>> Major funding for "NJ Spotlight News" is provided in part by New Jersey and insurance group.

Horizon blue cross -- blue shield of New Jersey.

And by the psmg foundation.

Briana: Tonight, national security risk.

A congresswoman calls for the resignation of defense secretary Pete Hegseth after yet another signal chat surfaces.

>> Pete Hegseth needs to be fired immediately and at a minimum replace him with someone competent so we can continue to protect the national security of this nation.

>> Also, guilty, guilty, guilty.

Nadine me Menendez convicted of being her husband's partner in crime.

>> I am devastated by the verdict but we respect the criminal justice system.

>> Plus, low turnout.

Only a fraction of wedge registered teenagers in Newark showed is up for the polls.

>> We were expected to have more of a turnout to make sure young people had their voices heard but as with other voting changes it might take some time for popularity to grow.

>> And Septembera cutting funds could pose trouble for an already threatened public transit system in New Jersey.

"NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From New Jersey PBS assist, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Tuesday night.

We begin with a few of today's top headlines.

First, the state's welcome tearing case against south jersey power broker George nor cross isn't other.

Prosecutors in the attorney general's office filed a 120-page appeal urging the court to reinstate the charges arguing a judgerred to present the indiet outtraveling evidence that was presented to the grand jury.

Prosecutors submitted more than 2,000 pages of testimony other the course of five months.

The indictment accuses nor cross and five co-defense.

Of conspiring to take control of water front properties to line their own pockets.

It's unclear how long the appeal process will play out or whether the end-up state Supreme Court.

Also, the state will start collecting student loans in de fault beginning next month.

The change affects about 5.3 million people with past due student loan debts to the government.

In a statement, education secretary Linda Mcmahon said American taxpayers will no longer have to pay collateral for failed loan policies.

She was referring to efforts by the Biden administration to wipe away student debt.

The education department will start notifying borrowsers in de fault over the next two weeks urging them to either make a payment or enroll in a repayment plan.

Threaten on may 5, anyone not responding will be put into a plan.

Fallout continues tonight at the pentagon after secretary of defense Pete Hegseth used his personal phone to send information about U.S. military operations in Yemen in another private signal chat.

This one included his wife, brother, and personal attorney, according not "New York Times."

It comes about a month after it became clear that Hegseth had another shared yellable strikes.

Calls are mounting for his resignation, including from representive Mikey Cheryl, a Navy veteran who says Hegseth's actions put American service lives in danger.

She joins me now.

Congresswoman, good to see you.

Appreciate your time.

You and many of your democratic colleagues now have called for defense secretary Hegseth's resignation.

Do you believe that this latest signal chat is in violation of federal law or department of defense regulations?

>> I know it is.

I've served.

I can tell you that sharing targeting information, information on a strike like this, this is classified information, national security information.

So that a signal chat is not a platform in which you can share classified information.

Much less sharing it with people like your spouse, for example.

So this is certainly contrary to department of defense regulations.

It would get a young petty officer fired with cause, court-martialed and so the fact that the secretary of defense is doing this is really beyond the pale.

Briana: The White House says this wasn't classified but sensitive information.

For the layperson, what's the difference?

And does it constitute a breach as well?

>> Well, first of all, in White House and previous administrations has mishandled classified information.

The president himself is quite known for doing that.

They're wrong, that is not true.

This is classified information.

Sensitive information is something you might not want shared broadly because you might want to say, oh, look, this is an internal conversation with some of our allies.

We wouldn't want some of our a very scaries to hear this so it's sensitive about different decisions, different things that the United States is considering as it makes decisions but classified information, that would be things like a strike that is being planned.

Where it is going to be planned.

And when it's going to happen and what types of jets are going to be used.

That is all classified information because we would not want our adversary prepared for that because then you put people in danger and make no mistake, by doing this, people's lives are put in danger.

Those pilots' lives are being put in danger because of possible preparedness by the adversary of ground munitionings and stuff that could take out these fighters.

This is just the latest.

And I think in a series of really a career of questionable decisions by Pete Hegseth.

It's why I never thought he was qualified to be the secretary of defense in the first place.

I think what's even more offensive is this sort of hypocrisy in suggesting that very senior capable people like the chairman of joint chiefs or like the chief of NFL operation should not be in their positions and calling into question, in the case of one of the plaque and the other, she was a woman.

Calling into question their competency when in fact he is the least qualified heave ever had to be the secretary of defense.

It takes a lot more than doing all these pushups to be a leader of our military.

Briana: You and others have called for the inspector general to step in and launch an investigation, or another investigationive body, for that matter?

>> Certainly we can do an investigation about how the classified information is being treated.

I'm not sure, though, the confidence I have in this administration to support that kind of investigation.

But at this point I think Pete Hegseth needs or fired immediately.

We need to at a minimum replace him with someone competent.

That's all I'm asking for is basic competence so we can continue to protect the national security of this nation.

Briana: Up a long to-do list while on recess, the reconciliation that is upon you all.

Where does the talk on extending the salt cap and on the Democrats' budget framework stand right now and how much of that are you going to be looking at this week?

>> So as you may recall, the if the implemented the salt cap in his first administration and is now talking about extending it.

As we have fought back against that he's made some non-starter suggestions like he'll double'9" from 10,000 to 20,000.

That is a nonstarter.

So I'm continuing to fight along with the salt caucus, pushing my republican colleagues to stand up against this, reminding them of how bad this is for our region.

We're going back to do reconciliation and the speaker that is come out and suggest that had no republican crowd should come out and stand with the 880 billion suggested for medicaid cuts.

I again am calling on my republican colleagues to stand up against that.

We send so much money to the federal government and if they are going to refuse to fund things like medicaid right now, then they need to accepted that money back in a federal block grant or in some other way and the attorney general should take them to court if they refuse to run the systems that we've entrusted our money in them to run.

Briana: Thank you so much for joining us.

The wife of disgraced former senator Bob Menendez has been found guilty of 15 corruption charges.

A conviction that closely mirrors her husbands.

That garage handed down the verdict on Monday.

They traded the once high-ranking republican's political influence for gold, cash, and Mercedes convertible.

Nadine echoed her husband's criticism after the verdict, calling her case political.

>> I'm Dev Stated by the verdict.

>> Nadine Menendez stood beside her attorney after she was contribute convicted for taking gold cars, bags of cash, a Mercedes-Benz and more in turn for blazely promoting her husband.

>> Evidence I thought was damning and overwhelming, especially for Nadine because she was kind of on the tip of the spear, really the facilitator.

>> Prosecutors called Nadine the go-between who got her hands very dirty.

Serial numbers on dollar bills and gold bars.

Three New Jersey businessmen and foreign officials who bought the senator's cooperation to kill criminal cases in New Jersey, boost U.S. military aid to Egypt and Curry favor with Qatar.

>> Together I felt like this was an open and shut corruption and graph case and it turned out that that was the case.

>> Following their initial indictment, Bob and Nadine would arrive at court together as codefendants but he was tried and convicted separately after treatment for breast cancer postponed Nadine's day in court.

Bob each and every showed up at her trial.

Her attorney general said -- >> No comment.

Nadine said nothing at the time but later said this was an unjust political prosecution.

I was never going to get a fair trial because of the notoriety of my husband's trial.

I look forward to an appeal.

That canos her husband's angry shoutouts to Donald trump.

>> Welcome to the southern district of New York.

The wild west of political prosecutions.

President trump is right.

This process is political and it's corrupted to the core.

I hope president trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.

>> The southern district of New York in a statement noted together, Nadine and the senator placed their own interests and greed ahead of the interests of the citizens the senator was elected to serve.

Today's verdict sends the clear message that the power of government officials may not be put up for sale.

Trump's department of justice did drop corruption charges against New York mayor Eric Adams but that case had not yet gone to trial but with the White House so focused on immigration enforcement fortunate DOGE disputes and tariff crises, what are the chances they'd help Bob and Nadine me Menendez.

>> Appeal is not going to go anywhere.

The evidence is quiet voluminous.

>> Unfortunately it's become invogue now to attack the prosecutor's office and the judicial system.

It seems to be a la mode these days and it's tragic.

>> The senator's former political staffer would like to see what he calls an American tragedy end in a redemptive arc.

>> Can that happen?

We'll see if Bob and Nadine can surprise us with something positive after this is all settled.

>> What's next?

Bob Menendez reports for prison June 6.

His wife is scheduled to be sentenced June 12.

Brenda Flanigan.

Briana: After roughly a year of encouraging Newark teens to register to vote in this year's elections.

It appearers to have worn off.

Just 3.8% of those who registered cast a ballot.

The voter turnout for Newark Louisiana techs is historically low and turnout for all ages was lower, just 3.2%.

Some calling Newark's case a strong start for the movement while critics saying they can't allow more money to be spend spent on a statewide push.

Hannah gross, let's start with the numbers here.

Of course, teens earn a right to vote in this race a year ago, to be able to have a say and they really didn't turn out.

What's-up with that?

>> I mean, it's hard because April school board elections always have low turnouts and that was the same for the 16 and 17-year-olds as it was for the general population.

I think with all of the energy, excitement and momentum advocates were hoping to have more of a turnout and really show that young people are here and want to have their voices heard in these elections but as with other voting changes, it might take some time for popularity to grow.

Briana: Certainly I've seen the argument made that early vetoing was not necessarily adopted by everyone right away and that took some time for it to build up and now look at it but were they expecting more?

There were 100 newly registered teams, still a nice number for them but were they expecting more?

>> Advocates weren't giving an exact number of what they were hoping for.

I know if superintendent of the Newark school district was hoping around 3,000 students would register and they got around 100, as you said.

They didn't meet that registration goal so that made it harder to get a great number of voters.

>> What does it mean for the statewide push?

What are the advocates telling you about their efforts?

Are they going to scale back, move forward?

>> It depends who you talk to.

Critics will say Newark didn't go well, we shouldn't spend money on this and advocates will say they turned out higher than the general population.

This is a worth while cause and investment.

Towns can still do this on their own.

They don't need the state to act on it.

This is usually done as the municipal level based on local rule so other towns can follow suit if they want to.

It's up to the state if they want to get the wordout.

>> Have voter registration drives like we saw in Newark.

Big assembly at some of the high schools.

As you reported, any civic engagement is good engagement.

Is there more of a likelihood and argument to be made that now they're on the voter rolls and they're more likely to continue voting or to show up in vote in general elections when they're 1814.

>> People in U.S. voting 18 said that's been the case in other towns that have lowered the voting age.

Especially in Maryland, they have about nine stills that have done it.

Turnout has increased year over year for young people and it's also brought up the turnout of the general population so more people are going to vote at every age.

Briana: That was part of the case being made early on, that to expand the voter pool, we need to expand those whoer eligible?

>> They said if you start voting at.

Or 1 when you're in your community or you know the people in power, you're with your family or classmates, it's much easier to become a lifelong voter ask built that hasn't at -- build that habit at 16 versus if you go out of state and have to navigate all of this on your own at 18.

Briana: You can read Hannah gross's full piece of this and all of her coverage on the New York teen on our and the.

Hannah, thank you so much for coming in.

Briana: It's not just New Jersey transit facing budget woes.

Without state aid, Septembera is warning of potential deep service cuts and big fair hikes.

The transit agency needs to plug a more than $200 million hole by July 1 or says it will be forced to eliminate 50 bus routes and five regional rail lines including those in and out of Trenton.

Critics Hsieh it will dismantle public transit for Philadelphia and the region as we know it today.

>> A bunt fight on the other side of the Delaware river could leave New Jerseyans in a lurch, particularly those trying to travel to Philadelphia.

>> It would be inconvenient for me and I predict it will be that way for a lot of students who live in New Jersey and commute or even live in Pennsylvania and commute.

I'm disappointed to hear that.

>> If anyway did do that, I'd probably have to take the river line into Camden and take the speed line in from Camden to Philadelphia.

>> It would be more expensive.

To go from $10 to $50 for Amtrak, $50 for uber.

>> September I've's most recent budget proposal would eliminate the Trenton lines each way and Tut cut down all lines after 5:00 p.m. and bump up fares from 2.50 to 2.90 per ride.

>> We certainly don't have rail like the rest of the state so any minor cut to current services has a ripple effect that is massive guy to the limited of mass transit opportunities we have already.

>> Without these regional trail lines thousands of New Jerseyans every day will have to find other ways to get around, including driving in a state that already struggles with so many drivers on the road.

>> We're trying to be for environmentally conscious, get people out of vehicle and onteniases transit.

I've never seen a rail line Elim Nateed.

I-seen bus it was service ylem Nateed.

>> The west Trenton station has welcomed riders for almost 100 years.

>> I think it would be a travesty to lose this gem.

It's been here over 40 years.

I've 95 is one ongoing construction project.

>> Any cut to the services is going to be de-stating for area commuters on the northeast corridor, we need more mass transit options, not less.

>> Trenton mayor Reed Gusciora says Septembera doesn't need to look far for ideas on plugging their $200 million deficit they're facing thiser?

Somewhere, we'd like to see them follow governor Murphy's proposal by pumping more money into the system.

>> My proposal has been passed by the house Democrats three separate times.

And three separate times, that has gone to the senate in passive where they've taken absolutely no action.

>> Pennsylvania governor josh Shapiro spoke as an unrepresented event last week and said the commonwealth will figure out something.

>> We will all work together as we have in the past to find bipartisan agreement.

We have to do so en masse transit this time.

>> Mean wheeling, Septembera riders are left wondering if the cuts are serious or just a negotiation tactic.

>> I doubt they'll make all those cuts.

It's just politics and I think SEPTA wants the city to put out more money.

>> I think that's what they have to do?

Homes that someone is going to come up with more money.

>> I hope it's not for real and just a starting point for discussions.

>> If it is for real and the department does not make up the difference, trance it could find it difficult to to get to Ph Philly.

Briana: Before we go, a reminder, you can download our podcast wherever you listen and watching anytime by subscribing to the instagram YouTube channel.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News," thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening.

Enjoy the fight.

We'll see you right back here tomorrow night.

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♪