NINA: COMING UP NEXT ... DO THE THREE ATTEMPTS ON THE PRESIDENT'S LIFE REFLECT A PROBLEM WITH POLITICAL VIOLENCE?

ALSO, HOW CAN MONEY CHANGE THE MIDTERM OUTCOMES?

AND THE CITY OF UTICA TAKES ON SLUMLORDS.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE.

FROM THE PROFESSORS ON “IVORY TOWER.” [♪♪] NINA: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO “IVORY TOWER.” WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.

I'M NINA MOORE OF COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THE TABLE TONIGHT ARE ... LUKE PERRY OF UTICA UNIVERSITY RICK FENNER, ALSO OF UTICA UNIVERSITY AND BEN BAUGHMAN OF GANNON UNIVERSITY.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN THE TARGET NOW OF THREE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS.

ENOUGH TO MAKE US THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT WHETHER WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.

PUBLIC OPINION POLLS SHOW THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT WE DO.

THAT THE ATTEMPTS ON TRUMP'S LIFE ARE PART OF A BROADER TREND ONE THAT'S TIED TO POLARIZATION, DEMONIZATION, AND DISINFORMATION.

>>> DO YOU AGREE THAT POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS ON THE RISE AND, IF SO, WHAT'S DRIVING THE TREND?

>> YES, IT IS TRENDING IN THAT DIRECTION AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS GOING ON WITH THAT.

THERE'S LITTLE TO NO CHECKING.

THERE'S LITTLE TIME BETWEEN NEWS CYCLES THERE'S NO FACT CHECKING AND ALGORITHM DRIVEN FEEDS COMING IN.

IN ADDITION, WHICH IS FEEDING INTO TRIBALISM, WE USED TO HAVE A COMMON ENEMY, THINK RUSSIA AND NOW IT'S THE OTHER PARTY.

YOU HAVE THAT COMPONENT OF DEHUMANIZATION THAT THEN TAKES PLACE WHERE IT SEEMS JUSTIFIED TO DO THINGS THAT BEFORE THERE WERE LAYERS OF PROTECTION IN PLACE.

>> LAYERS OF PROTECTION WERE IN PLACE.

BUT TO BEN'S POINT DEMONETIZATION, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?

>> I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE RHETORIC, OUR ABILITY TO GET ALONG THE LACK OF PARTISANSHIP, LACK OF BIPARTISAN SHIP HAS BEEN A PROBLEM.

WHAT STRUCK ME MOST WAS A QUESTION ASKED, AMERICANS MAY HAVE TO RESORT TO VIOLENCE TO GET THE COUNTRY BACK ON TRACK.

30% OF AMERICANS AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED WITH THAT STATEMENT.

28% OF DEMOCRATS DID, 31% OF REPUBLICANS, 25% OF INDEPENDENTS.

ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, I THINK WE ARE ALMOST EXPECTING OR JUSTIFYING THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR.

AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT LEADS TO MORE PEOPLE ACTING VIOLENTLY BUT IT CONTRIBUTES TO VIOLENT PEOPLE THINKING THAT THEY ARE JUSTIFIED IN ACTING VIOLENTLY.

>> 30% OF THOSE POLLED, LUKE, DOES THAT STRIKE YOU AS UNUSUAL?

>> BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR POLITICAL MOMENT, I THINK THE LAST 10 YEARS UPENDED SOCIAL AND POLITICAL NORMS, HYPER PARTISANSHIP HAS LED TO THE SIDES TO DEMONIZE, IT IS A RIPE ENVIRONMENT FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY THERE'S BEEN MORE POLITICAL VIOLENCE THAN THERE IS NOW THAT IS NOT TO UNDER STATE THE PROBLEM OR FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT FEELS WORSE BECAUSE RATHER THAN GROUPS BEING THE ONES CARRYING OUT POLITICAL VIOLENCE IT'S MORE OFTEN TODAY INDIVIDUALS.

AND IT HAS A DYNAMIC SIMILAR TO TERRORISM, ANYONE CAN LAUNCH A POLITICAL ATTACK, IT IS UNNERVING LIVING IN THE INFORMATION AGE AND WE HEAR ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE THING UNLIKE EVERY OTHER GENERATION.

>> THAT HELPS MAKE IT DIFFERENT.

BEN, WHAT WE NOTICED FROM ONE OF THE STUDIES IS JUST FROM 2024 TO 2025, THERE WAS A 30% INCREASE IN POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

AND SO DO YOU AGREE THAT SOME OF IT IS ABOUT INDIVIDUALS JOINING IN?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING RADICALIZED IN FEEDS THAT ARE IT'S FEEDING THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND THAT ONGOING IN SOME CASES BRAINWASHING THAT TAKES PLACE TAKES AWAY SOME THINGS THAT WE HAD IN PLACE WITH HISTORICAL AND LEGACY JOURNALISM, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.

AND THERE'S THE COMPONENT THAT LUKE TALKED ABOUT WITH OUR AMNESIA OF OUR PAST.

THERE ARE -- THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL PRESIDENTS THAT WE'VE LOST OVER TIME.

THE 60S WERE ROUGH AND THE 70S WERE ROUGH.

WE HAVE HAD VIOLENCE IN THE PAST BUT NOW IT'S IN-YOUR-FACE ALL DAY EVERYDAY.

>> IT GOES BACK BEFORE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA.

CABLE NEWS NETWORKS THEN YOU HAVE "FOX NEWS" AND MSNBC THAT ARE PUTTING FORTH PARTISAN SENSATIONALISTIC CON AT THE PRESENT TIME THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL WE ARE IN A THREAT AND THAT DRIVES EXTREME THINKING AND SOMETIMES EXTREME ACTION INTO I WAS WONDERING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHO SOLUTIONS THERE COULD BE.

THERE IS TALK OF A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THIS.

I THINK THAT IS RIDICULOUS.

I THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.

FIRST, TONING DOWN THE RHETORIC HAS TO OCCUR.

IT'S NOT JUST TRUMP.

75% OF REPUBLICANS AGREED THAT CELEBRATING THE POLITICAL DEATH OF SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WRONG.

ONLY 40% OF DEMOCRATS FELT THAT.

I THINK BOTH SIDES NEED TO ONE, TRY TO TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC.

TWO, WE NEED ATTEMPTS FOR BIPARTISAN DECISION MAKING ON IN CONGRESS LEVEL SO WE ARE MODELING FOR THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE CONSIDERING VIOLENT ACTS THAT WE DON'T THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE.

>> SPEAKING OF MODELING DEMOCRATS WOULD SAY DEMOCRAT LEADERS WOULD POINT TO THINGS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID.

THE ATLANTIC DOCUMENTED 40 INSTANCES DURING THE 2016 ELECTION THAT HE SAID THINGS.

FOR EXAMPLE SAYING ABOUT LIZ CHENEY, LET'S PUT HER IN FRONT OF NINE BARRELS SHOOTING AT HER TO A PERSON HE WAS AT AN ALABAMA RALLY.

MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROUGHED UP.

TO A PERSON AT A RALLY, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY GET READY TO THROW THE TOMATO AND KNOCK THE CRAP OUT OF HIM AND I WILL PAY FOR IT.

IS IT REALLY AN INSTANCE OF BOTH SIDES EMBRACING VIOLENCE AS RICK SUGGESTED?

>> YES, IS THE QUICK ANSWER.

IT'S ACCEPTABLE.

THE ENVIRONMENT WE ARE IN ANGER AND ANXIETY DRIVES PEOPLE TO GO VOTE AND HAS PEOPLE VOTING FOR PEOPLE TO PUT THEM IN CONGRESS AND IT IS WE ARE IN THIS CYCLE WHERE IT IS NOT JUST A TRUMP PROBLEM.

>> THE TRUMP FOLKS SAY IN ADDITION TO WHAT BEN OFFERED, LUKE, THAT BY CALLING TRUMP A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY BY SAYING HE IS DANGEROUS TO THE REPUBLIC, A FASCIST, THAT THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS THAT THEY CREATE THE AT MONTHS FER.

>> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE CHARACTERIZING SOMEBODY AND ISSUING THREATS AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE.

AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN TERMS OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN GOVERNMENT.

BUT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT AS PARTISANS IN THE ELECTORATE.

IT IS NOT BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG, THESE PEOPLE ARE ELECTED BY US AND THEY ARE REFLECTING HOW WE THINK IF WE DON'T HOLD THEM TO HIGHER STANDARDS WE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR.

>> TO YOUR POINT YOU HAVE TO WONDER THE EXTENT TO WHICH RACIAL AND CLASH CLEAVAGES THAT SPILLS OVER INTO ELECTIONS AND SPILLS OVER TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GOVERNMENT.

ON A DIFFERENT FRONT REPUBLICANS ARE BUILDING A WAR CHEST FOR THE 2025 MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

SO FAR THEY HAVE MANAGED TO OUTFUNDRAISE DEMOCRATS.

EVEN SO IT'S USUALLY THE PRESIDENT'S PARTY THAT LOSES IN THE MIDTERMS BUT DEMOCRATS FACE A NUMBER OF HURDLES THAT COULD MIX THINGS UP A BIT.

WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT, DO YOU THINK THAT REPUBLICANS MIGHT PULL OFF AND UPSET THIS YEAR?

>> POTENTIALLY BUT NOT BECAUSE OF MONEY.

MONEY IS IMPORTANT IT'S ONE OF A HALF DOZEN VARIABLES IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS GOING TO WIN.

OTHERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT, INCUMBENCY, VOTER REGISTRATION IN THE STATE YOU ARE LOOKING AT.

THE APPROVAL RATING OF THE PARTY IN POWER.

THOSE THINGS ARE MORE IMPACTFUL THAN MONEY.

BOTH SIDES WANT TO OUTRAISE THE OTHER.

BECAUSE THEY ARE ABLE TO SPENDING THAT ON ADVERTISING AND DRIVE THE NARRATIVE BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT KAMALA HARRIS OUTRAISED DONALD TRUMP 2-1 AND WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.

I KNOW REPUBLICANS ARE SORT OF SAYING THERE IS A SILVER LINING WITH THE MONEY I THINK IT WILL BE A TOUGH ELECTION FOR THEM.

>> I WOULD AGREE.

MONEY MATTERS BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ONLY MONEY MATTERS.

BUT JANET MILLS PULLED OUT OF THE SENATE RACE IN MAINE BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE RAISING MONEY.

MONEY DOES MATTER BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT HOW YOU SPEND AND IT WHERE YOU SPEND IT.

MENTIONED IN THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION I THINK DEMOCRATS STARTED THINKING THAT THEY POSSIBLY HAD INROADS IN A NUMBER OF STATES, TEXAS AND THINGS AND THEY STARTED TO SPREAD THEIR MONEY OUT AND AFTER THE FACT, SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENDING IT IN CERTAIN JUST A FEW STATES WHERE THEY HAD A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING.

MONEY IS GOING TO DETERMINE NOT ONLY ADVERTISING, BUT ALSO GETTING MONEY ON GETTING THE VOTE OUT.

BUT YOU CAN MISSPEND MONEY OR YOU CANNOT ALLOCATE IT APPROPRIATELY.

SO I THINK THAT MEANS OTHER ISSUES, THAT LUKE MENTIONED, ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

IN ADDITION, YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE GASOLINE PRICES THAT, I THINK, DESPITE HOW MUCH THE REPUBLICANS HAVE TO SPEND, COULD COME BACK TO BITE THEM AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO MAKE INROADS.

AND THE GERRYMANDERING OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT HOW MANY DISTRICTS AND SEATS ARE REALLY UP FOR GRABS.

HOW MANY WILL BE COMPETITIVE RACES.

>> YOU HAVE PUT A LOT ON THE TABLE AND WE SHOULD COME BACK TO SOME OF THOSE.

TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MAINE, DEMOCRATS ARE TARGETING SUSAN COLLINS IN MAINE AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE MOST MONEY THEY ARE SPENDING ON A SINGLE ELECTION AND PART OF THAT, BEN, IS BECAUSE ALL THAT IS COMING IN FROM SUPER PACT PACS WILL THEY HAVE MORE IMPACT THAN PARTIES?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

THEY ARE INTERWOVEN WHAT WAS LAID OUT SHOWS HOW COMPLEX THINGS ARE IN OUR SOCIETY.

THERE'S NO ONE ANSWER.

BUT UTILIZE RESOURCES A LOT OF MONEY DOES SWAY SOME VOTERS.

GETTING MESSAGES RIGHT, EARLY ON, IMPACTS WHO GETS VOTED FOR.

BECAUSE IT TAKES SO MUCH MORE MESSAGING TO CHANGE OR PERSUADE SOMEBODY'S INITIAL POINT OF VIEW OR WHAT THEY THINK IS THE TRUTH.

AND THAT IS WHERE IT GETS COMPLEX, I THINK.

>> I THINK YOU CAN'T SPEND MONEY AND MAKE YOURSELF MORE POPULAR.

BUT YOU CAN SPEND MONEY AND MAKE YOUR OPPONENT LESS POPULAR.

THE MONEY CORRELATES WITH NEGATIVE ADVERTISING.

THE PROBLEM FOR REPUBLICANS IS THAT DONALD TRUMP IS UNPOPULAR RIGHT NOW.

THE MIDTERM DID NOT GO WELL.

THERE IS NO SIGNS TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS GOING TO GO BETTER BECAUSE OF GAS PRICES BECAUSE OF THE WAR, BECAUSE OF HIS LOW STANDING AND HOW HE MANAGES THE ECONOMY WHICH HAS BEEN THE BEDROCK OF HIS POLITICAL SUCCESS.

ALL THESE THINGS SUGGEST IT WILL BE A BAD TIME FOR REPUBLICANS.

BUT GEOGRAPHY MATTERS.

SO I THINK THE DEMOCRATS CAN RETAKE THE HOUSE BUT THE SENATE MAP WILL BE HARDER FOR DEMOCRATS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> LUKE, REAL QUICK, HE HIGHLIGHTED WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT THE NEGATIVE MESSAGING HAS THAT IMPACT GETS PEOPLE TO THE POLLS AND DOES IMPACT.

>> AGAIN THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS CHOSEN NOT TO RUN BUT MOST OF THOSE WERE IN SAFE DISTRICTS IT WILL MAKE IT TOUGH FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO TRY TO PICK UP THE SEATS.

>> EVEN THOUGH, LUKE, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS YOUR AREA, EVEN THOUGH DEMOCRATS HAVE PULLED OFF SURPRISING WINS IN DISTRICTS PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED REPUBLICAN, THEY WERE VERY NARROW, NARROW MARGINS.

SO IS THAT AN INDICATION THAT THEY PROBABLY WON'T FLIP A LOT OF SEATS?

>> WELL, THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS A LOT ARE MADE IN THE NEWS MEDIA AND I UNDERSTAND IT IS NEWSWORTHY BUT THEY ARE ISOLATED AND NOT USUALLY GREAT PREDICTORS HOW THE ELECTION WILL GO.

I LOOK AT POLLING ON THE GENERIC BALLOT WHICH DEMOCRATS ARE DOING WELL IN.

I LOOK AT THE 30-40 DISTRICTS IN THE HOUSE THAT WILL DETERMINE WHERE THINGS WILL GO.

AND THERE YOU HAVE REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN UNPOPULAR PRESIDENCY AND UNIFIED GOVERNMENT AND THEY ARE IN A TOUGH SPOT PARTICULARLY WHEN THE ECONOMY IS PERCEIVED NOT TO BE DOING WELL.

>> HERE IS THE THING, DEMOCRATS HAVE HISTORICALLY LOW APPROVAL RATINGS AND SO, RICK, WHAT DIFFERENCE DO YOU THINK THAT WILL MAKE?

CERTAINLY TRUMP IS UNPOPULAR BUT IT IS A MIDTERM ELECTION WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS NOT ON THE BALLOT AND DEMOCRATS ARE NOT WINNING OVER?

>> LUKE RAISED AN INTERESTING POINT.

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THE DEMOCRATS WIN BECAUSE TRUMP IS UNPOPULAR, AND THEY DON'T LIKE HIS POLICIES.

HE HASN'T DONE WHAT HE PROMISED VERSUS HAVING TO COME UP WITH A VISION OF THEIR OWN.

WILL THEY BE ABLE TO WIN ON THE NEGATIVE?

SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT WILL BE ENOUGH AND OTHERS SAY UNLESS THE DEMOCRATS SHOW VISION AND PROVIDE SOME REASON TO VOTE FOR THEM THAT THEY WILL ULTIMATELY COME UP SHORT.

>> LET ME THROW THIS TO THE TABLE.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WILL OR WON'T DO BUT CITIZENS UNITED OF 2010 THREW IN THIS FACTOR OF INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES WHAT MEANS IF I HAVE A LOT OF MONEY I CAN THROW IT IN AN ELECTION.

RIGHT NOW, I THINK CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT SPENDING $2 BILLION WILL THE INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND SORT OF TAKE IT OUT OF THE CONTROL OF PARTIES?

>> IT HAS BEEN SINCE DAY ONE.

IT'S CONTINUED TO IMPACT.

OBAMA SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT WHEN HE WAS VOTED IN.

BUT THEN THE NEXT TIME, FOUR YEARS LATER HE WAS TAPPING INTO IT.

AND IT'S ONLY BEEN TAPPED INTO MORE AND MORE.

>> AND DEMOCRATS ARE ALMOST RAISING AS MUCH AS REPUBLICANS IN SOME AREAS BUT NOT ALL.

TURNING THE PAYMENT NOW TO SLUMLORDS.

THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN UPSTATE WHERE THE HOUSING CRISIS IS IN FULL SWING AND POLICYMAKERS ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO DEAL WITH IT.

THE UTICA COMMON COUNCIL REQUIRES REGISTRATION OF VACANT AND DERELICT PROPERTIES, SYRACUSE IS SUING OWNERS OF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX DOGGED BY SERIOUS VIOLATIONS AND THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE JUST SETTLED A LAWSUIT WITH TWO LANDLORDS TO FIX DANGEROUS LEAD PROBLEMS.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PRESSURE SLUMLORDS TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER?

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE THE PROBLEM THAT CITIES FACE WITH VACANT BUILDINGS, VERSUS BUILDINGS NOT UP TO CODE.

THE VACANT PROBLEM IS EVEN IF A CITY TAKES OVER THE PROPERTY OF A GIVEN POINT IN TIME IT'S EXPENSIVE TO DEMOLISH THESE BUILDINGS.

I WILL PUT THAT ASIDE.

I THINK THE BIG PROBLEM IS THE FACT WE HAVE SO MANY APARTMENTS THAT SLUMLORDS ARE RUNNING AND NOT KEEPING UP TO CODES AND IGNORING COMPLAINTS AND EVEN, GOING AGAINST COURT ORDERS WHEN THEY ARE TOLD TO DO SOMETHING.

ONE THING IS WE NEED TO MAKE THE CONSEQUENCES TOUGHER, AND QUICKER.

BUT I WILL GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE AND SAY THE LONG RUN SOLUTION IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES AND THAT IS INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING.

IF PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE WHERE TO LIVE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO LIVE IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS BROKEN ELEVATORS AND RODENTS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO GO AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF REGULATIONS.

AUSTIN TEXAS HAS DONE A GOOD JOB.

RENTS ARE GOING DOWN THERE.

BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN RID OF A NUMBER OF REGULATIONS.

SOME OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS WE ARE TRADE-OFFS BUT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE RENTS AT A TIME WHEN THE DEMAND IS GROWING.

IN UPSTATE NEW YORK WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING.

WE NEED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING AND THAT WILL PUT PRESSURE ON SLUMLORDS TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THEIR APARTMENTS ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE TO RENT.

>> THERE WILL BE ANOTHER COMPETITION.

>> REDUCE THE REGULATIONS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY.

BUT THEN, ISN'T THAT PUTTING MOST FOLKS BETWEEN A RADIOACTIVE AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS ARE THERE TO ENSURE SAFETY AND QUALITY HOUSING?

>> IT'S SHORT-TERM CONSIDERATIONS WITH LONG-TERM CONSIDERATIONS.

LONG-TERM IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE BUT IF YOU ARE THE MAYOR OF UTICA OR SYRACUSE YOU HAVE CONSTITUENTS TENANTS BEING MISTREATED IN THEIR APARTMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT ISN'T LAW ISSUE.

THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ACT AT THE STATE LEVEL IS CLEAR IN TERMS WHAT THE PROPERTIES SHOULD BE LIKE AND LOCALITIES HAVE TO HAVE SIMILAR LAWS.

IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S ENFORCEMENT.

AND IT'S NOT THAT THE CITIES DO NOT CARE ABOUT IT.

UTICA HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

IT TAKES TIME AND RESOURCES.

YOU CAN FINE A PERSON OR A COMPANY SEVERAL TIMES YOU CAN BRING THEM TO COURT BUT IT WILL TAKE WEEKS MONTHS, IT DOESN'T HELP THE PEOPLE IN DIRE STRAITS AT A PARTICULAR MOMENT.

>> WHAT WOULD ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE, FINES AND PENALTIES OR TAKING CONTROL OF THE PROPERTY WHAT DOES ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

>> IT IS PART OF IT.

I THINK ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION ARE TWO SOLUTIONS FOR THIS.

SO, THERE IS A PROGRAM CALLED LANDLORD AND TENANT TRAINING THAT DOES BOTH EDUCATING AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, OUT OF NEW YORK CITY THERE IS A TENANT PROTECTION UNIT THAT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE.

NOW, THEY ARE OVER RENT REGULATED LOCATIONS.

BUT WHAT SEEMS TO WORK IS IT'S DATA-DRIVEN THEY ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PENALIZE WITH A MIXTURE OF APPROACHES WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AT THIS TABLE.

>> ANOTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS IF YOU MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT OFTENTIMES THE LANDLORD ASKS YOU FOR A SECURITY DEPOSIT.

PERHAPS WE NEED TO MOVE TO SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN THE BUILDINGS SO THE CITY PUTS THE MONEY INTO AN INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME WOULD GO BACK TO THE LANDLORD BUT IN THE MEANTIME IF THEY ARE FOUND GUILTY OF CODE VIOLATIONS THAT THE CITY OR OTHER DISTRICT CAN DRAW ON THAT MONEY AND FIX IT THEMSELVES.

>> TRY TO EXPEDITE THINGS.

FIGURING OUT WAYS TO EXPEDITE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS WHICH I UNDERSTAND IF THERE COULD BE A WAY TO FAST TRACK THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOREVER THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.

>> MANY LANDLORDS KNOW THEY CAN DRAG THINGS OUT AND THEY WOULD RATHER PAY A DOLLAR TOMORROW THAN A DOLLAR TODAY AND MANY CASES IT'S PAY A DOLLAR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW RATHER THAN TODAY.

I AGREE WITH YOU.

>> AND THEN LITIGATION IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FOR THE CITY TO PUT THAT MONEY INTO.

RICK, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT THE UTICA COMMON COUNCIL DID.

THEY HAVE SETUP A PROCESS WHERE THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO LEASE HAVE TO -- VACANT AND DERELICT PROPERTIES HAVE TO BE REGISTERED IS THAT A START FOR POTENTIALLY IDENTIFYING WHERE THERE SHOULD BE STRONGER ENFORCEMENT?

>> YES.

I AGREE.

I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THE BUILDINGS ARE.

THIS IS A WAY OF DEINCENTIVIZING PEOPLE FROM HAVING THESE BUILDINGS.

THE QUESTION IS IF THE LANDLORD LIVES IN ANOTHER STATE HOW DO YOU ENFORCE THESE LAWS?

>> THAT IS A HUGE THING, RIGHT?

NOB HILL HERE IN SYRACUSE HORRENDOUS CONDITIONS FOR AN OUT OF STATE LANDLORD.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO TO OUR GRADE BOOKS.

I GIVE AN F TO SLUMLORDS.

LUKE?

>> THE RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING ON THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

THE RULING MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STOP RACIAL GERRYMANDERING THIS RISKS YEARS OF CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRESS AND CONGRESS TODAY THAT IS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY THAN EVER BEFORE.

>> RICK?

>> MY F GOES TO KEVIN WARSH.

ELIZABETH WARREN ASKED I NEED TO MEASURE YOUR INDEPENDENCE AND COURAGE DID BIDEN DEFEAT TRUMP IN THE 2020 ELECTION?

HE TRIED TO DODGE THE QUESTION SAYING WE KEEP POLITICS OUT OF THE PRESS.

HE GAVE THE LAME RESPONSE CONGRESS RATIFIED BIDEN AS THE WINNER.

FAILING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

HOW CAN WE TRUST HIM TO DEFEND THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND STAND UP TO TRUMP'S DEMANDS TO LOWER INTEREST RATES IF HE WON'T TELL TRUMP THAT HE LOST THE 2020 ELECTION.

>> SOUTH AFRICA'S USE TO FAKE REFERENCES.

THERE IS A POLICY THEY UNVEILED THIS MONTH FOR THE POSITION OF SOUTH AFRICA USING AN A.I.

INNOVATION APPROACH.

THE IDEA WAS THEY WOULD HAVE AN A.I.

COMMISSION A BOARD AND REGULATION AUTHORITY.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT ALL THESE REFERENCES IN THE BACK THAT WERE ALL GENERATED BY A.I.

>> USING A.I.

TO GENERATE AN A.I.

POLICY.

FASCINATING.

NOW, WE WILL TURN TO OUR A'S.

>> MY A GOES TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HANCOCK COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

THEY SAFELY PULLED OVER A SCHOOL BUS ON A HIGHWAY AND MEDICALLY ASSISTED THE BUS DRIVER AFTER SHE HAD A SEVERE ASTHMA ATTACK AND PASSED OUT.

THIS WAS SIMPLY AMAZING.

BRAVO TO THOSE KIDS.

>> RICK.

>> JEROME POWELL THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

POWELL WAS STOOD UP TO THE ATTEMPTS TO BULLY HIM INTO LOWERING INTEREST RATES BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, PERSONAL INSULTS, THREATS TO FIRE HIM AND THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION THAT MANY REPUBLICANS WERE REPULSED BY.

POWELL DESERVES AN A. LET'S HOPE HIS SUCCESSOR IS UP TO THE TASK.

>> MY A IS GOING TO A GLOBAL CONTEST THAT SAVES SHELTER PUPPIES.

CALLED THE UGLIEST DOG.

AND JUST THIS ON THE 27TH OF APRIL THEY AWARDED $10,000 TO CHARITY.

THEY HAD 200 HOUNDS THAT WERE SAVED AND GIVEN HOMES.

ALONG WITH A LOT OF LAUGHS AND TEARS THAT CAME ALONG WITH IT.

SO THIS IS AN A FOR POSITIVELY GREAT APPROACH TO SAVING DOGS.

>> THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

BEFORE WE GO, A SHOUT-OUT TO ED WHO WROTE TO SHARE HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT TUCKER CARLSON AND THE IRAN REGIME.

PLEASE WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN GO TO WCNY.ORG.

FOR ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER" HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪]