Legislators, community members protest Trump's Nassau Coliseum rally

Thousands gather at Nassau Coliseum for Trump rally

Voters to decide on replacement for late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. today

Proposal aims to cap Citi Bike cost to same as MTA fare

Trump supporters arrive at Nassau Coliseum, prepare to camp out for place in line

Haitians in Rockland County challenge politicians to condemn false reports about Haitian immigrants in Ohio

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News 12 Staff

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Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic that you will bear truth, faith and allegiance to the same that you will take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter. So help you. God, yes. Thank you, Senator George Helmy being sworn in this week, Senator Cory Booker, as you can see right by his side, we thank you for joining us here on power and politics. I'm Eric Lanz Krenner. As you saw, there's a New US Senator for the State of New Jersey and he is right here with me now in studio on the heels of what has been a whirlwind week. I'd like to welcome for the first time here with me on power and politics. Senator George Helming. Good to see you so good and such an honor to be back with you. Congratulations. Uh First of all, talk about the range of emotions from this week. I I obviously this is coming on the heels of controversy and, and what, what has been a bit of a black eye for the State of New Jersey? What does it mean to you to step in at this time? Uh, uh, the, the emotion is a, it's a great word to use. I mean, from the moment the governor approached me about it, you always find yourself unworthy to represent people and to deliberate and decipher and debate in the greatest institutions, whether it be in the Halls of Trent or in the halls of the United States Senate, the issues that will affect families today and for generations to come. So that like undeserved this I think was initial. But you know, you showed the clip of my senior senator, my dear friend and my former boss, Senator Booker walking me down the aisle of the United States Senate to take my oath. And that was an overwhelming uh moment for me to have my family in the gallery to have so many folks from New Jersey politics and New Jersey government and a host of the Coptic and Arab community represented in the gallery. It was deeply emotional, deeply personal and something I will remember that emotion for the rest of my life. Actually, Governor Murphy, when he appointed, you spoke about the historic nature of this, that you are currently the, the only Arab American serving in in the US Senate. Uh And of course, Senator Chuck Schumer mentioned that you are the first Coptic Christian to ever serve in the US Senate. So you, you just mentioned this, you touched on it, just speak about the historic nature of it. Look, I think in New Jersey, we're such a diverse community that we have the opportunity really for so many firsts. But the outpouring of support both directly to me, people who've never met me, uh both from the Muslim and the Christian communities, uh from Egypt, but even sort of the broader Middle East, the Arab American community to me and my parents, it, it has meant a lot to the generation that came over and left the country. They love to provide Children like me and my brother who were yet unborn when our parents came over a better life. Those communities have reached out, they've been overwhelmed with support and joy that someone that they can resonate with, that resembles their upbringing, whether it's for a day or three months or 30 years gets to impact policies made at the United States Senate. And I carry that with me. And I would also say, you know, Senator Menendez's legacy, I carry with me because he represented migrant immigrant and diverse communities as a part of his legislative legacy. And I reflect on that with every vote I take and with every hearing II I, I'm in, it means a great deal to me. By the same token, how do you turn the page? How do you leave the controversy behind? And plow a path forward. E even though it's just for really just a short few months, I, I think we have to be able to separate. Uh, and I've said this, you have to be able to separate sort of the legal piece of what's going on with Senator Menendez and what he's facing from the legacy of a, as a legislator. And if you look at his legacy, it's been incredibly impactful to the country. Uh And he's been incredibly impactful as a legislator to New Jerseyans. Uh and, and, and I think I've taken that with me as just this, you know, this, this week, we've had hearings on the salt deduction, which I'm gonna fight for for the next three months as the tax policy begins, senior fraud, which is incredibly important to our uh elder community. Uh You know, and I've been looking at the opportunities to protect our appropriations and move other pieces forward and whether it's a day or three months in the United States Senate, you can make a lot of impact and I appreciate that I am one of 100 voices and if I'm able to start conversations that build on that legacy, whether it be Senator Lautenberg's legacy, Senator Menendez's legacy, Senator Booker's legacy, I'll have an impact. Talk to me about the first bill that you introduced this week because this was something, of course, it's also a very emotional topic because it has to do with the passing of Congressman, Bill Pascal. Uh Thank you for the question, Eric, I, I am a product of communities and people who have invested in me when they didn't have to. A number of folks including Bill Pascrell showed me kindness and decency. Uh When I was a nobody uh in the world of governance and policy. And um it was a wonderful opportunity to follow Congressman Pallone to elevate uh a community, a city and a park that Congressman Pascrell loved. And the second thing I'm gonna do is pick up another one of Paul's bills that'll name a grant program. Whereas everybody knows Pascrell was so focused on traumatic brain injuries, whether it was our veterans coming home or our youth sports or youth athletes. That's another piece and hope to name the grant program after Pascrell as well. It was deeply important to me that that'd be the first thing I'd do out of the gate and, and, and just to clarify, I mean, we're talking about the entire congressional dele delegation in New Jersey supporting the renaming of the Great Falls of Patterson. That's right. I, I was very pleased with uh uh a Congressman Flo's leadership in the, my, my senior senator supporting it and all the other members getting on on board as well. It was a solemn first week for you. Obviously, you, you, you had your first bill. So it's a week of so many firsts for you. But it was also a solemn week and that was also the 23rd anniversary of 911. And you also are behind legislation having to do with uh firefighters and cancer. Yeah. So, I mean, uh in, in just this first week, not only have had the hearings and, and the pieces of legislation that we introduced, but I attended a gold ceremony, a gold medal ceremony for the families and the lives lost uh at, at Abbey Gate um uh uh in Afghanistan. And then as you mentioned the uh ceremony for the 23rd anniversary of, of 911. And it was important to me on that day to reflect on the first responders, uh those who we have lost and those who continue to fight illnesses and, and really, it's astonishing that we don't yet have federal resources to allow for every first responder to do the multi screenings available for cancer. I'm hopeful that we can do that and I was proud to support Josh Gottheimer, advancing that piece of uh legislation and again, very, very proud that my senior senator supported me there as well. Unfortunately, we have to leave it there one quick question. Five seconds. How does it feel to see your name on the wall? Senator Helming? Uh I still haven't gotten used to it as I tell my team, uh just call me George because if you say the word Senator, I'll be looking around with you as well. Senator George. Tell me, thank you. So much for being here. Thank you. Congratulations again. Thank you so much for having me and keep it right here on New Jersey. Power and politics. Much more coming up after the break.

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New developments this week on a controversy in Atlantic City, a grand jury moves ahead with charges against the high school's principal for hiding that a student was allegedly being abused at home. That student is the mayor's daughter. The principal is constant Da Chapman. Uh The prosecutor's office alleges that a 15 year old told Daze Chapman that her parents were hitting her causing headaches. She's required to report that. And that student as the associated press has reported is the daughter of Mayor Marty Small. Uh The mayor's wife is a school superintendent. So the principal's boss, prosecutors say that the teen also reported the abuse to another school staffer who brought it to the principal, Dave Chapman denied knowing about it. And then she's accused of meeting with Mayor Small and his wife outside their house. The mayor and first lady are accused of beating their daughter. Mayor Small is alleged to have hit his daughter multiple times on the head with a broom. The mayor has said that they are going to therapy and that this is a family matter. Well, this coming Wednesday is election day in New Jersey's 10th congressional district Democrat and New York City Council President La Monica mcivor is squaring off against Republican Carmen Buco. They're vying to serve out the remainder of the late Congressman Donald Payne Junior's term. He passed away in April. The two will go head to head in November again to serve a full two year term. Settlements were reached this week over the so called county line county clerks in Burlington and Middlesex agreed to stop using the so called county line ballots as part of a deal just approved by a federal judge. What this means is that the slate of candidates backed by party bosses, party leaders will no longer have preferred ballot positions which has given them an edge in the past. The federal judge who approved the deal also banned the line for this past primary election. The democratic primary after Congressman Andy Kim sued as part of his effort to become Senator Congressman Kim calling this quote the start of a new era of politics. Casino workers are taking their case to end smoking in casinos to the state's highest court, the UAW region nine and cease which stands for casino employees against smoking effects have filed for emergent relief with the New Jersey Supreme Court. Their goal is to end the exemption to the indoor smoking ban that has allowed smoking to continue on 25% of the casino floor just two weeks ago. A judge tossed the lawsuit which sparked the appeal. The casinos oppose ending smoking completely saying it will cost revenue and jobs that will do it for this week. I'm Eric Lands Kroner. As always, we thank you for watching New Jersey Power and Politics. We'll see you again next time.

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This week's New Jersey Power & Politics show takes a look at the first and seemingly only presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Power & Politics: Taking a look at the debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris

This week's New Jersey Power & Politics show takes a look at the first and seemingly only presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Legislators, community members protest Trump's Nassau Coliseum rally

Thousands gather at Nassau Coliseum for Trump rally

Voters to decide on replacement for late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. today

Proposal aims to cap Citi Bike cost to same as MTA fare

Trump supporters arrive at Nassau Coliseum, prepare to camp out for place in line

Haitians in Rockland County challenge politicians to condemn false reports about Haitian immigrants in Ohio

Legislators, community members protest Trump's Nassau Coliseum rally

Thousands gather at Nassau Coliseum for Trump rally

Voters to decide on replacement for late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. today

Proposal aims to cap Citi Bike cost to same as MTA fare

Trump supporters arrive at Nassau Coliseum, prepare to camp out for place in line

Haitians in Rockland County challenge politicians to condemn false reports about Haitian immigrants in Ohio

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