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>> Tonight, standing in solidarity.

Over a dozen instant faculty join students in a hunger strike.

>> In response to the unwillingness to engage with student demands in good faith, members of our faculty and the broader community are considering a solidarity fast.

>> As campus protests continue across the country, politicians weigh in.

>> What has been achieved by the students is phenomenal?

They have drawn the world's attention to genocide that is being done before our very eyes.

>> I believe in Law & Order.

I think you can have a protest that is peaceful but also it does not change my mind as to what the university should demand of the protesters.

>> Senator Bob Menendez has a federal trial beginning on Monday.

What can we expect his defense strategy to look like as prosecutors lay the corruption case?

>> There is evidence where they deleted text messages and they say let's keep this between us.

>> "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJ PBS, this is "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: Good evening and thank you for joining us this Friday night.

Princeton University faculty members are now joining the pro-Palestinian movement on campus, taking part in a hunger strike that students began one week ago.

A statement from more than 8000 faculty who are participating claimed their actions are in response to the universities unwillingness to engage with the students in good faith.

They are urging the administration to consider divest and from -- divestment from Israel and to grant amnesty to the students who have been arrested.

Top of the leaders did meet with students and faculty to hear about their demands on cutting academic and financial ties with Israel.

They said they will continue to meet with protesters.

The administration is also urging students to follow the formal process for divestment.

That was not enough to stop today's solidarity fast.

>> our daylong fast is meant to emphasize the efforts of our students who are undertaking this strike field putting their bodies on the line to show their solidarity with the people of the West Bank.

Briana: Demonstrations at Princeton and Rutgers has been met with praise and feminism.

Among those voices are a State Senator and gubernatorial candidate and a longtime social justice activist and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate.

Welcome to you both.

I want to start with you.

You are a graduate of Princeton.

You participated in demonstrations in 1978 against apartheid in South Africa.

What is troubling you about the demonstrations today and the response to them?

>> What troubles me is that I see less tolerance for freedom of speech, less tolerance for freedom of assembly and freedom to protest that I did 46 years ago.

Briana: In what way?

>> In the case of Princeton, they called outside police to arrest graduate and undergraduate students who are participating in peaceful protest.

I was at Princeton from 1974- 1978.

We had demonstrations all the time.

My senior year, we had 66 days of protests and a takeover of Nassau Hall.

We never saw the police.

The demonstrations were peaceful.

No one was arrested.

There was a positive outcome because Princeton did partially divest from companies doing business with racist apartheid South Africa.

Briana: You are actually going to be having a meeting with the president of Rutgers University about the concerns you have over the University agreeing to meet several of the demands of the protesters.

How do you feel the response should have been handled and did the University in your view allow the demonstrations to go too far?

>> I am a product of the 1960's so I'm very familiar with protests.

These are very different.

Rutgers never had any demands of their own.

Why did they not say to the protesters, first state that Israel has a right to exist and say that Hamas is a terrorist organization.

There are plenty of Jewish kids on campus who are concerned about the direction of these protests.

Are they supporting Hamas?

Or are they simply talking about the policy of Israel and the U.S.?

It seems to me that there is an inference or conclusion you could make here that this may be simply pro-Hamas or pro-Palestinian and not necessarily simply anti-American policy.

I would've asked the president to say state those two facts and then we will have a discussion.

Briana: Let me counter you with, does it not take extreme measures or extreme protest to achieve some of the social change.

When you think back to the 1960's, civil-rights, reproductive rights, to get to those places which is what the demonstrators would say.

>> I believe in Law & Order.

I think you can have a protest that is peaceful but also it does not change my mind as to what the University should demand of the protesters.

That has nothing to do with being extreme.

It has to do with does Rutgers University support Israel's right to exist?

Best records University believe that Hamas is a terrorist organization as stated by the U.S. State Department?

When I hear that, then we had a discussion with the protesters.

Briana: Is the line blurred?

Can two or three things be true at once?

>> Why are the students protesting?

They are protesting because they see genocide occurring before their very eyes.

In seven months, more than 35,000 people have been killed.

More than 70,000 have been wounded.

50,000 children have been killed.

More children have been killed in the last seven months than in any other conflict in recent times.

A million people should -- have been displaced.

Starvation is being used as a weapon.

They see genocide.

That is what they are protesting.

What they want is an immediate cease-fire.

That is what they are protesting for.

They are protesting at university campuses for the same reason we protested against apartheid.

It is a way to bring pressure upon our government.

To change course.

This is going to be a very sad chapter in the history of American politics.

South Africa has taken Israel to the international Court of Justice.

The court said that there is a plausible case here for genocide.

When this is all said and done, the U.S., by international law, can be held complicit for funding this genocidal war.

We are already in violation of the ladylove -- Leahy Law, which says we should not give military aid to countries that are violating human rights.

I think the students represent the best in us.

I commend the president of the University.

I think he has handled the situation at Rutgers much better than Princeton.

There were no police call them.

The University agreed to some demands, did not agree to others.

That left the door open for further negotiations.

The students ended their encampment.

At Princeton, the police were called and.

Students were dragged out.

Briana: You're saying if the Princeton administration had intervened in a similar way, maybe there could have been a different outcome.

But as the Senator has said, the very grounds they are demanding on is also in violation.

I want to give you an opportunity to respond.

>> The protesters, if the president of the University have the protesters and students who support Israel at the table and the protesters condemned the original terrorist acts of October where they killed people, raped women, killed children, if they had said that but they said they believe this is an overreaction by Israel, you would have a legitimate debate.

I did not hear Rutgers saying to these protesters, condemned the original terrorism.

Those were heinous acts.

Briana: Is that for the protesters to do?

If what they are after is a cease-fire?

If what they are after is an end to that war?

>> I believe University should show balance.

When they did not take these any issues into effect, the president could have said, listen, we had terrorism that started this war.

You admit it was terrorism?

You admit Israel has a right to exist?

Once they say that, then you have a legitimate debate.

But all of a sudden you start a protest and then demands are met, what about the demands of those people, the Jewish students and the people who support Israel?

I did not hear anything about those demands.

Briana: What do you think has been achieved by these demonstrations?

Do you think there is an opportunity for Princeton students, demonstrators to get what they are hoping?

>> What has been achieved by the students is phenomenal.

They have drawn the world's attention to genocide that is being done before our very eyes.

This is an extremely important thing because you cannot solve a problem unless people's attention is drawn to it.

I hope that what comes out of this, particularly in the instance of instant University, I hope the president has not engaged in any serious discussion with the students to discuss anything.

He has dismissed them as another president did 46 years ago.

We can look back now at Vietnam.

All of the P -- things people are saying about these students were set about Vietnam, South Africa, Iraq,, Afghanistan.

History has shown us clearly that the people who protested against those events were right.

History will show that the students in protesting against genocide in Gaza is right.

Briana: I know you have legislation that he planned craft around some of these issues.

>> What I do not understand is Hamas and the government run by it is hiding amongst the civilians.

They are not coming out of the underground tunnels to fight.

Then all of a sudden Israel is deemed to be the aggressor.

Come out and fight.

Don't hide behind the civilians.

Maybe then it is a different situation.

We do not want civilians to get killed but if that is where they are hiding and you are trying to look these terrorists, that is the kind of problem you will have.

Briana: That brings us to another conversation about proportionality which we do not have time to get into today.

But I appreciate you both coming in and discussing your viewpoints.

The federal corruption trial of Bob Menendez begins on Monday, with jury selection in a bribery case against him and two New Jersey businessmen who are co-defendants.

His wife has already been -- also been indicted and is being tried separately.

Prosecutors will try to prove that they engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to help the Egyptian and Qatari governments in exchange for lucrative bribes.

We take a look at what we can expect.

>> Will you continue to serve in the Senate?

Reporter: Senator Bob Menendez will walk a confluence of cameras and shouting reporters outside federal court in lower Manhattan Monday as jury selection gets underway in his sensational corruption trial.

Prosecutors will present tangible evidence -- cash, gold, and immerse a been -- to convince jurors that he sold his Clout.

>> You have cash in your house and your suit pockets and gold bars that the government apparently can trace back to co-conspirators.

Reporter: A former federal prosecutor also points to text messages, emails, and other communications the government will show jurors, arguing Menendez, who formerly chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, intentionally tried to cover his tracks.

>> Concealment evidence is a big piece of those.

They deleted text messages and said let's keep this between us.

When you try to conceal something, everyone understands that you conceal what you know is wrong or improper or illegal.

Reporter: Because the senator's wife needs surgery for an undisclosed medical condition, she will be tried separately.

But one of the three New Jersey businessmen charged as a codefendant pleaded guilty in March to seven counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery, and he is now cooperating with the prosecution.

>> He is essentially like an inside player.

He can be the color commentator to say, everything that the government is presenting to you, this is what was done behind the scenes.

>> Most of the defense will be legal on certain counts.

That is, there is not a quid pro quo.

Reporter: A defense attorney says the Menendez team will probably argue that his actions are shielded by the Constitution.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that setting up meetings or calling public officials are not on their own official acts.

>> He did not have a governmental action within his senatorial duties.

However unsavory people may think the cash or gold bars are, it still is not a type of bribery because he did not do anything.

Reporter: His attorneys asked the judge to lead a psychiatric witness testified about his clients mental health issues.

>> That will give some credibility as to his explanation and also humanize him.

Reporter: In a letter, his lawyers expressed outrage when prosecutors outed that information in an opposing brief, leaving the judge to decide the issue.

Menendez has refused to resign, promising to prove his innocence in court and possibly run for reelection as an independent.

By campaign contributions have slowed to a trickle.

>> Anybody who is giving knows essentially that they are giving to a fund that will be used in court, not for political purposes or campaign purposes.

It really has slowed down to 15 or $20,000 per reporting period.

Reporter: He says some longtime supporters still back Menendez, hoping he can beat this rap like he escaped conviction in his 2017 corruption trial.

We will soon find out.

Briana: Wildwood Beach is buzzing today with last-minute preparations ahead of a campaign rally on Friday with former president Donald Trump.

He is taking a break from his hush money trial in Manhattan to head down the Garden State Parkway to one of New Jersey's favorite seaside resort.

The Republican enclave is no stranger to hosting this kind of event.

Thousands of his supporters packed the Wildwood convention center on a better January day -- bitter January day back in 2020.

The mayor says he has taken politics out of the equation because this rally is expected to draw a larger crowd.

We have the latest from the beach.

Reporter: With less than 24 hours before the rally, workers are moving around speakers in setting up a sufficient amount of American flags.

The mayor says 20,000 people have requested tickets.

Preparing for those numbers generally is not an issue.

>> This is a little different because of the security concerns.

The secret has a lot of demands.

It takes time for us to accommodate some of those.

But this is nothing for us to handle.

We are good at this.

Reporter: This is not the busiest time of year for Wildwood, but businesses are trying to cash in on trump supporters.

Unlicensed vendors will not be allowed to sell merchandise by the beach.

>> I think it will be a shot in the arm.

At a time when we would not get that kind of revenue.

Basically our tourist season is from the fourth of July to August.

Some of the schools are not getting out late.

There is not a large number of days that these people can make their income.

Reporter: He says the last trump rally in Wildwood brought in thousands of dollars in economic impact.

To the surprise of no one, state Democrats see tomorrow's rally a little differently.

>> We will see a lot of people coming from outside our state.

Here inside our state we know that Trump filed for bankruptcy five times.

That he really undermined the economic viability of Atlantic City.

>> I think it is an affront to our state and the values that we have a New Jersey that he will be here.

Reporter: A congressman held a press conference today to denounce trump's policies and criticizing him for not accepting the results of the election.

>> When you try to shutdown the ability to vote and you say you know they have gone through the process and someone who is elected will not be recognized, you are basically against democracy.

You have become a tyrant.

Reporter: As to what Trump will speak about tomorrow, that is anybody's guess?

>> He will spread lies tomorrow about the benefits of offshore wind not being real.

When places are reeling -- realizing those with solar using pollution.

Reporter: He says the biggest news will be who Trump supports and who he insults.

>> How does the New Jersey Republican Party look?

Who makes up the New Jersey Republican Party this day and age?

In this era of Donald Trump's dominance over the national Republican Party.

Reporter: He also says his choice of Wildwood's strategic.

This county gave him his third-highest about share of any county in the last election.

It is close to Pennsylvania, a swing state.

And he gives him a break from fighting felonies in Manhattan.

>> After going through a rough week of testimony, he can go down to the Jersey shore in front of a adoring crowd.

Reporter: One radio host said that New Jersey is in play for him, despite losing the state by 16 points in 2020.

Tomorrow's rally to be a big opportunity for his campaign.

♪ Briana: In our business report tonight, the Murphy administration has unveiled a plan to put new regulations on development in the coastal communities.

The proposed rules aim to protect the areas from sea level rise and the growing threat of coastal flooding.

Creating an inundation risk zone where flooding is projected to become a daily risk.

New construction and renovations in this zone will be required to account for the flood risk.

Areas the state have already designated as flood hazard areas will be expanded to take account of the projected five feet of sea level rise New Jersey is expected to see by the end of the century.

Adding a requirement that all redevelopment include changes that will improve stormwater management.

Other parts of the new rules encourage clean energy development and protections for critical infrastructure.

This is the second part of an effort to guard against future flooding.

The reforms will officially be published in July but will be open to the public before they are finalized.

Turning to Wall Street, the market rally lost a little steam today after data on consumer sentiment showed it has dipped to its lowest level in six months.

Here's how the trading numbers closed for the week.

>> Support for the business report is provided by Riverview Jazz.

Event details are online.

♪ Briana: A quick note before we lead you tonight.

Tuesday is the deadline for New Jersey residents to register to vote in this year's June 4 primary.

We are dropping our latest episode to help you navigate the voting process.

It explain how to vote, whether in person or in mail.

Check it out on our website or head to our YouTube channel.

That does it for us this week.

For the entire "NJ Spotlight News" team, thank you for being with us.

Have a great weekend.

Happy Mother's Day.

We will see you back here on Monday.

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and New Jersey realtors, the voice of real estate in New Jersey.

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The PSEG foundation is dedicated to equity and economic development.

Helping towns go green, supporting civic centers, scholarships, and workforce development that strengthens communities.

♪