YCQM FEB. 9, 2020

Darren: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M DARREN PERRON.

RIGHT NOW A CHANNEL 3'S "YOU CAN QUOTE ME," THE VERMONT HOUSE FAILS TO OVERRIDE THE GOVERNOR'S VETO ON PAID FAMILY LEAVE BY JUST ONE VOTE. SO NOW WHAT?

OUR POLITICAL REPORTER, CALVIN

CUTLER, TAKES US BEYOND THE

HEADLINES.

>>> ALSO, A RARE RIDE WITH

BORDER PATROL.

SEE HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP

PEOPLE FROM CROSSING THE

CANADIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY IN

SOME OF OUR MOST REMOTE AREAS.

>>> PLUS, FACE THE NATION'S

MARGARET BRENNAN JOINS US TO

TALK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S

ACQUITTAL AND WE'RE ALSO TALKING

IOWA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND BEYOND

IN THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE BEGIN THIS

MORNING.

IOWA DEMOCRATS FINALLY REPORTED

ALL THE RESULTS FROM MONDAY'S

CAUCUSES, BUT CBS NEWS ISN'T

CALLING IT YET, IN PART BECAUSE

THE DEADLINE FOR PRESIDENTIAL

CAMPAIGNS TO REQUEST A RECANVASS

OF THOSE RESULTS HAS BEEN

EXTENDED TO TOMORROW AT NOON.

THE DELEGATE COUNT RIGHT NOW

SHOWS FORMER MAYOR PETE

BUTTIGIEG AND VERMONT SENATOR

BERNIE SANDERS ESSENTIALLY TIED

FOR FIRST WITH TEN DELEGATES

EACH.

SANDERS HAS THE EDGE OVER

BUTTIGIEG IN THE POPULAR VOTE,

BUT THE RESULTS ALSO PUT THE

FORMER SOUTH BEND, INDIANA,

MAYOR UP OVER SANDERS IN THE

STATE DELEGATE RACE.

ELIZABETH WARREN IS THIRD, JOE

BIDEN COMES IN FOURTH.

AND TO EXPLAIN THAT AND WHAT WE

CAN EXPECT AFTER IOWA,

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE POLITICAL

SCIENCE PROFESSOR MATT DICKINSON

JOINS ME NOW FROM MIDDLEBURY.

GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

>> Dickinson: GOOD MORNING TO

YOU, DARREN.

>> Darren: THANK YOU.

EXPLAIN HOW SANDERS HAS MORE

VOTES, BUT IS BEHIND BUTTIGIEG

IN THE DELEGATE RACE.

>> Dickinson: WELL, THE

DELEGATES, THERE'S ONLY 41

DELEGATES COMING OUT OF IOWA

EVENTUALLY.

THAT IS, 41 THAT WILL BE

APPORTIONED AMONG PROBABLY THE

TOP FOUR FINISHERS, BUT TO GET

THERE, TO THOSE 41, YOU FIRST

HAVE TO HAVE THE STATE DELEGATE

EQUIVALENTS BECAUSE THE NEXT

ROUND OF VOTING TAKES PLACE AT

THE COUNTY LEVEL.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING

IS APPORTIONING THE POPULAR VOTE

INTO THE STATE DELEGATE

EQUIVALENTS WHICH THEN WILL BE

TURNED INTO THE FINAL 41

DELEGATES AND THERE'S SOME

SLIPPAGE BETWEEN THE POPULAR

VOTE AND THE STATE DELEGATE

EQUIVALENTS.

WE SHOULDN'T GET TOO FIXATED ON

THAT.

THE BOTTOM LINE THIS IS ABOUT AN

EVEN SPLIT BETWEEN BUTTIGIEG AND

SANDERS ANY WAY YOU CALL IT, AND

ALL WE'RE REALLY WAITING FOR IS

BRAGGING RIGHTS.

>> Darren: SO OBVIOUSLY SOME

CHAOS AFTER IOWA, THOUGH.

DID THAT SLOW MOMENTUM FOR ANY

OF THE CANDIDATES, ESPECIALLY

THOSE TWO WHO CAME OUT ON TOP?

>> Dickinson: I DON'T THINK IT'S

GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON

THE DOWNSTREAM VOTING.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND

THIS IS CLOSELY CONTESTED.

IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT

MOMENTUM COMING OUT OF IOWA, I

THINK PROBABLY MORE OF IT

ACCRUES TO BUTTIGIEG ONLY

BECAUSE HIS EXPECTATIONS, BASED

ON THE RECENT POLLING, SUGGESTED

HE WOULD NOT DO QUITE AS WELL AS

HE DID.

BUT CERTAINLY BERNIE SANDERS IS

GOING TO AND HAS CLAIMED VICTORY

AS WELL, SO I'M REALLY NOT TOO

WORRIED ABOUT THE DELAY IN

FINALIZING THE RESULTS.

WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT WE NEED

TO KNOW MOVING INTO NEW

HAMPSHIRE.

>> Darren: SPEAK OF POLLS, YOU

KNOW, BIDEN APPEARED TO BE DOING

PRETTY WELL IN IOWA AHEAD OF THE

CAUCUSES.

HOW BIG OF A SURPRISE WAS

BIDEN'S FOURTH-PLACE FINISH?

>> Dickinson: WELL, THE

FOURTH-PLACE FINISH IN THE

POPULAR VOTE WAS A SURPRISE.

MOST OF THE POLLS HAD HIM IN THE

TOP TWO OR PERHAPS THE TOP

THREE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE

FINISHED FOURTH IN THE

DELEGATES.

I WAS IN IOWA OBSERVING THE

VOTING PROCESS AND THIS IS ONE

OF THE PECULIAR ASPECTS OF THE

CAUCUS.

EACH OF THE PRECINCTS, THERE'S

ABOUT 1800 OF THEM IN IOWA, IF A

PARTICULAR CANDIDATE'S SUPPORT

DID NOT GET OVER 15%, THEIR VOTE

DID NOT COUNT AND THEY HAD TO

REALLOCATE TO SOMEONE ELSE AND

WHAT WE WERE SEEING ACROSS IOWA

IS JOE BIDEN WAS FALLING JUST

SHORT OF 15% IN A NUMBER OF

PRECINCTS, SO HIS POPULAR VOTE

HAD TO BE REALLOCATED AND A LOT

OF IOWANS WHO WERE WORRIED ABOUT

THE PARTY MOVING TOO FAR LEFT,

BECAUSE THEY WERE BIDEN

SUPPORTERS, DECIDED TO THROW

THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND PETE

BUTTIGIEG AND THAT'S WHY

BUTTIGIEG GOT IN FINAL BOOST IN

THE POPULAR VOTE WHICH BROUGHT

HIM ALMOST TO EQUIVALENCE WITH

BERNIE SANDERS.

>> Darren: NEXT UP, NEW

HAMPSHIRE.

SANDERS LEADING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

RIGHT NOW, BUT THEN WHAT?

CAN HE CARRY THAT INTO THE NEXT

CONTEST IF HE WINS THERE, OR ARE

THOSE NEXT CONTESTS BIGGER

CHALLENGES FOR SANDERS?

>> Dickinson: OH, THEY'RE

DEFINITELY BIGGER CHALLENGES.

THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT RACE

RIGHT NOW IS BERNIE SANDERS, WE

EXPECT HIM TO DO WELL IN THE

IOWA CAUCUS.

REMEMBER, HE ALMOST WON THAT IN

2016 WITH NEARLY 50% OF THE

POPULAR VOTE, AND THEN HE SWEPT

NEW HAMPSHIRE, 60% OF THE VOTE,

BEATING HILLARY CLINTON.

THIS IS HIS NEIGHBORING STATE.

EVEN IF HE DOES WELL IN NEW

HAMPSHIRE, IT DOESN'T TELL US

MUCH ABOUT WHETHER HE'S EXPANDED

HIS COALITION.

IF FOR THAT, WE NEED TO GO

SOUTH, WE NEED TO GO TO MORE

RACIALLY DIVERSE STATES,

BEGINNING WITH SOUTH CAROLINA.

ONLY THEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A

TRUE SENSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF

HIS SUPPORT.

>> Darren: SO YOU THINK IF HE

DOES WELL IN SOUTH CAROLINA,

THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD FOR

BERNIE SANDERS?

>> Dickinson: WELL, WE'LL HAVE

TO DEFINE "LOOKS PRETTY GOOD,"

BUT IT WILL BE A BIG BOOST IF HE

COMES OUT IN THE TOP TWO IN

SOUTH CAROLINA OR EVEN WINS IT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING

FOR IS NOT SO MUCH THE OVERALL

VOTE TOTALS, BUT IN A STATE

WHERE THEY'RE 60% AFRICAN

AMERICAN TURNOUT IN THE

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, HOW MUCH

SUPPORT AMONG THAT VOTING BLOC

WILL BERNIE SANDERS GET?

YOU'LL RECALL IN 2016, IT'S

SUPPORT AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS

COMPARED TO HILLARY CLINTON IS

WHAT REALLY COST HIM THE

NOMINATION.

HE'S WORKED DECIDUOUSLY TO COURT

THAT VOTE, BUT WE WON'T KNOW

UNTIL SOUTH CAROLINA TO SEE

WHETHER HE'S SUCCESSFUL.

>> Darren: LET'S MOVE ON TO THE

IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

IT TOOK THREE SENATORS OFF THE

TRAIL TO ATTEND THE TRIAL,

SANDERS, KLOBUCHAR AND WARREN.

DID THAT HURT THEM?

>> Dickinson: I THINK IT HURT

AMY KLOBUCHAR THE MOST.

SHE WAS GAINING MOMENTUM IN THE

POLLS HEADING INTO THE IOWA

CAUCUS AND THEN CRUCIALLY, EIGHT

DAYS BEFORE VOTING, SHE WAS

TAKEN OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN

A STATE WHERE PERSONAL CONTACT

HAS COME TO BE EXPECTED.

I THINK SHE SUFFER, BUT ALL

THREE OF THE CANDIDATES WEREN'T

HELPED BY BEING IN WASHINGTON,

D.C., IN THIS PERIOD.

THE DIFFICULTY FOR KLOBUCHAR,

SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE NAME

RECOGNITION THAT WARREN AND

PARTICULARLY SANDERS DID, AND I

THINK IT PROBABLY HURT HER THE

MOST.

>> Darren: DOES THE ACQUITTAL

HELP THE PRESIDENT'S RE-ELECTION

BID, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS STILL

IMPEACHED BY THE HOUSE, JUST NOT

REMOVED FROM OFFICE BY THE

SENATE?

>> Dickinson: WELL, IF YOU SAW

HIS VICTORY SPEECH YESTERDAY,

HE'S CLEARLY COUNTING ON GETTING

A BOOST AMONG HIS BASE AS A

RESULT OF THE ACQUITTAL.

DEMOCRATS WHO ARE OPPOSING HIM

ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THEIR

VOTE BECAUSE HE WAS ACQUITTED.

THE REAL QUESTION HERE ARE THE

INDEPENDENTS, THE MODERATES, AND

FRANKLY, DARREN, I THINK GOING

AHEAD, LOOKING INTO NOVEMBER, I

DON'T THINK IMPEACHMENT IS GOING

TO PLAY NEARLY AS BIG A ROLE AS

OTHER FACTORS LIKE THE STATE OF

THE ECONOMY, WHETHER INDIVIDUALS

AGREE WITH TRUMP'S APPROACH TO

ISSUES LIKE TRADE, HEALTHCARE,

AND CRUCIALLY, WHO THE DEMOCRATS

ARE RUNNING UP AGAINST HIM.

SO I DON'T ANTICIPATE A BIG

EFFECT EITHER WAY FROM THE

ACQUITTAL IN THE SENATE.

>> Darren: MATT DICKINSON,

REPORTING FROM MIDDLEBURY

COLLEGE.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AS ALWAYS.

>>> NEXT, FACE THE NATION'S

MARGARET BRENNAN JOINS US TO

DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL

AND WHAT NOW FOR THE DEMOCRATS

AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S ACQUITTAL,

PLUS, PAID FAMILY LEAVE VETOED.

NEXT, ANALYSIS OF HOW DEMOCRATS

FAILED TO OVERRIDE IT.

>> Darren: WITH IOWA IN THE

BOOKS, SORT OF, THE NEXT UP IS

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WE TURN NOW TO THE MODERATOR OF

FACE THE NATION, MARGARET

BRENNAN, WHOSE GUESTS COMING UP

LATER THIS MORNING INCLUDE

VERMONT SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.

GOOD MORNING, MARGARET.

>> Brennan: GOOD MORNING.

GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

>> Darren: THANK YOU.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE NEW

HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY ON TUESDAY, DO

YOU THINK?

>> Brennan: WELL, A LOT MORE

FOCUS ON NEW HAMPSHIRE THAN

WE'VE SEEN IN PAST YEARS BECAUSE

OF THIS QUESTION MARK COMING OUT

OF IOWA.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF

SCRUTINY AS TO BASIC COMPETENCE

OF HOW PARTY OFFICIALS RUN THIS

PRIMARY.

A LOT OF ATTENTION ON FRIDAY TO

THE DEBATE, BUT, OF COURSE, TO

THE PRIMARY THAT'S AHEAD IN THE

DAYS TO COME, AND SO WHAT WE

WILL BE LOOKING FOR AND I WILL

CERTAINLY BE ASKING BOTH PETE

BUTTIGIEG AND SENATOR BERNIE

SANDERS ABOUT IS HOW THEY WANT

TO DIFFERENTIATE EACH OTHER

BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED TO DRAW

SOME DISTINCTION.

IT WAS EXTREMELY TIGHT FROM WHAT

NUMBERS WE DID GET OUT OF IOWA,

AND NEW HAMPSHIRE IS AN

OPPORTUNITY FOR PETE BUTTIGIEG

TO TRY TO MAKE THE CASE THAT

THERE IS MORE MOMENTUM.

IT'S NOT JUST SOMEONE FROM THE

MIDWEST DOMINATING A STATE OUT

THERE, THAT HE COULD BUILD SOME

MOMENTUM ON THE EAST COAST.

FOR BERNIE SANDERS, OF COURSE,

HE HAS A BIT OF A HOME COURT

ADVANTAGE COMING FROM THE NEW

ENGLAND AREA AND HE'S GOING TO

TRY TO MAKE THE CASE THAT AT 78

YEARS OLD, HE LOOKS LIKE THE

FUTURE OF THE PARTY IN A MORE

PROGRESSIVE WAY THAN HIS FAR

YOUNGER COMPETITOR THERE WHO'S

PLAYING FOR MODERATES.

>> Darren: WITH IMPEACHMENT OVER

AND PRESIDENT TRUMP ACQUITTED,

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE

DEMOCRATS?

>> Brennan: WELL, IF YOU THOUGHT

THAT THE IMPEACHMENT STORY LINE

WAS OVER, IT'S GOING TO BE

FOLLOWING UP FOR SOME TIME.

YOU CAN EXPECT THAT AS LONG AS

JOE BIDEN REMAINS IN THIS RACE,

WE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT

HIM AND HIS SON ON CAPITOL HILL.

WE HAVE INVESTIGATIONS ALREADY

BEING LAUNCHED, THIS TIME WITH

TAXPAYER DOLLARS, INTO BIDEN'S

FAMILY.

LINDSEY GRAHAM, ONE OF MY GUESTS

ON SUNDAY, THE SENATOR FROM

SOUTH CAROLINA, IS CHAIRMAN OF

THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, HE'S

ALREADY SAID HE'S GOING TO

INVESTIGATE.

YOU HAD ANOTHER INVESTIGATION

LAUNCHED BY ANOTHER SENATE

COMMITTEE, SO DEMOCRATS WILL

CONSTANTLY BE CONFRONTED WITH

THESE ACCUSATIONS, EVEN THOUGH

THESE CONSPIRACY THEORIES HAVE

LARGELY BEEN DEBUNKED, THE

BEHAVIOR OF THE VICE PRESIDENT'S

SON WILL BE SCRUTINIZED.

WE ALSO KNOW FOR DEMOCRATS THAT

THEY NEED TO SHOW SOME MOMENTUM

IN TERMS OF THEIR MESSAGE OF

WHAT THEY CAN DELIVER AS A PARTY

TO VOTERS.

IMPEACHMENT SUCKED ALL THE

OXYGEN OUT OF WASHINGTON, BUT

THEY NEED TO SHOW THAT THEY CAN

NOT JUST LEGITIMATE HERE IN THIS

TOWN -- LEGISLATE HERE IN THIS

TOWN, BUT ALSO MAKE THE CASE IN

BACKYARDS AND HOMETOWNS ACROSS

AMERICA THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A

PRESIDENT WHO -- AND A

PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER AGAINST

DONALD TRUMP WHO CAN DELIVER ON

THE PARTY PLATFORMS LIKE CHANGES

TO HEALTHCARE.

THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS FOR

DEMOCRATS.

THE BALL IS REALLY IN THEIR

COURT.

>> Darren: YOU'LL BE DIVING

DEEPER INTO ALL THIS LATER THIS

MORNING ON FACE THE NATION.

MARGARET BRENNAN, THANKS SO

MUCH.

>>> A VICTORY FOR THE GOVERNOR

AT THE VERMONT STATE HOUSE AS

HIS VETO OF PAID FAMILY LEAVE

SURVIVED AN OVERRIDE BY A SINGLE

VOTE.

DEMOCRATS COULD NOT MUSTER

ENOUGH VOTES TO GET PAST ONE OF

THEIR TOP PRIORITIES.

DEMOCRATS NEEDED 100 VOTES IN

THE HOUSE, THEY ONLY GOT 99.

CALVIN CUTLER WAS THERE.

>> Calvin: THE VOTE WAS MOSTLY

ALONG PARTY LINES WITH

REPUBLICANS VOTING AGAINST THE

OVERRIDE AND DEMOCRATS AND

PROGRESSIVES VOTING FOR, BUT

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF

INDEPENDENT AND DEMOCRATIC

LAWMAKERS THAT ACTUALLY ENDED UP

VOTING AGAINST THE OVERRIDE,

CITING THE $29 MILLION PAYROLL

TAX ON VERMONTERS THAT THE

GOVERNOR ALSO OPPOSES.

>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME,

REALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO MOVE

FORWARD WITH INSTITUTING A

PAYROLL TAX FOR A NEW BENEFIT

WHILE WE HAVE THIS EXISTING

ISSUE THAT WE HAVE NOT SOLVED.

TO ME, THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE

STARTING TO STACK UP ISSUES.

>> Calvin: SEVERAL PROGRESSIVES

ORIGINALLY OPPOSED THE BILL,

SAYING IT DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH,

BUT IN THE FINAL VOTE, ALL THE

PROGRESSIVES ENDED UP SUPPORTING

THE VETO OVERRIDE.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE MITZI

JOHNSON SAYS DEMOCRATS WILL

CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR PROGRESSIVE

AGENDA ITEMS AND VOTERS WILL

HAVE TO KEEP TODAY'S VOTE IN

MIND WHEN THEY HEAD TO THE POLLS

THIS YEAR.

>> REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS

THE FUTURE THEY WANT TO BUILD

AND WHAT IS MY REP DOING TO GET

US THERE.

>> Calvin: REPUBLICAN LEADERS

WORKED OVERTIME TO MUSTER THE

VOTES TO KEEP GOVERNOR SCOTT'S

VETO, EVEN WITH ONE LAWMAKER

COMING IN RIGHT AFTER SURGERY.

>> I JUST DID NOT SEE HOW WE

COULD TAX 450,000 PEOPLE AND

THEN -- 45,000 PEOPLE AND THEN

NOT BEING ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE

PROGRAM WE WERE PUTTING FORTH.

>> Calvin: IN THE MEANTIME,

GOVERNOR SCOTT IS MOVING AHEAD

WITH A VOLUNTARY PLAN WHERE

EMPLOYERS NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY

WITH HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES

TO PROVIDE THE BENEFIT.

THE ADMINISTRATION WILL PROVIDE

A LIST OF COMPANIES THAT WANT TO

WORK WITH THE STATE SOMETIME

NEXT WEEK.

>> Darren: AND CALVIN JOINS US

NOW FOR A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE

VOTE.

CALVIN, GOOD MORNING.

WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS

VOTE?

>> Calvin: WELL, GOOD MORNING,

DARREN.

AS YOU SAID, THIS HAS BEEN A

HUGE PRIORITY FOR DEMOCRATIC

LAWMAKERS IN THE HOUSE AND THE

SENATE.

THEIR FAILURE TO OVERRIDE

GOVERNOR SCOTT'S VETO IS A BIG

SETBACK FOR THEM AND THIS COULD

ALSO GIVE US A LOOK INTO HOW

OTHER BIG VOTES COMING DOWN THE

PIKE COULD GO.

IN THE COMING WEEKS, LAWMAKERS

WILL VOTE ON THE GLOBAL WARMING

SOLUTIONS ACT AND POTENTIALLY A

TAXED AND REGULATED MARKET FOR

MARIJUANA, AND DEPENDING ON HOW

GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT REACTS FOR

THE MINIMUM WAGE BILL ON HIS

DESK, WE COULD SEE SOOT VETO

SIMILAR TO THIS ONE.

THE GOVERNOR HAS EXPRESSED

CONCERNS ABOUT RAISING THE

MINIMUM WAGE, SAYING IT COULD

PUT A BURDEN ON SMALL BUSINESS.

WITH ALL THESE ISSUES COMING

DOWN THE PIKE, THOUGH,

DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP SAYS

THEY'RE ALL SEPARATE MATTERS AND

THAT LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING

ALL THE BILLS DETAILS AND MERITS

INDIVIDUALLY.

I'M ALSO TOLD BY LAWMAKERS THAT

THIS VOTE WAS SO CLOSE BECAUSE

SO MANY LAWMAKERS ARE PASSIONATE

ABOUT THE ISSUES, BOTH PROVIDING

FAMILY AND SICK LEAVE FOR

VERMONTERS, BUT ALSO AVOIDING

EXTRA COSTS ON THE TAXPAYERS.

LAWMAKERS' FAMILY LEAVE PLAN

WOULD HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH A

$29 MILLION PAYROLL TAX WHICH

ULTIMATELY WAS THE BIG STICKING

POINT FOR GOVERNOR SCOTT.

>> Darren: OKAY, SO NOW THAT

THAT VETO OVERRIDE FAILED IN THE

HOUSE, WHAT IS NEXT?

>> Calvin: WELL, DARREN,

GOVERNOR SCOTT IS, AS I SAID,

ROLLING RIGHT ALONG WITH HIS OWN

VOLUNTARY PLAN THAT INDIVIDUAL

EMPLOYERS CAN CHOOSE TO BE A

PART OF.

AFTER THE FAILED VETO OVERRIDE

IN THE HOUSE, HOUSE SPEAKER

MITZI JOHNSON DESCRIBED THE

GOVERNOR'S PAID FAMILY LEAVE

PLAN ANEMIC.

THE OPTIONAL PLAN LETS EMPLOYERS

NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH THE

INSURANCE COMPANIES.

NOW, SCOTT HAS TOUTED THE

PROGRAM AS BEING CHEAPER AND

EASIER TO INTRODUCE BECAUSE A

PRIVATE COMPANY WILL BE ROLLING

OUT THE PLAN INSTEAD OF THE

STATE AND WE DON'T NEED TO

INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO COLLECT

PAYROLL OR MANAGE THE BENEFITS.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAYS HIS

VOLUNTARY PLAN COULD GIVE

COMPANIES A COMPETITIVE EDGE IF

THEY CHOOSE TO OFFER IT.

SCOTT ESTIMATES THE PLAN WILL

COST LESS THAN $300 A YEAR PER

EMPLOYEE.

RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, THE STATE IS

STILL SEEKING PROPOSALS FROM

COMPANIES TO ADMINISTER HIS

VOLUNTARY PLAN.

AND IT'S ALSO WORTH MENTIONING

IN THE MEEVEN TIME, TOO, THAT

THE -- MEANTIME, TOO, THAT THE

GOVERNOR WORK OUT A UNIVERSAL

FAMILY LEAVE PLAN FOR THE

STATE'S ROUGHLY 8,000 STATE

EMPLOYEES.

THAT PLAN IS GOING TO BE FUNDED

THROUGH TAX DOLLARS AS WELL.

TALKS WITH DEMOCRATS IN THE

HOUSE HAVE CRITICIZED GOVERNOR

SCOTT, SAYING IF THE VERMONT

STATE EMPLOYEES SHOULD GET THIS

BENEFIT, THEN ALL VERMONTERS

SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE PAID

FAMILY LEAVE BENEFIT AS WELL.

>> Darren: CHANNEL 3'S CALVIN

CUTLER IN OUR MONTPELIER BUREAU.

THANK YOU.

>>> STILL AHEAD, BATTLE AT THE

U.S. BORDER.

AND THIS TIME WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE

CANADIAN BORDER.

THAT'S NEXT.

>> Darren: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

POLICIES HAVE SOUGHT TO STOP

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND TARGET

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS LIVING

IN THE U.S.

MOST OF THE ATTENTION HAS BEEN

ALONG THE MEXICAN BORDER, BUT

ARE THESE SAME POLICIES PLAYING

OUT ALONG THE CANADIAN BORDER?

IKE BENDAVID AND OUR PRODUCER

GOT A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT

HAPPENS ALONG OUR NORTHERN

BORDER AND IF AGENTS ARE

FOCUSING ON THE MIGRANT FARM

WORKERS IN OUR REGION.

>> Ike: THE SURGE IN IMMIGRANTS

ALONG THE MEXICAN BORDER AND THE

POLITICAL BATTLE OVER THE BORDER

WALL HAVE BEEN THE PRIMARY FOCUS

OF IMMIGRATION DEBATE IN THE

LAST FEW YEARS, BUT AMERICA'S

LONGEST BORDER, THAT'S ON THE

NORTH, INCLUDING ALONG LARGELY

UNPROTECTED SECTIONS RIGHT

THROUGH OUR REGION.

THE BORDER PATROL BROKEN DOWN

INTO SECTORS, INCLUDING THE

SWANTON SECTOR.

THAT'S WHAT COVERS OUR REGION,

THE 295-MILE STRETCH ACROSS NEW

YORK, VERMONT, AND NEW

HAMPSHIRE.

WE GOT A CHANCE TO GET A CLOSE

LOOK AT THE WORK BORDER AGENTS

ARE DOING TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION

LAWS.

ON THE U.S. CANADIAN BORDER,

AGENT IN CHARGE RISH ROSS IS

ON -- RICHARD ROSS IS ON PATROL.

>> Ross: WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR

DETECTING AND INTERDICTING

ILLICIT CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC

BETWEEN THE PORTS OF ENTRY.

>> Ike: ROSS OVERSEES 32 MILES

OF THE SWANTON SECTOR AND THAT

INCLUDES LAKE MEMPHREMAGOG.

RIGHT NOW THE LAKE IS FROZEN

WITH ICE FISHING.

>> Ross: THERE'S A FEW RIGHT ON

THE LINE AND THAT'S A COMMON

OCCURRENCE.

THAT'S WHAT WE SEE PRETTY MUCH

EVERY WINTER.

>> Ike: IS THIS OKAY?

>> Ross: YES.

>> Ike: WHY IS THAT?

>> Ross: THEY'RE ON THE LINE,

THEY HAVE NOT CROSSED.

THAT'S WHERE THEY SET UP.

>> Ike: THAT'S THE KIND OF

CHALLENGE BORDER AGENTS FACE

WHEN AMERICANS AND CANADIANS ARE

LIVING AS NEIGHBORS, IN SOME

PLACES DIRECTLY ACROSS THE

STREET FROM EACH OTHER.

>> Ross: ALL THESE HOUSES THAT

WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE IN

CANADA.

>> Ike: AND THIS IS RIGHT OFF

THE ROAD.

>> Ross: YES.

>> Ike: BUT MOST OF THE BORDER

RUNS THROUGH FIELDS AND FORESTS,

ATTRACTING PEOPLE LOOKING TO

SMUGGLE DRUGS OR ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS INTO THE UNITED

STATES.

BORDER PATROL USES A COMBINATION

OF MANPOWER, CAMERAS, AND

RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORS TO

STOP ILLEGAL CROSSINGS.

>> Ross: OVER THE LAST COUPLE

YEARS, WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN

TRAFFIC.

LAST YEAR, SECTOR-WIDE, WE

CAUGHT PEOPLE FROM 52 DIFFERENT

COUNTRIES.

>> Ike: COMING IN PLACES LIKE

THIS?

>> Ross: COMING IN PLACES THAT

LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE THIS.

>> Ike: THIS SHOWS THE LAST TEN

YEARS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

DETAINED BY BORDER PATROL FOR

ILLEGALLY CROSSING INTO THE

SWANTON SECTOR.

AFTER TRENDING DOWNWARD FOR

SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS TO A LOW OF

291 IN 2016, THE NUMBER OF

PEOPLE CAUGHT ILLEGALLY CROSSING

THE BORDER SOARED TO OVER A

THOUSAND LAST YEAR.

WHY IS THAT?

BORDER PATROL POINTS TO A CHANGE

IN CANADIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY

WHICH HAS LED TO AN INCREASE IN

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, MOSTLY

FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, TRYING TO

COME THROUGH CANADA TO THE

UNITED STATES.

>> Ross: ANYWHERE THERE'S AN

AREA TO EXPLOIT WILL BE

EXPLOITED BY TRANSNATIONAL

CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS, SO

WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE OR

CONTRABAND, THEY'RE GOING TO

ATTEMPT TO SMUGGLE IN ANY NUMBER

OF SPOTS ALONG THE LINE HERE.

>> Ike: AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IN

2020?

>> Ross: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Ike: BUT BORDER PATROL IS NOT

JUST FOCUSED ON THE BORDER.

AGENTS HAVE FULL JURISDICTION IN

ALL 50 STATES.

TOGETHER WITH ICE, IMMIGRATION

AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, THEY

HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DETAIN

PEOPLE LIVING IN THE U.S. IN

VIOLATION OF IMMIGRATION LAWS.

>> Ross: WE'RE PATROLLING THE

BORDER.

SOME OF THOSE ROADS, THERE'S

FARMS INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT THE

ENTIRETY OF THE AREA OF

RESPONSIBILITY FOR SWANTON

SECTOR.

>> Ike: THAT'S A GREAT CONCERN

FOR UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT FARM

WORKERS, PEOPLE LIVING AND

WORKING ON DAIRY FARMS IN OUR

REGION WHO HAVE TOLD US THEY

LIVE IN FEAR OF BORDER PATROL.

>> I'M TOO SCARED TO LEAVE

BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT SAFE.

>> Ike: ROSS SAYS HIS AGENTS

WOULD NOT BE CALLED UPON TO RAID

A LOCAL FARM, BUT IF THEY

ENCOUNTER SOMEONE THEY SUSPECT

TO BE HERE ILLEGALLY, THEY'LL DO

THEIR JOB.

>> Ross: WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO

IGNORE THAT AND WE'LL DEAL WITH

THAT LIKE WE WOULD IF I CAUGHT

SOMEBODY JUST COMING ACROSS THE

BORDER.

WE HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE

STATUS IS AND HOW TO PROCEED IN

DEALING WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.

>> Darren: AND IKE JOINS ME NOW.

GOOD MORNING.

>> Ike: GOOD MORNING.

>> Darren: BORDER PATROL

OFFICIALS MADE IT CLEAR THAT

THEY WERE NOT LOOKING

SPECIFICALLY FOR UNDOCUMENTED

FARM WORKERS.

>> Ike: NO.

>> Darren: BUT YOU GOT SOME

INTERESTING NUMBERS.

>> Ike: YEAH, TAKE A LOOK AT THE

SCREEN.

MEXICANS DO TOP THE LIST OF

NATIONALITIES INTERSECTED AT THE

SWANTON SECTOR LAST YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT COVERS OUR REGION

FROM NEW YORK TO VERMONT AND

INTO NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THE TOP LIST THERE HAS

ROMANIANS, HAITIANS, INDIANS AND

GUATEMALANS.

>> Darren: COULD THE NUMBERS

WE'RE SEEING, COULD THEY REFLECT

THE FACT THAT SO MANY VERMONT

FARMS HIRE WORKERS FROM MEXICO?

>> Ike: I CAN'T POINT TO A

DIRECT CORRELATION, BUT WE KNOW

THAT A LOT OF THOSE UNDOCUMENTED

MIGRANT FARMERS IN OUR REGION

ARE FROM THAT CENTRAL AMERICA

AND MEXICAN REGION AND THIS IS

THE NUMBER OF THEM GETTING

INTERCEPTED ON THE NORTHERN

BORDER.

>> Darren: WHAT ABOUT THE FACT

THAT YOU HEAR, YOU SEE A LOT

MORE BORDER PATROL ACTIVITY?

COULD -- ARE THEY TRYING TO

CATCH MORE PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF

SEEING THAT HIGHER NUMBER NOW?

>> Ike: AGENT ROSS POINTED TO

REALLY THE NUMBER IS, AS WE SAID

IN THE REPORT, COMING TO A

CHANGE IN CANADIAN POLICY.

HE SAYS -- THEY SAID THEY'RE NOT

GOING TO GO TO A FARM AND RAID A

FARM, BUT IF THEY SEE SOMETHING

THAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS OR OUT OF

PLACE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE

TELLING ME, THEY GOT TO DO THEIR

JOB, WHICH IS PROTECT THE

BORDER.

>> Darren: WE'RE SEEING RIGHT

HERE THESE MOBILE CHECKPOINTS

THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP, YOU KNOW,

SOMETIMES 100 MILES AWAY FROM

THE BORDER.

THEY'VE BEEN CRITICIZED BY MANY,

INCLUDING OUR CONGRESSIONAL

DELEGATION, SAYING THIS IS

RACIAL PROFILING.

THEY PROPOSED THOSE ZONES THAT

YOU'RE SEEING BE REDUCED TO 25

MILES FROM THE BORDER.

WHAT DID THE AGENT SAY ABOUT

THAT?

>> Ike: IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE,

AND THEY SAID THIS, BECAUSE IT'S

A FEDERAL AGENCY, BORDER PATROL,

THEY CAN REALLY GO ANYWHERE IN

THE UNITED STATES.

THEY CAN BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

MIDWEST WHERE THERE'S REALLY NO

BORDER, BUT THAT 100 MILES WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT, THAT IS NOTHING

NEW.

THEY HAVE AUTHORITY TO SEARCH

WITHOUT A WARRANT IN THAT 100

MILES AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE

SEEING THE CHECKPOINTS AND

THEY'RE REALLY SAYING THESE

100 -- THESE MOBILE CHECKPOINTS,

IT'S NOTHING NEW.

>> Darren: SO WHAT'S THE BIGGEST

CHALLENGE FOR BORDER PATROL

SPECIFIC TO THIS REGION?

>> Ike: THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT,

WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING THROUGH,

IT'S THE TERRAIN.

IF THEY'RE CROSSING THE BORDER

ILLEGALLY, YOU GOT TO THINK THE

NORTHERN REGION.

AGENT ROSS ACTUALLY SAID, YOU

THINK HOW DIFFICULT IT IS IN THE

SOUTH, BUT THESE PEOPLE CROSSING

ILLEGALLY DON'T THINK ABOUT THE

NORTH.

RIGHT NOW IT'S FREEZING AND THEY

TALK ABOUT, THEY SEE A LOT OF

PEOPLE COMING NOT PREPARED,

WALKING WITH SNEAKERS THROUGH

THE SNOW, THE MOUNTAINS, THE

TERRAIN, WHICH IS DEFINITELY

VERY INTERESTING AND TOUGH, AND

ONE THING THEY SAY IS RIGHT

ESPECIALLY IN THAT NEWPORT

SECTOR, A PART NEAR DERBY LINE,

THAT'S WHERE I-91 RUNS AND THEY

SAY SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN BE

WAITING AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW

THEY'RE ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING

TO PLACES LIKE BOSTON OR

SPRINGFIELD.

THIS IS ME TALKING TO AGENT ROSS

RIGHT OVER THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE

BORDER IS.

>> Ross: SOMEBODY GETS DROPPED

OFF IN CANADA, WHETHER IT'S

PEOPLE OR CONTRABAND, AND

THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT IN,

SOMEBODY IS WAITING FOR THEM ON

OUR SIDE, PICKS THEM UP AND IS

ON THE HIGHWAY IN SECONDS.

THAT'S ALL IT TAKES.

IT JUST TAKES A COUPLE OF

SECONDS FOR THEM TO GET PICKED

UP, GET IN A VEHICLE AND HEAD

OUT ON THE HIGHWAY RIGHT HERE.

>> Ike: AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE

REALIZE OUR WHOLE SWANTON

SECTOR, IF YOU LOOK OVER AT NEW

YORK, 87 GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN

TO NEWARK AND 89 AND 91, THAT'S

ALL ACROSS OUR REGION.

SOMEBODY CAN BE WAITING RIGHT ON

THE HIGHWAY, SO IT'S A REALLY

IMPORTANT PART OF PROTECTING THE

BORDER.

THAT'S WHAT THEY TELL ME.

>> Darren: ALL RIGHT.

IKE BENDAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU

ALL FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON, EVERYBODY.

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

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