1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. The Drominal's telling us 2 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: we've got sixteen inches potentially coming to Manhattan with a 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: newly minted mayor and a big test when it comes 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: to handling the storm in the biggest city in the world. 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: Congresswoman Nicole Malia Takis knows all about it. The Republican 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: from New York joins us right now to talk about this, 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: the future of her district and politics here in Washington. Congresswoman, 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: it's great to have you back. Is New York ready 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: for this? 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 2: I hope so, and I believe we will be. 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 3: New York's the type of city that, in many ways 12 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 3: can run on autopilot. 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 2: But I do believe that you. 14 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 3: Have enough individuals, particularly the rank and file men and 15 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 3: women who go out there every day to keep our city. 16 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: Safe and clean. 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 3: They're going to be the ones really running the show 18 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 3: on the ground, and I have full faith that they'll 19 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 3: be able to do it. 20 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: Saw the briefing earlier from Mayor Mom Donnie. He says 21 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: school days are canceled. This could be fraught politically, a congresswoman, 22 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: but I'm just wondering if you buy into this media 23 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: narrative that this is the big test, that this is 24 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: do or die for New York's new mayor. 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 3: Look, I think nothing upsets people more than if they 26 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: come out of their house and their streets are not 27 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 3: plowed properly. 28 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 2: We saw this before with definitely Deblasio. A lot of 29 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: people were very. 30 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 3: Upset about the way they mishandled snowstorm. So I think, 31 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 3: you know, there's no Republican or Democratic way to take 32 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: out the garbage, they say, And I believe that same 33 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 3: thing when it comes to shovel in the snow so 34 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 3: and plowing the snow. 35 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: So I think it is a test. 36 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 3: It is. 37 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 2: He'll definitely get the heat. 38 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 3: If it's not cleaned properly, and he certainly probably won't 39 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 3: get the credit if it is done well. It'll go 40 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 3: to the men and women on the ground. So it's 41 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 3: like a no in situation for politicians. 42 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: Wow, well that's even handed analysis. I guess whether you're 43 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: Zoron Mamdani or Greg Abbott, this is a very real test. 44 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: As a lot of people are hunkering down here, I've 45 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: got to ask you, congresswoman, what it's like to wake 46 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: up in the morning and hear from a judge that 47 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: your workplace should no longer exist. I'm referring to the 48 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: ruling that we discussed on Bloomberg, and I know that 49 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: you have some I'm sure pretty strong thoughts about this. 50 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 1: This is your first national interview since a judge rule 51 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: that your district should be redrawn. You're no stranger to 52 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: redistricting in New York, and I'm wondering what will be 53 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: your recourse. 54 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: Look, we fought this battle in twenty twenty two and 55 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,679 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four successfully. Here we are again, third time 56 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 3: running for reelection, and it's the third time we're having 57 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 3: a fight over the district map. And this is because 58 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 3: the Democrats simply can't beat me on merit, on policy, 59 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 3: on debate. In twenty twenty the seat was represented by 60 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 3: a Democrat, and the people of Staten Island Southern Brooklyn 61 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 3: fired that individual because he was doing a bad job. 62 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 3: They hired me, a Republican. I am the only Republican 63 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 3: who represents US City in Washington. But the bottom line 64 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 3: here is that it was the people's choice. Now you 65 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 3: have a Washington law firm who's basically saying, we don't 66 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 3: care what the people of Staten Island say, how they vote. 67 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 3: We want to be able to fix this map so 68 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 3: they can never elect a Republican ever again. They're going 69 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 3: to get stuck with the Democrat that we say is 70 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: going to be the one to run there, and that 71 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: is very unfortunate. That is certainly not what you expect 72 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 3: from the people who call themselves the defenders of democracy. 73 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 3: And we're going to fight it tooth and nail, and 74 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 3: if we have to take it all away to the 75 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 3: US Supreme Court, we will because we need to fight 76 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 3: to protect the voices of this group of constituents that 77 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 3: I represent, who have spoken very loud and clearly in 78 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 3: the last few elections. 79 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: Well, this, if I understand the case, the court ruled 80 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: the boundaries of your district the eleventh year unfairly dilutes 81 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: black and Latino voters. What would be your message to 82 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: those voters. 83 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: Well, I'm the first Hispanic half Cuban to represent this district, 84 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 3: the first minority, So that's kind of interesting that they 85 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: would claim that. But what's even more ludicrous is their solution. 86 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 3: The proposed solution of the plaintiffs is to put Staten 87 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 3: Island with Lower Manhattan, which would add more white voters 88 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 3: to the district. 89 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 2: So it really absolutely makes no sense. It is. It 90 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: is completely meritless. 91 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: The only reason it got anywhere, quite frankly, is because 92 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 3: the judge was the chief of staff and council to 93 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 3: Governor Kathy Hochel. You know, you can't just go to 94 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 3: your friends on the bench and expect like whatever political 95 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,559 Speaker 3: outcome you want because you can't win at the ballot box. 96 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 3: That's not the way democracy works. And I think it's 97 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 3: wrong when Republicans do it as well. I've been very critical, right, 98 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 3: I've been very consistent on this issue. 99 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 2: Politically, political jerry mandering. 100 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 3: Is wrong because it should be the people who elect 101 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 3: their representatives, not the other way around. 102 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, your consistency is noted. Congresswoman. You were the first 103 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: i think Republican on our air to oppose the Exis redistricting. 104 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: That of course created a national movement on both sides 105 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: of the isle. 106 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: But this idea of. 107 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: Putting Lower Manhattan into your districts. Could a Republican win 108 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: in Manhattan? 109 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 3: Look, I think the idea here. Their idea is to 110 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 3: make it so difficult where a Republican can never win. 111 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 3: And it's not just a Republican winning you know my district. 112 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: This would mean that New York City would no longer 113 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: have any competitive districts, right, not one competitive seat, and 114 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 3: New York City will never have another Republican representing our 115 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 3: city in Washington. I believe bipartisan representation of our city 116 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 3: is incredibly important, particularly now where you have a Democrat 117 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 3: mayor you have a Republican president. I think I've done 118 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 3: a good job of protecting our city. I went to 119 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 3: President Trump when DHS was going to cut cut homeland 120 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 3: security counter terrorism funding to our NYPD. We worked to 121 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 3: get that money back. When they were going to cut 122 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 3: World Trade Center Healthcare Program employeees that serve our first 123 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 3: responders who are still battling illnesses from nine to eleven, 124 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 3: I fought DOGE and I got those employees hired back 125 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 3: with my colleagues, and so what I would say is 126 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: it is incredibly important that we have bipartisan representation in Washington, 127 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 3: and what the Democrats are trying to do here is 128 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 3: ensure that they'll never be another Republican representing our city 129 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: on the federal level. 130 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: I'm glad you mentioned DOJE the story today on the 131 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: Bloomberg terminal that FEMA has halted planned terminations of some 132 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: temporary disaster relief workers in advance of the storm that 133 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: we've started our conversation on here. Knowing that over the 134 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: last year, some three thousand, seven hundred FEMA employees have 135 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: been cut, which is fourteen percent of the agency, do 136 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: you worry about the impact on the federal level here 137 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: that worker cuts have had when it comes to storm preparedness. 138 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: Look, I think that a lot of these agencies do 139 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 3: have blown is bureaucracy. There is some savings to be had. 140 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 3: I also think that we need to be targeted and 141 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 3: use precision when doing this. 142 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 2: Like you know, we. 143 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 3: Can't just fire employees that are needed. So I haven't 144 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: been able to look at exactly what FEMA has announced here, 145 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: but certainly I will be very vocal if it's going 146 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 3: to be something that would impact my district, as I 147 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 3: have when it came to the World Trade Center employees 148 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 3: or other areas of our federal government. But certainly everybody 149 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 3: knows there's a lot of bloat bureaucracy in Washington. When 150 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 3: we can find efficiencies to not only bring our debt 151 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: down but to also protect the taxpayers, which we have 152 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: our fiscal refiduciary responsibility to do, then we need to 153 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 3: take that action. 154 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: Well, I appreciate your joining us today, Congresswoman. We'd like 155 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: to stay in touch as you bring your case to 156 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: the courts, and we wish you luck with the big 157 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: storm this weekend. We'll see on the other side.