The Brian Lehrer Show

One Last Dispatch From Albany

After 25 years covering New York's capital for the Daily News, Ken Lovett is leaving journalism. He reports one last time from Albany, and reflects on his time reporting there.

NJ AG Grewal on 16-State Lawsuit

New York, Connecticut and New Jersey are among the 16 states filing a federal lawsuit to block President Trump’s plan to build a border wall without permission from Congress. New Jersey Attorney General, Gurbir Grewal, talks about why he thinks the President needs to be challenged, and the details of the suit. 

Oscar Docs 2019: RBG

Betsy West and Julie Cohen, directors of RBG, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and Best Original Song, talk about the film and the life and impact of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Presidents' Day Politics: 2020 Roundup

Gabriel Debenedetti, New York Magazine national correspondent, talks about how the candidates for president reacted to the news that Amazon is cancelling coming to Queens, and talks to listeners who were Bernie 2016ers about how they're feeling about Bernie now that he's reportedly close to officially announcing.

Brian Lehrer Weekend: Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Black Migrations 2, Mo Rocca

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Mayor Buttigieg on America's Future (First) | Black Migrations 2 (Starts at 33:58) | Mo Rocca Asks, 'Where Did They Go?' (Starts at 1:08:55)   If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Why Did Amazon Renege on the Deal?

After months of protests, detractors have gotten their way: Amazon will not be coming tothe Big Apple. Vocal Amazon critic NYC City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (26th Queens) talks about what it took to keep the tech giant from his district and takes calls from those relieved and disappointed. "Labor thought they could reach a deal but Amazon walked away from New York rather than adjust their anti-union position," says @JimmyVanBramer. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019 "Amazon decided that they would rather leave New York City rather than change their corporate culture and allow workers to organize. Shame on them for that. Them wanting to leave the greatest city in the world is their loss," says @JimmyVanBramer. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019 "We need jobs, we need tax revenue but we have to not participate in this race to the bottom where corporations and billionaires dictate the values and the process by which we do economic development," says @JimmyVanBramer. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019

Rep. Jeffries on Democrats in the House

U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D NY-8, Central Brooklyn plus parts of Queens), talks about the latest on the federal budget deal and the ongoing investigations, plus local issues — including the Amazon news, affordable housing and criminal justice reform. "I viewed the announcement as a starting point and it appears that Amazon was unwilling to negotiate improve upon things that would have benefited the community and allayed some of the fears," says @RepJeffries. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019 "We have a constitutional responsibility to serve as a check and balance on the executive branch, we don’t work for Donald Trump... There’s a new sheriff in town, her name is Nancy Pelosi… and we’re going to make sure we stand up for the American people," @RepJeffries. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019 "The most significant issue confronting the neighborhoods I represent is the intense socioeconomic gentrification that’s sweeping through central Brooklyn... And to me, getting something done in affordable housing was essential," says @RepJeffries. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019 "95% support the notion of universal criminal background checks. The reason why nothing has happened to date is because in the Republican controlled House they’ve been acting like they’re working for the NRA — those days are over," says @RepJeffries. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 15, 2019

Mayor Buttigieg on America's Future

Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, talks about his possible run for president in 2020 and his new book, Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future (Liveright, 2019). "I can tell we’ve hit a nerve, not only with a generational message but with the substance of what I’m trying to communicate. We’re getting supporters from every state of the union," says @PeteButtigieg. Tweet or call now to talk to the Mayor + presidential hopeful 212-433-9692. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 "I have a lot of respect for the work that’s done in Washington but I think it might be a virtue that I’m not someone who gets up to work in the morning and goes to Washington." 2/2 https://t.co/hkCvgSE3fX — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 "I have more experience in government than the President, and more executive experience than the Vice President. I have more military experience than anyone who has walked into that office since George W. Bush," says Mayor @PeteButtigieg on his presidential bid. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 "That means that things are changing around us and that it’s no longer a theoretical issue, it’s a practical one." 2/2 https://t.co/2wFSz4Ydlb — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 Mayor @PeteButtigieg proposes "'Medicare for All Who Want It'... if people like me are right, organically it will move you toward a single-payer system," if he were to be elected president in 2020. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 "People in my generation are going to change professions.... That’s not a challenge from an income perspective, that’s a challenge from a social perspective. A job isn’t just a paycheck, it’s how we explain how we fit in the world," says @PeteButtigieg. pic.twitter.com/hlDxEsOgLM — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019

Winners & Losers in 2018 Tax Filings

Washington Post economics correspondent Heather Long talks through the details of the Republican tax overhaul that took effect this year and why some people will be surprised by their 2018 tax bills. "For the vast majority of people… their taxes did go down in 2018. 80 percent of Americans paid less taxes in 2018 but their refunds will also be lower," says @byHeatherLong. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019 "You get the same refunds year after year… a lot of people have come to rely on that money and the average refund was $3,000… there’s kind of a shock," says @byHeatherLong on tax season 2019. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 14, 2019

A French Philosopher's Take on America's Role in the World

Philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy talks about his new book, The Empire and the Five Kings: America's Abdication and the Fate of the World (Henry Holt and Co. 2019). "We have an alliance of five kings who are very different but who are aligned with the simple goal of crushing their own people, of weakening America and the West and promoting an assault of civilization," says @BHL on the rise of Russia, China, Turkey, Iran and radical Islamism. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 13, 2019 "For me, in America, what is sad, is that you have the worst Right you’ve ever had, this is Trump, and you sometimes you have the worst Left that you could have, because you have radicalization of the Left which is not good," says @BHL, on a "Jeremy Corbynization" in the U.S. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 13, 2019

Legendary Journalism From a Bygone Era

MSNBC analyst, co-host of Sirius XM Alter Family Politics, and Daily Beast columnist, Jonathan Alter, talks about his new HBO documentary "Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists," which celebrates the two legendary New York journalists — plus talks about the national political news of the day. "There was a problem with political language that Democrats had for a long time and calling it the Green New Deal it signals that it’s about jobs... it’s all positive as long as they don’t attach the ‘s’ word — socialism,” says @jonathanalter. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 13, 2019 "If Trump had his way, five young Black + Latino men would've been executed for a crime they didn't commit. That tells you everything we’ve learned about his contempt for rule of law... for the Constitution, we learned that a long time ago," says @jonathanalter on Central Park 5. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 13, 2019 "When JFK said we’re going to go to the moon by the end of the 1960s people didn’t say ‘well that’s going to cost x, y, z.’ The Green New Deal should be looked at as a way of focusing the intention of the country on climate change and job growth at the same time," @jonathanalter. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 13, 2019

All the Other Trump Organization Investigations

Heather Timmons, White House correspondent for Quartz, talks about how beds in ICE detention facilities factored into the tentative deal lawmakers reached to avoid another government shutdown and how the Special Counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election isn't the only investigation to watch. "Everyone is trying to avoid a government shutdown, but what they have done is purposefully given Trump less for border barriers. Someone explained to me as kind of sending a message that shutting down the government gets you less rather than more," says @HeathaT. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019 "This number of beds that there are and the cap, both parties have supported it at some point. The companies that benefit from this… have huge, strong lobbies here in Washington, D.C." says @HeathaT on the number of beds in ICE detention facilities. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019 "What Democrats wanted to do was cap the number of beds that ICE could have for interior detentions at about 16,000 so they would force them to be only arresting and detaining people that are actually criminals and that’s not what’s been happening," says @HeathaT. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019 "There are two different committees looking into whether Deutsche Bank was involved in money laundering related to the Trump Organization." 2/2 https://t.co/NtMVQ3pQjl — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019 "There’s been such a hope among Democrats that this Mueller report will explain everything… it is not going to be the end-all be-all. That’s why we’re seeing these Democratic committee chairs aggressively pursuing investigations at the same time," says @HeathaT. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019

Wrongful Convictions and Flawed Forensic Science

Jonathan Schuppe, NBC News reporter focused on criminal justice, discusses how the justice system ignores science in pursuit of convictions. "There are basically two categories of forensic science that have come under question. The more controversial ones are bite marks and blood spatter, then there are more common ones like ballistics, shoe prints and finger prints." https://t.co/8Eto1tr1IT — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 12, 2019

Black Migrations 2

The theme for African American history month this year is "Black Migrations." Every Monday in February, we explore different facets of the theme. This week: Dominique Jean-Louis, a curatorial project historian at the New York Historical Society, where she worked on the “Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow” exhibition, and Gloria Browne-Marshall, professor of constitutional law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, civil rights attorney, ASALH board member and chair of the 400th Commemoration, and the author of Race, Law, and American Society: 1607-Present (Routledge, 2007), look at “The Great Migration” when millions of African Americans left the rural South for Northern cities, like New York and Newark.

Democrats Struggle to Find 2020 Messaging

Julie Davis, New York Times congressional reporter, discusses the latest political news, including how Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Amy Klobuchar rolled out their presidential bids over the weekend, and how Democrats struggle with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's refusal to step down amid accusations of racism. "Senator Warren has earned her reputation as a fighter on economic inequality issues… Senator Klobuchar has positioned herself more as person who wants to work across the aisle, who is looking for pragmatic solutions to problems," says @juliehdavis. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 11, 2019 Part of what is keeping Senator Sanders from announcing "is he needs to figure out how he’s going to distinguish his brand from Elizabeth Warren’s… he would have to go hard at her directly in order to clear the field for himself," says @juliehdavis. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 11, 2019 Northam's "reluctance to say the word slavery, to talk about racism, call it what it is… I think that Democrats are rightly worried that it’s undermining their whole appeal as a party of tolerance... that’s dedicated to addressing structural and overt racism," says @juliehdavis. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 11, 2019

The Economics of the Green New Deal

Bob Hockett, Cornell Law School professor and professor of public policy at Cornell University, senior counsel at Westwood Capital, policy expert at New Consensus and a fellow of The Century Foundation, lays out the economics behind Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's "Green New Deal." "At the time of the New Deal, of course millions of Americans were out of work…. In our view, something like that happened in 2008 and we never fully recovered from that. We think what’s needed is a real New Deal-scale investment," says @rch371 on #GreenNewDeal. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 "The environmental movement in the past has largely been telling you what you can’t do… we’re doing the opposite of that. We’re talking about what we can do, which is growing as rapidly as possible into the green powerhouse of the world," says @rch371 on #GreenNewDeal. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 Caller Nancy asks: Would the Green New Deal push for Americans to go vegan? Not exactly, but....@rch371: "We’d like to save the environment partly through modernizing agriculture as well as modernizing industry." (Though he's personally a vegan.) pic.twitter.com/Mlx0BQcURC — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019

Succeed Through Failing

Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, former NYC deputy public advocate, and the author of Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder (Currency, 2019), shares her insights into achieving success through facing the risk of failure. "Male allies are so critical to having a bravery movement, whether it is being thoughtful in terms of how they’re raising our girls," says @reshmasaujani. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 Catch @reshmasaujani on air now talking about her new book "Brave, Not Perfect." https://t.co/JE6GnVgu5p pic.twitter.com/XcskQs9mFW — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019

#AskTheMayor About Amazon and Affordable Housing

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio takes calls from listeners and discusses this week in NYC including the impact of the Trump administration's tax plan on New Yorkers, and how to preserve affordable housing and still make way for Amazon in Long Island City. "The whole Trump tax plan will be repealed, it has to be," because it favors the wealthy, says @NYCMayor. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 "Taxes are too low on millionaires and billionaires. And have been too low for decades," @NYCMayor tells @BrianLehrer — Brigid Bergin (@brigidbergin) February 8, 2019 "$300 million more is in the budget because we’ve added to Special Education," says @NYCMayor on today's #AskTheMayor. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 "When we say ‘homeless,’ these are our neighbors... folks who, often times, just the bottom fell out of their household budget. But that doesn't mean they can’t get back on their feet quickly with our help. And that means being in your home borough whenever possible," @NYCMayor. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 "We cannot act like all of the things that have strengthened us don’t come with other consequences.... you can’t achieve those things if you’re not authorizing development with really clear ground rules and really clear targets for affordability," says @NYCMayor. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 8, 2019 Prepping for a Public Advocate forum he will host tonight, @BrianLehrer asks former PA @NYCMayor about affordable housing and whether he was able to accomplish more in terms of policy or through ombudsman roleBdB says policy like worst landlord list. — Brigid Bergin (@brigidbergin) February 8, 2019

(Many) Candidates for Public Advocate Debate

Errol Louis, political anchor for NY1 News and host of Inside City Hall, recaps the first televised debate among 10 of the 17(!) candidates on the ballot in the special election for NYC public advocate. →For more information about the candidates and the special election on Feb. 26, check out Who's on the Ballot (a not-for-profit voting guide from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs).

Investigations Update: SDNY, Mueller and Congress

Ilya Marritz, WNYC reporter and host of the Trump, Inc. podcast at WNYC, talks about the latest on investigations into the Trump campaign and the Trump inauguration, conducted by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, the special prosecutor's office, and the Democratically-controlled House of Representatives.

Racism, Sexual Assault and Politics in Virginia

Christina Greer, co-host of the New York politics podcast FAQ NYC and associate professor of political science at Fordham University, and Mallory Noe-Payne, reporter for WVTF Virginia Public Radio, talk about the scandal engulfing Virginia's statehouse, as Gov. Northam's political future looks shaky after racist photos surfaced on his page in his medical school yearbook. 

Glenda Jackson as King Lear

Actress Glenda Jackson, British actor and former Labour Party politician, talks about playing King Lear in the upcoming Broadway production and what Americans can learn from the British healthcare system. Previews of the production begin February 28 at the Cort Theatre.  

Gov. Cuomo on Amazon, State Tax Revenues and More

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) talks about the news that State Sen. Gianaris (D Queens) will have a seat on the board that could vote against the Amazon deal, the state tax revenue shortfall and more. On Trump's tax reform: "It was complicated so people didn’t get it.... There was a provision that ended SALT, what it did was it set up two tax structures in this nation and the Democratic states pay higher taxes than the Republican states," says @NYGovCuomo. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 5, 2019 "The states with the largest revenue decline in the country: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Massachusetts. Those are all states impacted by SALT," says @NYGovCuomo. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 5, 2019 "SALT only affects the richer people in society. You get to a state like New York where you are disproportionately dependent on the richest. 1% of the richest pay 50% of the taxes. I believe Trump knew exactly what he was doing," says @NYGovCuomo. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 5, 2019 Will you reject @SenGianaris’s appointment to the PACB?“We’re not there yet,” @NYGovCuomo tells @BrianLehrer, seeming to imply the mechanics of the deal aren’t finalized — Brigid Bergin (@brigidbergin) February 5, 2019

The Boy Scouts Now Welcome Girls

The Boys Scouts program for older kids has been re-named Scouts BSA, and girls are now allowed to join — but not everyone is happy about it, some girls and women included. Listeners call in to share whether their girls are interested in joining, and former Girl Scouts weigh in. My daughter is a Girl Scout in Fort Greene, and she’s flatly uninterested. The existing leadership structure and role models in GSA is unique and powerful. BSA can change their name but their leaders continue fail to provide one of the most important elements of GSA experience. — Det Insp Spacetime (J. Izurieta) (@dream_king) February 4, 2019 @BrianLehrer growing up I wanted to be a Boy Scout so bad, but I was forced to join Girl Scouts & quit after two years. I wanted survival training not singing song at retirement communities. — Emaline Williams (@Ema_line) February 4, 2019 As a former girl Scout, mother of a Boy Scout and scout master, I think making Scouts coed is fine. The programs are different bet GS & BS. PLUS, within the troops, girls and boys will be separate so each gender can experience leadership. — Thoughts of Whiskers (@of_whiskers) February 4, 2019 As a Life Member of Girl Scouts who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award-- equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award-- I find the new Scouts BSA announcement that girls can pursue the highest award too pretty offensive. Help spread the word the Gold Award is an accomplishment too. — Danielle Razel (@RadRayReading) February 4, 2019 I'm a former boy scout, and the cookie parent of a girl scout. Here's an interesting way to couch this. If the Boy Scouts were founded in 2019 would they be gender inclusive? Probably. If Girl Scouts were founded today, they'd probably be girl only, still. Gender bias is real — Andy Parker (@1andyparker) February 4, 2019

Objecting to the NYCHA/HUD Deal

New York City Council Member Ritchie Torres (15th District — Bedford Park, Fordham, Belmont, Mount Hope, Bathgate, East Tremont, West Farms, Van Nest, Allerton, Olinville), chair of the Council’s Committee on Oversight and Investigations, argues the HUD/NYC agreement on NYCHA is not sufficient to solve the problems there. "The episode at the detention center… I commend the Mayor for sending an emergency response team with blankets, with hand warmers, with generators. I thought this moment demonstrated the best in city government and city grassroots activism," says @RitchieTorres. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019 "I’m a skeptic about the deal. NYCHA is in a state of emergency and yet the agreement contains no new emergency funding from the government… there’s not clear mechanism for enforcement but the worst feature is that there’s no court supervision," says @RitchieTorres. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019 "One thing I find particularly offensive is that the [@NYCHA/@HUDNY_NJ] agreement allows NYCHA 20 years to abate all lead in public housing. By the time NYCHA is done with lead abatement, I will have an AARP card. That’s ridiculous," says @RitchieTorres. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 4, 2019