCINATING THING TO SEE WHO COMES OUT TO VOTE AND WHO THEY RANK AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> OH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.

JENNA, I MENTIONED THAT DI BLASIO IS NOT EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE MAYOR, BUT HAS HE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN THE RACE AT ALL?

HAS HE GIVEN ANY INDICATION AS TO WHO HE WOULD SUPPORT FOR THE NEXT MAYOR?

HE CAN'T RUN AGAIN BECAUSE OF TERM LIMITS.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

DESPITE WHAT THE PRIOR MAYOR MANAGED TO DO-- [LAUGHTER] MIKE BLOOMBERG.

THUS FAR, NOT YET.

ONE WOULD ASSUME THAT BASED ON THE CAMPAIGN THAT HE RAN HE WOULD BE ENDORSING THE MORE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE, THE PERSON WHO WAS HIS COUNSEL IN HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION.

BUT THAT HAS YET TO OFFICIALLY HAPPEN.

HE MAY ALSO BE STAYING OUT OF THIS BECAUSE, AS YOU GUYS HAVE BOTH POINTED OUT, HE'S BECOME A THE PUNCHING BAG AND SOMETHING OF A LIGHTNING ROD AND MAYBE THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT HIS ENDORSEMENT.

BUT YEAH.

WE'VE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING OFFICIALLY FROM HIM.

>> AND JOSEFA, I WANT TO END ON YOU.

THE OTHER BIG POLITICIAN IN THE STATE IS THE GOVERNOR.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE WHERE ANDREW YANG SAYS HE HAS SPOKEN WITH THE GOVERNOR.

HAS GOVERNOR CUOMO PLAYED AT ALL IN THIS RACE?

HAS HE SPOKEN ABOUT ANY CANDIDATES?

WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW THERE?

>> EVERY TIME THE GOVERNOR IS ASKED ABOUT THIS, HE GOES ON THIS LONG RANT HOW THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES NEED TO FOCUS ON CRIME, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO STOP CRIME, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE SUBWAYS.

SO HE HASN'T ACTUALLY ENDORSED ANYONE YET.

AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY SEVERAL FORMER AIDES AND CURRENT AIDES SO HE'S A BIT TOXIC, TOO.

IT'S NOT NECESSARY THAT PEOPLE WANT HIS ENDORSEMENT.

AT ONE OF THE PREVIOUS DEBATES, THE CANDIDATES WERE ASKED WHO WOULD ACCEPT ANDREW CUOMO'S ENDORSEMENT AND THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO RAISED THEIR HAND IS ANDREW YANG AND ERIC ADAMS.

AGAIN, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CLEAR ANYONE EVEN WANTS THEIR NAME ATTACHED TO HIM.

HE USED TO BE-- USED TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POWER IN NEW YORK AND NOW PEOPLE ARE SORT OF DISTANCING THEMSELVES.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT TURNS OUT BECAUSE IF THE GOVERNOR'S THE GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR AND WHOEVER IS ELECTED AS THE MAYOR, IT WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE THE RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE.

I THINK THAT COVERS IT FOR THE PRIMARIES.

WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

JOSEFA VELASQUEZ FROM THE CITY AND JENNA FLANAGAN FROM WNET'S METRO FOCUS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE'LL SEE HOW THE ELECTION TURNS OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEK.

WHEN IT COMES TO WIDELY RECOGNIZED BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATIONS, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY IS THE ONE BEST KNOWN.

HOWEVER, THE U.S. SENATE AND HOUSE HAVE PASSED A BILL TO RECOGNIZE A HOLIDAY JUNETEENTH.

THAT'S A DAY WHICH RECOGNIZES THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY NATIONWIDE.

THAT COMES AFTER THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE DID THE SAME THING LAST YEAR, BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES JUNETEENTH MEAN?

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

SEPTEMBER 22ND, 1862, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER KNOWN AS THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION DIRECTING ALL SLAVES IN UNION-CONTROL AREAS TO BE FREED.

THAT TOOK PLACE DURING WHAT COULD BE CALLED THE MOST DIVIDED MOMENT IN U.S. HISTORY, THE CIVIL WAR.

THAT'S WHERE A GROUP OF STATES KNOWN AS THE CONFEDERACY FOUGHT TO MAINTAIN THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY.

BECAUSE OF THAT DIVIDE, THE PROCLAMATION DIDN'T ACTUALLY FREE ALL SLAVES.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL 1865 AFTER THE SURRENDER OF CONFEDERATE ARMY LEADER ROBERT E. LEE IN APRIL OF 1865.

HISTORIAN PAUL STEWART WITH THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD EDUCATION CENTER SAYS THAT JUNETEENTH IS A RECOGNITION THAT THE UNION WON THE WAR.

>> JUNETEENTH IS THE LAST DAY THAT I WANT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE IN TEXAS WHO HAD BEEN HELD ENSLAVED -- IT WAS THE DAY THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE WAR WAS OVER AND THAT THEY WERE SET FREE.

THE CIVIL WAR WAS OVER.

AND IT HAPPENED JUNE 19TH OF 1865.

THE WAR HAD BEEN OVER, I THINK IN APRIL, YOU KNOW, AND TO BOOT, THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER.

SO TECHNICALLY THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREE BUT NOBODY TOLD THEM.

>> OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DATES USED TO CELEBRATE THE END OF SLAVERY BECAUSE IT ENDED IN DIFFERENT PLACES AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

IN NEW YORK, FOR EXAMPLE, SLAVERY ENDED IN 1827 AFTER A 1799 LAW ALLOWED SLAVES TO BE FREED OVER TIME.

WHILE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS HAVE BEEN HELD FOR OVER 150 YEARS, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE HOLIDAY OR WHAT IT MEANS.

MARY GOODEN, THE HEAD OF GLENS FALLS NAACP SAYS THIS IS A PART OF THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT JUNETEENTH WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.

>> UH-HUH.

>> IT WAS NOT TAUGHT TO US.

ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL I WAS-- I MEAN, I WAS WAY IN MY YEARS.

I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT.

WE WERE TAUGHT ABOUT SLAVERY AND, YOU KNOW, EAT MANSE PASSION OF SLAVERY.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, HARRIET TUBMAN AND WE ALL KNOW THAT.

THANKFULLY, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.

THAT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY.

WE NEED TO HAVE KNOWN ALL OF OUR HISTORY.

IT'S NOT FAIR JUST TO HAVE JULY 4TH.

>> THIS YEAR'S JUNETEENTH IN NEW YORK COMES AFTER A LAW WAS PASSED LAST YEAR MAKING IT AN OFFICIAL STATE HOLIDAY.

LAST JUNE, GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MAKING IT A HOLIDAY FOR STATE WORKERS AND SIGNALED HIS SUPPORT FOR A LAW THAT WOULD MAKE IT A HOLIDAY FOR EVERYONE.

HIS MOTIVATION AT THAT TIME WAS CIVIL UNREST AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

STATE HAS AN ANNUAL MLK CELEBRATION, A HOLIDAY THAT'S SIMILAR IN THE THEME OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND CUOMO SAID AT THE TIME HE'D BE OPEN TO THE SAME FOR JUNETEENTH.

>> I WANT TO BE A FORCE FOR CHANGE, AND I WANT TO HELP SINNER GUISE THIS MOMENT WHETHER IT'S REFORM ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S AN EXPANDED RACIAL UNDERSTANDING AND SENSITIVITY AND PROGRESS AND IF JUNETEENTH IS PART OF THAT AND RECOGNITION OF WHAT HAPPENED AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENED AND AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THAT, GREAT.

>> THAT POSITION IS ONE THAT EARNED THE GOVERNOR PRAISE FROM SENATOR ROBERT JACKSON, A DEMOCRAT FROM MANHATTAN.

>> YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A COUNTRY THAT'S BUILT ON, YOU KNOW, EMPOWERMENT OF THE RICH AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS OVERALL A RACIST COUNTRY OVERALL, PERIOD.

SO FOR OUR GOVERNOR TO DECIDE THAT JUNE 19TH WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK CITY, BUT THAT IS NOT NATIONWIDE.

JUNE 19TH IS NOT CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE.

>> SYRACUSE AREA ASSEMBLY DEMOCRAT PAM HUNTER SAYS THIS IS A WIN.

>> WE NEED TO STAND ON HISTORY AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM, WHERE WE STILL AND OBVIOUSLY WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

>> ALBANY AREA, ANTIVIOLENCE ACTIVIST, JEROME BROWN SAYS IT'S ABOUT TIME.

>> IT'S DEFINITELY OVERDUE AND WE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

>> AS FOR THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, MARY GOODEN SAYS IT'S PUBLIC SERVICE.

>> WOW.

LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, HOW THE DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO BE IS YOU'VE GOT TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

THAT'S HOW THE CHANGE IS GONNA BE.

>> WHILE IT'S NOT THE EXACT SAME THING AS JULY 4TH, IT DOES HOLD THE SAME FUNCTION FOR MANY MEMBERS OF BLACK COMMUNITY THAT LEADS TO THE QUESTION OF HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH?

DEMOCRATIC BROOKLYN SENATOR JABARI BRISPORT SAYS IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

>> I THINK YOU MARCH FOR FUTURE LIBERATION.

THERE ARE LEVELS OF LIBERATION AND WE'RE STILL FIGHTING AGAINST A LOT OF FORMS OF OPPRESSION AND WE NEED TO TAKE TO THE STREETS >> PAUL STEWART SAYS THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE IS TO EDUCATE YOURSELF.

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RIGHT WAY TO CELEBRATE.

I THINK JUST AS MUCH AS WITH, YOU KNOW, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY AND YOU KNOW, OTHER CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT NOT SO MUCH A DAY OFF BUT A DAY ON, A DAY ON TO BE AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY, AWARE OF THE WHOLE FREEDOM STRUGGLE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON REALLY FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES AND TO HAVE OCCASION WITH FAMILY AND TO MAYBE TAKE IN A HISTORIC SITE.

>> AFTER JUNE 19TH OF 1865, THE 13TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, ABOLISHING SLAVERY, WAS RATIFIED LATER THIS YEAR AND WHILE THE END OF SLAVERY WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER DIFFICULT POINT IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY, RECONSTRUCTION AND JIM CROWE, HISTORIANS AGREE THAT THE UNIVERSAL ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES WAS A MOMENT TO BE CELEBRATED AND NOT ONE THAT SHOULD BE FORGOTTEN.

SO HAPPY JUNETEENTH, EVERYONE.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND BE WELL.