>>> NEW JERSEY'S U.S. SENATE

RACE JUST GOT A LITTLE MORE

INTERESTING.

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS

ROUNDTABLE" WITH MICHAEL ARON IS

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TY AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN

ALL 21 COUNTIES OF THE GARDEN

STATE SINCE 1954.

>>> WELCOME TO "REPORTERS

ROUNDTABLE."

I'M MICHAEL ARON.

FOR WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING

THAT BOB HUGAN WOULD ENTER THE

REPUBLICAN SENATE RACE.

ON TUESDAY HE MADE IT OFFICIAL.

>> WE NEED CHANGE.

AND THAT'S WHY TODAY I'M

ANNOUNCING MY CANDIDACY FOR THE

UNITED STATES SENATE.

>> HUGAN IS GOING UP AGAINST

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ,

AN INSTITUTION IN THE STATE, BUT

AN INSTITUTION MARRED BY HIS

CORRUPTION CASE.

>> WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT NEW

JERSEY DESERVES BETTER FROM OUR

NEXT SENATOR.

NEW JERSEY DESERVES A SENATOR AS

GOOD AS ITS PEOPLE, NOT ONE

WORKING TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD

OF THE LAW.

>> HUGAN IS REPAIRED TO SPEND

$20 MILLION OF HIS OWN ON THE

CAMPAIGN, BUT HE WILL LIKELY

FACE A BARRAGE OF CRITICISM FROM

THE DEMOCRATS.

HIS CELL GENE BUSINESS -- HE'S

BEEN EQUALLY AS GENEROUS TO

DONALD TRUMP.

THIS PHOTO SEEMS READY-MADE FOR

A MENENDEZ AD.

AND WITH US NOW TO SIZE UP THE

RACE, TOM MORAN, EDITORIAL OF

THE STAR LEDGER, AND THE

STATEHOUSE REPORTER FOR THE

BERGEN RECORD, MICHAEL FROM THE

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AND MICHAEL

HILL CORRESPONDENT FOR NJ TV

NEWS.

TOM, HANDICAP THE SENATE RACE.

>> IT'S UPHILL FOR BOB HUGAN, I

THINK, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE

MENENDEZ TRIAL.

HE WAS CLEARED OF THE CRIMINAL

CHARGES BUT WILL PROBABLY FACE A

CENSURE DURING THE CAMPAIGN.

SO IT WILL HURT, BUT I DON'T

THINK IT HURTS AS MUCH AS

TRUMP'S ASSOCIATION WITH HUGAN.

AND HUGAN HAS TO FEND OFF THE

CHARGES ABOUT CELL GENE, NOT

JUST THE PRICE HIKES, BUT SIX

MONTHS AGO THEY SETTLED A

WHISTLEBLOWER FRAUD FOR $200

MILLION.

AND THAT SUIT ALLEGES SOME

PRETTY HORRIBLE BEHAVIOR BY CELL

GENE, EVEN HIDING POSSIBLE

HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS FROM

DOCTORS OF THE DRUG.

SO THEY WERE NOT FOUND TO BE

GUILTY OF THOSE CHARGES, BUT

THEY DID PAY $280 MILLION TO

SETTLE THEM.

THAT'S QUITE A WHOPPER.

>> THE WHISTLEBLOWER GETS $81

MILLION.

DUSTIN?

>> I AGREE WITH TOM.

AND IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR

BOB HUGAN TO START LOBBYING

AGAINST SENATOR MENENDEZ WITH

THIS SORT OF THING HANGING OVER

YOUR HEAD.

CELL GENE HAS TONS OF MONEY

PARKED OFFSHORE, THAT'S NOT THE

MOST ETHICALLY -- THAT'S NOT

HOLDING A VERY HIGH ETHICAL

STANDARD.

>> REPORT OF THE CASH OFFSHORE.

GO AHEAD.

>> IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

SO MENENDEZ CAN COME RIGHT BACK

AT HIM WITH THE SAME SORT OF

CHARGES.

AND DON'T FORGET BOB MENENDEZ

ALSO HAS A LONG RECORD OF

HELPING NEW JERSEY AND

REPUBLICANS HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT

AS WELL.

SO IT'S A BLUE STATE.

IT'S A REALLY UPHILL BATTLE FOR

A REPUBLICAN.

>> HE ALSO HAS A LONG RECORD OF

BEING WILLING TO LOB HAND

GRENADES IN TOUGH CAMPAIGNS.

MIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I AGREE WITH WHAT TOM AND

DUSTIN SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE AN UP

HILL FLOG FOR HUGAN.

YOU HAVE TWO CONGRESSIONAL SEATS

IN THE SECOND DISTRICT WITH TWO

RETIRING.

YOU'VE GOT PRETY STRONG

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES THERE.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE

ENVIRONMENT WHERE VOTERS ARE

GOING TO THE POLLS.

AND THOSE DISTRICTS, ARE THEY

GOING TO BE SPLITTING THEIR

TICKET?

ESPECIALLY IN A YEAR AND A STATE

WHERE DONALD TRUMP IS VERY

UNPOPULAR IN A YEAR WHEN DONALD

TRUMP IS UNPOPULAR?

I THINK THAT SORT OF HELPS PAINT

THE PICTURE IT COULD BE

DIFFICULT FOR HUGAN.

>> MICHAEL, HOW DO YOU SEE IT?

>> MENENDEZ SURVIVED THE

CRIMINAL INDICTMENT, THE FEDERAL

TRIAL.

AND DEMOCRATS WAY OUTNUMBER THE

REPUBLICANS HERE.

SO I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE

RE-ELECTED.

>> I JUST SAID IN THAT PIECE

THAT HUGAN IS PREPARED TO SPEND

$20 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY.

A TOP REPUBLICAN TOLD ME THIS IS

GOING TO BE A $30 MILLION RACE.

MENENDEZ HAS $4.1 MILLION IN THE

BANK, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT AND

SUBSTANTIAL, BUT IT'S HALF OF

WHAT HE HAD IN THE BANK AT THIS

POINT IN TIME SIX YEARS AGO WHEN

HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST JOE

CARILLOS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS MONEY IN A U.S.

SENATE RACE IN NEW JERSEY, IN

THIS CLIMATE?

>> I THINK IT IS ALWAYS

IMPORTANT.

BUT MENENDEZ HAS BEEN VETTED.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY?

YOU CAN SAY HE'S CORRUPT.

A JURY OF HIS PEERS DETERMINED,

COULDN'T MAKE A DECISION ON

THAT.

AND HE MAY BE CENSURED IN THE

SENATE AND SO FORTH.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEMOCRAT

MAJORITY, I DON'T THINK MONEY IS

GOING TO MAKE THAT MUCH --

>> I KEEP READING IN TOM'S

COLUMN THAT HE LOOKS SLEAZY.

THAT'S THE WORD YOU'VE HUNG

AROUND HIS NECK LATELY.

>> YEAH.

WELL, THERE'S NO DISPUTE THAT HE

TOOK ALL THESE LAVISH GIFTS.

THERE'S NO DISPUTE THAT HE DID

THESE FAVORS.

AND THERE'S ALSO NO DISPUTE THAT

HE DIDN'T REPORT THEM PROPERLY.

NOW, TO MAKE A CRIME, YOU HAVE

TO CONNECT THE FAVORS WITH THE

BENEFITS.

THE PROSECUTORS WEREN'T ABLE

TOOED THAT MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE

FRIENDSHIP CLAN.

IT STILL WOULD MAKE GREAT

30-SECOND ADS.

MENENDEZ FLYING OUT TO LUXURY

HOTELS AND LATER CONVICTED OF A

FELONY --

>> AND HE HAS THE MONEY TO MAKE

THE ADS, TOO.

>> MONEY IS IMPORTANT THERE.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, THIS IS GOING

TO BE AN UGLY CAMPAIGN WITH

MENENDEZ BE -- ALL THE BAD

BEHAVIOR IN THE TRIAL, THEN BOB

HUGAN TORTURING CANCER PATIENTS

WITH HIS FRAUD SUIT.

HE'S PORTRAYING THAT HE'S

LEAVING PATIENTS VULNERABLE TO

BEING FURTHER HARMED.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE UGLY, THIS

CAMPAIGN.

I THINK IT WILL MOSTLY BE A TV

BARRAGE OF WHY THE OTHER GUY IS

SO BAD.

IT WILL NOT ONLY BE THE FRAUD

STUFF WITH HUGAN BUT MORE THE

TRUMP STUFF.

>> I ANTICIPATE THE SAME.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE SAME?

>> TRUMP TRUMPS EVERYTHING IN

LIFE, BUT IT WILL BE SO IN THIS

CASE THAT PICTURE THAT YOU

SHOWED OF BOB HUGAN SHAKING HIS

HAND, WE'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT.

AND MONEY ASIDE, IT'S AGAINST

TRUMP AND WE'LL SEE MENENDEZ

WIN.

>> THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT A

MEETING THAT TRUMP HAD WITH THE

PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVES, THE

TOP ONES IN THE COUNTRY, THE

PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND

MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA.

AND HUGAN IS QUOTED AS SAYING

VERY NICE THINGS ABOUT TRUMP TO

MARIA BARTIROMO RIGHT AROUND THE

SAME TIME.

MIKE?

>> HE CALLED TRUMP'S AGENDA AN

AGENDA AND SPOKE FAVORABLY OF

TRUMP.

THAT I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THAT

IN THE CAMPAIGN AD IN NEW JERSEY

FOR BOB MENENDEZ OR THE SUPER

PAC SUPPORTING BOB MENENDEZ.

I THINK THAT COULD CARRY THE DAY

IN NEW JERSEY, THAT COULD BE THE

MESSAGE.

>> LET'S MOVE ON.

GOVERNOR MURPHY HAD ANOTHER BUSY

WEEK.

ON MONDAY HE DID EVENTS ON THE

MINIMUM WAGE AND PUERTO RICO

RELIEF.

ON TUESDAY HE DID A GUN CONTROL

EVENT AND APPEARED ON HIS FIRST

AD THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY

BROADCAST.

ON THURSDAY HE OUTLINED NEW

ACTION FOR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT.

SOMEBODY SAID TO ME AT ONE OF

THESE EVENTS THAT MURPHY IS

SETTING A NEW TONE IN THE STATE.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, DUSTIN?

>> HE IS SETTING A NEW TONE.

I MEAN, THAT WAS OBVIOUS FROM

DAY ONE.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, I GUESS,

A MONTH IN NOW, IS THAT HE'S

REALLY -- HE'S MR. INCLUSIVE

WITH HIS ARMS WIDE OPEN.

EVERYBODY COME HUDDLE WITH ME,

I'M GOING TO PROTECT YOU AND

HELP YOU AND SPEND ALL THIS

MONEY ON YOU.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW,

WHAT HIS PRIORITIES ACTUALLY

ARE.

WE WON'T FIND THAT OUT UNTIL

NEXT MONTH WHEN HE DELIVERS A

BUDGET.

A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT HE DID

IN THE PAST WEEK, I THINK, WAS

MOSTLY SYMBOLIC, BUT IT WAS

SIGNIFICANT ON THURSDAY, I THINK

IT WAS, THAT HE MADE THAT

TRANSIT ANNOUNCEMENT.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY ACTION THAT HE

TOOK TO TRY TO HELP NEW JERSEY

TRANSIT.

THEY'RE GOING TO SPEED UP

REPAIRS AND YEAH, THEY'RE TRYING

TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON WHAT HE

CALLED A DISASTER IN NEW JERSEY

TRANSIT, AND THAT MEANS MORE

THAN ANYTHING.

>> WHAT TONE IS MURPHY SETTING,

MICHAEL?

>> I THINK A VERY PROGRESSIVE

TONE.

AND A VERY MUCH OF A

DO-SOMETHING GOVERNOR WHO IS OUT

THERE, MAYBE IT'S FOR MEDIA

ATTENTION, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE

NOT MUCH IS BEING DONE OTHER

THAN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER OR

SOMETHING SYMBOLIC, BUT HE'S

SETTING A TONE THAT I'M A

PROGRESSIVE AND GOING TO

DEMONSTRATE, I'M A PROGRESSIVE

IN NEW JERSEY.

>> MIKE, WHAT TONE?

>> I AGREE WITH WHAT EVERYONE

SAID HERE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT'S MISSING

IS THE BIGGEST TICKET ITEMS THAT

HE'S PROMISED, THE FULLY-FUNDING

PENSIONS, FULLY FUNDING THE

SFRA, THE SCHOOL FUNDING, AND

HIS BUDGET, HE HASN'T GONE INTO

DETAILS ON THAT.

THAT MAY COME IN THE BUDGET

ADDRESS, BUT I THINK FOR

LEGISLATORS AND FOR PEOPLE WHO

COVER IT EVERY DAY, IT'S

INTERESTING TO SEE THAT HE HAS

NOT FLUSHED THAT OUT YET.

>> TOM, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> HE HASN'T YELLED AT ANYBODY

YET, HAS HE?

IT'S A DIFFERENT TONE.

RIGHT NOW HE'S TAKING ALL THE

THINGS CHRISTIE DID THAT WERE

UNPOPULAR AND PLEASING PEOPLE

ALL OVER THE PLACE, MINIMUM

WAGE, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, STUFF

ON CLIMATE CHANGE, THESE ARE

THINGS, HE'S BUILDING UP GOOD

WILL LEADING INTO THE BUDGET

FIGHT, WHICH WILL BE YOU

CANNILY.

HE AS IN NO GOOD OPTIONS THERE

SO HE HAS TO INFLICT PAIN TO GET

A SHARED SACRIFICE.

THIS PART IS GOING REALLY WELL,

I THINK.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT HIS ASK

GOVERNOR MURPHY PROGRAM.

DUSTIN, YOU WROTE AN ACCOUNT

THAT WAS VERY WRY AND FUNNY.

AND YOU POINTED OUT A PARTICULAR

MOMENT THAT KIND OF JUMPED OUT

AT ME AS I HEARD IT.

WE CALL IT THE CORNY DAD SIDE OF

MURPHY.

THERE'S A WOMAN WHO CALLS IN,

SHE HAS A 21-YEAR-OLD AUTISTIC

SON, SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT HIM

AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

LET'S HEAR IT.

>> I HAPPEN TO HAVE A SON.

AND I'M IN THE PROCESS OF

LOOKING FOR A DAY PROGRAM.

>> WHAT IS HIS NAME IF I MAY

ASK?

>> FRANK.

>> FRANK, I LOVE THAT GUY.

>> I LOVE THAT GUY.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT CHARACTER

THAN THE ONE WE'VE HAD FOR THE

LAST EIGHT YEARS.

>> 180 DEGREES DIFFERENT.

MURPHY, HIS PERSONALITY, HE'S

NOT -- HE'S SO DIFFERENT FROM

CHRISTIE IN EVERY WAY.

AND IT MAY BE ENDEARING TO

PEOPLE THAT HE'S SO LOVING AND

WELCOMING OF PEOPLE.

BUT I'M SORRY, I'M SKEPTICAL AS

A REPORTER, THAT COMES OFF TO ME

AS SO INSINCERE.

BUT THAT IS JUST PART OF WHO

MURPHY IS FOR --

>> WITH SOUTHERN CUTS LIKE THAT,

HE WAS VERY VAGUE AND JUST

REPEATING ASSERTIONS FROM HIS

CAMPAIGN.

>> WELL, YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY

IT.

HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

>> BASICALLY HE DIDN'T SAY

ANYTHING.

>> HIS ASK THE GOVERNOR, THEY

HAD A LOT OF HARD QUESTIONS FOR

HIM, BUT HE KICKED OFF THE

HIGHLIGHT REEL OF HIS CAMPAIGN

PROMISES.

HE DIDN'T REALLY ANSWER ANY

SPECIFICS.

AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE

REAL FLAW IS IN THAT FIRST

APPEARANCE.

AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT

SOUND LIKE, OH, IT'S TERRIBLE

THAT MURPHY IS THIS CASUAL AND

LOVING GUY.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE GREAT

QUALITIES TO HAVE, BUT HE DIDN'T

OFFER REALLY MUCH SUBSTANCE

THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> ON THE OTHER HAND, THE DAY

AFTER THIS HORRIBLE SCHOOL

SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED IN

FLORIDA THIS WEEK, HE DID HAVE

SOMETHING TO SAY.

AND HE SAID IT WITH CONVICTION.

LET'S HEAR THAT.

>> THE WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH.

THE EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY ARE

NOT ENOUGH.

WE MUST ASK.

AND I'M JUST FEARFUL THAT WE'RE

GOING TO HAVE A REDO OF NEW TAB,

CONNECTICUT.

SEVERAL PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES,

MANY OF THEM KIDS.

IT RIPPED ALL OUR HEARTS OUT, UP

INCREDIBLE SORROW AND INACTION

IN CONGRESS, LITERALLY INACTION.

>> I SAW THAT AND THOUGHT, HE

HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A

LEADER ON THIS ISSUE.

DO YOU AGREE?

>> WELL, NEW JERSEY'S GUN LAWS

ARE ALREADY PRETTY STRICT.

YOU CAN FIDDLE, I DON'T THINK

THERE'S HUGE CHANGES WE CAN MAKE

IN NEW JERSEY'S LAW.

HE COULD BE A SPOKESPERSON, BUT

I THINK THERE ARE PLENTY OF

THEM.

SO I GUESS I DON'T SEE GREAT

POTENTIAL FOR HIM.

>> AT HIS EVENT TWO DAYS

EARLIER, HE CALLED FOR SIX GUN

CONTROL TIGHTENING MEASURES THAT

CHRISTIE VETOED.

SO THERE'S ROOM FOR HIM TO MOVE,

BUT I THINK RHETORICALLY, THE

NATION NEEDS MORE SPOKESPEOPLE

FOR THIS PARTICULAR POINT OF

VIEW.

AND I THINK HE COULD BE ONE.

ANYBODY WANT TO ADDRESS THAT?

>> THIS LOOKS LIKE THE SAME KIND

OF REACTION OF MOST POLITICIANS,

REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THE

AISLE THEY COME FROM.

THERE'S A MAJOR DISASTER, THEY

HEM AND HAW, WE NEED MORE LAWS

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND FOR ME, THE QUESTION ALWAYS

COMES UP, DO YOU REALLY NEED

MORE LAWS?

OR DO YOU NEED BETTER

ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS THAT YOU

ALREADY HAVE?

AND THE CASE OF THE FLORIDA

SHOOTER, FOR INSTANCE, OBVIOUSLY

SOMEONE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD

A GUN.

AND PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN

DEEMED, AT SOME POINT, TO USE

THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS, DISTURBED

IN SOME WAY, AND PROBABLY SHOULD

HAVE BEEN AJUD KATED THAT WAY.

AND IN DOING SO, MAYBE HE WOULD

HAVE BEEN ON A REGISTER WHERE HE

WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AT

LEAST LEGALLY BUY A GUN.

SO IF WE TALK ABOUT THE

POLITICIANS, MORE LAW FOR THIS,

MORE LAW FOR THAT, ENFORCE WHAT

YOU ALREADY HAVE.

IMPROVE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO A

DEBATE WITH CONGRESS OR STATE

LEGISLATORS ABOUT, WE NEED MORE

GUN LAWS, WHAT ABOUT

ENFORCEMENT?

WHAT ABOUT ENFORCING THE LAWS

YOU ALREADY HAVE?

>> ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS?

>> JUST THAT THE POLITICAL

REALITY IS THAT WE ARE IN THE

GRIP OF FANATICS AND CONGRESS

HAS BOUGHT ON THIS.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE OPINION

POLLS, MOST PEOPLE WANT SENSIBLE

GUN REGULATION.

SO IT IS TRUE, WE NEED TO DO

BETTER ENFORCING THE EXISTING

LAWS AND NEED NEW LAWS, AND WE

ARE NOT ANYWHERE IN THE

NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE ARE IN

THE GRIP OF THE FANATICS.

>> WE NEED TO KEEP GUNS AWAY

FROM THE DISTURBING AND ANGRY

PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE

MECHANISM FOR DOING THAT.

>> I THINK THAT THERE IS AN EASY

OPENING FOR MURPHY HERE IN

CONTRAST TO THE GOVERNMENT

PROGRAM.

I DID PICK UP ON REAL SINCERITY

THERE IN HIS REMARKS.

HE IS A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR WITH

A DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATOR,

LEGISLATURE, THAT IS EAGER TO

PASS MORE GUN LAWS BASED ON

THEIR PAST ACTION.

AND HE COULD REALLY EMERGE AS

THE NEW FACE OF PROGRESSIVISM

AND PASSING REALLY STRICT

PROGRESSIVE GUN LAWS WHILE

PROTECTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT

AS HE HAS SAID.

SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY -- HE

FACES ALL THE OTHER TROUBLES

WITH THE LEGISLATURE, THIS SEEMS

TO BE AN EASY PASS FOR HIM TO BE

AT THE VANGUARD OF THIS.

>> MIKE CATALINI, I THINK YOU

BROKE THIS STORY THIS WEEK THAT

JACK SHATARELLI WHO RAN FOR

GOVERNOR THIS PAST YEAR IN 2017

CAME UP SHORT IN THE REPUBLICAN

PRIMARY IS ALREADY EYEING 2021

AND BEING THE REPUBLICAN TO RUN

AGAINST MURPHY.

>> YEAH, THAT CAME OUT OF -- I

CALLED JACK TO TALK ABOUT BOB

HUGAN, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE HUGAN

ANNOUNCED THE DAY BEFORE AND HAD

THE EVENTS THIS WEEK IN

SPRINGFIELD AND UNION COUNTY AND

IN BURLINGTON.

AND I GOT TO TALKING TO HIM

ABOUT HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH TRUMP

IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN?

AND HE WAS SAYING, YOU NEED TO

THREAD THE TRUMP NEEDLE AND YOU

NEED TO STAND UP AND DISAGREE

WITH TRUMP WHERE YOU DISAGREE

WITH HIM.

AND HE SAID HE WAS SORT OF FIRED

UP.

I SAID, YOU SOUND LIKE YOU'RE

STILL INTERESTED IN POLITICS,

ARE YOU RUNNING FOR ANYTHING?

I SAID, ARE YOU RUNNING FOR

GOVERNOR IN 2021?

HE SAID, YES, IF YOU ASK ME

TODAY, I'M RUNNING.

THAT'S TWO YEARS AWAY.

THAT'S A LONG WAY OFF.

A LOT OF THINGS COULD HAPPEN.

>> THE QUOTE THAT JUMPED OUT AT

ME FROM YOUR PIECE WAS BE STILL,

MEANING MURPHY, HE STILL HASN'T

COME TO GRIPS THAT HIS PROMISES

JUST AREN'T REALISTIC.

THAT'S THE KNOCK ON MURPHY, IS

IT NOT?

UP AND DOWN THE STATE, THAT HE'S

JUST MAKING TOO MANY EMPTY

PROMISES?

>> I THINK SO.

I LIKE MOST OF HIS PROMISES, BUT

HE HASN'T COME CLOSE TO

PROVIDING SOME VISUAL FOR HOW

HE'S GOING TO FINANCE THEM.

WE'LL SEE IN A MONTH WHEN HE HAS

TO MAKE THE REAL DECISIONS,

ENOUGH FOR THE RHETORIC AT THIS

POINT.

>> THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE OF

MURPHY THAT I'M STRUCK BY.

AND THAT IS WHAT I CALL THE

HAPPY WARRIOR SIDE.

HE SEEMS TO BE HAVING A GOOD

TIME.

HE SEEMS TO BE GROWING INTO THE

JOB.

HUBERT HUMPHREY WAS THE ORIGINAL

HAPPY WARRIOR BACK IN THE '60s.

I HAD A MOMENT WITH MURPHY THIS

WEEK, LET'S HEAR IT.

HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING IT SO FAR?

HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?

>> WE ARE LOVING IT.

WE ARE 27 DAYS IN.

IT'S AN ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY.

IT'S ABOVE WHAT WE THOUGHT IT

WOULD BE.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE.

>> MICHAEL HILL, WHAT DO YOU

THINK?

>> I THINK HIS FACE, HIS TONE, I

THINK HE ABSOLUTELY RELISHES

THIS.

I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING HE

THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

I THINK THAT THIS IS -- HE'S

LIVING HIS DREAM.

>> I DON'T THINK HIS ANSWER WILL

EVERY CHANGE IN THE NEXT FOUR

YEARS.

>> YOU DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO

HAVE A BAD DAY?

>> I THINK HE'LL HAVE A LOT OF

BAD DAYS.

BUT I THINK -- THAT'S HIS

DEMEANOR, HIS DEFAULT IS THE BE

THE HAPPY WAR YORE.

THAT'S IN HIS DNA.

AND I THINK HE'LL ALWAYS SAY,

THIS IS THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE

OF MY LIFE AND THE GREATEST JOB

AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE IT.

>> THAT'S A GREAT DEMEANOR TO

HAVE IN POLITICS, IS IT NOT.

>> IT IS.

HE'S ON A WINNING STREAK.

HERE'S A GUY THAT WAS NEVER IN

POLITICS AND BECAME GOVERNOR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE TRY TO BE

GOVERNOR.

>> YEAH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SPEAKING OF, WELL, NEVERMIND.

LET'S MOVE ON.

PRESIDENT TRUMP LAID OUT A $1.5

TRILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN

THIS WEEK THAT SPANS $200

BILLION FEDERAL DOLLARS OVER TEN

YEARS AND LEVERAGES THE REST.

HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY GOES

TOWARD THE GATEWAY TUNNEL

PROJECT IS UNCLEAR.

THE PLAN MOVES GATEWAY'S

PRIORITY FROM MEDIUM-HIGH TO

MEDIUM-LOW.

MICHAEL HILL, WHAT DO YOU MAKE

OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN?

>> IT'S ODD FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS,

WHO IS A NEW YORKER AND KNOWS

HOW IMPORTANT THAT COMMUTING IS

HERE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND YOU HAVE A CORPORATION BASED

IN NEW YORK CITY, YOUR EMPLOYEES

HAVE TO GET BACK AND FORTH,

OTHER BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT

YOUR BUSINESS HAVE TO --

EMPLOYEES HAVE TO GET BACK AND

FORTH.

WHY IT IS NOT A PRIORITY?

>> THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO

DO WITH THIS PERSONALLY OR

WHETHER THIS HAPPENS AT A LOWER

LEVEL, I MEAN, THE FEDERAL

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION THAT'S

DISTRIBUTING THE PRIORITIES, YOU

CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, IS TRUMP

PUNISHING THE BLUE STATES?

WHAT DO YOU SEE GOING ON?

>> I THINK HE'S BARGAINING WITH

CHUCK SCHUMER AND SAYING, I'M

NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS

UNLESS YOU DANCE WITH ME ON

SOMETHING ELSE.

THIS HAS TO BE BUILT.

THIS IS THE MAIN RAIL CONNECTION

BETWEEN BOSTON AND WASHINGTON.

WE'RE A GREAT NATION.

THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHETHER

THIS IS GOING TO BE BUILT AFTER

IT COLLAPSES AND THERE'S AN

ECONOMIC RUIN IN THIS REGION OR

IN TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE

TO CONCEDE, THIS IS A VERY LOW

PRIORITY, GIVE ME A BREAK.

THAT'S JUST NONSENSE.

AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE

GAME REGARDS IT AS NONSENSE.

THE WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN IS

A BIT FARCICAL.

WE WERE TOLD, YOU'RE GOING TO

HAVE ALL THE SHINY NEW -- THIS

IS -- THIS IS LIKE ONE OF HIS

CASINOS.

DOESN'T IT?

HIS BIG NAME AND HALF BANKRUPTCY

AND REALLY LAME.

SO, I MEAN, $200 BILLION IS

NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH.

>> OVER TEN YEARS.

>> AND NO ONE BELIEVE THAT IS

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE

INTEREST CAN FILL IN THE GAP OF

$1.3 TRILLION.

THERE'S NO ONE I HAVE TALKED TO

WHO BELIEVES THAT.

SO THIS IS POLITICAL POSTURING,

I HOPE.

OTHERWISE IT IS INSANITY.

>> ANYBODY ELSE ON GATEWAY?

>> HIS ADMINISTRATION SHOULD

HAVE A FRANK CONVERSATION WITH

THE REGIONAL PLAN ASSOCIATION.

>> ANYTHING ELSE, MIKE?

>> I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW -- WHEN

YOU HEAR MURPHY TALK ABOUT

GATEWAY, IT'S SORT OF THE ONE

AREA WHERE HE -- HE SAYS HE'S

GOING TO TALK TO TRUMP AND IS

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT.

ON THOSE THINGS MURPHY IS HIGHLY

CRITICAL OF TRUMP WE ALL KNOW,

IT'S SORT OF HOW HE GOT INTO

OFFICE.

AND I WONDER IF HE'S -- I'M

CURIOUS IF HE'S MAKING THE

CALCULATION, IF I CAN GET INTO

THE ROOM WITH THE PRESIDENT, WE

CAN TALK ABOUT THIS WITH CHUCK

SCHUMER.

IS THAT GOING TO SEAL SOME SORT

OF A DEAL?

>> TALKING ABOUT RHETORIC AND

ALL THE OTHER DEALS HE'S SO

CRITICAL OF IN SOME POINT IF HE

WANTS TO MAKE A DEAL WITH TRUMP.

WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE FOR THE

FORMER ASSEMBLY SPEAKER BECOMING

THE NEW CEO OF THE SPORTS AND

EXPEDITION AUTHORITY.

REACTION?

>> IT'S A CLUB OF 500 PEOPLE AND

THEY TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER IN

TRENTON.

HE'S IN THE CLUB.

HE GETS A BIG JOB BECAUSE HE WAS

SPEAKER.

>> IT'S A $280,000 A YEAR JOB.

>> THERE'S NO WAY HE'S THE MOST

QUALIFIED NERN THE COUNTRY TO DO

THIS JOB.

>> ONE THING THAT DID OCCUR TO

ME IS WHEN I WAS EVALUATING THIS

NEWS IS HE DOES LIVE ABOUT A

MILE FROM GIANTS STADIUM, FROM

METLIFE STADIUM.

HE CAN WALK TO THE CAUCUS RIGHT

ACROSS ROUTE 3.

SO HE DOES HAVE SOME GEO

AWARENESS.

>> GEO AWARENESS.

>> GEO AWARENESS.

>> HE CAN WALK TO WORK NOW, TOO.

>> HE CAN WALK TO WORK.

YEAH, I GUESS THERE'S A WALKWAY

OVER THAT HIGHWAY.

AND MARIJUANA, IN 30 SECONDS, IT

SEEMS TO BE IN TROUBLE,

LEGALIZATION.

>> YES.

I THINK IT IS IN TROUBLE.

WE'RE GOING TO, MORE THAN LIKELY

DECRIMINALIZE, WHICH MEANS THE

VIOLENT DRUG TRADE WILL

CONTINUE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE GOT TO MOVE TO YOUR

JOURNALISTIC HIGH POINTS OF THE

WEEK.

MICHAEL HILL.

>> JUDGE GRANT DOWN IN TRENTON

TALKING ABOUT CHANGES TAKING

PLACE IN ESSEX COUNTY.

AND LARGELY BECAUSE OF, WHAT A

LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING,

LARGELY BECAUSE OF A DEADLY

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE IN

NEWARK.

>> WHERE THE JUDGE IS GETTING

SOME CRITICISM.

FOR LETTING SOMEBODY OUT.

MIKE?

>> I'LL MENTION THE -- YOU

MENTIONED THAT MEDIUM-LOW FOR A

GATEWAY RATING FROM THE TRUMP

ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK THAT CAME OUT IN A

POLITICO REPORT, THEY GOT AHOLD

OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT, THAT

WAS A GOOD PIECE OF REPORTING.

>> DUSTIN?

>> MY COLLEAGUE SCOTT FALLON AND

JIM O'NEAL HAVE PUBLISHED A

LENGTHY INVESTIGATION ON DUPONT

AND ITS ROLE IN HIDING SOME

DISTURBING CANCER-CAUSING

CHEMICALS UP IN THAT AREA.

IT'S ALREADY UP ONLINE.

AND YOU CAN BUY IT STARTING

SUNDAY IN THE PAPER.

>> TOM?

>> IT'S A LOW-LIGHT, AFTER THE

SHOOTING I HAVE HEARD NOTHING

THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE

OTHER TWO DOZEN SCHOOL

SHOOTINGS.

WE ARE SO STUCK AS A COUNTRY.

>> AND MINE WAS ASSEMBLYWOMAN

HOLLY SHAPIZI'S UNDERCOVER VIDEO

WHEN SHE WENT INTO AN

UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE IN BERGEN

COUNTY, THERE WERE ABOUT 45

PEOPLE WAITING HOURS TO BE

PROCESSED BY ONE CLERK, SECOND

TIME I HEARD A COMPLAINT ABOUT

THE LABOR DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK.

>>> UP NEXT ON NJTV,

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MIKE

ASHIRO FOLLOWED BY THREE

OBSERVERS.

THAT'S THIS WEEKEND'S "ON THE

RECORD."

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEKEND.

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