>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, JEWISH COMMUNITY LEADERS CONDEMN GATHERINGS BY NEO-NAZIS IN THE ORLANDO AREA AS DAYTONA BEACH POLICE SAY A BOMB THREAT AT BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY CAME FROM SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE FROM A NEO-NAZI ORGANIZATION.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS ATTACKS WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS A VICIOUS IDEOLOGY OF WOKENESS AS THE SO-CALLED STOP WOKE ACT ADVANCES IN THE FLORIDA HOUSE AND LAWMAKERS DEBATE DEPARTMENT SECURITY IN THE WAKE OF MIYA MARCANO'S DEATH, BUT SOME SAY THE LEGISLATION DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

AND WE DO THIS EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

WELL, JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, ALEXA LORENZO, OF WFTV.

SHE'S HOSTING IN THE MORNING, THE MORNING SHOW OVER THERE AT CHANNEL NINE THESE DAYS.

AND PETER KING, HE'S BASED IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR CBS NEWS RADIO.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

REALLY APPRECIATE.

ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, REACTION TO THE DISPLAYS OF HATE LAST WEEKEND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THIS WEEK, I TALKED TO RABBI STEVEN ENGEL FROM THE CONGREGATION OF REFORM JUDAISM IN ORLANDO.

I STARTED BY ASKING HIM HIS THOUGHTS ON THE GATHERINGS OF NEO-NAZIS IN WATERFORD LAKES, NEAR UCF AND ON AN I-4 OVERPASS.

>>IT REACHES TO THE DEEPEST RECESSES OF OUR JEWISH BEINGS.

WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE DRESSED UP AS NAZIS.

AND OF COURSE IT BRINGS US TOTALLY BACK TO THE TIME OF THE HOLOCAUST AND IT'S LIKE A FLASHBACK THAT WE SEE AND THE TERROR AND THE FEAR AND THE SADNESS AND THE PAIN AND THE TRAGEDY.

I MEAN, IT ALL COMES TO LIGHT.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE IN THAT UNIFORM, IN A NAZI UNIFORM WITH A SWASTIKA, IT'S A VERY DEEP REACTION.

IT'S A VISCERAL REACTION THAT EVERY JEWISH PERSON HAS WHEN THEY SEE THAT.

>>RABBI, WE TALKED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO ABOUT A RISE IN ANTISEMITISM.

AND I WONDER HOW YOU SEE THINGS NOW.

ARE THINGS BETTER OR WORSE THAN THEY WERE THEN?

>>WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A RABBI AND AS A JEW, I'VE NEVER BEEN A PERSON THAT REALLY WAS OVERTLY CONCERNED ABOUT ANTISEMITISM.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED.

WE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.

I TALKED ABOUT IT BUT IT WASN'T A FOCAL POINT OF MY RABBINIC NOR MY COMMUNITY'S CONSCIOUSNESS.

BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IT HAS BECOME FRONT AND CENTER.

THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS.

BUT THE REACTION THAT WE HAVE AND THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.

>>WHAT HAVE YOU HAD TO DO AT YOUR CONGREGATION IN TERMS OF SECURITY AND THE INCIDENCES LIKE THOSE WE SAW LAST WEEKEND?

OFFER AN EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU NEED TO DO THAT.

>>OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ARMED SECURITY PEOPLE ON OUR PREMISES, WHENEVER THERE'S A GATHERING.

TWO ARMED PROFESSIONAL SECURITY PEOPLE.

WE HAVE LOCKDOWNS, WE HAVE NOW DRILLS.

WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF CREATING A FENCE AROUND OUR FACILITY WITH LIMITED ACCESS THROUGH SEVERAL FENCED GATES TO OUR PROPERTY AND TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE.

WE ARE CERTAINLY MORE AWARE OF WHEN PEOPLE COME IN OUR BUILDING, NO ONE IS ALLOWED INTO OUR BUILDING UNTIL THEY GO THROUGH SEVERAL SECURITY MEASURES, INCLUDING CAMERAS AND SCREENING.

AND THAT'S REALLY THE SAD PART OF IT.

IT REALLY TAKES AWAY FROM OUR MISSION AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.

>>AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO DO TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE?

DO WE NEED MORE BIPARTISANSHIP IN SPEAKING OUT AS ONE VOICE ON THIS ISSUE?

>>WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS IN OUR SOCIETY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ALLOWED THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE A FORUM AND TO HAVE A PLATFORM.

WE HAVE TO PUT THE GENIE BACK IN THE BOTTLE.

WE HAVE TO PUT THESE PEOPLE BACK IN THE DARK CAVES THAT THEY CAME FROM.

AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT BY STANDING UP AGAINST THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO STAND IN OUR SOCIETY.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

I HAVE TO SAY STEVE, THAT WE TALK ABOUT FREE SPEECH, RIGHT?

THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE FREE SPEECH TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN.

AND I HONOR THAT.

BUT I ALSO HAVE A RIGHT ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION TO PRACTICE MY RELIGION FREELY.

SO WHERE DOES THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH END AND THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE MY RELIGION WITHOUT FEAR?

AND WITHOUT THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF, CERTAINLY MEANS THAT I SHOULDN'T BE THREATENED PHYSICALLY TO PRACTICE MY RELIGION.

AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME REALLY SERIOUS SOUL SEARCHING ABOUT THE FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY THAT BELIEVE THAT FREEDOMS ARE UNLIMITED.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO WROTE THE CONSTITUTION INTENDED THAT TO BE TRUE.

CERTAINLY WE HAVE LIMITS FOR CERTAIN FREEDOMS IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND SO THERE HAS TO BE A POINT WHERE THIS KIND OF HATES SPEECH CANNOT BE ACCEPTED UNDER THE PREMISE OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

>>WELL, ORANGE COUNTY, SHERIFF JOHN MINA SAYS AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO THE ALLEGED ASSAULT OF A MOTORIST PASSING BY THE DEMONSTRATION.

I SAT DOWN WITH THE SHERIFF THIS WEEK AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT FREE SPEECH ISSUE THAT THE RABBI RAISED THERE.

>>WE KNOW A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE EXIST HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE NATION, BUT TO SEE IT OUT FRONT LIKE THAT IS DISAPPOINTING.

AND SO, LAW ENFORCEMENT'S JOB IS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN SOME CASES TO PROTECT EVERYONE'S RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.

AND ALTHOUGH WE DON'T LIKE THE MESSAGE, I THINK IT'S DEPLORABLE.

AND I CERTAINLY DON'T CONDONE ANY OF THAT.

WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO MAINTAIN EVERYONE'S SAFETY.

AND IF A CRIME IS COMMITTED, WE CERTAINLY WILL TAKE ACTION.

AND IF ANY TYPE OF HATE CRIME IS COMMITTED, WE'RE GOING TO PROSECUTE THAT TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.

>>FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, FOR JEWISH PEOPLE AND OTHER MINORITIES TOO.

THERE'S A VERY VISCERAL REACTION WHEN THEY SEE SOMEBODY DRESSED UP AS A NAZI AND MANY PEOPLE WILL SAY, WE CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS.

THAT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR.

AND IT MUST BE DIFFICULT TO ANSWER.

>>IT IS DIFFICULT TO ANSWER.

SO, SINCE THESE INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED, I'VE TALKED TO MY FRIENDS, THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, I'VE TALKED TO A RABBI ABOUT THESE THINGS AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS BECAUSE OF THE LAWS OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.

MANY TIMES WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, EVEN IF IT'S SO HATEFUL THAT IT HURTS TO LOOK AT.

IT REALLY IS VERY HURTFUL.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE CHALLENGE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS.

>>SHERIFF JOHN MINA THERE.

OKAY.

ALEXA, LET'S START WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE DEMONSTRATIONS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE GROUP THAT'S BELIEVED TO BE BEHIND THEM?

>>THEY WERE LOUD.

THEY WERE IN YOUR FACE.

AND LIKE YOU HEARD THE SHERRIF TALKING.

THEY WERE AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT, THEY WERE VIOLENT.

THIS IS THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST MOVEMENT.

THEY'RE A NEO-NAZI GROUP THAT IS NOW BASED IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THEY HAD THEIR FLAGS OUT.

THEY WERE IN NAZI GARB AND THEY WERE VOCALLY IDOLIZING HITLER.

THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST NEO-NAZI GROUPS.

THEY WERE PART OF THE UNITE THE RIGHT DEADLY RIOT IN CHARLOTTEVILLE BACK IN 2017 AND THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER PUT IT PLAINLY.

THEY SAID, "YES, THIS GROUP IS SCARY", BUT THEY'RE FAILING.

THEY'RE ON THE DECLINE AND WHAT THEY DO, THEY GO OUT, THEY DO THESE DEMONSTRATIONS.

AND LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE LOUD.

AND IN YOUR FACE TO MAKE IT SEEM THAT THEY ARE STRONGER AND BIGGER THAN THEY ARE.

AND THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER SAYS THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SAW PLAY OUT OVER THE WEEKEND.

>>YOU COULD FIND A LINK TO THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER WEBSITE ON OUR SITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

PETER, POLICE IN DAYTONA SAY THAT A BOMB THREAT AT BETHUNE COOKMAN UNIVERSITY CAME FROM SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE FROM A NEO-NAZI ORGANIZATION.

THERE WERE THREATS TO SEVERAL HBCUS NATIONWIDE RIGHT?

DO WE KNOW, DO AUTHORITIES THINK THEY'RE LINKED?

>>WELL, THERE WERE ACTUALLY THREATS TO AT LEAST SIX SCHOOLS, FIVE STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND TWO HERE IN FLORIDA, NOT JUST BETHUNE COOKMAN, BUT EDWARD WATERS UP IN JACKSONVILLE, THE FBI AND ATF ARE LOOKING INTO IT.

THEY'VE GOT AT LEAST 20 FIELD OFFICES WORKING ON THIS.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE ALL LINKED, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS REPORTS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE OF INTEREST THAT THEY HAVE IN MIND FOR ALL OF THIS.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THIS AS HATE CRIMES, RACIALLY MOTIVATED THE ENTIRE SHEBANG.

>>WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REACTION TO THIS ALEXA, BOTH ON THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL, HOW HAVE LEADERS RESPONDED TO THESE DISPLAYS?

>>FOR SOME, IT WAS IMMEDIATE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

WE SAW A DEMOCRATIC MAYOR OF ORLANDO, BUDDY DYER, IMMEDIATELY DENOUNCE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, CONDEMNING HATE AND SAYING, "THIS IS AN INCLUSIVE AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY, AND THAT WILL NOT BE WELCOMED HERE."

WE SAW REPUBLICAN SENATOR, RICK SCOTT SEND A SIMILAR MESSAGE, SAYING "THIS IS NOT ALLOWED IN FLORIDA."

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE PUSHED BACK TO THE GOVERNOR AND SAID, "WHERE IS YOUR RESPONSE?"

HIS PRESS SECRETARY, CHRISTINA PUSHAW WAS SAYING ON TWITTER THAT HE ALWAYS HAS DENOUNCED HATE IT IS WHO HE IS, BUT THAT THEY WERE WAITING TO HEAR FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS STAGED.

SO THAT'S WHY SHE SAYS HIS RESPONSE WASN'T IMMEDIATE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE LATER.

HE SAID THAT HE WAS FEELING THAT IT WAS A SMEAR CAMPAIGN, THE PUSH FOR HIM TO REACT.

SO, THAT IS WHERE WE LIE WITH THE GOVERNORS.

>>WELL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.

PETER, AS ALEXA SAID, WE HEARD THE GOVERNOR CALL THE PEOPLE AT THESE DEMONSTRATIONS.

JACKASSES AND MAL CONTENTS.

BUT HE HAS RECEIVED, AS ALEXA SAID, CRITICISM THIS WEEK FOR HIS RESPONSE AND THE RESPONSE OF HIS PRESS SECRETARY WHO WROTE AND THEN DELETED A TWEET IN WHICH SHE SAID, "DO WE EVEN KNOW THEY'RE NAZIS?"

LET ME READ YOU THIS FROM THE ANT-DEFAMATION LEAGUE IN FLORIDA WHO POSTED THIS TO TWITTER, "WE NEED ALL LEADERS TO CALL OUT ANTISEMITISM AND HATE RATHER THAN PUSH FALSE NARRATIVES OR CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS ON HIGH ALERT, FOLLOWING RECENT EVENTS, INCLUDING THIS WEEKEND'S NEO-NAZI RALLY AND ASSAULT IN ORLANDO.

WE ARE ALARMED THAT CHRISTINA, PUSHAW, THE PRESS SECRETARY WOULD FIRST GIVE COVER TO ANTI-SEMITES RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY AND FORCEFULLY CONDEMNING THEIR REVOLTING HATE-FILLED RALLY AND ASSAULT.

WE EXPECT ANY PUBLIC OFFICIAL, ESPECIALLY A VOICE FOR GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS TO ADDRESS THE FEARS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY THOUGHTFULLY, NOT WITH THIS TROUBLING AND CARELESS APPROACH."

>>PETER, I KNOW YOU'RE KEEN TO GET IN ON THIS.

THE GOVERNOR POINTS TO HIS RECORD, RIGHT ON BEING PRO ISRAEL, HE SIGNED THE ANTISEMITISM PROTECTIONS BILL IN 2019, HE'S DENOUNCED ANTISEMITISM IN THE PAST.

WHAT IS THE MAIN THRUST OF THE CRITICISM BEING LEVELED AT HIM THIS TIME?

>>WELL, HE BASICALLY TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TURN ON HIS OPPONENTS AND SAY THAT THEY WERE AS, AS ALEXA JUST SAID, TRYING TO SMEAR HIM.

AND THEN HE TURNED THIS INTO A LONG RANT OVER THE POLITICS OF THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIM, IF YOU WILL.

AND THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND IT WAS SO LONG THAT THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND I'M PRESUMING THAT OTHER PAPERS DID THE SAME THING.

THE SENTINEL PRINTED THE COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF HIS REMARKS VERBATIM.

AND IT WAS A RANT.

IT WAS RAMBLING.

IT WENT IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THAT DID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, BUT ADDRESS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND I GOT TO SAY THAT THIS IS TRULY OUT OF THE TRUMP PLAY BOOK.

I MEAN, DONALD TRUMP WAS HIS HERO, HIS MENTOR, IF YOU WILL, IN POLITICS.

AND HE'S BASICALLY DOING THE SAME KINDS OF THINGS THAT MR. TRUMP DID AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO- >>BUT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS PUSHED BACK.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE SAYING THAT HE HAS FORCEFULLY CONDEMNED.

>>WELL, YEAH.

YEAH.

BUT I MEAN, HE NEVER CAME RIGHT OUT AND SAID MUCH MORE THAN THE QUOTE THAT YOU GAVE THAT THEY WERE JACKASSES.

AND WHAT WAS THE REST OF THAT?

I MEAN, IT SEEMED TO BE MORE ABOUT THE POLITICS FOR HIM THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

AND IT'S LIKE- >>SAYING HE WASN'T GOING TO PLAY THAT GAME.

>>YEAH, EXACTLY.

AND HIS CRITICS, SHOULD SAY, "OH COME ON.

SAY THE RIGHT THING, DO THE RIGHT THING."

>>YEAH.

ALEXA, I WANT TO TURN TO ANOTHER STORY.

THAT'S MADE WAVES THIS WEEK.

AND THAT WAS THE ARRIVAL OF DOZENS OF TEMPORARY H-2A VISA WORKERS AT A HOTEL IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THAT SPARKED PROTESTS FROM SOME WHO BELIEVED THAT THESE WERE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

TELL US HOW THAT PLAYED OUT AND WHY PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN THIS HOTEL?

>>PLAIN AND SIMPLE MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION AND FALSE NARRATIVES.

IT ALL STARTED WITH A RADIO HOST OUT OF STATE, IN MONTANA SHARING A VIDEO.

IT GOT TRACTION, BUT IT REALLY TOOK OFF.

ONCE WE SAW REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANTHONY SABATINI QUOTE, TWEET THAT VIDEO, AND HE SAID, "BUSLOADS OF ILLEGALS ARE BEING DROPPED OFF IN MY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT."

AND HE SAID, "THEY NEED TO BE DEPORTED.

WE NEED STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET INVOLVED.

WE DON'T NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PERMISSION HERE."

AND THAT ORIGINAL VIDEO, I JUST CHECKED BEFORE SITTING DOWN WITH YOU ALL NOW HAS 172,000 VIEWS WITH THAT TEXT BEING MISINFORMATION.

SO EVERY JOURNALIST IN THIS MARKET STARTED DOING THEIR OWN RESEARCH, THEIR OWN DIGGING AND FOUND OUT THAT THESE WORKERS ARE HERE LEGALLY, THEY HAVE THEIR DOCUMENTATION.

THEY HAVE AN H-2A VISA TO COME AND WORK IN OUR STATE, IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND THIS WASN'T THEM BEING SHIPPED IN HERE AS OFF OF THE BORDER ILLEGALLY.

THESE WERE LEGAL DOCUMENTED MIGRANT WORKERS.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE THEM TRYING TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY, DO WELL FOR THEMSELVES, MAKE A LIVING AND BE MET WITH THAT HATE.

AND THE TITLE OF ILLEGAL.

>>I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE H-2A PROGRAM, A SECOND PETER, BUT LET ME JUST READ YOU THIS STATEMENT FROM THE MEXICAN CONSULATE IN ORLANDO, LET'S BRING THAT UP.

"THE WORKERS WERE HIRED AT THE REQUEST OF A US EMPLOYER, FOLLOWING LEGAL PROTOCOLS."

AS ALEXA SAID, ESTABLISHED BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THIS COUNTRY.

"THE CONSULATE OF MEXICO AND ORLANDO REJECTS THE MESSAGES MADE BY DIFFERENT PUBLIC ACTORS AND THE MEDIA THAT ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO STIGMATIZING THE MEXICAN POPULATION FAVOR RACIST EXPRESSIONS AND PROMOTE MANIFESTATIONS OF HATE."

PETER LET'S STEP BACK A MOMENT.

THE H-2A VISA PROGRAM.

IT'S PRETTY CRITICAL, ISN'T IT?

TO AGRICULTURAL WORKERS OR TO THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY, WHICH HAS REALLY FACED A LABOR SHORTAGE IN RECENT YEARS.

>>ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE THESE WORKERS DO A LOT OF JOBS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE CITIZENS AND HAVE LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME, DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO DO.

THAT'S WHY THESE COMPANIES BRING IN MIGRANT WORKERS FROM MEXICO OR FROM WHEREVER.

AS OF LAST YEAR, THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE WERE 258,000 OF THESE VISAS ISSUED FOR 2021.

THAT'S A LOT OF WORKERS, FIVE STATES, INCLUDING FLORIDA ACCOUNT FOR HALF OF THOSE WORKERS.

AND THE LAST NUMBERS I HAVE FOR FLORIDA FROM THE LABOR DEPARTMENT SAY THAT IN 2020, 39,000 OF THOSE WORKERS WERE HERE IN FLORIDA.

CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT ALEXA HAS SAID ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE SABATINI, AT LEAST ONE JOURNALIST CONFRONTED HIM WITH THE ACTUAL INFORMATION.

AND THEN LATER FORWARDED THE DOCUMENTS, SHOWING THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE HERE LEGALLY, BUT HE LEFT THE ORIGINAL TWEET UP ON HIS SITE, AT LEAST AS OF JUST BEFORE WE RECORDED THIS PROGRAM.

SO- >>AND IT WASN'T A CORRECTION.

IT WAS A SEPARATE TWEET THAT HE SAID, "I'VE GOTTEN THE DOCUMENTATION, BUT THOSE WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY, " HE VEERED OFF FROM WHAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY TALKING ABOUT AND SAID, "OH, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHY."

>>YEAH.

IT'S ALMOST AS IF, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I MEANT TO SAY, KIND OF, SORT OF.

>>IMMIGRATION CONTINUES TO BE SUCH A HOT BUTTON ISSUE.

WHEN YOU CAN SEE MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH RABBI STEVEN ENGEL, THE CONGREGATION OF REFORM JUDAISM ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

MORE ON THE LEGISLATURE.

NOW, STARTING WITH THE SO-CALLED STOP WOKE ACT, WHICH CONTINUED TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE FLORIDA HOUSE THIS WEEK, HB 7 WOULD STOP CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS OR CORPORATE TRAINING SESSIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN PEOPLE FEELING QUOTE UNCOMFORTABLE, GUILT OR ANGUISH BASED ON THEIR RACE OR SEX.

IT'S PART OF GOVERNOR DESANTIS'S BATTLE AGAINST THE TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

ALTHOUGH THE BILL DOESN'T MENTION CRT EXPLICITLY, HIS DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI OF ORLANDO.

>>THIS IS ANOTHER ATTEMPT BY THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO DISTRACT FLORIDIANS FROM WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN OUR STATES.

THIS LEGISLATION IS 100% GROUNDED IN A BOOGIEMAN SCENARIO THAT WOULD HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON THE EDUCATION OF ANY TEACHING.

AND I THINK WE EVEN HAD A RECENT EXAMPLE WITH THE OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO BRING IN A PROFESSOR, A FLORIDA PROFESSOR TO TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

AND THAT SEMINAR WAS CANCELED FOR FEAR THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THE STATE WOULD OPPOSE BECAUSE TALKING ABOUT A HISTORY IN OUR NATION, THAT WAS NOT ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN EQUITY.

>>THE REPUBLICANS STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE REJECTS THE IDEA THAT HB 7 WOULD CHILL CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE HISTORY OF RACE.

>>ANY TEACHER THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEACHING IDEOLOGY AND TEACHING HISTORY HAS NO BUSINESS BEING A TEACHER.

IF IT CHILLS THOSE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENCE, THEN I'M PERFECTLY GOOD WITH THAT.

>>I MEAN YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S A CHANCE THAT TEACHERS WILL JUST SAY, I JUST DON'T WANT TO RUN THE RISK THAT SOMEONE WILL SUE, EVEN IF I'M WITHIN THE LAW.

AND IT'S JUST A LOT EASIER NOT TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AT ALL?

>>LOOK, I'M NOT GOING TO BORROW TROUBLE.

WHAT I KNOW IS THIS, WE BELIEVE THE TEACHING OF HISTORY IS IMPORTANT.

IN FACT, I WILL BE HEARING A BILL THIS WEEK THAT ENCOURAGES MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY BEING TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEACHING HISTORY.

AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROMOTING IDEOLOGY AND THE FACT THAT THESE LEFTIST RADICALS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS THEY ARE EITHER STUPID OR THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO GASLIGHT THE PUBLIC.

>>ALL RIGHT, PETER, WE'VE SEEN IMPASSIONED VIEWS ON BOTH SIDES OF HB 7.

EVEN DISNEY WORLD'S EMPLOYEE TRAININGS CAME UP IN COMMITTEE HEARINGS THIS WEEK.

TALK US THROUGH THE LATEST IN THIS PASSAGE OF THIS BILL.

>>WELL STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRYAN AVILA CLAIMS THAT DISNEY DIVERSITY TRAINING INCLUDES EXERCISES WHERE EMPLOYEES COMPLETE A WHITE PRIVILEGE CHECKLIST.

AND HE HASN'T SAID WHERE HE GOT THAT INFORMATION- >>THERE'S A PUSHBACK ON THAT.

>>YEAH.

THERE'S PUSH PUSHBACK ON THAT FROM ANOTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE DISNEY UNION HEADS WHO SAID, "HEY, IN ALL MY YEARS OF DISNEY, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHATSOEVER."

AND HIS PUSHBACK INCLUDED A REMARK THAT BASICALLY SAID, "LOOK, MAYBE HE SHOULD SPEND TIME LEGISLATING THINGS THAT OUR DISNEY PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT.

HEALTHCARE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING."

THAT KIND OF THING.

THERE'S BEEN AN AWFUL LOT OF PUSHBACK ON THIS.

>>I MEAN, ALEXA, WE GOT ANOTHER LOOK AT HOW GOVERNOR DESANTIS VIEWS THIS ISSUE LAST WEEKEND WHEN HE DESCRIBED WOKENESS, CALLING IT CULTURAL MARXISM, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THIS SEEMS TO UNDERPIN A LOT OF THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS SESSION.

>>"AN IDEOLOGICAL MOVEMENT THAT WANTS TO RENDER CONSERVATIVES AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS."

THAT'S A QUOTE FROM ONE OF HIS RECENT SPEECHES.

AND HE TOOK THAT SPEECH AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTACK DEMOCRATS AND THEIR SO-CALLED WOKENESS.

HE SAYS SOME OF THEIR HOT BUTTON ISSUES EXPANDING THE SUPREME COURT, MAKING DC A STATE, SO THEY HAVE TWO QUOTE RADICAL SENATORS FOR LIFE, ABOLISHING THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, THAT THOSE ARE NOT ISSUES THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVE AT THE DINNER TABLE.

HE TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THAT SPEECH TO REALLY SAY MY COLLECTION OF BILLS IS AIMED AT RIDDING FLORIDA'S CLASSROOMS, EMPLOYMENTS OF THIS DISCRIMINATION AND THIS WOKENESS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE YEARS.

>>I MEAN, THIS GOES TO A FREE SPEECH DISCUSSION AS WELL, DOESN'T IT?

>>OH, IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.

AND IT ALSO GOES TO ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

THE GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICANS ARE ALWAYS TAUGHT ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.

AND I WOULD THINK THAT A LOT OF THE CRITICISM HERE WOULD SAY THAT THIS MIGHT BE GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.

>>YEAH, CERTAINLY BOTH SIDES ON, ON THE DEBATE POINT FINGERS TO EACH OTHER AND SAY THIS IS TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT.

OF COURSE, THIS DEBATE OVER HOW TO HANDLE THE DISCUSSIONS OF RACE COMES AS WE BEGIN BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND OVER THE COMING WEEKS, DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV AND I WILL BE HOSTING A SERIES OF NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATIONS CALLED BREAKING THE CYCLE HERE ON WUCF ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO CENTRAL FLORIDA'S AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES.

>>I THINK A PART OF THE REASON THAT THERE'S SUCH AN ISSUE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH WAGES HERE.

EVEN IF APARTMENTS ARE NOT EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, WHEN YOUR WAGES ARE LOW, IT JUST LIMITS WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.

AND THAT PUTS YOU IN A PRETTY SHAKY STANDING, EVEN IN GOOD TIMES.

AND OF COURSE, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES WERE UPENDED.

PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK TO BEGIN WITH WHO ARE OUT OF WORK UNEXPECTEDLY.

WE WERE JUST IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO BEGIN WITH.

AND THEN THE PANDEMIC ONLY MADE IT WORSE.

>>OUR RENTAL MARKET IS PRETTY MUCH FULL.

THERE'S NO ROOM TO HAVE RENTS STABILIZED OR DECREASE.

AND WE'RE IN A CYCLE THAT IS REALLY TOUGH TO BREAK.

>>WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS WHOLE SUBSET OF PEOPLE THAT LITERALLY CANNOT GET HOUSING.

SO WHAT HAPPENS?

THEY GO TO HOTELS, WHICH ARE NO LONGER INEXPENSIVE EITHER.

THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS, OR THEY END UP LIVING IN THEIR CAR.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START LEAVING THE COMMUNITY, WHICH ALSO LEADS US TO A JOB MARKET ISSUE.

>>WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS A SYMPTOM OF A LONGER HISTORY OF INJUSTICE TOWARD IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKS, BUT ALSO FOR OTHER FOLKS OF COLOR, AS WELL AS FOLKS WOULD IDENTIFY AS WHITE AND WHO ARE POOR.

>>OUR SERIES BREAKING THE CYCLE BEGINS NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30PM WITH A DISCUSSION ON DISPARITIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

MAKE SURE YOU TUNE IN FOR THAT.

PETER, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER ISSUES IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SHALL WE?

I WANT TO START WITH ABORTION, THE SENATE THIS WEEK TOOK UP THE 15 WEEK ABORTION BAN.

THIS HAS GOTTEN REALLY HEATED IN PREVIOUS HOUSE HEARINGS.

PRESUMABLY WE SAW MORE OF THE SAME IN THE SENATE.

>>WELL, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROTEST.

AND THE HEARINGS THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT WERE ACTUALLY THE LAST WEEK HEARINGS, WHERE WE HAD SDS STUDENTS FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY ORGANIZATION THAT HAD ITS ORIGINS DURING THE VIETNAM ERA, BACK IN THE 1960S STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE AND REALLY FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WOUND UP IN THE HALLS OF FLORIDA'S LEGISLATURE, WATCHING, COMMENTING ON WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THIS BILL AND REGISTERING THEIR DISSENT.

AND IT'S GOTTEN SO LOUD AND SO ANGRY.

AND SO STUDENTS WERE ESCORTED OUT AND LAWMAKERS WENT OUT THE BACK DOOR.

NOW THIS WEEK, REPUBLICANS REJECTED A MOVE THAT WOULD INCLUDE EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE, INCEST AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

>>YEAH.

THAT WAS AN AMENDMENT I THINK THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAD FILED.

ALEXA, I WANT TO ALSO TALK ABOUT MIYA'S LAW, WHICH YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT ON THE SHOW BEFORE.

THIS IS NOW MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THE HOUSE VERSION OF THIS BILL DOESN'T INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE KEY PROVISIONS THAT SENATOR LINDA STEWART HAVE WANTED.

>>RIGHT.

THE FIRST COMMITTEE HEARING FOR THIS WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.

IT WAS UNANIMOUS ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

AND TO REFRESH THIS BILL IS ASKING FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WORK AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, 24 HOUR NOTICE FOR RESIDENTS, IF A MAINTENANCE WORKER IS GOING TO COME IN AND DO WORK AND A KEY LOG FOB SYSTEM TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO CAME IN.

ALL THOSE BOXES WERE CHECKED WITH THE SENATE BILL, THE HOUSE BILL, REALLY GUTS THIS, IT STRIPS IT DOWN TO JUST THAT 24 HOUR NOTICE.

THIS IS THE FIRST BITE OF THE APPLE.

IT HAS A LONG WAY TO GO.

MIYA'S PARENTS WHO I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THROUGHOUT THIS JOURNEY, THEY SAY THEY NEED EVERY BOX CHECKED FOR THIS TO BE A SUCCESS.

AND FOR THIS TO PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR DAUGHTER FROM HAPPENING TO ANY OTHER PERSON, LIVING IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

>>WELL, YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT STORY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND I'M SURE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

WELL, IT'S A VERY BUSY LEGISLATIVE SESSION INCLUDING DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AS WELL.

AND YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO PETER KING.

HE'S BASED IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR CBS NEWS RADIO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, PETER.

AND ALEXA LORENZO OF WFTV CHANNEL NINE.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.