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>>> WELCOME TO "REPORTERS
ROUNDTABLE," I'M DAVID CRUZ.
HAPPY TO BE BACK WITH YOU,
JOINED BY OUR PANEL OF STATE
JOURNALISTS, KAREN YEE OF WNYC
RADIO, MATT ARCO, THE POLITICS
REPORTER FOR NJ ADVANCED MEDIA
AND OUR OWN CHIEF POLITICAL
CORRESPONDENT, MICHAEL AARON.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THEM IN
JUST A FEW MINUTES BUT WE BEGIN
THIS WEEK MARKING A ONE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK ON THE
U.S. CAPITOL, FINDING OURSELVES
ONLY SLIGHTLY LESS DIVIDED THAN
WE WERE THEN, AND THAT'S AN
OPTIMIST'S VIEW, I KNOW.
NEW JERSEY SURVIVED THE
GOVERNOR'S ELECTION JUST A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH LITTLE
ILL EFFECT, BUT THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT OUR POLITICS ISN'T
SHOWING SOME SIGNS OF FRAYING.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AND MORE
WITH OUR "ROUNDTABLE" GUESTS.
REPUBLICAN SENATOR DE
DECLAN OSCANLON.
>> HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND THE
REST OF THE PANEL.
>> HAVE YOU BEEN REFLECTING MUCH
ON JANUARY 6, 2021, WHAT IT
MEANT THEN AND HOW MUCH THE
SENTIMENT THAT INSPIRED THOSE
ATTACKS ARE STILL AROUND?
>> LOOK, IT'S PART OF OUR
HISTORY NOW, RIGHT?
IT'S NEVER GOING AWAY.
THERE ARE VERY FEW THINGS THAT
HAPPENED IN OUR LIVES,
SOCIETALLY, THAT WE KNOW ARE
GOING TO BE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS
GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT 50
YEARS.
JANUARY 6th IS ONE OF THOSE
THINGS.
WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.
WE HAVE TO LEARN FROM IT.
AND AS THIS COUNTRY ALWAYS HAS,
FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE OURSELVES
BETTER BY VIRTUE OF
UNDERSTANDING THE MISTAKES WE'VE
MADE AND THE ISSUES WE FACE.
AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT.
SOME THOUGHTS, I MEAN, WHAT DO
YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO BRING THIS
UP WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, WHILE
YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THE
DISTRICT?
>> THERE SEEMS TO BE, WHEN I'M
CHATTING WITH PEOPLE NOW, AN
INCLINATION TO BEGIN TO BE MORE
REFLECTIVE AND DELIBERATIVE,
RATHER THAN REACTIONARY, AND I'M
HOPING THAT'S THE SEED OF A NEW
PERIOD OF CIVIL DEBATE, IF NOT
COMPLETE COOPERATION.
I SEE IT IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
I THINK WE SAW THE ELECTIONS
THIS YEAR IN NEW JERSEY HAVE
GIVEN SOME PERSPECTIVE TO MY
FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE.
MAYBE EMBOLDENED FOLKS ON MY
SIDE OF THE AISLE A LITTLE BIT
BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE I
THINK IT OFFSETS THE INCLINATION
OF MY FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AISLE TO BEGIN TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF THE
THINGS WE SAY AND SOME OF THE
THINGS THEY'RE HEARING FROM
THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
THEY CAN'T JUST ACT IN A BUBBLE
AND IMAGINE THAT THERE WON'T BE
ANY REPERCUSSIONS.
THAT'S GOOD.
>> I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALMOST --
I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALMOST
EQUATING OPPOSITION AND WHAT
HAPPENED AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY,
HEY, I VOTED FOR TRUMP.
IT'S QUITE ANOTHER TO, YOU KNOW,
TEAR GAS A COP.
RIGHT?
>> LOOK, I DON'T FORGIVE THEM.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO
SPEAK OUT WHILE IT WAS
HAPPENING, BY THE WAY.
IT WAS DISGUSTING.
AND IT JUST CAN'T HAPPEN.
AND LOOK, I THINK WHAT WE'VE
SEEN IN THE AFTERMATH, WHATEVER
CRESCENDO OF EM BOLDEDNESS
CERTAIN ELEMENTS IN OUR SOCIETY
HAD LED TO JANUARY 6th, THAT'S
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN ANY
TIME SOON.
WE'VE SEEN THE PROSECUTIONS.
WE'VE SEEN SOME LEVEL OF
SIGNIFICANT, SOBER ASSESSMENT
ABOUT IT.
SO I'M NOT FEARFUL THAT WE'RE
GOING TO SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT
HAPPEN AGAIN, HOPEFULLY IN OUR
LIFETIMES.
SO, I THINK THE LESSONS WERE
LEARNED.
NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AND
SEE HOW WE CAN TURN THOSE
LESSONS INTO SOME PRODUCTIVE
ADVANCEMENT IN OUR DEBATE AND
OUR DELIBERATION.
WE CAN'T STAY THIS POLARIZED
FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE WANT TO
ASSUME THAT FOREVER IS A FINITE
EXISTENCE OF OUR COUNTRY, WHICH
I'M NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT.
SO, I'M NOT WORRIED THAT WE'RE
GOING TO SEE A SERIES OF JANUARY
6th.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO FOR ME, LET'S MOVE ON, FIGURE
OUT HOW WE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE AND
WORK TOGETHER.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT
THIS GOVERNOR'S RACE, CLOSER
THAN ANYONE EXPECTED.
DID THE DEMOCRATS JUST STAY
HOME, OR ARE REPUBLICANS, AS YOU
SUGGESTED, RESURGENT IN NEW
JERSEY?
>> I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF
THE TWO, BUT YOU CAN'T DENY THAT
THERE'S A SEGMENT OF THE
REPUBLICAN OR THE EVEN SLIGHTLY
REPUBLICAN-LEANING MODERATES OUT
THERE WHO ORDINARILY WOULDN'T
COME OUT FOR A GOVERNOR'S RACE.
A LOT OF THESE FOLKS, I BET YOU,
ONCE WE DO THE POSTMORTEM AND
SEE HOW MANY FORMALLY ONE OF
FOUR VOTERS, PEOPLE THAT WOULD
ONLY VOTE IN A PRESIDENTIAL
RACE, FOR INSTANCE, CAME OUT.
HOW LARGE WAS THE INCREASE IN
THE TURNOUT OF THOSE PEOPLE?
I BET IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
SO I THINK IT IS A RESURGENCE,
NOT JUST OF REPUBLICANS BUT OF
PEOPLE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF
HOW THEIR GOVERNMENT IMPACTS
THEIR LIVES, AND CERTAINLY THE
PANDEMIC HAS FOCUSED A LOT OF
PEOPLE ON THAT.
>> THINKING ABOUT THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS WHO MADE A SCENE AT THE
CHAMBER DOORS A COUPLE MONTHS
AGO OR A FEW WEEKS AGO, I'M
WONDERING IF THEY REALLY
REPRESENT THE PARTY IN NEW
JERSEY AND WHETHER THAT CONFIRMS
THAT THE REPUBLICANS IN NEW
JERSEY ARE THE PARTY OF TRUMP?
>> NO.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A SIZABLE
PORTION OF NEW JERSEY, NOT JUST
REPUBLICANS.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK
TO WHO ARE DEMOCRATS WHO SAY
THAT TRUMP IS SPEAKING TO THEM
IS SIGNIFICANT.
BUT WE HAVE A -- NEW JERSEY HAS
ALWAYS HAD A WIDE SWATH, AND
CERTAINLY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
WITHIN NEW JERSEY HAS HAD A WIDE
SWATH OF BROAD DEPTH OF
DIFFERING PHILOSOPHIES.
OR, YOU KNOW, WE RUN FROM ARCH
CONSERVATIVES TO EXTREME
MODERATES, IF I CAN -- I CAN BE
CONTRADICTORY, BUT THE FOLKS
THAT ARE DECIDEDLY IN THE
MIDDLE.
AND THE PARTY STILL APPEALS TO
THOSE FOLKS, BOTH, TO THE WHOLE
SPECTRUM, ACTUALLY, AND YOU HAVE
TO WITH NEW JERSEY BECAUSE
REPUBLICANS CAN'T WIN WITHOUT
ALL THOSE COMPONENTS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SAY, WE
NEED TO REJECT THE TRUMP WING.
THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE TRUMP
WING THAT SAY, WE NEED TO REJECT
THE MODERATES.
WELL, THEY'RE BOTH WRONG,
BECAUSE REPUBLICANS DON'T WIN IN
NEW JERSEY BY ANY MORE THAN A
FEW POINTS, SO YOU NEED
EVERYBODY.
AND WE NEED TO ACCEPT THAT.
>> SO, YOU GOT THE STATE OF THE
STATE SPEECH COMING UP NEXT
WEEK.
I GUESS YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS
WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S LIKELY TO
TALK ABOUT.
YOU WANT TO TAKE 15, 20 SECONDS
THAT I HAVE TO GIVE A PREEMPTORY
RESPONSE?
>> LOOK, I APPRECIATE RIGHT NOW
SOME OF THE GOVERNOR'S DIFFERENT
TRACK, REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW,
HE IS NOT COME BACK, AS MANY
PEOPLE PREDICTED, AND TRIED TO
INFLICT MASSIVE LOCKDOWNS,
ET CETERA.
I THINK IT'S OVERREACH, HIS
REQUEST FOR A 90-DAY EXTENSION
OF ALL OF HIS -- OR MANY OF HIS
EOs, WHICH I DON'T THINK THE
LEGISLATURE IS INCLINED TO GIVE
ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE.
LOOK, THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO
PERMIT THE LEGISLATURE TO BE THE
CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT
THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE, AND
WE'LL HAVE BETTER GOVERNMENT IN
NEW JERSEY FOR IT.
RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE
GOVERNOR SPEAKING FROM ON HIGH
FROM HIS SILO.
SO, WHATEVER HIS SPEECH IS, AND
NOW, I GUESS, IT'S GOING TO BE
ZOOMED AND RECORDED, SO I'M NOT
SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO LISTEN TO IT.
WE ALL WILL, BUT I'M NOT SURE
HOW MANY FOLKS OUTSIDE THAT
REALM.
BUT THE LEGISLATURE IS RESURGENT
NOW, AND THE SMARTER, MORE
MODERATE VOICES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE ARE RESURGENT, AND I
THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD
THING FOR NEW JERSEY GOING
FORWARD.
>> ALL RIGHT, FOLKS WILL BE ABLE
TO SEE THAT SPEECH, BY THE WAY,
AS THE FILE GETS UNFURLED
TUESDAY AT 5:00 ON NJ PBS.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PLUG THAT.
SENATOR DECLAN O'SCAN ALRLON, G
TO SEE YOU.
PANEL, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL
AGAIN.
LET'S START WITH THE STATE OF
THE STATE.
MICHAEL AARON, THIS IS A
GOVERNOR WHO SURVIVED A TOUGH
ELECTION IN AN OFF YEAR.
WHAT IS GOVERNOR MURPHY'S STATUS
AS HE HEADS INTO A SECOND TERM?
HOW'S HE DOING?
>> HE'S DOING ALL RIGHT.
HE'S UPRIGHT.
HE'S REBOUNDING FROM A
CHASTENING ELECTION.
I THINK WE CAN SEE HIM ABSORBS
SOME OF THE LESSONS OF THE
ELECTION WHEN HE DOES HANDS-OFF
ON THE COVID POLICY IN TERMS OF
WHETHER KIDS SHOULD GO BACK TO
SCHOOL OR NOT.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT DONALD TRUMP
WAS KICKING THE BALL DOWN THE
ROAD WHEN HE SAID THIS -- THE
STATE SHOULD MAKE ALL THESE
DECISIONS, THIS IS NOT FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND NOW
MURPHY IS SAYING, THIS IS -- THE
LOCAL DISTRICTS SHOULD MAKE THE
MAIN DECISION HERE, NOT TRENTON.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE
FOR MURPHY, AND I THINK IT'S
SOMETHING THAT COMES RIGHT OUT
OF THE ELECTION.
I ALSO THINK WE'RE HEARING HIM
TALK MORE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY
THESE DAYS.
THAT'S BEEN A REPUBLICAN TALKING
POINT FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE DOING AN
INTERVIEW WITH TOM KEAN JR.
WHERE HE DIDN'T BRING UP MAKING
NEW JERSEY MORE AFFORDABLE.
NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, MURPHY'S
TALKING ABOUT MAKING NEW JERSEY
MORE AFFORDABLE.
I THINK THAT'S A RESULT OF THE
ELECTION, AND I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE
OF THAT ON TUESDAY.
>> ALL RIGHT, MATT, I'M SURE
WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING MORE
MURPHY FOR PRESIDENT COLUMNS.
HAS HE MADE A CASE YET, AND/OR
WILL HE ATTEMPT TO MAKE A CASE
IN THE SECOND TERM?
>> I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT
THOSE RUMORS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE
FOR A WHILE.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
SPOILER ALERT.
I CAN SAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS
RECENTLY TOLD ME AND MY
COLLEAGUE DURING AN INTERVIEW
THAT HE IS ABSOLUTELY NOT
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
I PRESSED HIM ON THIS MULTIPLE
TIMES, AND HE INSISTS THAT HE'S
NOT AND HE'LL BE HERE FOR FOUR
YEARS, BUT WHAT WILL BE MORE
TELLING IS, IN A YEAR FROM NOW,
TWO YEARS FROM NOW, DO THESE,
YOU KNOW, PRE-PRE-PRESIDENTIAL
RUN GROUPS START TO FORM?
AND THAT WILL BE MOST TELLING.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, HE SAYS
HE'S NOT, AND LOOK, AS YOU KNOW,
HE HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN THAT GOES
BACK MANY YEARS, SO THERE'S NO
WAY, I THINK, THAT HE WOULD EVEN
SUGGEST THAT HE IS GOING TO RUN
FOR PRESIDENT AGAINST JOE BIDEN
UNLESS JOE BIDEN, YOU KNOW, AT
SOME POINT, SAYS THAT HE'S NOT
GOING TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION,
AND THEN THAT WOULD, I THINK,
CHANGE THE GAME.
BUT AGAIN, HE'S SAYING HE'S NOT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
IN TRENTON, THE FINAL VOTING
SESSION IS MONDAY.
LOTS OF STUFF IS NOT GOING TO
SEW A VOTE, LIKE CIVILIAN
COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARDS AND
OTHER POLICE-FOCUSED REFORMS.
BUT THERE WILL BE SOME VERSION
OF THE REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM ACT
PARED DOWN, I GUESS, UP FOR A
VOTE.
KAREN, IS THAT RIGHT?
WHAT'S IN THE NEW BILL, AND
WHAT'S OUT, IF WE KNOW?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS SORT OF COBBLED TOGETHER
IN A LAST-MINUTE, AND MY
UNDERSTANDING OF THIS BILL IS
IT'S NOT THE REPRODUCTIVE
FREEDOM ACT THAT MURPHY HAD
CHAMPIONED FOR MONTHS.
AND THIS WOULD -- THIS NEW BILL
WOULD STILL CODIFY THE RIGHT TO
AN ABORTION IN NEW JERSEY, BUT
IT WOULD REMOVE THIS PROTECTION
OUT OF ABORTION RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR, WHICH IS
WHETHER INSURANCE CARRIERS
SHOULD COVER THE COST OF
ABORTION.
AND THAT'S REALLY OPENED THE
DOOR FOR THE STATE TO MANDATE IT
IF THERE IS A STUDY DONE THAT
FINDS IT NECESSARY, BUT THAT
SORT OF LEAVES IT UP TO
BUREAUCRACY, AND THERE'S NO
TIMELINE.
AND SO I THINK THE WORRY IS, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
CODIFYING THIS RIGHT AND ALSO
MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE, GIVEN WHAT
COULD HAPPEN AT THE U.S. SUPREME
COURT IF THEY OVERTURN ROE V.
WADE, AND SO IF THIS BILL
DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH TO
ACTUALLY EXPAND ACCESS AND
PROTECT WOMEN WHO NEED
PROTECTION, I DON'T KNOW THAT
YOU COULD CALL IT A WIN OR
MAKING A MARK IN THIS AREA AS
THE GOVERNOR HAS CHAMPIONED FOR
A WHILE LAST YEAR.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THIS BILL IS
KIND OF THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF
HOW THE DEMOCRATS PARTICULARLY
ARE STILL AT ODDS WITH ONE
ANOTHER, THE LEFT FLANK OF THE
PARTY VERSUS THE MODERATE FLANK
OF THE PARTY.
DOES THE GOVERNOR NEED TO
REASSURE THE LEFT OF HIS PARTY
THAT HE'S NOT ABANDONING THEIR
ISSUES, KAREN?
>> I THINK SO.
I MEAN, I THINK IN THE LAST FEW
WEEKS, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT HE WON
AND HE WON BY A VERY NARROW
MARGIN, A LOT OF PROGRESSIVE
GROUPS ARE SORT OF SAYING, OKAY,
LIKE, WHAT ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER
ISSUES THAT YOU DIDN'T TACKLE IN
YOUR FIRST TERM?
CLIMATE CHANGE IS A HUGE ONE.
THERE'S A CURRENT FIGHT OVER
BUILDING A THIRD POWER PLANT IN
NEWARK.
NEWARK IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BUILT
ON THIS AVENUE THAT'S KNOWN AS
CHEMICAL CORRIDOR.
THEY HAVE SO MUCH CONTAMINATION
THERE, AND THE GOVERNOR SORT OF
PASSED THIS ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE BILL AND PROMISED TO
COMBAT, YOU KNOW, RACISM IN THE
ENVIRONMENT, AND YET YOU HAVE
THIS POWER PLANT MOVING FORWARD,
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE
PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN CLIMATE
CHANGE AND ISSUES LIKE
IMMIGRATION AND AFFORDABILITY IN
HOUSING TRYING TO PUSH HIM TO
GET SOME OF THEIR PRIORITIES
DONE THAT WEREN'T DONE DURING
HIS FIRST TERM, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, AS MICHAEL SAID, WE'RE
SEEING THIS RED SURGE OF OUTRAGE
AND THE GOVERNOR PROMISING TO
LISTEN TO ALL NEW JERSEYANS,
RIGHT, IN HIS RE-ELECTION
SPEECH, AND SO HOW IS HE GOING
TO BALANCE THOSE TWO SIDES,
TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY BUT
ALSO TRYING TO PUT HIS MARK ON
SOME OTHER PROGRESSIVE POLICIES?
>> MATTHEW, YOU WANT TO ADD
ANYTHING TO THAT?
AS IT PERTAINS TO THE INTERNAL
KIND OF PHILOSOPHICAL STRUGGLE
AMONG DEMOCRATS AND WHERE DO YOU
THINK ANYTHING'S GOING TO COME
UP ON MONDAY THAT WE DON'T KNOW
ABOUT AS FAR AS BILLS?
>> THE ONE THING I'M REALLY
FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW, AND THE
SENATOR ALLUDED TO THIS, IS THE
GOVERNOR'S REQUEST THAT THE
LEGISLATURE EXTEND SOME OF HIS
EMERGENCY POWERS, AND WHAT
HAPPENED LATE YESTERDAY WAS THE
LEGISLATURE BARELY EXTENDED SOME
OF THEM AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIG
QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS SOMETHING
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE -- AMONG THE
THINGS THAT THE GOVERNOR ASKED
FOR WAS EXTENDING THE MASK
MANDATE IN SCHOOLS, AND THE
LEGISLATURE DIDN'T EXTEND THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S JUST
BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE TALKED
ABOUT, SORT OF THE GOVERNOR AND
SENATE PRESIDENT STEVE SWEENEY
LOCKING HORNS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE
WE'RE -- THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND NOW THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO
ACT.
THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T DO WHAT
THE GOVERNOR ASKED, AND IT SET
THE STAGE FOR THE GOVERNOR,
THEN, AS SOON AS MONDAY, BECAUSE
THESE RULES SUNSET ON TUESDAY,
HAVING TO DECLARE ANOTHER STATE
OF EMERGENCY AND PUTTING THESE
RULES IN EFFECT BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE ESSENTIALLY REFUSED
TO DO IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COME UP.
THERE'S A BILL THAT WOULD EXTEND
PENSION BENEFITS TO LAWMAKERS.
I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
SNUCK IN THERE, BUT I THINK THE
THING THAT'S GOING TO -- THAT
READERS AND VIEWERS ARE REALLY
GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN IS, DO
MY KIDS HAVE TO WEAR MASKS IN
SCHOOL COME WEDNESDAY?
SO, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND
MONDAY, THERE'S ANOTHER SHOWDOWN
BETWEEN PHIL MURPHY AND STEVE
SWEENEY.
>> CODIFYING ABORTION RIGHTS WAS
ONE OF THE TOP AGENDA ITEMS OF
MAJORITY LEADER LORETTA
WEINBERG.
SHE IS ONE OF SEVERAL LAWMAKERS
LEAVING VOLUNTARILY AND
OTHERWISE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT
LEGISLATURE, ISN'T IT, MATT?
NEW BLOOD VERSUS OLD GUARD?
WHAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT?
>> I CAN'T PREDICT THAT, BUT
IT'S ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE A
NEW LEGISLATURE.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE REPUBLICAN
LAWMAKERS COMING IN, LONG-TERM
SENATOR LAWMAKER LORETTA
WEINBERG IS LEAVING BUT THE MORE
INTERESTING THING IS, YOU KNOW,
IN THE UPSET ELECTION, STEVE
SWEENEY LOST HIS RE-ELECTION
BID.
HE'S BEEN SENATE PRESIDENT FOR
OVER A DECADE, AND NOW WE HAVE,
YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME
THAT I'VE BEEN COVERING NEW
JERSEY POLITICS, A BRAND-NEW
SENATE PRESIDENT, AND YOU KNOW,
I HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
HOW WILL NICK BE ABLE TO RALLY
HIS CAUCUS WHEN THE GOVERNOR,
WHO I DON'T PREDICT IS GOING TO
BE UNVEILING ANY GRAND PROPOSALS
OR INITIATIVES IN HIS SECOND
TERM, IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW,
WORKING FOR THE SAME THINGS THAT
HE HAD IN HIS FIRST TERM, YOU
KNOW, GUN CONTROL, ABORTION, BUT
THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GOING TO
GET WORKED OUT BY MONDAY.
BUT YEAH, THE QUESTION IS, NOW
IS NICK SCUTARI GOING -- WHAT IS
THE NEW SENATE PRESIDENT GOING
TO BE LIKE?
HOW IS HE GOING TO WORK WITH HIS
CAUCUS TO GET ANYTHING DONE AND
TO GET ANYTHING DONE AFTER AN
ELECTION WHERE DEMOCRATS IN THE
STATE, DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS
PROBABLY ARE QUITE SCARED TO DO
ANYTHING EXTREMELY BOLD BECAUSE
OF THE RESULTS OF THE LAST
ELECTION.
>> MICHAEL AARON, YOU HAVE SEEN
MOST OF THESE PLAYERS ASCEND AND
NOW DESCEND.
THOUGHTS ON LORETTA WEINBERG,
STEVE SWEENEY, AND WHAT MAYBE WE
CAN EXPECT FROM NICK AS SENATE
PRESIDENT.
>> LET ME START WITH STEVE
SWEENEY.
I THINK HE'S BEEN THE DOMINANT
PERSON IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR
THE LAST DECADE.
HE'S SUCH A CHARACTER.
IF YOU WENT UP TO HIM OR IF YOU
PASSED HIM IN THE HALLS AT THE
STATE HOUSE AND SAID, HOW ARE
YOU, HE WOULD INVARIABLY SAY,
EVERY DAY'S A HOLIDAY, EVERY
MEAL A TREAT.
THAT WAS HIS LINE.
HE'S BEEN A STRONG, INTERESTING
CHARACTER.
LORETTA WEINBERG HAS BEEN A
STRONG AND INTERESTING
CHARACTER.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT SWEENEY
HAS PUT HER ON THE HORIZON BLUE
CROSS BLUE SHIELD BOARD AS A
GOING AWAY PRESENT.
YOU GO TO A FEW BOARD MEETINGS,
AND YOU MAKE $77,000 ANNUALLY.
AS MATT SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A
DIFFERENT LEGISLATURE WITH A
DIFFERENT TONE.
SCUTARI IS GOING TO SET HIS OWN
TONE.
IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO PREDICT
WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
BUT HE'S A CLEVER GUY.
HE'S A PRINCIPLED GUY.
AND HE CAN BE IMPRESSIVE WITH
HIS RHETORIC, SO IT IS A NEW
DAY.
>> YEAH.
I GUESS WE HAD THE SAME
QUESTIONS ABOUT SENATOR SWEENEY
WHEN HE ASCENDED TO SENATE
PRESIDENT.
NOBODY KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT THEN.
I GUESS YOU KIND OF HAVE TO WORK
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND SEE HOW
THINGS EVOLVE.
>> YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE IN
THE OLD DAYS THAT SENATE
PRESIDENTS SERVED FOR TWO YEARS,
ONE TERM, AND THEN IT ROTATED,
AND THAT WAS HOW IT WAS DONE FOR
DECADES UNTIL DON DIFRANCESCO
KEPT GETTING HIMSELF RE-ELECTED
AND HE STAYED ABOUT TEN YEARS
AND THEN DICK COTE SUCCEEDED HIM
AND STAYED ANOTHER TEN YEARS AND
NOW SWEENEY HAS PUT A DECADE IN.
SO, THAT'S A CHANGE FROM THE OLD
WAY OF DOING THINGS.
>> IN YOUR MIND, SWEENEY IS NOT
DONE, RIGHT?
I MEAN, IS HE A POTENTIAL
GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE AS
EVERYBODY SUGGESTS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK HE'S GOT THE INSIDE
TRACK ON IT IF HE WANTS IT AND I
CAN'T IMAGINE HIM NOT WANTING
IT.
>> BACK TO OMICRON.
KAREN, NEWARK, JERSEY CITY,
OTHER LARGE DISTRICTS ARE BACK
TO VIRTUAL LEARNING.
SEEMS LIKE NOBODY WANTS TO BE
REMOTE BUT EVERYBODY'S GOING
REMOTE.
PRESSURE MOUNTING ON THE
GOVERNOR TO DO WHAT EXACTLY?
HE SEEMS TO BE HANDS-OFF.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF
DISTRICTS, THAT'S SORT OF BEEN
HIS M.O., RIGHT, THIS WHOLE
PANDEMIC, LEAVING IT UP TO LOCAL
CONTROL, WHICH IN SOME WAYS HAS
WORKED, BUT IN OTHER WAYS,
HASN'T.
I MEAN, DISTRICTS ARE DEALING
WITH A LOT.
THEY'RE DEALING WITH NOT JUST
THE AMOUNT OF LEARNING LOSS THAT
HAS HAPPENED DURING REMOTE
LEARNING BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF
FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THEY'RE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO
WITH.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
TESTING.
THEY'RE FACING SHORTAGES FROM
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS TO TEACHERS
TO BUS DRIVERS SO THERE'S A LOT
OF ON THEIR PLATE AND NOT MUCH
ANSWERS OR CLARITY FROM THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OR THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
I MEAN, YESTERDAY, DURING THE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE HEARING, THE
D.O.E. WAS JUST M.I.A.
THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS.
MURPHY HAD A PRESS BRIEFING ON
MONDAY AND DIDN'T REALLY TAKE
MANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF US
WHO WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS
TEST TO STAY OPTION.
THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL TESTING
BEING MANDATED FOR KIDS TO GO
BACK.
THIS TEST-TO-STAY OPTION SEEMS
TO BE MORE LIKE A POLICY THAN A
PROGRAM THAT IS COMING WITH
RESOURCES AND FUNDING TO HELP
SCHOOLS PROVIDE TESTING.
AND YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT,
WE'RE SEEING 800 SCHOOLS THAT
ARE CLOSED DUE TO COVID, THAT'S
30% OF THE SCHOOLS, AND WE'LL
SEE HOW LONG THIS WAVE LASTS AND
WHETHER THAT REMAINS THE CASE.
BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH US FOR A
WHILE IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO
KEEP KIDS SAFE, BUT KEEPING THEM
LEARNING IS SOMETHING THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE SOME MORE LEADERSHIP
ON AND SOME DISTRICTS ARE
DEFINITELY CLAMORING FOR THAT
AND PARENTS AS WELL.
>> MATT, THE LONGER THIS GOES
ON, THE MORE POLITICALLY
PERILOUS IT BECOMES FOR THE
GOVERNOR, NO?
>> YES AND NO.
BECAUSE THE -- FIRST OF ALL, MY
COLLEAGUE AND I HAD A STORY THAT
RAN, ACTUALLY, THIS MORNING AS
WE WERE SETTING UP FOR THIS
WHERE THE GOVERNOR IS ON THE
RECORD WITH US SAYING THAT THERE
ARE GOING TO BE NO NEW
RESTRICTIONS.
SO, BASICALLY, THE WAVE THAT
WE'RE IN NOW, WHICH IS SERIOUS,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF NEW CASES EACH DAY,
HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE GOING UP,
AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW,
THEY MIGHT ANNOUNCE 30,000 CASES
ON A DAY, BUT THAT DOESN'T
INCLUDE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT
TESTED POSITIVE AT AN AT-HOME
TEST AND PROBABLY DIDN'T REPORT
IT TO THE STATE.
AND I KNOW PERSONALLY, AT LEAST
A HALF DOZEN PEOPLE THAT DID IT
THAT WAY.
SO, I SUSPECT WHAT THE GOVERNOR
IS HOPING FOR IS THAT -- IS A
MONTH OF A LOT OF CASES, A LOT
OF WOES, BUT THEN A STEEP
DECLINE AND THAT, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE WITHIN TWO MONTHS, WE'RE
LIVING IN AN ENDEMIC AND NOT A
PANDEMIC.
BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY HINGES ON
WHATEVER NEW VARIANT IS GOING TO
COME OUT OF ANYWHERE, BUT YEAH,
I MEAN, LOOK, TO YOUR QUESTION,
IF THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO DECLARE
ANOTHER STATE OF EMERGENCY, SAY,
ON MONDAY, BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE DIDN'T RE-UP THE
THINGS THAT HE IS ASKING FOR AS
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THIS
CURRENT HUGE SPIKE, I THINK A
LOT OF FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE
ANGRY AT THE GOVERNOR AND HE'S
STUCK HOLDING THAT HOT POTATO.
>> MATT ARCO, KAREN YEE, MICHAEL
AARON, THNGZANKS FOR COMING ON S
WEEK.
THANKS TO SENATOR DECLAN
O'SCANLON.
JOIN US TUESDAY AT 5:00 P.M.
WHEN WE'LL BRING YOU LIVE
COVERAGE OF GOVERNOR MURPHY'S
STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.
I'LL BE ANCHORING THE COVERAGE
AND COLLEEN O'DAY AMONG OTHERS
WILL BE WITH US.
THAT'S ON NJ PBS AND ALL OF OUR
STREAMING PLATFORMS.
FOLLOW ME ON
TWITTER, @DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND BE
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I'M DAVID CRUZ.
THANKS FOR WATCHING, WE'LL SEE
YOU NEXT TIME.
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