PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM OVER WHAT
HE PERCEIVED AS FLAWED LEGAL
STRATEGIES NOW THE SPRINGBOARD
FOR TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT.
JOINING ME NOW PENNSYLVANIA
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND SENATE
CANDIDATE DEMOCRAT JOHN
FETTERMAN.
THANKS FOR BEING BACK ON THE
SHOW.
>> IT’S GREAT TO BE HERE.
BEFORE I GET STARTED I’M PLEASED
TO REPORT THAT DONALD TRUMP
RETAINS 100% OF THE DEAD
RELATIVE VOTE HERE IN
PENNSYLVANIA.
WE UNCOVERED ANOTHER CASE OF
VOTER FRAUD, COMING FOR HIM.
WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT
PENNSYLVANIA HAD A FREE AND
SECURE ELECTION.
>> STILL GOING AFTER FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IS THAT WHY YOU DECIDED TO RUN?
TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR DECISION
HERE GIVEN THAT RECENT HISTORY,
YOU KNOW, ALL OF IT IN LIGHT OF
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL STARTING
THIS WEEK.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, MY DECISION
TO RUN REALLY IS THE CULMINATION
OF FULL CIRCLE OF THE VALUES,
POLICIES
POLICIES, PRINCIPLES, PLACES,
PEOPLE, WHY I CAME TO A
MARGINALIZED PLACE LIKE BRADDOCK
20 YEARS AGO.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOUR VIEWERS
TO GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHERE
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WAS BACK IN
2001 A FEW YEARS AFTER ENDING
WELFARE AS WE KNOW IT, A FEW
YEARS AFTER THE NOW INFAMOUS
CRIME BILL.
NOW I SHOWED UP HERE 20 YEARS
AGO TO REALLY WORK AGAINST THE
RAGING INEQUALITY THAT I SAW AS
A FUNDAMENTAL THREAT TO OUR
DEMOCRACY AND TO OUR NATION’S
HEALTH.
>> SO LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU WERE IN THE
SENATE.
YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY NOT RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW YOUR POSITION, YOU MADE
IT VERY CLEAR AT THE TOP OF THIS
INTERVIEW ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
IF YOU WERE IN THE SENATE RIGHT
NOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IMPEACHMENT
TRIAL BEGINS TOMORROW.
VOTES COULD HAPPEN POSSIBLY BY
THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
YOU WOULD VOTE TO CONVICT, IS
THAT A SAFE ASSUMPTION AND IF SO
IF THAT DIDN’T GET THROUGH WOULD
YOU VOTE TO CENSURE AS SOME
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS HAVE
SUGGESTED?
>> YEAH, NO, I WOULD PROMISE TO
THE PEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA I
PLAN TO BE 100% SEDITION-FREE IF
I’M ELECTED TO COME IN.
THERE’S ALREADY TOO MANY
SEDITION-CURIOUS MEMBERS OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE AND I WOULD
NEVER BE ONE AND ABSOLUTELY THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD BE IMPEACHED
FOR HIS CONDUCT SIMPLY BECAUSE
OF THE FACT THAT IF NOT HELPING
INCITE A RIOT WHERE POLICE
OFFICERS WERE BLUDGEONED TO
DEATH IS NOT GROUNDS FOR THAT
THEN WHY DO WE HAVE THAT ON THE
BOOKS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF VOTERS IN
YOUR STATE, I DON’T HAVE TO TELL
YOU, WHO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP.
WHY SHOULD THEY VOTE FOR YOU TO
REPRESENT THEM IN THE SENATE?
>> WELL, I MEAN, THERE’S SOME OF
THEM THAT ABSOLUTELY WON’T AND I
ACCEPT THAT.
I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE SOMEONE
VOTE FOR ME AND THEN TELL THE
TRUTH AND WHAT I BELIEVE I KNOW
TO BE TRUE, WHETHER IT’S ABOUT
PAYING A LIVING WAGE THAT PEOPLE
CAN SURVIVE ON, WHETHER IT’S
THAT HEALTH CARE IS A
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT, WHETHER
IT’S THE MEMBERS OF OUR LBGTQIA
COMMUNITIES DESERVE EQUAL
PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW,
WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE
COMPASSIONATE COMMON SENSE
IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THIS
COUNTRY AND END THIS WAR ON
DRUGS AND LEGALIZE WEED ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES, WHETHER WE
SHOULD ADDRESS THE CLIMATE
CRISIS WE ARE CONFRONTING THIS
THIS COUNTRY.
THERE’S SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED
TO GET DONE AND IF YOU DON’T
AGREE WITH ME ON ANY OF THOSE, I
WOULD HOPE YOU CAN STILL VOTE
FOR ME, BUT YOU WILL AT LEAST
KNOW WHERE I STAND PROUDLY AND I
HAVE FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
>> SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME
OF THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE SOME OF
THOSE WILL BE THINGS THAT OF
COURSE A SENATE WILL HAVE TO BE
THINKING ABOUT IN TWO AND A HALF
YEARS FROM NOW, TWO YEARS FROM
NOW.
LET ME START TO GET THINGS
THROUGH THERE IS A DISCUSSION
AMONG SOME DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
THAT YOU NEED TO BASICALLY END
THE FILIBUSTER, WHICH IS SORT OF
THE LONG WAY OF SAYING THAT 60
VOTE THRESHOLD TO GET THINGS
DONE.
THERE’S NOT UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT
IN YOUR PARTY IN THE SENATE ON
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
DO YOU AGREE?
WOULD YOU SUPPORT ENDING THE
FILIBUSTER IF YOU ARE IN THE
SENATE?
>> YES, I WOULD.
AND HERE IS WHY, BECAUSE THESE
ARE SOME FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES
THAT ARE TRUTHS.
LIKE IF YOU DON’T SUPPORT
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15
AN HOUR I WANT YOU TO LIVE AND
WORK FOR $7.25 AN HOUR AND SHOW
ME HOW YOU CAN GET BY AND FEED
YOUR FAMILY QUITE FRANKLY.
IN ORDER TO GET THOSE KIND OF
IMPORTANT THINGS PASSED, WHETHER
IT’S CLIMATE CHANGE OR THINGS
LIKE THAT, YOU NEED TO GET RID
OF THE FILIBUSTER.
THIS IDEA THAT SOME RANDOM
SENATOR FROM A STATE WITH
600,000 PEOPLE CAN HOLD UP THE
DEMOCRATIC WILL AND THE SENSE OF
URGENCY THAT THESE POLICIES ARE
COMING FROM, I DON’T THINK
THAT’S VERY DEMOCRATIC AT ITS
CORE.
>> WOULD YOU VOTE AS IT STANDS
RIGHT NOW IN SUPPORT OF
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S $1.9 TRILLION
COVID RELIEF PLAN?
>> I WOULD, BUT I WAS ALSO
DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT IT
APPEARS THAT THE $15 AN HOUR
MINIMUM WAGE ISN’T PART OF THAT,
WHICH I THINK IT ABSOLUTELY
MUST.
TO ME THAT’S ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEND CHECKS AND
WE SHOULD BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
HURTING, BUT WHAT WOULD THAT
MEAN TO MILLIONS OF LOW-WAGE
WORKERS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE UNITED STATES TO SAY, HEY,
WE’VE GOT A CHECK FOR YOU NOW,
BUT WE HAVE A GIANT PAY RAISE
FOR MANY OF YOU IN THE PIPELINE
BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BODY OF
INDIVIDUALS MAKING $175,000 A
YEAR SAYING THUMBS DOWN ON
RAISING THE WAGE FROM $7.25 AN
HOUR.
IT’S IMMORAL.
IT’S OUTRAGEOUS.
AND IT’S ALSO A MATHEMATICAL
IMPOSSIBILITY.
WE MUST RAISE THE WAGE TO $15 AN
HOUR AND IF THAT COSTS ME VOTES,
HEY, SO BE IT.
BUT I’M ALWAYS GOING TO TELL THE
TRUTH BECAUSE IT’S A
MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY.
>> YOU MENTION IN THE CLIMATE
CRISIS AND I DON’T ACTUALLY
KNOWERS I DON’T KNOW YOU’VE
TALKED ABOUT WHERE YOU STAND ON
THIS ISSUE.
ONE OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT
PRESIDENT BIDEN DID EARLY ON IN
HIS TIME IN OFFICE IS TO END
CONSTRUCTION ON THE KEYSTONE XL
PIPELINE.
DO YOU THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT
MOVE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN?
>> I THINK HE -- PRESIDENT BIDEN
IS WALKING THE LINE
APPROPRIATELY BETWEEN
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT OUR ENERGY
SECTOR IS HOME TO LOTS OF JOBS
AND ALSO THE REALITY THAT OUR
ENERGY SECTOR PROVIDES THE
FOSSIL FUELS PROVIDES 40% OF OUR
NATION’S ELECTRICITY, BUT HE
ALSO RECOGNIZES HOW CRITICA IT
IS TO ADDRESS THIS CLIMATE CLIMA
EMERGENCY AND IS MAKING THAT A
PRIORITY.
WE HAD A PRESIDENT WHO WAS
TEARING UP THE PARIS ACCORD AND
OTHER AGREEMENTS AND THROWING
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AWAY.
NOW YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS
BUILDING THAT BACK AND MAKING
DECISIVE ACTIONS LIKE CANCELLING
THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE WHICH SOME
PEOPLE DON’T SUPPORT.
I THINK HE MADE THE RIGHT CALL.
THERE’S A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT I
DO SUPPORT, INCLUDING ONE ACROSS
THE STREET FROM MY HOME.
THAT’S THE EXPENSE OF A $1.3
BILLION GREEN IS STEEL.
WE MUST MAINTAIN A BALANCE
BETWEEN TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM
FOSSIL FUELS BUT HOLDING THE
UNION WAY OF LIFE SACRED AND
PROTESTING THOSE JOBS AND THOSE
WORKERS THAT ARE IN THAT SECTOR.
>> GIVEN THAT RESPONSE, SAFE TO
SAY YOU ARE NOT FULLY OR WHOLLY
EMBRACING THE GREEN NEW DEAL?
>> I’M EMBRACING WHAT THE GREEN
IDEAL CONSIDERS A PRIORITY.
THE GREEN NEW DEAL ISN’T A
SPECIFIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
WHAT I AM IN SUPPORT OF IS
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CLIMATE
CRISIS IS ABSOLUTELY REAL.
THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
WE MUST ACT DECISIVELY.
WE ALSO MUST PROTECT AND WE ALSO
MUST HAVE A REALISTIC
TRANSITION.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, SINCE MY
FIRST STATE RUN IN 2015, I HAVE
NEVER ACCEPTED A DIME OF FOSSIL
FUEL MONEY EVER IN MY FIRST
SENATE RACE, IN MY RACE FOR
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
I HAVE SIGNED THE FOSSIL FUEL
PLEDGE MONEY BANNING FOR THE ’22
RACE I JUST ENTERED.
THE DECISIONS AND POLICIES THAT
I BELIEVE ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY
COME FROM A PLACE OF SINCERE
BELIEF AND UNDERSTANDING THAT
OFTEN TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT
THE SAME TIME.
BUT IT’S NEVER BECAUSE I
RECEIVED A SINGLE DIME FROM THE
INDUSTRY OR ANYONE THAT WORKS
WITHIN IT.
>> YOU WERE A BIG BACKER OF
SENATOR SANDER’S PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN IN 2016.
FORMER SANDERS SUPPORTER
YOURSELF.
DO YOU HAVE A CONCERN THAT YOU
ARE TOO PROGRESSIVE?
>> NO.
I’M LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
THE SECOND HIGHEST OFFICE
HOLDER.
PENNSYLVANIA MUST LIKE SOMETHING
OF WHAT I STAND FOR.
I DON’T CONSIDER MY POLICIES
PROGRESSIVE.
IT’S A FACT YOU CAN’T LIVE OFF
$7.25 AN HOUR.
IT’S A BIOLOGICAL FACT THAT YOU
ARE GOING TO NEED HEALTH CARE.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO
HEALTH CARE.
CEASE A TINE
THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY DESERVES
EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW.
MARIJUANA WAS LEGALIZED IN SOUTH
DAKOTA.
HOW ARE WE BEHIND SOUTH DAKOTA
ON ANY ISSUE?
I DON’T THINK I’M TOO
PROGRESSIVE.
THE VOTERS OF PENNSYLVANIA
DIDN’T THINK SO.
>> THE DELAY IS KILLING ME HERE.
I’M SORRY.
I WANTED TO ASK QUICKLY BEFORE I
HAVE TO LET YOU GO, YOU MAKE THE
POINT ONE OF YOUR SLOGANS IS
VOTERS IN EVERY COUNTY, EVERY
VOTER, THAT’S WHO YOU ARE
LOOKING FOR.
DID THE EVENTS -- YOU AND I HAVE
TALKED ABOUT THE POST-ELECTION
CLAIMS THAT DONALD TRUMP MADE,
THE LAWSUITS FILED, DID THE ACT
OF WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th,
IS THAT WHAT MOTIVATED YOU?
IS THAT WHAT PUT YOU OVER THE
EDGE TO MAKE THIS RUN?
>> YEAH.
THAT CERTAINLY CRYSTALLIZED IT.
JUST SPENDING MONTHS DEFENDING
THE LIES.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE USED
TO CALL THEM LIES.
THEY NEED TO BE CALLED WHAT THEY
ARE.
I MENTIONEDED IT EARLIER, FOUR
CASES OF VOTER FRAUD AND THEY
WILL SAY THERE WAS FRAUD IN
PENNSYLVANIA AND THAT’S A LIE.
WE CAN’T HAVE A THAT.
IT CAME TOGETHER IN A WAY I
NEVER WOULD HAVE FORESEEN.
SO MANY LINES HAVE BEEN CROSSED
OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS THAT
I DIDN’T THINK WE COULD OR WOULD
IN THIS COUNTRY.
ABSOLUTELY, IT’S WHAT
CRYSTALLIZED IT.
FINALLY, WHAT MADE THE DECISION
THAT MUCH EASIER WAS THAT 38,000
AND COUNTING GRASS-ROOTS DONORS
HAVE STEPPED UP WHEN WE
ANNOUNCED WE’RE JUST KICKING
TIRES, LOOKING AT THIS RACE.
THOSE FOLKS STEPPED UP AND TODAY
WAS MY TURN TO DO THAT.
I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THEIR
SUPPORT.