>>> THE SENATE HAS CLEARED A KEY
>>> THE SENATE HAS CLEARED A KEY HURDLE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH
HURDLE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE SENATE
ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE SENATE VOTED 82-12 TO END DEBATE ON A
VOTED 82-12 TO END DEBATE ON A TRUMP-BACKED BILL THAT HAS BEEN
TRUMP-BACKED BILL THAT HAS BEEN LED BY JARED KUSHNER.
LED BY JARED KUSHNER. NOW IT’S MAKING ITS WAY TO A
NOW IT’S MAKING ITS WAY TO A FINAL VOTE, WHICH COULD HAPPEN
FINAL VOTE, WHICH COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS TODAY.
AS EARLY AS TODAY. IF YOU DON’T KNOW IT, IT IS THE
IF YOU DON’T KNOW IT, IT IS THE FIRST STEP ACT.
FIRST STEP ACT. IT MAKES CHANGES THAT INCLUDE
IT MAKES CHANGES THAT INCLUDE GIVING JUDGES MORE LEEWAY TO
GIVING JUDGES MORE LEEWAY TO DIVERGE FROM STRICT MANDATORY
DIVERGE FROM STRICT MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCING LAWS FOR
MINIMUM SENTENCING LAWS FOR NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS.
NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS. IT ELIMINATES THE POSSIBILITY OF
IT ELIMINATES THE POSSIBILITY OF LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR
LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR THREE-STRIKE DRUG OFFENDERS.
THREE-STRIKE DRUG OFFENDERS. IT WOULD ALSO CREATE PROGRAMS TO
IT WOULD ALSO CREATE PROGRAMS TO PROTECT FIRST-TIME NONVIOLENT
PROTECT FIRST-TIME NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
OFFENDERS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. THAT’S A WORD.
THAT’S A WORD. TIM PHILLIPS AND CHRISTINE QUINN
TIM PHILLIPS AND CHRISTINE QUINN BACK WITH ME.
BACK WITH ME. CHRISTINE, STARTING WITH YOU, I
CHRISTINE, STARTING WITH YOU, I FIND IT EXTRAORDINARY AND
FIND IT EXTRAORDINARY AND POSITIVE TO SEE SO MUCH
POSITIVE TO SEE SO MUCH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. WHY IS THIS A BIG WIN FOR BOTH
WHY IS THIS A BIG WIN FOR BOTH PARTIES?
PARTIES? >> WELL, RIGHT NOW FOR BOTH
>> WELL, RIGHT NOW FOR BOTH PARTIES, WE HAVE JAMMED TO THE
PARTIES, WE HAVE JAMMED TO THE GILLS PRISONS ALL OVER AMERICA
GILLS PRISONS ALL OVER AMERICA THAT ARE COSTING FAR MORE MONEY
THAT ARE COSTING FAR MORE MONEY THAN ANYONE EVER ANTICIPATED WE
THAN ANYONE EVER ANTICIPATED WE WOULD SPEND.
WOULD SPEND. IF YOU’RE A REPUBLICAN, YOU
IF YOU’RE A REPUBLICAN, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE GOING TO BE SAVING
KNOW, YOU’RE GOING TO BE SAVING PEOPLE MONEY.
PEOPLE MONEY. IF YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT, THIS IS A
IF YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT, THIS IS A VERY HUMANE STEP FORWARD.
VERY HUMANE STEP FORWARD. IT’S A WAY TO UNDO SOME OF THE
IT’S A WAY TO UNDO SOME OF THE DAMAGE THAT WE SAW IN THE LATE
DAMAGE THAT WE SAW IN THE LATE ’80s AND EARL ’90s.
’80s AND EARL ’90s. >> BUT THERE’S NOT REALLY A BIG
>> BUT THERE’S NOT REALLY A BIG LOBBYING EFFORT.
LOBBYING EFFORT. THERE HASN’T BEEN POLITICAL
THERE HASN’T BEEN POLITICAL WILL.
WILL. WHY NOW?
WHY NOW? >> IT’S BEEN BUILDING, RIGHT.
>> IT’S BEEN BUILDING, RIGHT. IT’S BEEN BUILDING AS AN ISSUE
IT’S BEEN BUILDING AS AN ISSUE CONTINUALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
CONTINUALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY AS WE SEE REAL
PARTICULARLY AS WE SEE REAL SCANDALS IN HOW JAILS AND
SCANDALS IN HOW JAILS AND PRISONS ARE RUN.
PRISONS ARE RUN. AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT,
AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU SEE HOW MUCH REHABILITATION
YOU SEE HOW MUCH REHABILITATION IS NOT HAPPENING AND HOW OUR
IS NOT HAPPENING AND HOW OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ONLY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ONLY MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE.
MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE. THAT’S AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN
THAT’S AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN MAKE IN DIFFERENT WAYS ON BOTH
MAKE IN DIFFERENT WAYS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
SIDES OF THE AISLE. >> WELL, 12 REPUBLICANS ARE NOT
>> WELL, 12 REPUBLICANS ARE NOT MAKING THAT ARGUMENT.
MAKING THAT ARGUMENT. TOM COTTON HAS AN OP-ED IN "THE
TOM COTTON HAS AN OP-ED IN "THE NATIONAL REVIEW," SAYING HE’S
NATIONAL REVIEW," SAYING HE’S TOUTING AMENDMENTS TO THIS BILL
TOUTING AMENDMENTS TO THIS BILL AND SAYING CONSERVATIVES HAVE,
AND SAYING CONSERVATIVES HAVE, QUOTE, JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON
QUOTE, JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON TOO SOON.
TOO SOON. YOU DO NOT STAND WITH TOM COTTON
YOU DO NOT STAND WITH TOM COTTON ON THIS.
ON THIS. YOUR ORGANIZATION SIGNED A
YOUR ORGANIZATION SIGNED A LETTER TO SENATE LEADERS
LETTER TO SENATE LEADERS SUPPORTING IT.
SUPPORTING IT. WHY?
WHY? >> VERY MUCH SO.
>> VERY MUCH SO. WE’VE BEEN ON THIS ISSUE FOR A
WE’VE BEEN ON THIS ISSUE FOR A DECADE, GOING BACK TO THE OBAMA
DECADE, GOING BACK TO THE OBAMA YEARS, WORKING WITH VALLEY
YEARS, WORKING WITH VALLEY JARRETT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL
JARRETT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLD PER.ER.
ERIC HOLD PER.ER. THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR US.
THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR US. AMERICAN INCARCERATION RATES ARE
AMERICAN INCARCERATION RATES ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD.
AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD. RECIDIVISM, FOLKS WHO GO BACK TO
RECIDIVISM, FOLKS WHO GO BACK TO PRISON, WE HAVE THE WORST RECORD
PRISON, WE HAVE THE WORST RECORD ON THAT ARGUABLY IN THE
ON THAT ARGUABLY IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD.
DEVELOPED WORLD. IT’S A TRAGEDY FOR OUR PEOPLE.
IT’S A TRAGEDY FOR OUR PEOPLE. IT WASTES TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
IT WASTES TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I’LL TELL YOU WHY SUPPORT IS
I’LL TELL YOU WHY SUPPORT IS BUILDING.
BUILDING. BECAUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
BECAUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AT THE STATE LEVEL HAS BEEN A
AT THE STATE LEVEL HAS BEEN A STEADY DRUM BEAT.
STEADY DRUM BEAT. THESE FEDERAL GUYS AND GALS HAVE
THESE FEDERAL GUYS AND GALS HAVE LOOKED OVER AT THEIR STATES AND
LOOKED OVER AT THEIR STATES AND WENT, WOW, TEXAS WAS ABLE TO
WENT, WOW, TEXAS WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THREE PRISONS, SAVE $3
CLOSE THREE PRISONS, SAVE $3 BILLION, AND CRIME RATES GO
BILLION, AND CRIME RATES GO DOWN.
DOWN. MAYBE THAT WOULD WORK AT THE
MAYBE THAT WOULD WORK AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
FEDERAL LEVEL. SO THE STATE EFFORT, WHICH WE’VE
SO THE STATE EFFORT, WHICH WE’VE BEEN A PART OF FOR ALMOST A
BEEN A PART OF FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW, HAS I THINK GIVEN
DECADE NOW, HAS I THINK GIVEN THE FEDERAL FOLKS THE WILL AND
THE FEDERAL FOLKS THE WILL AND ASSURANCE TO DO THIS.
ASSURANCE TO DO THIS. SENATOR COTTON IS A GOOD MAN.
SENATOR COTTON IS A GOOD MAN. HE’S JUST WRONG ON THIS.
HE’S JUST WRONG ON THIS. I THINK HE’S STUCK BACK IN THE
I THINK HE’S STUCK BACK IN THE EARLY 1990s.
EARLY 1990s. >> BUT WHY?
>> BUT WHY? HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 1990s.
1990s. >> I’M JUST TELLING YOU, THE
>> I’M JUST TELLING YOU, THE APPROACHES HE TAKES, MANDATORY
APPROACHES HE TAKES, MANDATORY MINIMUMS THAT HAVE NOT WORKED,
MINIMUMS THAT HAVE NOT WORKED, THAT HAVE NOT IMPROVED SAFETY,
THAT HAVE NOT IMPROVED SAFETY, AND THEY’VE HARMED A LOT OF
AND THEY’VE HARMED A LOT OF LIVES, IT’S A TRAGEDY.
LIVES, IT’S A TRAGEDY. AND IT’S FINALLY GOING TO BE
AND IT’S FINALLY GOING TO BE FIXED.
FIXED. THERE ARE THREE AMENDMENTS THAT
THERE ARE THREE AMENDMENTS THAT SENATOR COTTON IS PROPOSING.
SENATOR COTTON IS PROPOSING. THEY’RE POISON PILLS.
THEY’RE POISON PILLS. WE WOULD URGE SENATORS TO VOTE
WE WOULD URGE SENATORS TO VOTE NO ON ALL OF THEM.
NO ON ALL OF THEM. IT’S SIMPLY A LAST GASP ATTEMPT
IT’S SIMPLY A LAST GASP ATTEMPT TO HARM THIS LEGISLATION.
TO HARM THIS LEGISLATION. WE HOPE THEY DON’T WORK, AND WE
WE HOPE THEY DON’T WORK, AND WE DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO.
DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO. >> ALL RIGHT.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN COULD THIS BE A
WELL, THEN COULD THIS BE A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE?
CHRISTMAS MIRACLE? WE TALK EVERY MOMENT ABOUT HOW
WE TALK EVERY MOMENT ABOUT HOW DIVIDED WE ARE.
DIVIDED WE ARE. IF WE SEE THIS KIND OF
IF WE SEE THIS KIND OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND IF
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND IF SOMETHING GOES THROUGH JUST
SOMETHING GOES THROUGH JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AS WE
BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AS WE WALK INTO 2019, DOES THAT GIVE
WALK INTO 2019, DOES THAT GIVE YOU HOPE THAT PROGRESS IS AHEAD?
YOU HOPE THAT PROGRESS IS AHEAD? WHEN PEOPLE VOTED IN THE
WHEN PEOPLE VOTED IN THE MIDTERMS, I ACTUALLY THINK THEY
MIDTERMS, I ACTUALLY THINK THEY VOTED FOR BIPARTISANSHIP AND
VOTED FOR BIPARTISANSHIP AND PROGRESS MORE THAN THEY VOTED TO
PROGRESS MORE THAN THEY VOTED TO OBSTRUCT THINGS.
OBSTRUCT THINGS. >> IT’S HARD TO HAVE HOPE.
>> IT’S HARD TO HAVE HOPE. I WANT TO BE HONEST.
I WANT TO BE HONEST. EVERY TIME I DO, YOU FEEL LIKE
EVERY TIME I DO, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GET --
YOU GET -- >> BUT IF WE DON’T HAVE HOPE, WE
>> BUT IF WE DON’T HAVE HOPE, WE HAVE NOTHING.
HAVE NOTHING. >> WHY WOULD WE NOT HAVE HOPE
>> WHY WOULD WE NOT HAVE HOPE WHEN HE’S LED THE EFFORT ON
WHEN HE’S LED THE EFFORT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM? >> OKAY, HE HASN’T LED THE
>> OKAY, HE HASN’T LED THE EFFORT.
EFFORT. >> JARED KUSHNER ABSOLUTELY HAS.
>> JARED KUSHNER ABSOLUTELY HAS. >> YES, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
>> YES, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. >> OKAY, THE TRUMP
>> OKAY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, GUYS.
ADMINISTRATION, GUYS. COME ON.
COME ON. I THINK WE’RE GOING A LITTLE
I THINK WE’RE GOING A LITTLE FAR.
FAR. >> MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP
>> MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. >> I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT’S
>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT’S HARD --
HARD -- >> JARED KUSHNER HAD TO TWIST
>> JARED KUSHNER HAD TO TWIST MITCH McCONNELL’S ARM TO EVEN
MITCH McCONNELL’S ARM TO EVEN LOOK AT THIS.
LOOK AT THIS. MITCH McCONNELL’S OWN
MITCH McCONNELL’S OWN DAUGHTER --
DAUGHTER -- >> HE WOULDN’T DO IT.
>> HE WOULDN’T DO IT. >> THAT’S A DIFFERENT DEBATE OF
>> THAT’S A DIFFERENT DEBATE OF WHETHER JARED KUSHNER WOULD DO
WHETHER JARED KUSHNER WOULD DO THINGS WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT’S
THINGS WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT’S KNOWLEDGE, BUT YOU’RE RIGHT,
KNOWLEDGE, BUT YOU’RE RIGHT, STEPHANIE.
STEPHANIE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE HOPE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE HOPE. THERE’S FACTS HERE THAT ARE
THERE’S FACTS HERE THAT ARE SHOWING PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER
SHOWING PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER FOR A CONSTITUENCY THAT DOESN’T
FOR A CONSTITUENCY THAT DOESN’T VOTE.
VOTE. >> DING, DING, DING.
>> DING, DING, DING. >> THAT’S THE EVIDENCE WE SHOULD
>> THAT’S THE EVIDENCE WE SHOULD CONTINUE, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME
CONTINUE, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, INTO THE NEW YEAR.
OF YEAR, INTO THE NEW YEAR. HAVE HOPE.
HAVE HOPE. >> WELL SAID.
>> WELL SAID. >> A CONSTITUENCY THAT DOESN’T
