>> BRANDIS, JOE BIDEN FORMALLY
ACCEPTS THE DEMOCRATIC
NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT TONIGHT
AT AT DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
CONVENTION THIS CAPS OFF A
CONVENTION THAT HAS SEEN
BLISTERING CRITICISM OF
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP A SHOW OF
DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN
SUPPORT FOR JOE BIDEN AND
EMPHASIS ON THE EMERGENCE OF
WOMEN LEADERS LIKE KAMALA
HARRIS.
THE CONVENTION COMES AS
LAWMAKERS PREPARE TO VOTE ON
EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE
EMBATTLED U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
AND JOINING US AS PART OF THE
CONVENTION COVERAGE IS
CONGRESSWOMAN JAN SCHAKOWSKY A
DEMOCRAT WHO REPRESENTS THE 9TH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WHICH
INCLUDES PARTS OF CHICAGO'S
NORTH SIDE AND NORTHERN SUBURBS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> I WANT TO START WITH THE
LATEST NEWS WE'RE HEARING
REPORTS THAT REPUBLICAN LEADERS
WILL WHIP THEIR CAUCUS AGAINST
THIS BILL TO PROVIDE $25 BILLION
TO THE UNITED STATES POSTAL
SERVICE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A PARTY
LINE VOTE.
DOES IT STAND A CHANCE OF BEING
CALLED IN THE SENATE?
>> WE'LL SEE IF IT'S GOING TO
GET CALLED.
THE POINT IS THE REPUBLICANS
HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ONGOING
SABOTAGE OF THE ELECTION REALLY
AND THE POSTAL SERVICE IS PART
OF THAT.
AND THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN
RESTORING THE KIND OF PROCEDURES
THAT WERE THERE AT THE POSTAL
SERVICE WHICH IS NOT JUST ONLY
HURTING OUR ELECTIONS, BUT WE'RE
GETTING CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO
ARE NOT GETTING THEIR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS WHO ARE
GETTING LATE PAYMENTS BECAUSE
THEIR BILLS HAVE NOT ARRIVED.
IT IS A DISASTER.
THE CALLS ARE RINGING OFF THE
HOOK RIGHT NOW.
>> AND AMID THIS POSTMASTER
GENERAL LOUIS DeJOY ANNOUNCED
HALTING FURTHER CUTS AND GETTING
RID OF SORTING MACHINES AND
MAILBOXES DOES THAT AASWAGE YOUR
CONCERNS?
>> NO, BECAUSE HE IS NOT TELLING
THE TRUTH.
WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE POSTAL
WORKERS ARE SAYING THAT THE
TAKING AWAY THE SORTING MACHINES
IS STILL HAPPENING THAT THE
MAILBOXES ARE STILL
DISAPPEARING.
NONE OF IT HAS STOPPED.
EVEN IF HE DID SUSPEND WHAT HE
HAD DONE WHAT WE ARE WANTING IS
A COMPLETE REVERSAL OF WHAT HE
HAS DONE AND GO BACK TO THE
RULES OF THE BEGINNING OF
JANUARY.
JANUARY FIRST, 2020, AND RESTORE
THE POST OFFICE TO THAT PLACE.
BUT HE ADMITTED THAT AS DeJOY
ADMITTED TO NANCY PELOSI TODAY
THAT HE HAS NO INTENTION OF
ACTUALLY RESTORING THINGS THAT
WERE UNDONE.
>> BEYOND PASSING THE BILL WHAT
CAN LAWMAKERS DO TO INSURE A
SAFE MAIL-IN ELECTION?
>> THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER THAT
IS WHY WE'RE GOING BACK TO
CONGRESS ON SATURDAY.
THAT IS WHY THERE IS A HEARING
TOMORROW WITH DeJOY IN THE
SENATE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A HEARING
THAT HE SAYS HE IS APPEARING AT
ON MONDAY.
I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
REALLY DISGUSTED BY THE KIND OF
WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT
INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO TRY AND
DEMOLISH WHAT IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT AND FAVORITE OF THE
AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT IS THE POSTAL SERVICE.
THE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
EVERYWHERE RELY ON NOT JUST FOR
THE ORDINARY MAIL BUT FOR THEIR
MEDICATION AND FOR THEIR CHECKS
AND BILLS.
>> AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF
EYES ON THAT HEARING.
I WANT TO MOVE TO THE CONVENTION
ONE OF THE SPEAKER WAS HOUSE
SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT SHE
SAID.
>> WHEN WOMEN SUCCEED AMERICA
SUCCEEDS AND SO WE ARE
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF WOMEN TO
TAKE OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN OUR
NATIONAL LIFE BY CHAMPIONING A
WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND
DEFENDING ROE V. WADE, SECURING
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE.
PRESERVING SOCIAL SECURITY AND
PASSING EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL
WORK.
WHO IS STANDING IN THE WAY?
MITCH McCONNELL AND DONALD
TRUMP.
>> A LOT OF FOCUS ON WOMEN AND
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP.
IS THAT THE CORE CONSTITUENCY
THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN IS TARGETING
SPECIFICALLY SUBURBAN WOMEN?
>> IT'S ABOUT TIME, ISN'T IT
THAT WOMEN ARE AT THE TOP OF THE
AGENDA.
CERTAINLY WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN RELIABLE WHEN IT
COMES TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT SUBURBAN
WOMEN WHO THOUGHT DONALD TRUMP
MIGHT BE OK WILL UNDERSTAND THAT
THEY MADE A SERIOUS, SERIOUS
MISTAKE.
I REALLY LIKE WHAT KAMALA HARRIS
SAID WHEN SHE SAID I KNOW A
PREDATOR WHEN I SEE ONE.
AND I THINK A LOT OF WOMEN ARE
IN THE SAME BOAT THAT THEY CAN
SEE A PREDATOR SOMEONE WHO IS
NOT GOOD FOR THEM OR THEIR
CHILDREN AND OR FAMILIES.
I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO
SEE A REAL CHANGE IN SUBURBAN
WOMEN.
WE LOST WHITE WOMEN LAST TIME
HILLARY CLINTON DID AND I DON'T
THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN
AGAIN.
>> AS THIS HAPPENED, THE
ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS
FACING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST
SPEAK --
CRIMINAL INFORMATION THAT
IMPLICATES THE LEADER OF YOUR
PARTY, MICHAEL MADIGAN SPEAKER
OF THE HOUSE.
SHOULD HE STEP DOWN?
>> WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO
COMMENT ON THAT BEING IN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN
THE STATE.
BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IT
SHOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE
CONVENTION.
AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE
TO DO IN ILLINOIS BECAUSE WE
WANT TO EXPAND OUR MAJORITY IN
THE ILLINOIS HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES WE CERTAINLY
HAVE TO ELECT DICK DURBIN WHO
BRINGS EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RACES WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT AND I DON'T KNOW
WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE OUTCOME
WITH MICHAEL MADIGAN.
BUT IT BETTER NOT INTERFERE
RIGHT NOW WITH OUR ELECTION
PLANS.
>> AS A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, A
SENIOR MEMBER OF YOUR PARTY IN
ILLINOIS YOU ARE COMFORTABLE
WITH SPEAKER MADIGAN LEADING
THIS PARTY GIVEN THE
IMPLICATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL
INFORMATION THAT THE DEFENDANT
ComEd SIGNED ON TO?
>> NO I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH
IT AT ALL.
AND I THINK IF THIS IS PROVEN
TRUE THAT OBVIOUSLY HE WOULD
HAVE TO STEP DOWN.
BUT I REALLY DO GET CONCERNED
WHEN IT INTERFERES WITH THE
FOCUS WE HAVE ON ELECTING