♪♪
>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
WELCOME BACK.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH OUR FRIEND,
JON BATISTE.
HELLO, JON.
>> Jon: HELLO.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WHAT'S THE WORD.
>> Stephen: I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU BECAUSE
I KNOW ON SATURDAY YOU ARE GOING
TO BE LEADING A MARCH, AN EVENT,
A HAPPENING--
>> Jon: YES.
>> Stephen: ABOUT JUSTICE.
WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE?
AND HOW CAN PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT
IT.
>> Jon: OH, MY GOODNESS, GO ON
INSTAGRAM, JON BATISTE, AND
YOU'LL SEE IT THERE.
IT WILL START AT UNION SQUARE AT
1:00 P.M., AND WE ARE GOING TO
MARCH AND WE ARE GOING TO
CELEBRATE AND SING SONGS OF LOVE
AND FREEDOM.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY IMPACTFUL.
SO, PLEASE, JOIN US.
>> Stephen: I AM SO HAPPY TO
HEAR THAT, JON.
>> Jon: MMM.
>> Stephen: I THINK-- I THINK
YOU HAVE THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND
INCLUSIVENESS, AND JOY THAT IS
GOING TO BE SO MEANINGFUL TO
PEOPLE THIS WEEKEND.
AND I HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOW
UP.
BE CAREFUL, PLEASE NCHTSZ OH,
YEAH, YEAH.
GOTTA BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
>> Stephen: PEACEFUL MARCH.
PEACEFUL.
>> Jon: IT'S PEACEFUL.
WE ARE PEACEFUL, BUT WE MEAN
BUSINESS.
SO THE WE'RE THE BUSINESS OF
PEACE.
>> Stephen: WELL, JON, DO DO
YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO PLAY FOR US
AS WE GO OUT TO THE WEEKEND
HERE, MAYBE SOMETHING YOU MIGHT
BE PLAYING TOMORROW.
>> Jon: OH, MY GOODNESS.
♪ AIN'T GONNA LET NOBODY TURN ME
'ROUND
TURN ME 'ROUND, TURN ME 'ROUND
♪ AIN'T GOING TO LET NOBODY TURN
ME 'ROUND
GOING TO KEEP ON MARCHING, KEEP
ON MARCHING,
♪ MARCHING ON TO FREEDOM LAND ♪
>> Stephen: IT'S NOT GOING TO
GET BETTER THAN THAT.
THANK YOU, JON.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED, YES,
INDEED.
>> Stephen: HAVE A GOOD
WEEKEND.
>> Jon: YOU, TOO!
HAVE A GOOD ONE!
>> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST HAS
BEEN A CONGRESSWOMAN SINCE 2011.
SHE'S CURRENTLY THE CHAIRWOMAN
OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK
CAUCUS AND LEADING THE HOUSE'S
LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY ON JUSTICE
FOR BLACK AMERICANS.
PLEASE WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN
KAREN BASS.
CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> Stephen: NOW, I UNDERSTAND
AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, YOU
JUST ENDED A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL
CALLED, "LIVING WHILE BLACK IN
AMERICA."
WHO WERE SOME OF THE VOICES YOU
WERE HEARING FROM TODAY?
>> WELL, LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE
INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES, PERIOD, BUT
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF
WHAT WE'RE FACING.
AND PEOPLE WERE JUST IN GENERAL
EXPRESSING THEIR ANGUISH AND
THEIR FATIGUE-- HOW LONG, HOW
LONG, HOW LONG?
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE
KILLED ON A VIDEO?
>> Stephen: WHAT... WHAT IS--
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW
LEGISLATIVELY?
WHAT DO YOU AS A CONGRESSWOMAN,
THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS,
THE DEMOCRATS AND THOSE ALLIES
YOU CAN FIND IN THE REPUBLICAN
CAUCUS, WHO CAN SEE THE
INFLECTION POINT WE'RE AT RIGHT
NOW NOW?
I KNOW SPEAKER PELOSI HAS ASKED
YOU TO LEAD THE ACTION THAT'S
GOING TO BE TAKEN TO--
INVESTIGATE WHAT CAN BE DONE
RIGHT NOW.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS IN THE SHORT
TERM?
>> SURE.
WELL, ON MONDAY WE WILL BE
HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE
UNVEILING A BILL WE WILL
INTRODUCE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE
HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
AND, BASICALLY, THE BILL COVERS
SEVERAL AREAS, BUT LET ME JUST
PUT IT THIS WAY: IT IS SO
DIFFICULT WHEN YOU FIND AN
OFFICER THAT HAS BEEN
PROBLEMMIC-- EXCESSIVE FORCE,
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS-- IT'S
DIFFICULT TO FIGHTER INDIVIDUAL,
PRIEWPT THE INDIVIDUAL, OR SUE
THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND SO LAWS NEED TO BE CHANGED
TO ALLOW OFFICERS TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE.
THEN THERE NEEDS TO BE
LEGISLATION THAT INCREASES
TRANSPARENCY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE
OFFICER THAT KILLED GEORGE FLO
FLOYD, HE WAS FIRED.
IF HE HAD NOT BEEN ARRESTED, HE
COULD HAVE EASILY MOVED TO
ANOTHER TOWN AND BEEN HIRED AS A
POLICE OFFICER.
AND SO, COMING FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF ANY PROFESSION--
I DON'T CARE WHAT PROFESSION IT
IS, YOURS, MINE-- NONE OF US
WANT TO HAVE BAD APPLES IN OUR
PROFESSION THAT SOILS THE NAME
OF THE PROFESSION THAT WE'RE IN.
SO WANTING TO GIVE POLICE
DEPARTMENTS TOOLS SO THAT THEY
CAN FIRE AN OFFICER AND THEN
THEY CAN KNOW WHETHER THAT
OFFICER IS GOING TO ANOTHER
TOWN.
SO A NAICIAL DATABASE OF
OFFICERS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC.
>> Stephen: SO IF A, SAY, THE
OFFICER WHO KILLED GEORGE FLOYD,
IF HE HAD GONE TO ANOTHER TOWN,
THERE WOULD BE NO CALL TO THE
PREVIOUS POLICE DEPARTMENT HE'D
WORKED FOR?
THEY WOULD NOT SAY THAT HE HAD
BEEN FIRED FOR CAUSE AND THE
UNLAWFUL DEATH OF SOMEONE?
>> THEY COULD, BUT MAYBE NOT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU REMEMBER
THE 12-YEAR-OLD CHILD THAT WAS
KILLED, TAMIR RICE?
HE WAS PLAYING WITH A GUN, AND
THE OFFICER WITHIN 60 SECONDS
SHOT HIM AND KILLED HIM?
THAT OFFICER HAD BEEN FIRED A
FEW MONTHS EARLIER BY ANOTHER
DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WHEN YOU
HIRE SOMEBODY.
MAYBE THEY TELL OW AERENCE,
MAYBE THEY DON'T.
MAYBE YOU DO DUE DILIGENCE,
MAYBE YOU DON'T.
SO PART OF THE DUE DILIGENCE
WOULD BE A LOT EASY FER THERE
WAS A NATIONAL DATABASE, JUST
LIKE THERE IS-- I MEAN, IN THE
MEDICAL PROFESSION, THE LEGAL
PROFESSION.
THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA.
BUT POLICE OFFICERS ARE
ESSENTIALLY SHIELDED FROM THAT.
AND IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICER THAT
HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN INVOLVED IN
OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS OR
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, THEN WE
NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO
INTERVENE, AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT.
>> Stephen: HAS WANT POLICE
UNION BEEN HELPFUL IN THIS?
DO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT
SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE?
>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK-- YOU
KNOW, WE-- OUR OUTREACH WILL
BEGIN.
SO FAR, THE INTERACTIONS HAVE
BEEN GENERALLY POSITIVE.
NOW, WE WILL SEE.
WHEN THE BILL IS REVEALED--
BEFORE WE WERE JUST TALKING
CONCEPTUALLY.
BUT WHEN POLICE UNIONS SEE THE
BILL, WHEN IT'S INTRODUCED ON
MONDAY, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE WILL
SEE.
BUT I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT THERE IS AN OPENNESS RIGHT
NOW.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, YOU HAVE SEEN POLICE
OFFICERS KNEELING, TAKING A
KNEE.
YOU'VE SEEN THEM MARCHING ALONG
WITH PROTESTERS.
NOW, YOU'VE SEEN SOME BAD
THINGS, TOO.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE ARE AT A
MOMENT OF AN INFLECTION POINT IN
OUR COUNTRY.
AND I AM VERY, VERY HOPEFUL THAT
THAT INVOLVES POLICE OFFICERS,
TOO.
SEVERAL POLICE CHIEFS, AFTER
THEY SAW THAT HORRIFIC VIDEO,
SAID THAT IF ANYBODY IN MY
DEPARTMENT THINKS THAT THAT WAS
OKAY, THEY NEED TO TURN IN THEIR
BADGE.
THAT'S THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP WE
NEED RIGHT NOW.
>> Stephen: WHAT-- WHAT DO YOU
THINK OF THE ACTIONS IN
LOS ANGELES ABOUT REMOVING $150
MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUTTING
THAT MONEY INSTEAD INTO
ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES THAT
CAN PROVIDE THE SOCIAL SERVICES
THAT ARE TOO OFTEN PUT ON POL
POLICE, AND THE POLICE DON'T
WANT TO DO THEMSELVES?
>> WELL-- AND SHOULDN'T.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AS FAST AS, IN LOS ANGELES, WE
HAVE VSOME SUCCESSFUL MODELS OF
COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING,
WORKING WHERE A POLICE OFFICER
WILL GO HAND IN HAND WITH
ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL, LIKE A
SOCIAL WORKER.
SO WE DO HAVE EXAMPLES HERE
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
REDUCE CRIME WITHOUT JUST MASS
ARRESTS OR ABUSING CITIZENS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT IS A
CULTURAL CHANGE.
AND SO STRUGGLING TO GET THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE
THEIR CULTURE-- LIKE, FOR
EXAMPLE, I REPRESENT A DISTRICT
IN LOS ANGELES WHERE PART OF MY
DISTRICT IS WEALTHY AND IT'S
WHITE.
THE OTHER PART OF MY DISTRICT IS
SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES, THE
INNER CITY THAT'S AFRICAN
AMERICAN AND LATINO.
POLICE OFFICERS APPROACH THOSE
SIDES OF TOWN COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE AFFLUENT
SIDE OF TOWN, THEY'RE THERE TO
PROTECT AND SERVE.
WHEN IT COMES TO SOUTH CENTRAL
LOS ANGELES ARE, A LOT OF TIMES
THEY GO IN WITH A WARRIOR
MENTALITY.
EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY IS
SEEN AS PROBLEMATIC.
AND MANY POLICE OFFICERS HAVE
TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL
WITH ROOKIE OFFICERS WHEN
THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF THE
POLICE ACADEMY SAYING, "YEAH, I
WANT MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT TO BE
SOUTH CENTRAL SO I CAN GO DOWN
THERE AND KICK SOME BUTT."
NOW, IF THAT'S YOUR VIEW OF THE
COMMUNITY, THEN WHY WOULD YOU BE
SURPRISED THAT OFFICERS WOULD
GET INTO TROUBLE AND THAT
COMMUNITIES WOULD FEEL THEY ARE
NOT RESPECTED?
>> Stephen: A LOT OF THE
MOTIVATION FOR PROTESTERS RIGHT
NOW, IS CIVICALLY AROUND GEORGE
FLOYD.
WHOSE MEMORIAL WAS JUST
YESTERDAY IN MINNEAPOLI.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BREONNA
TAYLOR FOR A MOMENT.
TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HER
27th BIRTHDAY.
SHE WAS KILLED EXWIEWRG AN ENTRY
ON A NO-KNOCK WARRANT.
I WANT YOU WANT TO TAKE ACTION
ABOUT THAT.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT CASE THAT
YOU THINK CAN BE ADDRESSED
LEGISLATIVELY.
>> NO-KNOCK WARRANTS CAN BE
BANNED, JUST LIKE CHOKE HOLDS
CAN BE BANNED, IN TERMS OF
GEORGE FLOYD.
IN THAT SITUATION, YOU HAD THEM
JUST GO INTO THE HOME,
UNANNOUNCED, AND HER BOYFRIEND
WAS DEFENDING HIMSELF.
I MEAN SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS,
RIGHT?
HE WAS DEFENDING HIMSELF.
YOU REMEMBER, HE WAS THE ONE
THAT GOT ARRESTED.
HE'S CALLING 911, SAYING THAT
SOMEBODY HAS JUST INVADED MY
HOUSE.
IS AND SO IT IS NOT-- IT IS NOT
THAT UNUSUAL THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT COULD MAKE A MISTAKE.
BUT IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE
THAT, IT CAN, OBVIOUSLY, HAVE
DEADLY RESULTS.
>> Stephen: YOU'VE MET WITH A
BIPARTISAN-- IT'S CALLED THE
"PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS."
>> YES.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU FEELING
ANY SUPPORT FROM G.O.P.
REPRESENTATIVES RIGHT NOW?
AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE, THEY
HAVE TO HAVE SOME SENSE THAT
THIS IS-- WE'RE AT A TURNING
POINT RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING CALL.
AND I'M GOING TO REPEAT THE CALL
NEXT WEEK, BECAUSE WHEN I CALLED
THEM THE OTHER DAY, WE DID NOT
HAVE THE LEGISLATION READY.
WE WERE JUST TALKING CONCEPTUAL.
BUT THERE WAS INTEREST.
THERE WAS SUPPORT.
AS FAST AS, ONE OF MY FORMER
COLLEAGUES-- ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES I DIDN'T KNOW WAS A
FORMER POLICE OFFICER.
ANOTHER ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES,
HIS SON WAS A POLICE OFFICER.
SO THEY CERTAINLY SEEMED TO BE
UNDERSTANDING.
THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY APPALLED AT
THE VIDEO.
THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY CHOKE
HOLDS SHOULD BE A PROCEDURE THAT
IS USED.
SO I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LOT
OF INTEREST.
THERE SEEMED TO BE A LOT OF
SUPPORT.
BUT WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD,
WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO VOTE.
>> Stephen: WHAT WOULD YOU
SAY, IF YOU COULD, TO THE
PRESIDENT, WHO TWEETED A LETTER
TODAY THAT SAID THOSE PROTESTERS
IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE WEREN'T
REAL?
>> WELL, I MEAN, SOMEONE ASKED
ME WHAT I THOUGHT HE SHOULD SAY
TO THE NATION.
AND I, FRANKLY, SAID NOTHING.
HE SHOULD SAY NOTHING.
WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO SAY TO HIM?
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW AT
THIS POINT, OTHER THAN THAT IT'S
ANOTHER LIE.
IF WE HAD TO ADD THEM UP, I'M
SURE IT'S 20,000 OR 30,000 AT
THIS POINT.
>> Stephen: CONGRESSWOMAN
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH
ANDREW ROSS SORKIN.
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
