DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL, MANY CITIES
ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT
POLICING AND RACIAL INJUSTICE.
BUT SEVERAL STATES ARE SETTING
THEIR SIGHTS ON PROTESTS.
IN FLORIDA, ON MONDAY,
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RHONDAON DeS
SIGNED AN ANTI-RIOT BILL.
IT PREVENTS JAILED PROTESTERS
FROM BAILING OUT BEFORE THEY
APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE, UPS THE
PENALTIES FOR TOPPING MONUMENTS
AND EASIER FOR DRIVERS TO ESCAPE
LIE
LIABILITY IF THEY HIT A
PROTESTERS WITH THEIR CAR.
CHRIS BROWN SAYS, THEY WERENT
GOING TO ALLOW FLORIDA TO BECOME
SEATTLE.
WE WERE NOT GOING TO ALLOW
FLORIDA TO BECOME PORTLAND.
JOINING ME NOW, ONE OF THE
REPORTERS ON THAT "NEW YORK TIMES" STORY, REED EPSTEIN.
TIMES" STORY, REED EPSTEIN.
IM JOINED BY CHARLES
THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU.
YOUR PIECE ALSO LOOKS AT
OKLAHOMA AND IOWA, A FEW OTHER
STATES CONSIDERING SIMILAR
LEGISLATION.
WALK US THROUGH YOUR REPORTING
AND GIVE US A FULLER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANDSCAPE,
IF YOU WILL.
>> CRAIG, THIS ALL STEMS FROM
LAST SUMMER AND THE PROTESTS
FOLLOWING THE GEORGE FLOYD
KILLING BY THE MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT GRIPPED
THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE SAW WAS A LOT OF
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS LOOKED AT
THOSE PROTESTS AND SAW THEM AS
ORGANIZING TOOLS FOR DEMOCRATIC
POLITICIANS, BUT ALSO AS NOT
NECESSARILY PEACEFUL PROTESTS AS
96% OF THEM WERE, BUT AS RIOTS
THAT DAMAGED CITIES.
THEY TELL A FALSE TALE OF WHAT
HAPPENED DURING THOSE PROTESTS
LAST YEAR, AND THEIR ATTEMPT TO
RECTIFY THAT HAS BEEN PIECES OF
THIS LEGISLATION.
IMMUNITY FOR DRIVERS THAT STRIKE
PROTESTERS OR FAR HARSHER
PENALTIES FOR PEOPLE CONVICTED
OF RIOTING OFFENSES.
AND LOWERING THE BARF WHAT
CONSTITUTES A RIOT UNDER STATE
LAWS.
>> CHARLES, THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ATTORNEY, HAS ALREADY FILED A
LAWSUIT AGAINST THAT FLORIDA
CASE.
HOW STRONG OF A CASE DO YOU
THINK THEY HAVE?
>> I THINK THEY HAVE A STRONG
CASE AND I EXPECT ADDITIONAL
CHALLENGES AND THIS MAY END UP
IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT AT
THE END OF THE DAY.
THESE TRAM MANYPLE ON ONE OF THE
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS WE HAVE HERE
IN AMERICA, SAYING WHATEVER SON
YOUR MIND.
CLEVER MARKETING STRATEGY IS
BEING DEPLOYED BY SOME OF THE
LEGISLATORS. THIS DIDNT OCCUR AFTER JANUARY
THIS DIDNT OCCUR AFTER JANUARY
6 ON THE WHITE HOUSE.
BUSINESS HAS NOW BECOME A
PRIORITY.
I WILL LEAVE IT TO YOU AND OTHER
STRURS ASK
VIEWERS TO ASK THEMSELVES WHAT
MAKES THIS A COMMON THREAD NOW
THAT WASNT BEFORE.
>> PEACEABLY ASSEMBLING TO
ADDRESS GRIEVANCES IS GUARANTEED
UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
THIS FLORIDA LAW SEEMS TO TAKE
SPECIFIC ISSUE WITH LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS THAT DECREASE THE
POLICE BUDGET OR DEFUNDED THE
POLICE.
CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THAT?
>> THAT IS A LOT OF WHAT IS IN
THESE REPUBLICAN BILLS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
IRE
IOWAS DOES, TOO.
THE LEGISLATION HEADED TO THE
GOVERNORS DESK WOULD MAKE THEM
LOSE STATE AID IF THEY DEFUNDED
THEIR GOVERNMENTS BEYOND CERTAIN
AMOUNTS.
THINGS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE
PAST YEAR AND TURNING THEM INTO
LAW REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH
RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE TO THE
TRUTH.
>> CHARLES, TO THAT POINT, I
MEAN IF -- PRESUMABLY THESE
LAWMAKERS KNOW THAT SOME OF
THESE LAWS ARE NOT GOING TO
STAND UP IN COURT.
WHAT IS THE GOAL.
IS IT PANDERING?
OR MORE TO IT?
>> I THINK PANDERING HAS A LOT
TO DO WITH IT.
THERE IS A STRONG UNDERCURRENT
OF WHITE NATIONALISM THAT IS
PART OF IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAS
TRIGGERED THESE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION BEING INTERRODUCED,
THEY ARE CHALLENGING TO SOCIAL INEQUITY, CHALLENGES TO RACISM,
INEQUITY, CHALLENGES TO RACISM,
THINGS THAT HAVE KEPT HE KNICKS
MARGINALIZED.
WHETHER ITS FREE SPEECH OR
VOTING OR WHAT MAKES US
AMERICAN, THOSE SYSTEMS ARE NOT
TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO ALL
PEOPLE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS
PANELEDERING AND PANDERING TO A
CERTAIN GROUP OF FOLKS, THAT