UP." CORKY MESSNER EMERGED FROM A HARD FOUGHT REPUBLICAN PRIMARY TO TAKE ON JEANNE SHAHEEN, AND NOW HE HAS THE TALL ORDER OF TRYING TO TAKE DOWN THE TWO-TERM
INCUMBENT WHO HAS HAD HER NAME ON NEW HAMPSHIRE BALLOTS DATING BACK THREE DECADES NOW.
MR. MESSNER IS OUR GUEST THIS MORNING.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
MR. MESSNER: GOOD MORNING.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.
ADAM: IF THE POLLS ARE TO BE BELIEVED, YOU ARE DOWN BY DOUBLE DIGITS IN THIS RACE HEADING INTO THE FINAL TWO WEEKS.
IN THE SPORTS WORLD, HOW DO YOU SHOCK THE WORLD?
MR. MESSNER: FROM DAY ONE, WE WORKED EVERY DAY AS IF WE WERE WAY BEHIND.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK EVERY DAY AS IF WE ARE WAY BEHIND TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM, THAT WE ARE
FIGHTING TO BRING JOBS BACK, THAT WE ARE FIGHTING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE BELIEVE WORKING HARD AND GETTING OUR MESSAGE OUT WILL RESULT IN A WIN ON NOVEMBER 3.
ADAM: THE SENATOR HAS ATTACKED YOU LATELY ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SPECIFICALLY THE ISSUE OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WHEN SHE BRINGS UP THAT PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS COULD BE STRIPPED AWAY, YOU SAY THAT IS A FEAR TACTIC.
THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE COULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
MR. MESSNER: THE FIRST THING I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW -- I SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT WILL ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS IN FACT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET HELP FOR
IT.
NO ONE SHOULD BE DENIED HEALTH INSURANCE BECAUSE OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
IN FACT, WHAT I WOULD DO IS COME ON DAY ONE, AND THE U.S. SENATE, I WOULD PROPOSE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS THIS.
NOVEMBER 10, THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO HEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS REGARDING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THE DECISION ON THE ACA WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL NEXT SUMMER.
BYPASSING THAT LEGISLATION EARLY IN JANUARY, THE FEAR OF THE ACA BEING OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT AND THE CONSEQUENCES ON PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO THROUGHOUT THE ACA.
ADAM: YOU THINK THE SEVERABILITY IS GOING TO GO FORWARD.
THERE HAS BEEN BACK AND FORTH IN THIS RACE ON THE ISSUE OF COURT PACKING AND SUPREME COURT SEATS.
WE ARE PUTTING A TWIST ON THAT AND LOOKING AT THE IDEA OF ADDING SEATS TO THE U.S. SENATE.
DEMOCRATS ARE IN FAVOR OF WASHINGTON, D.C. STATEHOOD.
WE TALKED TO SENATOR SHAHEEN ABOUT THAT.
DO YOU SUPPORT STATEHOOD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.?
MR. MESSNER: I DO NOT SUPPORT IT.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THE DEMOCRATS BELIEVE, WRONGLY IN MY OPINION, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SWEEP THIS ELECTION AND WIN THE PRESIDENCY, WIN CONTROL OF THE SENATE, GET CONTROL OF
THE HOUSE.
THEIR PLAN IS TO TAKE ACTIONS LIKE MAKING WASHINGTON, D.C. A STATE THAT WILL KEEP THEM IN POWER FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
IN ADDITION, THE COURT PACKING.
BOTH THOSE THINGS, MAKING WASHINGTON, D.C. A STATE AND COURT PACKING, ARE BAD AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
THE WAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE GRANITE STATE CAN MAKE SURE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN IS TO ELECT ME TO THE U.S. SENATE.
ADAM: WHAT ABOUT STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO?
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM SAID THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION TO FIGURE OUT OF THE WANT TO JOIN THE UNION.
MR. MESSNER: THAT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO TO HAVE THAT KIND OF ELECTION.
I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD BRING PUERTO RICO IN AS A STATE AT THIS POINT EITHER.
ADAM: HOW ABOUT THE RATIONALE?
AS AMERICANS, ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS IS GOVERNANCE IS DERIVED FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE REPRESENTATION.
WHAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR DENYING STATEHOOD FOR PLACES LIKE PUERTO RICO, EVEN TERRITORIES LIKE GUAM?
MR. MESSNER: I THINK THOSE DECISIONS NEED TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
I DO NOT THINK THEY SHOULD BE MADE IN ANY KIND OF WAY THAT IS MOTIVATED BY POLITICS AND MOTIVATED TO GET MORE SENATORS THAT MAY BE DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.
IT IS A MORE COMPLICATED DECISION THAN THAT.
IT NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AS WE PROCEED.
ADAM: CAN YOU PROVIDE AN INSTANCE IN WHICH YOU’VE DISAGREED WITH YOUR PARTY OR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM?
MR. MESSNER: MANY TIMES.
I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES OUT OF CONTROL THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND DEMOCRAT PARTY HAVE BEEN SPENDING FAR TOO MUCH
MONEY.
I DISAGREE WITH HOW THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN SPENDING IN WASHINGTON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
ADAM: CAN YOU NAME A DEMOCRAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ON THESE -- THE SENATE SIDE OTHER THAN SENATOR HASSAN?
MR. MESSNER: THERE ARE SEVERAL.
JOE MENTIONED FROM -- JOE MA NCHIN FROM WEST VIRGINIA IS SOMEONE I CAN WORK WITH FOR SURE.
IN ADDITION, AGNES KING FROM MAI NE I COULD WORK WITH FOR SURE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL.
ADAM: BACK TO THE SUPREME COURT, JUSTICES THOMAS AND ALITO SUGGESTED THE COURT SHOULD REVISIT ITS DECISION IN THE CASE THAT LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THEM?
WOULD YOU SUPPORT WIPING OUT FEDERAL GAY MARRIAGE AND RETURNING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO THE STATES?
MR. MESSNER: I WOULD NOT.
THAT SHOULD STAND.
ADAM: EXPLAIN WHY.
MR. MESSNER: I THINK -- IT HAS BEEN TRIED.
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED.
THERE IS NO RELIANCE.
WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT RELIANCE DURING THE AMY CONEY BARRETT HEARINGS.
RELIANCE IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR.
-- IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR THE COURTS LOOK AT WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT PRESIDENT -- PRECEDENT.
PEOPLE MAY BE MOVING FROM STATE TO STATE AND FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THEIR MARITAL STATUS IS OF THEY DECIDE TO MOVE.
ADAM: I WANT TO REVISIT A QUESTION I ASKED YOU ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO.
I ASKED YOU IF THERE WERE ANY CASES YOUR LAW FIRM, MESSNER REEVES, HEAD TAKEN ON THAT YOU REGRETTED.
SOME OF THOSE CLIENTS AND CASES HAVE COME UP IN THIS RACE, THE BACK AND FORTH, SUCH AS A CHINESE GOVERNMENT INSURANCE COMPANY.
DO YOU REGRET TAKING ON ANY OF THOSE CLIENTS?
MR. MESSNER: IT IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THAT MY LAW FIRM IS A LARGE LAW FIRM, AND THERE ARE MANY CASES GOING ON IN THAT LAW FIRM THAT I AM SOME PLEA NOT AWARE OF.
I WOULD SAY MOST CASES GOING ON AND BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS I AM NOT INVOLVED IN.
I THINK THIS KIND OF POLITICAL QUARTERBACKING IS NOT HEALTHY.
IT IS NOT GOOD.
WE ARE A BUSINESS LAW FIRM.
WE REPRESENT A LOT OF CLIENTS.
I AM NOT GOING TO SAY THAT, LOOKING THROUGH A POLITICAL LENS OF 2020, THAT I WISH WE HAD NOT DONE THAT.
ADAM: IS THERE A PLAN TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE THAT COULD EARN YOUR VOTE IN THE U.S. SENATE?
MR. MESSNER: I THINK THERE IS.
I WOULD SAY THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE EXISTS.
IT HAS EXISTED IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE EARTH.
AS YOU KNOW, I CARE ABOUT THE EARTH.
I HELP PRESERVE PROPERTY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE I LIVE.
I HELP CONSERVE OVER 250 ACRES.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO CLIMATE CHANGE IS IT HAS BECOME SO POLITICIZED.
IT HAS BECOME SO EXTREME ON THE LEFT THAT IT HAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED RATIONAL, REASONABLE DECISION-MAKING.
WE SEE IT IN THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD.
ANY SCIENTIST THAT MIGHT DISAGREE WITH HOW THE LEFT VIEWS CLIMATE CHANGE, THEY ARE OSTRACIZED.
THEY ARE ATTACKED.
THE MOB GOES AFTER THEM.
THAT DOES NOT MAKE FOR A GOOD, OBJECTIVE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS.
AS WE KNOW, FOR SCIENCE TO WORK, THERE NEEDS TO BE PURE REVIEW.
THERE NEEDS TO BE CHALLENGING.
THAT IS HOW YOU END UP WITH THE BEST DECISIONS IN SCIENCE, COMPETING VIEWS.
STEP ONE WOULD BE TO GET OUT THE EXTREME POLITICS.
TRY TO GET THAT OUT OF IT.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE WE DO IS BRING TOGETHER SOME SCIENTISTS WHO ARE OBJECTIVE AND UNBIASED.
SCIENTISTS WHO CAN COME TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY COME UP WITH AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE EXTENT MAN-MADE ACTIVITY IS IMPACTING CLIMATE CHANGE AND
WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT IT.
IN ADDITION TO LOOK AT IT ON A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT COME IN TO THE EXTENT THAT HUMAN ACTIVITY IS IMPACTING CLIMATE CHANGE, WE HAVE A WHOLE WORLD OF HUMAN ACTIVITY.
HOW DO WE BRING ABOUT -- BRING THE WORLD TOGETHER TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
I KNOW THE U.N. HAS DONE A BIT OF THAT, BUT THE U.N. HAS BECOME SO POLITICIZED IN THIS AREA AS WELL.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO COME UP WITH REASONABLE AND RATIONAL POLICIES TO GET RID OF THE EXTREME POLITICAL NATURE OF THIS AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
ADAM: CORKY MESSNER, THANKS FOR JOININ