1 [ THEME MUSIC ] >> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," A BROOKLYNITE IS PICKED TO LEAD DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AND NEW YORK CORRUPTION HEADS TO THE SUPREME COURT.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

THEN INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG IS A WATCH DOG OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

WE TALK ABOUT HER WORK, NEW YORK'S MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD AND MORE.

PLUS A NEW EDITION OF ON THE BILL WITH A DEADLINE.

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.

THIS WEEK, WE HAD A FIRST FOR NEW YORK BUT A FIRST FOR THE COUNTRY AS WELL.

CONGRESSMAN HAKEEM JEFFRIES A DEMOCRAT FROM BROOKLYN, WILL BE THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO LEAD A MAJOR PARTY IN EITHER CHAMBER OF CONGRESS.

DEMOCRATS CHOSE HIM THIS WEEK AS THEIR LEADER IN THE HOUSE.

NEXT YEAR WHEN THEY'LL BE IN THE MINORITY.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE FROM NEW YORK HAS LED A PARTY IN THE HOUSE SINCE WORLD WAR II AND WITH SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER AS MAJORITY LEADER IN THE U.S. SENATE, IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT TWO NEW YORKERS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY LEAD A MAJOR PARTY IN CONGRESS, AND BOTH SCHUMER AND JEFFERIES GOT THEIR START RIGHT HERE 2 IN ALBANY IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY.

HERE'S JEFFERIES FROM THIS WEEK.

>> WE LOOK FORWARD TO FINDING OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE AND WORK WITH THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE, BUT WE WILL ALSO PUSH BACK AGAINST EXTREMISM WHENEVER NECESSARY.

>> LET'S GET INTO THAT AND MORE WITH THIS WEEK'S PANEL.

MICHAEL GORMLEY IS FROM NEWSDAY AND ZACH WILLIAMS IS FROM THE "NEW YORK POST".

THANK YOU, BOTH.

SO HAKEEM JEFFRIES IS A VERY INTERESTING CHARACTER.

I ALMOST FEEL LIKE IT WAS NEW YORK'S WORST-KEPT SECRET THAT HE WAS ON THE UP AND UP.

I FEEL LIKE WHENEVER WE TALKED ABOUT HIM IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, IT'S BEEN, OH, THAT'S THE NEXT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTRY WAS LIKE, WHO'S THAT GUY FROM BROOKLYN?

MIKE, WHAT'S YOUR IMPRESSION OF HIM?

>> WELL, WE COVERED HIM FOR THREE TERMS WHEN HE WAS IN ALBANY IN THE ASSEMBLY.

>> YEAH.

AND >> AND WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, ABOUT HAKEEM JEFFRIES, IS REALLY THE SAME THING THAT WE KNEW BACK THEN, UM, VERY SMART GUY, UM, VERY PERSONABLE BUT ALSO A HARD-EDGED POLITICIAN.

HE WENT INTO THE ASSEMBLY AFTER LOSING A VERY NASTY FIGHT 3 AND THAT'S THE GREAT EDUCATION FOR A POLITICIAN.

SO HE'S A GUY WHO CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

HE STILL HAS THE PROGRESSIVE CREDENTIALS THAT HE'S GOING TO NEED TO KEEP THE PROGRESSIVES IN LINE, BUT HE'S ALSO CLOSE WITH ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS.

BILL CLINTON, BARACK OBAMA, SO HE'S PROBABLY WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEEDS NOW, A YOUNG GUY WHO CAN-- WHO CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY GO INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECT FOR THEM.

>> I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

I THINK THAT HE HAS AN ENERGY THAT THE PARTY IS SEEKING RIGHT NOW TO BRING MORE VOTERS, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER VOTERS INTO THE FOLD AND IN THEIR HOPES, SUPPORT THEM IN TWO YEARS, HOPEFULLY A BETTER ELECTION FOR THEM AT THAT TIME.

ZACH, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK TO A SIGNIFICANT EXTENT WE'RE SEEING AN UPDATE OF NANCY PELOSI BUT IN THE FORM OF HAKEEM JEFFRIES.

HE'S YOUNGER.

HE'S A GEN-XER, BUT MAYBE AN OLDER MILLENNIAL.

>> GEN-X.

>> RIGHT ON THE BORDER, RIGHT?

>> ME TOO.

>> WE'RE GOING FROM A HOUSE LEADERSHIP THAT IS LED EXCLUSIVELY BY PEOPLE IN THEIR 80s TO ONE WHERE THEY'RE NOW IN THEIR 40s 4 AND 50s, SO HAKEEM JEFFRIES REALLY REPRESENTS THAT, AND I THINK HE ALSO REPRESENTS BLACK VOTERS, THE BACK BONE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND OF COURSE, HE'LL BE THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO LEAD ANY CONGRESSIONAL CONFERENCE IN UNITED STATES HISTORY.

ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS IT'S A BIG DAY FOR BROOKLYN YET AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY HAVE THE U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER.

THEY HAVE THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

THEY HAVE-- NOW THEY HAVE THE HOUSE LEADER ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE AT LEAST.

>> IT'S SO STRANGE.

I FEEL LIKE WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF NEW YORK CITY POLITICS LIKE WHO ARE IN NEW YORK CITY, I FEEL LIKE THEY GO IMMEDIATELY TO MANHATTAN, BUT BROOKLYN IS VERY INTERESTING.

WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO IT, BUT THE BROOKLYN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, IN PARTICULAR, IS APPARENTLY A MESS ACCORDING TO PEOPLE THERE.

[LAUGHTER] SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

>> A LOT OF VOTES.

THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE POW HEARS BEEN REALLY SHIFTED TO BROOKLYN.

YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

>> EXACTLY, AND I WAS DOING SOME READING ON HAKEEM JEFFRIES PREPARING.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF I DIDN'T 5 KNOW.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL OF IT.

HE WENT TO BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, WHICH I FOUND VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE HE GOT A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE THERE.

I'M FROM BINGHAMTON AND I DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS A STRONG PROGRAM.

THAT'S KINDA COOL.

YOU TALK, MIKE, ABOUT THE FIRST TIME HE RAN FOR ASSEMBLY IN 2000.

IT WAS A NASTY RACE AND THEN IN 2002 WHEN THEY HAD REDISTRICTING WHICH FEELS LIKE A BAD WORD TO SAY NOW-- [LAUGHTER] UM, HIS HOME WAS DRAWN ONE BLOCK OUTSIDE OF HIS OPPONENT'S DISTRICT.

OF COURSE, THEY DENIED IT WAS FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT IT'S JUST INTERESTING.

HE'S ALSO CONSIDERED A CENTRIST.

YOU MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT, MIKE, BUT DO YOU THINK HE IS THE PERSON TO KIND OF REACH ACROSS THE AISLE OVER THESE NEXT TWO YEARS AS REPUBLICANS TAKE CONTROL OF THE HOUSE?

>> WELL, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, AND I HESITATE TO SAY IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN WASHINGTON THAT HE'S GOING TO MAKE GREAT INROADS WITH REPUBLICANS, BUT REALLY WHAT HE HAS TO DO IS TO MAKE GREAT INROADS WITH BETWEEN THE PROGRESSIVES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS, AND HE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.

HE'S BEEN DOING THAT HIS WHOLE CAREER, BUT HE'S ALSO HAD SUPPORT OF REPUBLICANS IN THE PAST.

I MEAN, HE HAS SOME REAL SKILLS, AND HE DOESN'T HAVE THE BAGGAGE THAT SPEAKER PELOSI HAS HAD.

6 >> YEAH.

>> ONE THING I WOULD ADD JUST ON THAT POINT IS NANCY PELOSI HAS BECOME A BLACK HOLE OF CRITICISM FROM THE POLITICAL RIGHT.

>> YES.

>> FOR 20 YEARS.

YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE CAMPAIGNS, EVERYONE IS CAMPAIGNING AGAINST NANCY PELOSI AND I THINK SHE REALLY UNDERSTOOD AS LEADER THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HER TO TAKE THE CRITICISM SO THAT MAYBE SOME OF THESE VULNERABLE MEMBERS COULD WIN TIGHT RACES, SAY, HEY, THEY'RE CRITICIZING LEADERSHIP BUT STILL STAY IN THE GOOD GRACES OF VOTERS.

NOW WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH HAKEEM JEFFRIES.

MY GUT INSTINCT IS THAT HE WILL TRY TO EMULATE NANCY PELOSI IN INSTINCT IN THAT WAY, BUT THERE ARE SOME PARTS IN HIS HISTORY WHERE HE MADE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY PROVOCATIVE DESPITE HIS OVERALL AGGRESSIVELY BORING PERSONA.

[LAUGHTER] >> IS THAT HOW YOU DESCRIBE HIM?

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM SPEAK ON THE FLOOR.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM IN A PRESS CONFERENCE BECAUSE HE'S DOWN IN BROOKLYN, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'M IN ALBANY.

HOW DO YOU SEE HIS VIBE, I GUESS?

7 >> WELL, AS MICHAEL SAID, HE'S VERY CALM, VERY PUT TOGETHER AND I THINK HE CHOOSES HIS WORDS VERY CAREFULLY, EVEN WHEN IT MIGHT NOT APPEAR SO.

TWO EXAMPLES THAT COME TO MIND-- I WAS JUST READING ABOUT THIS EARLIER.

HE WAS ONE OF THE RARE DEMOCRATS IN THE 2020 CAMPAIGN WHO LEANT SOME CREDENCE TO THE IDEA OF ACCUSATION SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AGAINST JOE BIDEN.

NOW THAT WAS THEN.

THIS IS NOW.

MAYBE HIS MIND HAS CHANGED ON THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IS NOTABLE BECAUSE HE'S NOT SOMEONE WHO JUST SAYS THINGS LIKE CERTAIN POLITICIANS BECAUSE THEY COME INTO HIS MIND.

HE CHOOSES HIS WORDS CAREFULLY.

AND IF YOU GO BACK A COUPLE MORE YEARS, YOU MIGHT RECALL SOMETHING ALLUDING TO HOW DONALD TRUMP WAS WEARING A CERTAIN CAPE, WHITE LIKE A SHEET AND MAYBE THAT REPRESENTED ALLEGED RACISM WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK THE POINT I'M MAKING HERE IS THAT HE'S SOMEONE THAT WILL CERTAINLY STEP INTO THE LIMELIGHT WHEN HE THINKS IT FURTHERS HIS POLITICS, BUT OVERALL, I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE PLAYING NICE WITHIN HIS CONFERENCE, REALLY BRIDGE THOSE GAPS BETWEEN PROGRESSIVES AND MODERATES AND PROBABLY WORK WITH REPUBLICANS WHEN THEY CAN.

HE HAS NOTED THAT BILLS LIKE THE CHIPs BILL PASSED WITH REPUBLICAN SUPPORT.

THAT SAID, I DOUBT HIM AND KEVIN McCARTHY ARE GOING TO BE 8 BUDDY-BUDDY BY ANY MEANS.

>> YEAH, THEY WON'T BE BEST FRIENDS.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT LEAVES KIND OF A TRAIL OF PEOPLE THAT IF YOU'RE A PROGRESSIVE, YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO LIKE HAKEEM JEFFRIES.

IF YOU'RE A MODERATE, YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO LIKE HIM.

THAT'S-- THAT'S THE NEEDLE-- HE'S THREADED THAT NEEDLE THROUGH HIS CAREER.

>> RIGHT.

HE DID WRITE A BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN 2010 SIGNED BY DAVID PATERSON AT THE TIME.

THAT BILL PULLS FROM COMPILING A LIST OF NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PEOPLE THAT WERE STOPPED AND FRISKED, WHICH I FOUND INTERESTING DEFINITELY, MORE ON THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE OF HIS IDENTITY.

WE HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES LEFT.

I WANT TO TOUCH ON, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO GET TOO INTO IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO DECISION YET.

JOE PRE-COCOA, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPLAINER TO OUR AUDIENCE.

JOE PRE-COCOA WAS A TOP AIDE TO FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO.

HE WAS CHARGED BY FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MANHATTAN WITH FEDERAL CORRUPTIONS CHARGES FOR ESSENTIALLY ACCEPTING BRIBES FOR A STATE PROJECT.

SO THIS CASE HAS BEEN APPEALED.

IT'S NOW AT THE SUPREME COURT.

MIKE, WERE YOU ABLE TO LISTEN TO THE ARGUMENTS?

YES, YOU WERE.

SO WHAT'S 9 YOUR IMPRESSION?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING IT LOOKS LIKELY THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO TOSS THAT CONVICTION.

>> I THINK THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF THAT, AND I THINK YOU FOLLOWED IT MORE CLOSELY THAN I HAVE, BUT THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PERPLEXED BY THE WAY ALBANY WORKS.

>> ME TOO.

>> I MEAN, WE'RE PERPLEXED BY IT, TOO.

[LAUGHTER] IT COMES DOWN THAT IF SOMEONE IS HIRED WHO IS CLOSE TO A POLITICIAN WHO CAN ACT ON A STATE CONTRACT, IS THAT BRIBERY?

OR, IS IT LOBBYING?

THAT'S KIND OF THE ARGUMENT HERE, AND IN ALBANY THAT LINE IS SO BLURRED.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, WHAT I READ OF THE ARGUMENTS IS ONE OF THE JUSTICE HAS BASICALLY SAID, WHERE'S THE LINE BETWEEN WHAT JOE PRE-COCOA WAS DOING WHILE HE WAS NETWORKING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION-- HE WAS WORKING FOR FORMER GOVERNOR CUOMO'S CAMPAIGN IN 2014-- WHERE'S THE LINE BETWEEN HIM ACCEPTING MONEY DURING THAT TIME AND A LOBBYIST ACCEPTING MONEY OR AN ADVOCATE?

>> WELL, PROSECUTORS WERE ARGUING THAT HE HAD A FIDUCIARY, BECAUSE OF HIS FORMER ROLE IN THE GOVERNMENT AND HIS ASSUMED 10 FUTURE ROLE IN THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH DID HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT HE WAS OUT WORKING FOR THE CUOMO CAMPAIGN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BUT HE STILL HAD ACCESS TO OFFICIAL CHANNELS IN MANY WAYS THAT AN ORDINARY LOBBYIST WOULD NOT.

HE WAS ALLOWED ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT MEETINGS.

HE STILL WORKED OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICIAL OFFICE.

THE BIG PICTURE HERE THAT WAS SO INTERESTING WITH MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT WAS THAT THEY SEEMED INCLINED TO AGREE WITH THE MERITS OF HIS SPECIFIC APPEAL WHILE REMAINING CONCERNED HOW MIGHT THIS CURTAIL FEDERAL BRIBERY INVESTIGATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

>> RIGHT.

>> BECAUSE, AGAIN, A LOT OF CASES AREN'T ABOUT PEOPLE JUST TAKING AN ENVELOPE OF MONEY OR SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE AN OBVIOUS QUID PRO QUO.

SOMETIMES IT GETS MUCH MORE MURKIER AND IF AND WHEN SCOTUS OVERTURNS THIS CONVICTION, IT CAN BE EVEN MORE NARROW STILL AND THAT COULD REALLY LIMIT HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN ACT IN BRIBERY CASES AT THE STATE LEVEL IN ABSENCE OF STATE ENFORCEMENT THAT MAYBE THEY FEEL WAS LACKING.

>> RIGHT.

PRECEDENT, PRECEDENT, PRECEDENT.

11 >> EXACTLY.

>> WITH THE COURTS, THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

WE DO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE UNFORTUNATELY.

ZACH WILLIAMS FROM THE "NEW YORK POST" MICHAEL GORMLEY FROM NEWSDAY.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TURNING NOW TO A NEW EDITION OF ON THE BILL, WHERE WE TELL YOU ABOUT A BILL OUT OF ALBANY THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HEAR ABOUT OTHERWISE.

THIS WEEK, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT S-74, ALSO ALL CALLED THE GRIEVING FAMILIES ACT.

IT'S A BILL THAT WOULD CHANGE NEW YORK'S CURRENT WRONGFUL DEATH LAW.

RIGHT NOW, IF SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY DIES AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS NEGLECT, YOU CAN SUE THEM TO RECOVER DAMAGES.

BUT UNDER CURRENT LAW, YOU CAN ONLY RECOVER DAMAGES BASED ON SOMEONE'S FINANCIAL WORTH.

IN A LOT OF CASES THAT COMES DOWN TO THEIR INCOME AND SUPPORTERS SAY THAT'S NOT FAIR.

LIKE IN CASES WHERE A CHILD DIES OR A SENIOR ON A FIXED INCOME.

THAT BRINGS TO US THE GRIEVING FAMILIES ACT.

IT'S A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW FAMILY MEMBERS TO SEEK DAMAGES BASED ON THEIR EMOTIONAL ANGUISH.

NOT JUST SOMEONE'S FINANCIAL WORTH.

BUT OPPONENTS SAY THE BILL COULD HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY AT A CRITICAL TIME.

DR. CHRISTINE HERDE IS THE CHAIR AT THE NEW YORK 12 DISTRICT OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS.

>> THE LEGISLATION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH WILL INCREASE PREMIUMS FOR PHYSICIANS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THEN IF WE HAVE DIFFICULTY PAYING OUR BILLS, SUCH AS OUR LIABILITY BILL TO PRACTICE, IT'S JUST GONNA FORCE MORE OF US OUT OF PRACTICE, AND THAT'S GONNA CAUSE AN ACCESS PROBLEM, WHICH WILL IMPACT THE PATIENTS WHO SEE IT THE MOST NOW EVEN WORSE.

>> THAT BILL HAS ALREADY PASSED THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND HERDE AND OTHER OPPONENTS WANT HOCHUL TO VETO IT.

SHE HAS UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO MAKE A DECISION.

BUT MOVING ON NOW TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG IS ESSENTIALLY THE STATE'S WATCH DOG OVER STATE GOVERNMENT.

HER OFFICE INVESTIGATES CLAIMS OF MISCONDUCT AT STATE AGENCIES, RANGING FROM MINOR COMPLAINTS TO FULL-BLOWN CORRUPTION AND THIS WEEK MARKED HER FIRST YEAR IN THAT OFFICE.

WE SAT DOWN THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT HER WORK, NEW YORK'S MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD AND MORE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE >> GLAD TO BE HERE, DAN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT FOUR 13 MONTHS SINCE WE'VE TALKED.

IT IS YOUR ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON THE JOB.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I'D LIKE TO KIND OF SEE HOW PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN WORK.

I'M WONDERING OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT SO FAR?

>> WE HAVE PUT OUT SOME REALLY IMPORTANT REPORTS THAT HAVE SHOWN A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT STATE GOVERNMENT FACES.

BUT WHAT I'M PROUDEST OF HAS BEEN THE WAY THE OFFICE HAS COME TOGETHER AND STARTED FUNCTIONING MORE EFFECTIVELY, MORE EFFICIENTLY, MORE HAPPILY THAN IT DID PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.

SO WHEN I LOOK BACK ON THE PAST YEAR, I FEEL MOST PROUD OF GETTING TO KNOW MY INCREDIBLE STAFF THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF WHERE WE NEEDED IT, AND OF BUILDING A REALLY ROBUST INTERNAL CULTURE THAT IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING IN EVERY CASE.

>> YEAH.

YOU'RE HAVING YOUR STAFF UNDERGO TRAUMA-INFORMED RESPONSE TRAINING NOW MOVING FORWARD.

FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, WHAT IS THAT?

>> WELL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL HERE BASED ON MY 14 WORK IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON UNDERSTANDING THE TRAUMAS THAT EVERYONE BRINGS TO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY BUT PARTICULARLY TO INCIDENTS OR ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING, MISCONDUCT AND CRIMES, AND I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT'S EVOLVING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, BUT THAT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN ALL AREAS OF GOVERNMENT.

SO MY STAFF HAS ALL BEEN TRAINED BY SOCIAL WORKERS AND HOW TO IDENTIFY TRAUMAS AND THE PEOPLE WHO THEY'RE INTERVIEWING AND APPROACHING THINGS IN A CULTURALLY HUMBLE WAY.

UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DIVERSITY OF NEW YORK STATE REQUIRES THAT WE BE MINDFUL OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCE AND APPROACHING INTERVIEWS, INVESTIGATIONS AND EVERYTHING WE DO AS AN AGENCY.

>> IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

WHEN I SAW THAT YOU WERE DOING THAT, I WAS IMMEDIATELY STRUCK BY THAT, BECAUSE IN MY PERSONAL LIFE, I AM DOING A LOT OF WORK AROUND TRAUMA RIGHT NOW, IN MY MENTAL HEALTH, SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.

TO SEE YOU APPLY THAT TO A GOVERNMENT FUNCTION WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.

HOW DO YOU SEE IT PLAYING OUT IN REAL-TIME?

>> WELL, THERE IS THIS SUBSTANTIVE PIECE OF IT THAT'S, OF COURSE, SO IMPORTANT.

WE SERVE THE PUBLIC SO WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO US WITH A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE SEEN IN GOVERNMENT THAT'S 15 WRONG OR A WAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MISTREATED, WE WANT TO STEP BACK AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, WHAT LEADS THEM TO THE POINT THAT THEY ARE IN RAISING THAT ALLEGATION, ET CETERA, BUT FROM A MACRO LEVEL, THIS MENTAL HEALTH QUESTION IS SO URGENT IN AMERICAN CULTURE, IN WORLD CULTURE PRESUMABLY AS WELL, AS WE'VE EMERGED FROM THE PANDEMIC AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED DEVASTATING LOSS, PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED LEARNING LOSS AND ALIENATION AND ISOLATION AND THAT HAS BEEN TRUE OF MY WORKFORCE AS ANY OTHER WORKFORCE.

SO HELPING TO BRING PEOPLE BACK TOGETHER TO ENCOURAGE INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION, TO REBUILD TRUST WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES HAS BEEN MISSION CRITICAL TO ENABLING US TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF ALL THE ALLEGATIONS THAT WE INVESTIGATE WHILE ALSO FINDING JOY IN OUR JOBS AND CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER IN BEING REMINDED OF WHY WE CHOOSE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.

>> YOU'RE ALSO NOW RELEASING BREAKDOWNS OF THE CASE TYPES THAT YOU GET ALL THESE COMPLAINTS THAT GO TO YOUR OFFICE.

I HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY COMPLAINTS YOU GOT OVER TIME.

SO BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, THERE WERE MORE THAN A THOUSAND COMPLAINTS TO YOUR OFFICE.

ARE YOU ABLE TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, AS THEY COME IN?

DO YOU SEE A BACKLOG BUILDING UP?

16 >> WELL, WE HAVE A CASE MANAGEMENT UNIT THAT I THINK OF IN MANY WAYS AS THE ENGINE ROOM OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.

>> YEAH.

>> THIS IS A TEAM OF FOLKS WHO FIELD OUR PHONES, WHO RESPOND TO OUR EMAIL AND ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE FOLKS HAVE TRAINING IN HOW TO ELICIT ACCURATE INFORMATION, UNDERSTANDING WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AND SO MANY EVER OUR ALLEGATIONS, AS YOU KNOW, COME IN FROM OR RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND PARTICULARLY FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, IT IS CRITICAL THAT EVEN IN AN INITIAL INTERVIEW TO UNDERSTAND A COMPLAINT, THAT WE TRY TO BRING A TRAUMA-INFORMED LENS.

>> HMM.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT INFORMATION YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SHARE LEGALLY TO PROTECT COMPLAIN ANTS DO WE SEE ANY LARGER TENDS THERE WITH DOCS?

YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR BASICALLY.

I MEAN IT.

DO WE SEE ANY LARGER SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT YOU MIGHT BE WILLING TO LOOK AT, I GUESS?

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS I'M CURIOUS IF MORE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT ONE THING THAN THE OTHER, AND THAT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE?

>> LIKE IN ANY PART OF PUBLIC LIFE, THINGS EBB AND FLOW.

OF COURSE, WE GOT 17 TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RELATED TO COVID PROTOCOLS AND THAT HAS SUBSIDED.

YOU'RE FAMILIAR, I THINK, WITH THE INVESTIGATION WE DID INTO THE MISUSE OF DRUG TESTING AND IN DACS FACILITIES AND WE HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT IN CHANGING THE VENDER AND THE POLICIES THAT WAS RESULTING IN TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE BEING WRONGLY PENALIZED.

WE ARE LOOKING CAREFULLY AT ISSUES OF PRISON DISCIPLINE.

I EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION COMING OUT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS SHORTLY.

BUT OVERALL, THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH DACS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY COMPLAINANT IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY, RECEIVES A RESPONSE AND THAT WHERE THERE ARE BIG TRENDS, WE'RE CONDUCTING THE SYSTEM-LEVEL INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY-- IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS.

>> SPEAKING OF SYSTEM LEVEL, THERE'S THIS HUGE NEWS STORY A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD IN NEW YORK, A REPORT FROM THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE FOUND THAT NEW YORK PAID OUT ABOUT $11 BILLION IN FRAUDULENT UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC PRIMARILY.

YOU WEREN'T IN OFFICE THEN, TO 18 BE CLEAR, BUT I KNOW THAT THE CLAIMS ARE HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUT DOES YOUR OFFICE HAVE ANY-- DO YOU INVESTIGATE THE FRAUD SIDE, I GUESS?

I WAS LOOKING AT THIS MORNING AS I WAS PREPARE FORGE THIS AND I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHO LOOKED AT THE FRAUD AND WHO WAS DOING THE CLAIMS.

[LAUGHTER] >> I'M GLAD THAT YOU ASKED.

IT'S AN AREA WE'RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT AS AN OFFICE.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ASSEMBLE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF EXPERTS INTERNALLY AND WITH SOME OF OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO REALLY TACKLE THESE INVESTIGATIONS.

SO WE DO RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OF IDENTITY THEFT, FOR EXAMPLE, ASSOCIATED WITH UNEMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE FRAUD, AND SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THAT SOMEONE WHO IS RIGHTLY ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PUTS IN A CLAIM AND HAS THEIR CLAIM DENIED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID OUT FOR IT AND UPON DIGGING, IT IS DETERMINED THAT SOMEONE HAS STOLEN THEIR IDENTITY AND RECEIVED THEIR BENEFITS WRONGFULLY.

NOW INTERESTINGLY, WHEN WE INVESTIGATE THESE MATTERS, WE OFTEN FIND THAT IT IS NOT JUST A SINGLE IDENTITY 19 THAT'S BEEN STOLEN, BUT THAT THE WRONGDOER IS ACTUALLY PART OF A LARGER WEB OR NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING THESE KINDS OF CRIMES.

SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WITH OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND WITH OTHER AGENCIES, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN TO TACKLE SOME OF THESE PRESSING ISSUES IN UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD AND WE REALLY CALL UPON ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AND FELLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO TAKE THIS KIND OF APPROACH THAT PRIORITIZES QUICK INVESTIGATIONS, QUICK RESPONSES TO THESE COMPLAINTS AND COMMUNICATION BECAUSE IT'S THE SORT OF THING WHERE IF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS TO SUBPOENA RECORDS FROM ANOTHER AGENCY AND THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT GAP IN RESPONSE, WE CAN COMPLETELY LOSE THOSE MATERIALS IF, SAY, SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE IS DELETE OR EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE DISAPPEARS.

SO TIME AND COMMUNICATION ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN REALLY PRIORITIZING CRACKING DOWN ON UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD, WHICH HAS COST THE STATE SO MUCH AND HAS COME AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO VULNERABLE NEW YORKERS WHO ARE ENTITLED TO THESE BENEFITS.

>> IT'S SCARY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 20 SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH YOUR IDENTITY BEING STOLEN LIKE THAT.

IT'S UNSETTLING FOR A NEW YORKER, I WOULD IMAGINE.

THE COMPTROLLER HAD BLAMED THE SITUATION ON THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM NOT BEING UP TO DATE.

HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WARNED REPEATEDLY THAT IT NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED TO AVOID A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

IS THAT A SITUATION THAT YOUR OFFICE MIGHT GET INVOLVED WITH, OR WOULD YOU NOT HAVE JURISDICTION THERE TO LOOK AT WHY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DIDN'T UPGRADE THE SYSTEM?

>> WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PROBLEM FROM ALL ANGLES AND THE COMPTROLLER'S REPORT IS A CALL FOR ALL HANDS ON DECK, AS I SEE IT.

>> YEAH.

>> BOTH TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL INSTANCES OF WRONGDOING TO SEEK TO MAKE PEOPLE ENTITLED TO BENEFITS WHOLE AND TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL FAILURES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SUCH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FRAUD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

BEFORE I LET YOU GO, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IT IS THE END OF YOUR FIRST YEAR.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR SECOND YEAR?

ANY BIG GOALS THAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> I'M REALLY EXCITED OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE THE INCREASED 21 TRANSPARENCY THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS IN THE PAST.

WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HOW WE HAVE SORT OF REPEAT PLAYERS AND DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A REAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AMONGST MOST OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.

I THINK BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS WE HAVE MADE ADDRESS DEVELOPING A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, THAT PUBLISHING ALL OF OUR REPORTS AND LETTERS ONLINE AND LOOKING BACK AND PUTTING OUT ALL OF OUR PREVIOUS WORK AND SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PRESS THAT WE ARE GOING TO REACH PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WRONGDOING IN GOVERNMENT, WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE KNOWN WHERE TO TURN AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO INCREASINGLY BECOME THE AVENUE THAT PEOPLE TURN TO TO IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS SO THAT WE CAN SERVE THE PUBLIC BETTER AND HELP ELEVATE THE INTEGRITY OF STATE GOVERNMENT OVERALL.

>> REALLY EXCITING STUFF AND REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF.

>> IT IS.

>> INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, DAN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] 22 >> AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN YEAR TWO OF THE IG'S TENURE.

BUT TURNING NOW TO NEW YORK CITY, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAID THIS WEEK THAT THE CITY WILL NOW BECOME HOSPITALIZING PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS WHO APPEAR TO BE MENTALLY ILL AND NOT GETTING TREATMENT.

IT'S A NEW STEP IN THE MAYOR'S STRATEGY TO ESSENTIALLY CLEAR HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK'S SIDEWALKS AND THE SUBWAY.

THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE IS THAT THESE PEOPLE NEED TREATMENT, THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING.

SO IN HIS MIND, THE CITY WILL BE GIVING THEM THAT TREATMENT WHETHER THEY ASK FOR IT OR NOT.

HERE'S WHAT HE SAID THIS WEEK.

>> THE VERY NATURE OF THEIR ILLNESS KEEPS THEM FROM REALIZING THEY NEED INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT.

WITHOUT THAT INTERVENTION, THEY REMAIN LOST AND ISOLATED FROM SOCIETY, TORMENTED BY DELUSIONS AND DISORDERED THINKING.

THEY CYCLE IN AND OUT OF HOSPITALS AND JAILS.

>> BUT MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES AND CIVIL RIGHT GROUPS SAY IT'S NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH AND COULD BE UNLAWFUL.

IN A STATEMENT THIS WEEK, THE NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION SAID, QUOTE, THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONSTITUTIONS IMPOSE STRICT LIMITS ON THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO DETAIN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING MENTAL ILLNESS.

LIMITS THAT THE MAYOR'S 23 PROPOSED EXPANSION IS LIKELY TO VIOLATE, END OF QUOTE.

ADAMS ALSO UNVEILED A NEW LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT HE WANTS THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER NEXT YEAR, RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH AND THE HOMELESS.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF IT GOES ANYWHERE.

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

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >>Announcer: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET AND BY THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.