#TalkRadio – October 15: I’ll Rise And Vote Episode 4: The Criticality of Voter Outreach and the Racist and Sexist Crisis of the New Jersey State Troopers

SPEAKERS:

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr.: 12:00 PM – 12:28 PM ET
Former Congressman Jesse Jackson

Cameron Barnes: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET
National Young Adult Policy Advocate; National Youth Director of Rainbow PUSH; TJC Fellow and Freedom Rider; Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement, New Faith MB Church Chicago

Lawrence “Larry” Hamm: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Chairman, People’s Organization for Progress

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, October 11th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “I’ll Rise And Vote Episode 4: The Criticality of Voter Outreach and the Racist and Sexist Crisis of the New Jersey State Troopers”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr.;  Cameron Barnes; and, Lawrence “Larry” Hamm.

With three weeks to go prior to the November 5th elections, millions of eligible voters have yet to register and are confused about voting rules in their states. Our show will talk about the efforts of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr., and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to outreach to voters Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other states to address the challenges of critical voter information. Radio Hosts Arnwine and Jones will add their perspectives about the work TJC has been conducting under the “I’ll Rise And Vote” Voter Activation and GOTV Concert Campaign. 

This show will be chock-full of great information for voters that are listeners can use to inform friends, families, and colleagues.

“New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin on [Tuesday, September 24th, 2024] ordered a sweeping set of reforms for the State Police and took over some of the agency’s functions following two scathing investigations that revealed ‘deeply troubling conduct and systemic problems’ within the force. The recommendations, which Platkin said State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan has agreed to implement, follow two investigations by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Accountability and Integrity and a law firm hired by the state to review the agency’s employment practices. The reports are just the latest controversy for the embattled agency, which is facing a federal investigation over racial and gender discrimination and which recently fired a Trooper who was found to have numerous tattoos associated with white supremacist organizations. The agency also spent a decade under federal supervision for alleged racial profiling 25 years ago…For a decade, the agency operated under federal oversight after it agreed to a 1999 consent decree to settle racial profiling claims. More recently, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a probe last year into gender and race bias claims, and the state comptroller last spring declared the agency’s efforts to prevent discriminatory policing ‘largely performative.’…In one recent case, a now-retired lieutenant in the force’s Office of Professional Standards, Joseph Nitti, received an anonymous complaint from a high-ranking Black member about a comment made by a friend of Nitti’s. Instead of investigating the allegation itself, Nitti “took unprecedented steps and squandered State resources” to figure out who authored the letter, then urged Internal Affairs to issue a finding against the alleged tipster for failing to report rumors of the racist comment. On a group chat with other Troopers, Nitti also allegedly discussed a criminal investigation into a Trooper charged with sexual misconduct with a 14-year-old girl during a school sports trip, writing “Can we at least see a pic of her. I’d like to see what all the hubbub is about.” None of the other Troopers on the chain reported the comment; skipped initial interviews about it and later showed up to interviews with union-appointed lawyers; refused to turn over their phones; and gave ‘almost verbatim accounts … to justify Lt. Nitti’s indefensible comments.’ Nitti retired in November 2023 and earns a monthly pension of $8,893, according to state records…The report also found Troopers believe Internal Affairs and Equal Employment Opportunity complaints have been ‘weaponized’ to block promotions, and that they view the Division of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action as a ‘joke.’ Pregnant Troopers on leave were required to be at home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and were subject to ‘integrity checks,’ often at inconvenient times, and that there was no women’s locker room in the main State Police Headquarters building, forcing women Troopers who used the pool or gym to walk across the parking lot to get to their locker room.” (Source: “New Jersey State Police hit with scathing reports on racial discrimination, handling of complaints”, Politico, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/24/state-police-racial-discrimination-00180700)  

The NAACP held a news conference on Oct. 11, 2024, where they and “other racial justice advocates called for Gov. Phil Murphy to replace the top brass of the New Jersey State Police after several reports documented racism and other troubles in the agency…Advocates urged state officials to settle the dozens of pending lawsuits female troopers and troopers of color have filed against the agency for discrimination, and revoke the monthly $8,893 pension of retired Lt. Joseph Nitti, the former internal affairs supervisor whose actions investigators found problematic and ‘indefensible’ in a memo Platkin released last month. They also demanded officials include citizen input in reform plans and exhorted legislators to support long-stalled legislation that would create civilian-led police review boards with subpoena power to investigate police misconduct.

‘The deconstruction and reconstruction of racist police forces is the strong medicine that is required to deal with a seemingly intractable problem,’ said Larry Hamm, who heads the People’s Organization for Progress.” (Source: “NAACP renews call for clean sweep of top brass at state police over racism claims”, New Jersey Monitor, https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/10/11/naacp-renews-call-for-clean-sweep-of-top-brass-at-state-police-over-racism-claims/)  

Starting at 12:50 PM, Igniting Change guest Larry Hamm will give the media scorecard on the new weekly segment called “Election 2024 and Race Media Report Card” and their report cards on the media’s coverage of the New Jersey State Troopers. Over the years, Igniting Change has pointed out the many failures and misadventures of the U.S. media’s coverage of racial issues. This journalistic incompetence reaches a new high during political contests, especially during presidential elections. From misguided headlines which thoughtlessly give credence to racial attacks, to the lack of fact checking, and the treatment of racial slurs, tropes, and stereotypes as fair commentary, this period has reeked of abysmal journalism. We will discuss some of these matters and what is necessary to be done to make the overall media more competent. 

QUESTIONS:

12:00 PM – 12:28 PM Eastern Time
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Cameron Barnes: (nonpartisan)

• [Daryl and Barbara will give their sympathies and regards to everyone suffering from the impact of Hurricane Helene; our thanks to all the FEMA workers and volunteers who have been assisting families with needs; and, we call on political candidates to stop spreading lies about what help is available. Learn how to help and get help here: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-helene. Hurricane Milton is coming, and we are praying for everyone in its path.]
• Welcome Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to Igniting Change. Tell people about the campaign that the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) is operating to reach voters for this 2024 election.
• What are the states you have targeted and why?
•  Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr., what have been some of the major obstacles or issues you have found are confounding voters?
• Cameron, there’s a lot of talk about young voters. As we head into this final stretch, what issues are you hearing about younger voters regarding their knowledge of their right to vote?
• Let’s talk about upcoming voter registration deadlines that people must know about and let’s talk about same day voter registration.
• Early voting has started in many states. How are you targeting programs to make sure that voters are getting to the polls?
•  Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr., What are your one-minute final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

12:30 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Lawrence “Larry” Hamm

• Welcome, Larry Hamm, to Igniting Change. On October 11th, you participated in a press conference regarding the ongoing misdeeds of the New Jersey State Troopers. Can you please tell our audience what has been going on in New Jersey with the State Troopers?
• The problems in the reports are both problems of racial discrimination and gender discrimination. How has this problem been allowed to persist for so long?
• What have you demanded be done about this situation? Who are the other groups that are demanding this with you?
• What are the next steps that your Coalition is planning to address this problem?

12:50 PM – SEGMENT TITLE: “Election 2024 and Race Media Report Card”

• How has the media been covering this issue?
• How would you rate the media’s coverage of this issue?
• For the past week, what grade would you give from A – F of the media’s coverage of the racial aspects of the 2024 election? 
• Why did you give this grade?
• I’m sure a lot of our listeners are concerned and upset about what’s happening in New Jersey. How can they support your efforts?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?
• (Barbara will remind listeners to double check their voter registration as many voters have been purged from voter rolls)