Sen. Blumenthal clashes with Homeland Security Secretary nominee Kristi Noem

Mayor Adams says his meeting with Trump covered jobs and ceasefire deal, but not his criminal case

TikTok to go dark on Sunday unless Biden administration gives ‘definitive’ assurances

News 12’s ‘Ask Gov. Murphy’ to air Jan. 22 at 4 p.m.

Gov. Lamont proposes tax cut for small businesses. What could that mean?

Schumer: SALT deduction cap is crippling New York families

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News 12 Staff

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Seeing the Prime Minister of Qatar giving the The statement that the deal is on and then President Biden and. You know, and I'm, I'm crying and I'm not like it's very, it's very emotional to know that the deal is coming. We are not sure that our son is in the list and we don't know when we are going to see him. We have to start to negotiate immediately for the second phase, 5 minutes from now. So hopefully between now and 42 days from now we will see our son getting out. The parents of tennis Ian Alexander reacting, holding out hope after word of the hostage ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas this week. Joining me now is someone who has had many conversations with the Alexander family over these past 15 months, Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Josh Gottheimer. Congressman, it's good to see you. Thanks for having me. Listen, uh, we're going on now 469 days, uh, and, and counting. It seems like the framework of this deal wouldn't see Ian Alexander's release until the second phase. Is that how you're understanding it? As it's been laid out, um, it would not be until the second phase, as we heard the Alexanders talk about, and obviously I've been in regular touch with them. So overall this is a very promising development, obviously with the votes out of the Israel more cabinet to move forward with this agreement, but it's in phases and right now the Alexanders wouldn't see their son until the second phase. You know, it was back in November that, uh, they got this proof of life video, also psychological warfare, uh, of their son Idan that was released. This family, all the hostage families, they've been through hell. How realistic is it in your mind that any deal, any deal will hold, especially given that right after this one was announced, a senior Hamas official went on TV and proclaimed that what occurred on October 7th quote will remain a source of pride for our people. Pride and that they were ready to do it again, another October 7th, right, as part of that same statement, which gives you a sense of why they're terrorists and why they're enemies of our country and why we have to do everything we can to not only free all of the hostages but especially to get the Americans home like Aon Alexander, who's who's an American who's from Pennafly, New Jersey, who went to 1. high school and was on the swim team, you know, we've got to get Adan home. We can't stop, uh, working until all of the Americans are home, until all the hostages are free, of course. And as part of all this, as you know, also, there's a humanitarian aid that'll go back in. Israel will be pulling back out of, uh, out of Gaza. But what remains is making sure that we Crush our enemies that the terrorists, the Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad stand strong against Iran, or who are obviously all purveyors of terror, and, and seek to undermine our freedom and our democracy. And what's been clear since the beginning of this is these terrorist groups, their number one enemy is actually the United States of America. Um, not Israel, and they've made that pretty clear, uh, in their statements and their proclamations, which is why, you know, as we get the Americans home and all the hostages free, we can't lose sight of the fact of of threats to our country and those continue like the Houthis continue to attack American ships um and our interests in the region. So. You know, we have a lot of work to do here. This is a very promising development, uh, very important that we get all the hostages home, but I'm not going to rest until we see every, uh, last hostage for you, especially the Americans, especially Don, and my heart breaks for the Alexander family. They, as you hear them, they're just incredibly positive people. They just always wake up optimistic. Um, and you know we're gonna get their son home and uh again talk to them all the time and, and we're we're, we're very focused on making sure we get it down home. Congressman, I want to shift gears here because, uh, some news of the week I want to talk to you about. You introduced two bipartisan pieces of legislation. The first with Congressman Jeff Van Drew. It's meant to stop congestion pricing. How would this legislation go about that? So basically, as you know, the, the MTA in New York have have gone full steam ahead with the congestion tax, whacking our hardworking Jersey families with $9 a day to go into New York on top of what you pay to go over the bridge or through the tunnels. So for the nurse or the electrician, uh, this is a real or a copper teacher. This is really a huge new tax for a lot of our families. So it says to the MTA if you continue to move forward with this, despite the pollution it's gonna affect New Jersey with despite what it's gonna do to our families, their pocketbooks, you will lose your uh federal grants, and a new infrastructure grants that the MTA gets the federal government will end until they start, stop hitting our families in New Jersey and New York with a new congestion tax. Congressman, uh, listen, the other piece of legislation, uh, this week regarding salts, uh, and you have a coalition of co-sponsors on this one, including Congresswoman and gubernatorial hopeful Mikey Sherrill. Uh, what does this bill entail? Well, there's 20 of us, Democrats and Republicans. Uh, I co-chair of the SAT caucus. We got together this week again, our strategy to to fully bring back the salt deduction and give families a tax cut here in Jersey, right? And if you bring salt back, if you bring the deduction back so that you get to deduct what you pay in your state income taxes in your state property, your local property taxes. Before you pay your federal taxes, this will mean a huge tax cut for our families, and this year, 2025 is the big debate over a tax bill, which is why this is really relevant right now. And so our bill, our bipartisan bill will fully bring back the salt deduction and give lower taxes to our families, hardworking middle class families in Jersey. And so there's a lot of promise here. This is a big fight. There's a You know, you've got Democrats and Republicans working together and you're going to see a lot of back and forth in the coming months on this and I'm very focused when obviously this is my bill that I'm leading with Andrew Garburio from New York, very focused on getting a tax cut for families and making life more affordable. All right, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, we have to leave it right there, but uh I do appreciate your time as always. Thank you so much for being on the show. Thanks for having me. Have a great weekend. You too. Well stay with us. We've got a lot more to come here on New Jersey Power and Politics as we focus in on offshore wind. They've pinned so many hopes for the future on this pursuit of offshore wind, and it all seems to be collapsing right now. With President-elect Trump about to take office, will offshore wind projects be halted here along the New Jersey coast? That's next right here on New Jersey Power and Politics. We'll be right back.

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Republican Congressman Jeff Van Tree says that he is working with the incoming Trump administration on a new offshore wind ban. News 12 New Jersey's Jim Murdoch has new reaction from local lawmakers. Many, many times more expensive than clean natural gas. So we're going to try and have a policy where no windmills are being built today. Back on January 7th, President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on a stance of offshore wind. Congressman Jeff Van Drews says a potential moratorium is now in the works, leading to an eventual permanent ban. This is going to tackle financial and tax incentives, and it's going to tackle different rulings from BOAM. Summyman Paul Knitra joined with Congressman Van Drew. Rallies over the last 3 years protesting the industrialization of the ocean off New Jersey following dozens of dolphin and whale deaths. They say along with President-elect Trump, those deaths are the result of wind projects and surveying, despite the DEP's and the governor's stance that there is no correlation. The windmills are driving the whales crazy. No one wants any type of industrialization of our oceans. Kniter says the executive. could come as soon as the first month or two of the new administration, but likely sooner. Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone says the demand for electricity is growing fast, furthering the need for solar and offshore wind energy, telling News 12 in a statement, quote, Reliable clean energy alternatives is the only way we have to prevent the most devastating and expensive impacts of climate change, like more extreme storms, sea level rise, erosion. Fires and harm to wildlife. If the ban goes into effect, Canitra says it would have huge impacts on Governor Murphy's New Jersey clean energy goal of 50% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050. This is an absolute black eye for the Murphy administration. They have spent so many taxpayer dollars on this pursuit of offshore wind. Jim Murdoch News 12, New Jersey. Uh, be sure to join us Monday for President-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration ceremony. It's taking place inside the Capitol Rotunda, as we mentioned earlier in the show, frigid forecasts actually forced the change. First time since President Reagan's second inauguration in '85, that it'll actually be indoors. Our coverage begins at 11 a.m. right here on News 12 New Jersey, also streaming on News 12 New York. And just two days later, be sure to join us for the first Ask Governor Murphy of 2025. You follow News 12 on social media to post your questions or call live during the show to ask your questions. Don't miss. Ask Governor Murphy Wednesday at 4 p.m. only on News 12 New Jersey, and that'll do it for this week. I'm Eric Lantz Gruner. As always, we thank you so much for watching New Jersey Power and Politics. We'll see you again next time.

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Laura Matos, Chris Russell and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, also a gubernatorial hopeful, join the show this week. 

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Laura Matos, Chris Russell and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, also a gubernatorial hopeful, join the show this week.

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