>> major funding for Reporters Roundtable with David Cruz is provided by RWJBarnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

Rowan University, educating New Jersey leaders, partnering with New Jersey businesses, transforming New Jersey's future.

♪ David: Donald Trump is the gift that keeps on giving -- if lawsuits are what you are into.

Hey, everybody, it's Reporters Roundtable.

I'm David Cruz.

Our panel includes Taylor, social justice writer for NJ Spotlight News.

Stacy Sherman, Senior editor at Bloomberg.

And Matt Friedman, reporter at Politico and author of the New Jersey playbook.

We will get in with it with the panel in a few minutes, but we begin with one of the leading voices emerging in the legal battles to come between states with Democratic administrations and the Trump administration.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Plotkin has had a couple of busy weeks in court and is taking a break to join us.

Good to see you.

These two weeks, about what you expected?

AG Platkin: Has it been two weeks yet?

We have been busy, but for months we were prepared to stand up for the rule of law and that's all we are doing.

I'm proud of the work we are doing to stand up for our residents, for the Constitution.

We have already obtained multiple victories in court.

That's because the president has decided to violate the law.

David: Let's take a look at a couple of these items.

Birthright citizenship, a cornerstone concept for all of my life.

You are born here, you are a citizen.

What did the judge say that made you think this is a closed case now?

AG Platkin: It's not just your life, it's literally the entire history of this country, with a narrow exception of a period called the Civil War.

It's been in the Constitution 157 years that people born in this country are citizens of this country.

It is written in the 14th amendment, and it was written in the 14th amendment so we would settle this debate and never have to have it again.

At the time there was question over whether descendants of slaves would be considered American citizens.

This hasn't been the subject of any meaningful legal debate since the Civil War.

The president, on the first day of his administration about 8:00 p.m. attempted to rewrite the constitution with the stroke of a pen.

It got laughed out of court.

Next Friday we will be in Boston seeking a preliminary injunction , and I'm confident this order will never take effect.

David: This week it was the stop payment order on grants and such.

They took it back, but this also faced a tough road legally, no?

AG Platkin: Absolutely.

We have to remember what this administration tried to do on Tuesday night.

They, with the stroke of a task, froze trillions of dollars of federal spending that had been appropriated by Congress to skates -- states not just like New Jersey but every state and nation.

People depended on that spending.

Things like Senior health care through Medicaid, kids education through Headstart.

Law enforcement.

I got notice day were stopping all drug cartel trafficking enforcement efforts across the country.

I thought this administration was supposedly the Law & Order administration and here they are defunding the police.

That order also has been held up in court.

Again, this is about harms they are causing to our residents and the rule of law.

The president is not a king in this country and he cannot disregard the Constitution and the laws simply because he does not like something.

David: Literally defunding the police.

Taylor, you had a question.

Taylor: I am sure you have heard from a lot of immigrant advocates about what to do when ice shows up, not just places like schools but also hospitals and churches.

I know the DOE has put out guidance for school administrators on how to handle a situation like that.

There are former sensitive areas to know what to do as well.

Are you working with other state agencies to put out guidance for those groups?

AG Platkin: Thanks for the question.

You highlighted a really important and frankly alarming policy change that this administration put out in the first week.

For decades there have been bipartisan consensus we would not conduct immigration enforcement in sensitive places, like you said, schools, hospitals, places of worship.

Think about why that's obviously the right decision.

Whether your kids are immigrants or American citizens, I think we all agree -- I say this as the parent of two young kids -- we don't want armed law enforcement agents busting into schools, taking kids out of classrooms who probably don't have proper identification, locking them up and throwing them in a van.

That's what this administration is threatening.

I understand why people are alarmed because even the first Trump administration did not change that policy.

The department of education has put out guidance.

We are working with agencies and advocacy organizations to understand the nuances of the law.

The thing the public needs to understand is how extreme this is, and destabilizing for kids already experiencing a mental health crisis, a generation experiencing a mental health crisis.

They are threatening to have law enforcement activity inside school classrooms in an unprecedented way.

David: Another big case with your name all over it is the indictment of Cooper Hospital chairman and longtime South Jersey political operator George Norcross.

I know the case is proceeding so you won't be commenting on it specifically, but Matt, you have a question related to this.

>> your reaction to Governor Murphy or the former governor showing up in what was an attempt by Norcross to show these people have his back and believe in him.

He has a history of when surrounded by controversy associated himself with prominent people.

I wonder what it meant to you to see the current Governor and former governors at that event.

AG Platkin: Oh, look, I can't comment on a case and we are not going to litigate a case in the press.

I understand others may try to do that.

That's not what we are going to do.

We have made that clear to the judge in this and many other cases.

I have been focused on upholding the rule of law and have not been paying a ton of attention to sideshows.

David: You were also in court in the city of Patterson over the takeover of the police department there.

An appellate court has sided with your office.

Is not the end of the challenges and have you met with the mayor there to try to get on the same page?

AG Platkin: We are taking that case to the Supreme Court.

It is clearly contrary to law and established president.

I am extraordinarily proud of what progress we have made in Patterson since March 2023, when there was a crisis of confidence in law enforcement.

Since that time, crime has dramatically reduced.

Confidence in the department has substantially increased.

We have made substantial investments in the department and its relationship with the community.

I'm confident that good work is going to continue.

We will be in Patterson for as long as it takes to make sure the third-largest city has the law enforcement agency it deserves, and that's exactly what we have done for the last two years.

David: One more question before I let you go, related to Norcross.

And a slightly related to the mayor, because he has said this about you, as have a few others.

Let's listen to what George Norcross says, and then we will come back.

>> He is a second-year associate at a law firm who is a politician now, masquerading as an Attorney General.

His interest is to find himself a venue where he can be hoisted on the shoulders of whomever.

David: Are you a politician masking as Attorney General using your office to pump up your resume to run for some other office?

AG Platkin: David, I don't even know what that means.

I was sworn in as Attorney General, confirmed with bipartisan support in the state legislature.

I am upholding the rule of law for almost three years.

I'm proud of our record.

Record low gun violence two years running.

We have tackled some high-profile corruption issues.

We know we are a state where corruption is endemic.

We just saw United States Senator convicted for 11 years for stashing gold bars in his house.

It's fair to say the public is sick and tired of the status quo.

I am doing my job.

The state has a strong Attorney General for a reason.

It's designed to be an independent Attorney General.

The office is dedicated to holding accountable any forms of bad actors, whether that be corporate polluters or social media companies targeting our kids or people targeting off gun violence, or powerful people who have abused their offices.

I am not going to back down from that.

David: Not taking the bait today.

Attorney General Matt Platkin, good to see you.

Thanks for taking a few minutes.

Panel, Stacie, Matt, Taylor.

Matt, do you think Governor Murphy regrets this appointment?

Matt: Yes, I think he and Matt Platkin were very close at the time of the appointment.

Matt, the Attorney General, has really gone his own way in that office.

We saw the big break where it became apparent his decision not to defend the line when the first ladies entire Senate campaign hinged on it.

I can't get into the governors had.

Publicly he has said he still has faith in Matt Platkin.

The fact is showing up with the state's biggest political boss who is under indictment by Matt Platkin and symbolically backing him up sends a message.

What I surmise -- would I surmise, yes I would.

David: Let me get your thoughts on the president's first couple of weeks, Matt.

He is doing exactly what he said, no?

Matt: Well, no, because it seems this entire thing was kind of laid out in project 2025 which I'm pretty sure he said he didn't know anything about or disavowed on the campaign trail.

It was laid out but he said he wasn't going to do that but now he is doing it.

David: Taylor, there is the sense the president has dropped a bomb in some more marginalized communities here and around the country.

What are you seeing out there?

Taylor: It's been a tough couple of weeks for various communities across the country and also in New Jersey.

Even though Trump has said this is exactly what he is going to do and project 2025 laid out, it's different when you see the executive orders and federal actions roll through.

I think anyone from immigrant communities, regardless of your status, to LGBTQ communities are fearful of what's next writ I am mostly hearing a lot about people saying we need to be in community and stand together to fight what's to come.

People are also trying to not resort to fear in some ways.

They feel this administration wants people to be fearful, so not to cave to their whims.

David: Stacie, you would think a deregulating, D.E.I.

busting friend of the corporate hegemonists would have the backing of the business community.

Does the president have the backing of the business community right now?

Stacie: I think people are trying to figure out what to make of him.

Over the past couple of weeks, he has done so many executive orders, made so many moves that people are trying to grasp how that affects the businesses they are trying to figure him out.

I know he is meeting with Nvidia 's CEO today.

He has been meeting with Big Tech CEO's.

People are trying to figure out the effect tariffs have, his tax moves have, his immigration moves have.

Everything has an impact on business and I think we are at a point where people are trying to figure it out.

David: 11 years for Menendez.

It's hard to muster sympathy for the senator, seeing as how gold bars and everything.

Outside the courtroom, he struck a defiant tone and even sent signals to the president.

What do you think of that?

Matt: He is clearly begging for a pardon.

I don't think there is a lot of appetite publicly for a pardon.

He's ill has powerful backers who could appeal to the president -- he still has powerful backers who could appeal to the president.

I'm not going to guess what those ways are.

We could ask why Sal Melton got his lengthy fraud sentence commuted.

Was there a public outcry or some other reason?

I'm not speculating on why, but there are other ways it can happen.

We all saw the trial.

The corruption is common.

We can say he is corrupt, it is legally adjudicated now.

He had cash stuffed in his pockets, gold bars, emails helping out foreign government.

Insane amount of corruption.

The idea that this was some injustice is absurd.

Does not mean he is not going to get a pardon or sentence commutation?

Absolutely not.

I see a lot of possibility that come from what.

David: Taylor, this was a strong advocate for immigrants particularly.

Who is going to fill that role now in New Jersey, Andy Kim?

Taylor: I think there is some talk whether it will be Andy Kim , but I think he is also forging his own path, especially regarding how issues affect consumers' wallets.

I guess we have to wait and see.

I don't know if you would be the one to fill those shoes.

I have heard anecdotal stories about how this was stuffed in last-minute, helping get visas and things like that for individuals.

David: Stacie, he has been in one office or another as long as I have been in the news game, I imagine for you too.

Thoughts on Menendez?

Stacie: Menendez has been around longer than I have in politics, and he has been beloved.

He has done a lot for his communities, and it's a shame that he will be known as gold bar Bob.

It's kind of sad, right?

David: Let me stick with you, Stacie.

Somewhat related, thematically anyway.

George Norcross, who you have also been covering for 50 years -- Stacie: 60.

JENNIFER: He sits in the front row at his indictment, no socks.

Then he summons the X governors for a groundbreaking, and they all calm.

The guy has got chutzpah.

Stacie: He does, but the fact they all came and sat on the stage with him, the display was kind of wow.

He is indicted and he has McGreevy patting his back.

It doesn't look good.

He has done a lot.

They can argue he has done a lot for Camden, not for health in New Jersey.

He has been accused of crimes, so it does not look good for them to all be appearing with him.

David: There is Tom Kean.

He was on Chat Box this week.

He was one of the former governors praising Norcross.

Let's listen to what he said this week on Chat Box.

>> He made a difference, a real difference.

I think when individuals make a real difference, particularly for poor people in difficult cities, we should recognize it, should praise it.

I don't happen to feel George Norcross has broken the law.

I don't believe he will be found guilty.

But whether he has or hasn't, he has done something magnificent in his community and we are going to recognize him.

David: I think the one that surprised me the most was Tom Kean showing up to celebrate the Saint of Camden city.

Matt: It is worth noting -- I don't know if this is related, but worth noting that the New Jersey Democrats influenced by George Norcross did a lot to hurt the candidacy of Sue Altman, the Democrat.

Just putting that out there.

Not saying that's the reason they did this.

Things like not backing key labor organizations that are close with New Jersey Democrats not backing Altman.

It wasn't decisive in the election, but it could have been.

David: Switching gears a little, I got an email this week from Republicans saying that the president had solved the mystery of the drones over New Jersey.

Now could you give $10 to Republicans?

Stacie, there is no shame in the way both parties turn every issue into a fundraising them out.

Stacie: I still think there is way more questions than answers.

I am in South Jersey.

I looked up, I saw at least five or six at one point.

It is strange.

I think New Jersey still wants answers.

I saw one Republican calling for the FAA to testify in Trenton.

It wouldn't be a bad idea.

I think people still want to know what the heck was happening.

It was not just airplanes, not just hobby drones.

Something was going on and I think New Jerseyans still want answers.

Matt: David, you are playing on the screen a lot of things that are obviously planes, flashing red and green lights that the FAA mandates.

Trump's statement didn't clear anything up.

I think it confused things if anything if he said the FAA approved flights.

Does that mean the FAA specifically approved these drone flights or that drones flying are within FAA regulations?

They have not clarified that.

I have asked.

If you ask me, I'm sure there have been some drones spotted.

Think about this for a minute.

The drones don't want to be seen so they don't fly in the day, but when they fly at night they have lights that happen to match the lights that planes have.

Everything you just played our planes.

I watched An interview on Fox News news where the anchor was adjusting shooting these things down, while they played what was obviously an airliner in the background.

Running stories every day for two months featuring three photos.

Two helicopters, one is kind of blurry but you can tell it's the landing skid.

The other is obviously a helicopter.

The third is a jet, you can see the American Airlines logo.

I'm sure there have been some drones, some unexplained things.

But for the most part, people are looking up, they have not paid much attention to the skies before, and they are seeing airplanes.

[LAUGHTER] David: Taylor, are the drones benign?

Taylor: I am definitely getting Matt a drone as a gift, a big old drone.

David: I've been trying to get the news department to get us all individual drones so we can do our stories.

Let me switch gears to lament the imminent loss of the print edition of the Star-Ledger and the end of the jersey Journal in Hudson County, after over a century.

Taylor, you and I have talked about the viability of citizen journalists.

I am using air quotes.

And citizen journalism, air quotes over that too.

How much faith do you have been the idea that the people -- using air quotes -- can fill the news void?

Taylor: I do think it's a nuanced topic.

Journalism is evolving, and it's a shame when a local knows organization that offers print newspapers shuts down.

I don't know.

I think the conversation is still ongoing.

I know the White House is now offering credentials to pod stirs and things like that.

I'm not sure I am on the side of that direction.

I know I am on TikTok a lot and I see people share the news all the time, so I think there is something worthwhile.

People's trust is declining in the media and they are getting news from social media.

I want to challenge more journalists to put their work out there on social media and help make sure the void is filled in some capacity and it's not just everyday people -- I think they are doing great work, and it's important work.

Often they get news stories from these people when they share stories online.

They might misspeak, they might not be as credible in some cases.

I'm trying to get on TikTok but we will see if that lasts.

Matt: Nothing has really replaced the old forms of journalism.

I'm not talking about the big series or anything like that, just the daily nuts and bolts.

It's mostly gone.

There's a few sites.

There are problems here and there.

There is other hyper local news sites that are good.

We are in a mess and I feel our lack of common news sources that the old media had, or lack of any common news source, common understanding of events, makes us open to manipulation and confirmation bias.

When we can't -- when the president comes out and says this thing about drones, that just raises more questions.

After people are like, that explains it, we are good now.

The same people are like, you need to be more skeptical.

This is a minor event but it demonstrates some of the problems we have in terms of just facing facts.

David: Stacie, quick mention, quick thought?

Stacie: I got my start with newspapers, my first job was with the Asbury Park press.

Nothing better than reading a paper on the weekends, seeing my name up there.

I'm sad, very sad.

There was a reason I went to Bloomberg 28 years ago, and I'm glad I did.

I feel like online is the way.

People still love other print forms, TV and radio, we just have to adjust to the fact that people get their news in different ways and we have to accommodate that.

David: I have been reading the jersey Journal my whole life and started reading the Star-Ledger regularly when I went to college.

I am sad to see them both go, but I know nobody except us old people want to buy a bunch of papers covered in ink.

This is the most challenging time I remember for journalism, and it's never been more critical for you folks watching to actively support independent local news.

Consider it a civic duty, as important as voting, because it is.

That's roundtable for this week.

Stacie, Taylor, Matt, good to see you all.

Thanks also to Attorney General Matt Platkin for joining us.

You can follow this show on x at roundtable NJ and subscribed to the YouTube channel for more stuff from the news room.

I'm David Cruz.

For all the crew at the Gateway Center in downtown Newark, thanks for watching.

We will see you next week.

>> Major funding for Reporters Roundtable wtih David Cruz is provided by RWJBarnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

Rowan University, educated New Jersey leaders, partnering with New Jersey businesses, transforming New Jersey's future.

♪