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Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and blue shield Association.

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More information online.

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Anchor: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," in the hot seat.

The records president challenged today on Capitol Hill about his response to campus protests and reports of antisemitism.

>> In the summer, implementing new training in partnering with the Anti-Defamation League, they've been a good partner and we will dive deeper to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure a safe environment for our students.

Anchor: Plus the race for Bob Menendez's seat is heating up on the Republican side.

Will a Trump endorsement turn the tide?

Plus, the Attorney General looking to break up the Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly.

>> Americans pay the highest prices for tickets and highest fees of any country that looks like us.

Anchor: And the push to lower the voting age.

A bill allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections across the state is up for debate.

>> We are aware of what happens around us and if there something we want to change we should be able to vote directly on and.

Anchor: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Anchor: Thank you for joining us this Thursday night.

The president of Rutgers University today defended the actions he took to end a pro-Palestinian encampment after weeks of protests.

Jonathan Holloway today testified for a congressional committee he stood behind his decision to use negotiations rather than police force to break up the demonstration.

Holloway was grilled alongside heads of other large public universities as part of a series of hearings looking into how colleges have responded to allegations of anti-Semitism.

GOP committee members today accused Holloway and others of caving to protest her demands by striking deals -- protester demands by striking deals with them and even allegedly tolerating anti-Semitism on cap it is -- on campus.

Brenda Flanagan has the details.

Reporter: The records president share the congressional hotseat with two other current university presidents as House Republicans again criticize how colleges across the U.S. handled the pro-Palestinian in Cameron's on campus.

Rutgers negotiated with protesters who agreed to leave as final exams got underway.

>> You said -- you met eight of the 10 demands, including an egregious amnesty deal.

I would like to know what sort of message you think that sends to your Jewish students.

Reporter: The records agreement ended the competition peacefully but under questioning from a jersey Democrat, Holloway said he came close to calling in police on the New Brunswick encampment's final day.

>> We had 125 police mustard and ready to go.

>> Why did it take so long to remove the in cam and even after the deal was done?

>> We extended the time line to 4:00 because of public safety.

Reporter: Holloway also said the investigating lingered and actions where protesters violated rules of conduct and are taking action.

Reporter: -- >> We suspended four people and 19 others experienced other levels of disciplinary consequence.

Reporter: Over three hours of testimony, Democrats noted universities must find a balance between free speech and a welcoming campus.

Republicans on the House committee on education and the workforce who has held multiple meetings on these protests, claim it is creating a lingering fear among current and prospective students.

One Republican said an Israeli family told him they are not afraid -- they are now afraid to send their daughter to Rutgers.

>> I'm sorry the family feels this way.

>> They are scared, they see the video we've seen across America and they see very little consequences of breaking the laws and the policy because no one seems to be held accountable.

Are you going to hold people accountable?

>> Yes sir.

Absolutely.

I want to make clear that in any instance of a kind of like ocean behavior we've been talking about, we responded immediately, whether it is police, sometimes campus, state police or even the FBI to help us.

Reporter: Holloway was asked whether he closed down the center for race and rights which critics called antisemitic, he said no although he disagrees with their statements.

>> In a post, it called Israel's government "genocidal."

Do you think Israel's government is genocidal?

>> Sir, I don't have an opinion.

Reporter: He later changed his answer to know, the Israeli state is not genocidal.

Through it all, the Rutgers community watched.

Some called the hearing a witch hunt.

>> They are manufacturing lies as part of an assault on higher education.

>> There's this perception that staying nasty things about the state of Israel and what they are doing in that region is the same as saying nasty things about Jews and that is not true.

Reporter: Others welcomed the stated commitment to work with Anti-Defamation League and other Jewish groups on campus over the summer to address secured concerns.

>> I think it was a catalyst for perhaps the work that really needs to be done.

To combat bias and anti-Semitism.

Reporter: She says it will take a long time to rebuild trust.

I am Brenda Flanagan.

Anchor: New Jersey Republicans could have their best shot in years at winning a U.S. Senate seat with two strong contenders vying for the GOP nomination in the race to replace embattled Senator Bob Menendez.

But they will have to dodge a political landline to get there, pledging devotion and support for Donald Trump.

Backing the former president has been successful for candidates in primaries but has not worked for Republicans seeking a statewide office in New Jersey.

Our senior political correspondent David Cruz looks at how the issue is shaping the GOP race.

>> I am giving her my complete and total endorsement.

Because she is -- where are you?

Where are you?

Reporter: This candidate has been here all along, she was Trump in 2015 before was a prerequisite.

And hearing the Former President say her name correctly and heaped praise on her is the big payoff.

Maybe in a Senate primary where being with Trump can't hurt anymore and actually helps.

>> President Trump is very popular amongst the base.

The idea that they are going to be seeking his endorsement, which Glassner got, that messaging will align with him, it makes sense.

Reporter: Glassner, whose campaign has stopped talking to most news outlets, was last seen here in 2023 talking up Trump.

>> Donald Trump was a president who had phenomenal policies.

Reporter: Since then she has gone deeper, saying she would not have voted to certify the election of 2020 and calling into question her opponent's Trump bona fides.

Curtis Bashaw has had to answer accusations of a Trumper come lately.

>> Christine's husband worked for Donald Trump 11 years.

The president opted to endorse his long-term employee's wife.

I understand and respect loyalty.

I am loyal to my employees.

It doesn't change my view that Donald Trump needs to win this fall.

Reporter: But this isn't taking place in a vacuum.

Some Republicans hope a good showing in November by the GOP candidate could bode well for the governor's race in 2025.

In that regard, the arrow may be pointing to bashaw, who has most of the GOP establishment support.

Here is a GOP candidate last year.

>> You got a great candidate, Christine Glassner, I am supporting her.

Reporter: This week his campaign said he is officially neutral in the race.

And the anti-Trump candidate in the race says he is no fan of Glassner's election denying and plans to have a talk with her.

But analysts like this admit it is tough to tell who is most motivated for June 4.

>> This is a low turnout primary, a couple hundred thousand Republicans will vote statewide.

It's a question of which one vote.

Organizational types?

If it is it is Bashaw.

If it is Trump supporters, Glassner may win.

Reporter: It's been generations since Republican won a Senate seat in New Jersey and whoever wins the primary knows that.

Donald Trump may be a boon in the primary but is more like an albatross in the general election.

I am David Cruz.

Anchor: As applications for gun permits sore in New Jersey and elsewhere, safety groups like moms demand action want lawmakers to consider tightening restrictions.

The advocacy organization was in Trenton this week talking to legislators and holding a rally to push a package of gun safety bills they believe will make New Jersey an even safer place from gun violence.

Ted Goldberg reports.

Reporter: Volunteers with moms demand action March through Trenton and rallied yesterday am hoping to bring attention to preferred gun policies and candidates.

>> Everything is at stake, or children's lives are at stake.

What are we going to do?

We are going to elect gun since candidates.

Reporter: The group is advocating for three new bills.

One would enable Medicaid funding to help survivors of gun violence.

The other would raise the minimum wage -- age to 21 to buy a gun in New Jersey.

A third would require training to purchase a gun permit.

>> The permitting laws are considered to be perfectly in line with the second amendment.

Many states have permitting requirements.

Our permitting requirements should not be a second amendment issue as far as I know.

Reporter: A volunteer says she expects these bills to survive any challenging court.

The group also celebrated a law they helped to pass last year which increases penalties for illegal drunk -- gun traffickers whose actions result in injuries or death.

>> It would not possible without moms demand action and groups like yours who get in people's ears.

Like a congressman used to say, I'm that little terrier, I grabbed him by the tail and work my way up.

>> Things can change.

Your involvement in this critical issue is important.

Reporter: The trafficker bill passed the house in the state -- the state house without a single no vote.

Garnet Hall says she is not pressured.

>> We need each and every one of us to continue to show up, show out, take it to the streets if we have to.

Reporter: In response to the story, the executive director of the Association of New Jersey rifle and pistol clubs sent this statement -- "New Jersey already has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation.

These new schemes bite gun ban extremis are an attempted power grab by radicals who will ever be satisfied until they completely eliminate the right of self-defense."

Bach successfully sued to block a law to ban guns and so-called sensitive places.

It is being appealed.

Grim statistics were mentioned.

>> We have a problem with guns in our country.

In countries where guns are you -- are less ubiquitous, this terrible statistic doesn't exist.

>> Gun violence affects everyone.

It's like everybody knows somebody who has been affected by it.

Reporter: He says he will advocate for other bills when the time is right.

>> We are interested in safe storage but they need to be worked out.

Or the support still needs to be developed.

Reporter: We reached out to several Republican lawmakers for this story but they were not available before our deadline.

In Trenton, Ted Goldberg.

Anchor: In our spotlight on business report, big changes could be coming to how we get our concert tickets in the future.

The Justice Department, District of Columbia and 28 states including New Jersey are suing Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation for allegedly monopolizing the industry.

In a ground breaking antitrust lawsuit filed today, the companies are accused of abusing their dominance to harm fans nationwide jacking up prices and relying on illegal and anticompetitive practices.

The suit comes 14 years after the DOJ allowed Live Nation and Ticketmaster to merge, which consumer advocates railed against at the time.

The New Jersey Attorney General signed on to the suit and joined me to tell me why.

Thank you for joining me.

The lawsuit alleges this entertainment company has a monopoly.

How so specifically?

>> First of all, thank you for having me.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster essentially has complete control over the concert and event promotion and ticketing process.

They have exclusive deals with the overwhelming number of venues across the country.

Ticketmaster is the only ticketing agency they can use to sell tickets.

We know the impact.

Americans pay the highest prices for tickets and the highest fees of any other country that looks like us.

Their practices, whether it be retaliating against competitors, entering into exclusive deals where you can only use Ticketmaster, has resulted in serious harm to the residents of this state.

Anchor: I don't want to assume, but New Jersey is home to prominent venues.

We also have proximity to other major cities.

Is that why you and your office decided to sign on?

>> We know this is an issue that matters to residents in our state.

We saw it last summer, Taylor Swift fans could not purchase tickets, and resellers were able to manipulate the system and people paid extraordinary fees.

Bruce Springsteen fans had to deal with the same issues.

We are you -- we know we are paying extremely high prices that cost much less in other countries where they don't have this Live Nation/Ticketmaster monopoly.

We always look, whenever there is an opportunity to use antitrust enforcement authority to benefit the residents of the state and this is another example.

>> Was it those more major incidents that sparked this?

In 2010 when the DOJ reached a consent decree allowing this to happen -- I remember covering the merger -- there were antitrust folks waving flags saying this was going to happen 14 years ago.

>> There were into a number of states including New Jersey objected.

I wasn't here at the time, but as part of that consent they entered into, they had to meet certain conditions.

Now what we are seeing is they have not lived up to their end of the bargain.

As the DOJ said clearly today, it's time to break up Live Nation/Ticketmaster, which is one of the things we are requesting.

Anchor: Live Nation/Ticketmaster are rejecting the accusations.

This could take years to play out in court.

What changes if any could this lead to for ticket buyers?

>> I think the biggest things is lower and easier access to tickets.

That's a big thing for all ticket -- for all concertgoers, the economy and artists.

The artists and fans are lined, they don't want to sell their tickets for the highest possible fee.

They want to make sure it's available and there is competition to keep the market and check.

When you have no competition it gives Ticketmaster the ability to charge fees that literally no other country in the world sees.

That's what we are dealing with.

All we are talking about is ensuring that people who earn their money, save your money and are diehard fans can go to concerts and not have to be charged fees that no one else's pain.

That's what the case is all about.

Anchor: Thank you so much.

>> Thank you for having me.

Anchor: Another nightmare commute for New Jersey transit riders.

Hundreds stranded Thursday night after wire issues suspended service.

It led to delays and chaos elsewhere passengers scrambling to find alternate routes and available bus rides.

The disruptions continued this morning as Amtrak, which owns and operates the lines, was still fixing the problem.

New Jersey transit sending an alert for writers to expect possible delays and cancellations today due to residual impacts resulting from crew availability and equipment out of position.

The meltdown comes weeks for New Jersey transit is set to raise fares 15%.

Governor Murphy today sent a letter to Amtrak calling the incident a disaster, and requesting senior teams to meet immediately to work on next steps.

On Wall Street, stocks rose to fresh records today, on the coattails of NAI tech rally.

Here's how the numbers closed.

>> Support for the business report is provided by overview jazz, presenting the 11th annual Jersey City Jazz Festival May 29 through June 2.

Details, including schedules and locations are online.

♪ Anchor: Students as young as 16 years old could be casting a ballot in New Jersey if a bill recently introduced gets approved.

The new legislation would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections across the state, following in the footsteps of Newark, that passed an ordinance in January.

If the bill makes it over the finish line, New Jersey would be the first state in the nation to lower the voting age for school board elections.

As Raven Santana reports, it could potentially engage students in the process.

>> To ensure voices of my peers are not only acknowledge but valued in decisions and directly influence our education and future.

Reporter: This 17-year-old, a junior, testified in front of city Council in January.

She joined her classmate and urging lowering the voting age for school board elections to 16.

It passed and now they want this for other students across the state.

>> It ensures our voices are heard because we go to school every day, we are aware of what happens around us and if there's something you want to change or face, we should have a say in it.

>> I think it motivates parents, because if the children are voting, maybe we should vote because we sell very low voting turnout this year even though students were being pushed to vote the next year.

Reporter: Newark's law lowering the voting age and school board elections goes into effect in 2025, and you bill introduced in Trenton on Monday is mirroring the ordinance and would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections across the state.

>> We've been in partnership with New Jersey Institute for social justice and the vote 16 movement with our fellows, who have been really actively involved.

Reporter: This is CEO of the Jen project, which provides your -- year-long social justice fellowships for high school and college students to address different issues of inequities across education, criminal justice and health.

>> Not only our fellows but young people throughout the Newark community, they've been having a lot of different conversations and have been excited about this new responsibility.

>> Cities are allowed to independently pass the right for 16-year-olds to vote in elections.

Newark has passed the bill and we implement it next year.

This bill is saying every 16-year-old in the state will now have the right to vote.

It is a historic bill.

The governor of New Jersey supports it, which is huge.

It's the first time in American history something like this is happening.

We are watching democracy change in front of our eyes.

Reporter: This is a consultant for vote 16 USA, which in partnership with New Jersey social justice is amplifying student led movement to lower the voting age in local elections.

He first ran for office at 19 and got elected at 20 in Jersey City.

Since then he says he continues to motivate young people to access power through voting and democracy.

>> Gen Z is one of the most educated and well-connected generations ever, through social media and the way they get information.

It's important for them to be involved in the democratic process.

Why are we giving students a chance to talk about their education?

Reporter: Students I spoke with say they now hope by encouraging you to vote they in turn will create iPhone voters.

>> Learning while they are young pushes them early and allow some to make more educated decisions in elections in general.

Reporter: If passed, New Jersey would be the first in the nation to enact such a law.

An identical bill is expected in the a simile this week.

Raven Santana.

Anchor: That will do it for us but don't forget to download our podcast so you can listen anytime.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For our team, thank you for watching.

Have a great evening, we will see you tomorrow.

>> New Jersey Education Association, making public schools great for every child.

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No matter what your unique needs are, there is a knowledgeable New Jersey realtor for you.

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♪