Mowers defends political consulting work

ADAM: THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE LOOKING TO FLIP THE FIRST DISTRICT IS MATT MOWERS WHO HAS THE PERSONAL ENDORSEMENT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP. MR. MOWERS AS OUR GUEST. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE IT. ADAM: PRESIDENT TRUMP WALKS AWAY FROM THE TABLE ON A LARGE-SCALE COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS HELPS TO CUT OFF NEGOTIATIONS? >> I SAID THIS AT THE DEBATE THE OTHER DAY, EVERYONE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. NEEDS TO GET TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND GET SOMETHING DONE. YOU SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PLACE. NANCY PELOSI AND CHRIS PAPPAS HAVE BEEN SITTING AROUND FOR SIX MONTHS NOT PASSING ANYTHING THEY KNOW WILL BECOME LAW. THAT IS THE PROBLEM. WE’VE GOT FOLKS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CORNERS NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER, NOT TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE. THERE’S A LOT OF AGENDAS RIGHT NOW. A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS WORK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY NEED HELP. ESPECIALLY AS THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AND FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TURNS TO COOLER WEATHER. WE ARE NOT SURE THEY ARE GOING TO SURVIVE THE WINTER. WE NEED PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON DC, STARTING WITH CONGRESS, TO GET THEIR JOB DONE AND DELIVER FOR THE PEOPLE THEY SEEK TO REPRESENT. ADAM: ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION JUST BEGAN CONTACT TRACING AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS INITIALLY DIAGNOSED A WEEK AGO. HOW CAN THIS ADMINISTRATION MAKE THE CASE THAT IT IS DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO PROTECT THEM WHEN IT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO PROTECT ITS OWN PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. >> EVERYONE NEEDS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. I WAS THE FIRST CANDIDATE IN THE COUNTRY TO CALL FOR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON THE OUTSET OF THIS. THAT IS GUIDED BY MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I WORKED WITH DR. FAUCI AND DR. BIRX TO IMPLEMENT OUR GLOBAL HIV PROGRAM. IT IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO SAVING 15 MILLION LIVES. I AM A BIG BELIEVER THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND FOLLOW THE DATA. THEY SHOULD BE DOING THAT AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, DOWN TO OUR COMMUNITY LEVEL. IT IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS EPIDEMIC. MY POSITION ON THIS STEMS FROM MY EXPERIENCE. I HAVE WORKED ON THESE ISSUES. ADAM: THE PRESIDENT SAYS, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF COVID-19. GOVERNOR SUNUNU SAYS HE IS AFRAID AND URGES EVERYONE TO BE CONCERNED. WHICH REPUBLICAN ARE YOU LISTENING TO? >> I AM CONCERNED. WE ARE ALL CONCERNED. WE ALL HAVE EITHER FAMILY OR FRIENDS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED EITHER BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE VIRUS OR BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMEONE HAS BEEN LAID OFF, OR A BUSINESS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE RESULTING CLOSURES. WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA. IT IS SOMETHING I DID IN THE GLOBAL HIV PROGRAM. WE USED GRANULAR DATA TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE NEED TO PLACE RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY POPULATIONS TO RESPOND. WHAT WE NEED NOW IS TO PULL POLITICS OUT OF THIS. THIS IS IMPACTING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. WE ARE DOING THIS ON SKYPE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT IN THE STUDIO. IT IS IMPACTING EVERYONE. WE NEED TO TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF THIS. UNFORTUNATELY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., PARTICULARLY IN CONGRESS, YOU ARE SEEING POLITICS PUT IN EVERYTHING. THAT IS A SHAME. ADAM: YOU BENEFITED QUITE A BIT IN YOUR PRIMARY FROM THE ENDORSEMENT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. COULD IT BE A LIABILITY NOW WITH MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD VOTERS WHO MIGHT, LIKE YOU, WORRY ABOUT THE PRESIDENT AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO EB — TO BE INDEPENDENT FROM HIM? >> ANYONE WHO I HAVE GOTTEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL SEES ME AS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER. I CAN CALL BALLS AND STRIKES AND BE AN INDEPENDENT VOICE. THAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH PAPPAS. THE MOMENT HE GOT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., HE STARTED SADDLING UP TO LEADERSHIP IN HIS PARTY WHICH IS WHERE TO THE LEFT — WAY TO THE LEFT. HE HAS VOTED WITH NANCY PELOSI 100% OF THE TIME. OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHETHER IT IS OUR MIDDLE CLASS, BECAUSE HE IS PUSHING RIGHT NOW, CHRIS PAPPAS IS THE SPONSOR OF A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE THE PAYROLL TAX BY 20%. 20% PAYROLL TAX HIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY. THAT LEAVES ARE MIDDLE-CLASS BEHIND. HE CITED WITH NANCY PELOSI AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BACKED A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW CRIMINALS TO LAUNCH FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AGAINST COPS. THIS IS A POSITION THAT IS SO EXTREME, IT NOT ONLY HAS — NOT ONLY HAS NEW HAMPSHIRE’S LAW ENFORCEMENT CONDEMNED, BUT LEADERSHIP FROM THE NAACP DISAGREE WITH CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS. IT IS THE REASON WHY TWO POLICE UNIONS FROM MANCHESTER, CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS’ HOME CITY, HAVE ENDORSED MY CAMPAIGN. HE HAS UNDERMINED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR STATE AND HAS DONE IT TO APPEASE NANCY PELOSI AND HIS PARTY BASE. WHEN HE WAS ASKED BY NEW HAMPSHIRE’S LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT WHY HE SUPPORTED THAT BILL, HE SAID BECAUSE MY PARTY LEADERSHIP NEEDED MY VOTE. THAT IS NOT LEADERSHIP. WE NEED INDEPENDENT VOICES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO DELIVER FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. ADAM:ADAM: IT IS LIKELY WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE BALANCE OF POWER SWING IN A CONSERVATIVE DIRECTION ON THE SUPREME COURT. IT IS POSSIBLE ROE V. WADE COULD BE OVERTURNED AND WE MAY SEE ABORTION MOVE BACK TO THE STATE LEVEL. IF THAT IS THE CASE, WOULD YOU BE URGING LEGISLATORS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL? >> REO –ROE’S LAW. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HAVING CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE. I AM PRO-LIFE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THINGS CONSTRUCTIVELY IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS POSITIONS ON ALL SIDES. ADAM: ISN’T THAT THE POINT OF NOMINATING AMY CONEY BARRETT? THIS HAS BEEN A FOUR DECADE SAGA TO GET ENOUGH PRO-LIFE JUSTICES ON THE COURT. IS THAT NOT THE GOAL? >> THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT WHO KNOW THEIR JOB IS TO INTERPRET THE LAW, NOT MAKE THE LAW. CONGRESS CAN PASS, OTHERS ARE GOING TO TRY TO BRING UP TOPICS TO SCARE VOTERS. WHAT MATTERS ON THE COURT THAT SHE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY THAT BELIEVES IN FOLLOWING THE CONSTITUTION. THERE SHOULD BE LITMUS TESTS, AND THERE ARE NOT LITMUS TESTS FOR JUSTICES AND THAT GOES FOR A JUSTICE THAT ANY PARTY HAS NOMINATED. ADAM: PART OF THE SWAMP IN WASHINGTON IS THE REVOLVING DOOR BETWEEN LOBBYING AND CONSULTING. YOU LEFT THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND LAUNCHED HER CAMPAIGN FOR CONGRESS IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. IN BETWEEN, YOU REVIVED YOUR CAREER AS A CONSULTANT. HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOUR BUSINESS GENERATED IN THOSE NINE MONTHS? >> I DON’T KNOW. I DID SOCIAL IMPACT WORK. I WORKED WITH A MINORITY OWNED SMALL BUSINESS THAT TRIES TO ENCOURAGE FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS IN MOSTLY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. I HAVE WORKED WITH INSTITUTIONS AND COMPANIES TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR LOW INCOME — I HAVE WORKED WITH COMPANIES THAT HAVE TRIED TO ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH AND INVESTMENT INTO POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS. THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. NOT TO MENTION A LOT OF THE NONPROFIT WORK THAT I HAVE DONE. WHICH I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY — I HAVE DONE PRO BONO. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND PAPPAS, PAPPAS INHERITED A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR WEALTH FROM HIS GRANDPARENTS. GOOD FOR HIM. THAT IS A DIFFERENCE OF EXPERIENCE. I GREW UP IN A MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY. MY DAD WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION. MY MOM WAS A BARTENDER. I HAVE HAD TO WORK FOR EVERYTHING I’VE HAD TO DO. CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS IS BLESSED HE HAS BEEN GIVEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. ADAM: PERSONAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE WITH THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE, YOU SAID YOU HAD ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS INCOME FROM YOUR BUSINESS, WAS THAT IN THAT NINE MONTH PERIOD? >> I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE YEAR. IT IS BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. ADAM: — STATE DEPARTMENT? YOU ARE DOING CONSULTING WORK WHILE YOU WERE STILL AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT? >> NO. YOU HAVE TO SHOW TWO YEARS OF DISCLOSURE. IT IS ALL OUT THERE AND IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS ONLINE. IT IS MUCH CLOSER TO $100,000. THEY PUT WIDE RANGES IN THOSE FORMS. MY FORM WAS FILLED OUT THE SAME WAY THAT AMY CUSTER FILLED HER FORM OUT. CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS HAS NO PROBLEM WITH AMY CUSTER’S FORM. ADAM: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN DRAIN THE SWAMP WHEN THAT IS HER BUSINESS? >> I AM THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE THAT ACTUALLY HAS SIGNED A TERM LIMITS PLEDGE AND SAID YOU SHOULDN’T SERVE MORE THAN THREE TERMS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE GET TOO COZY. CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS IS COZY WITH LOBBYISTS. FUNNELING MONEY THROUGH HIS CAMPAIGN THEY ARE ABOUT TO FUNNEL MORE MONEY WITH DARK CORPORATE INTEREST MONEY FUNNELED INTO THIS RACE BECAUSE OF NANCY PELOSI’S SUPER PACK, THE SAME ONE THAT SAVE CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS’ CAMPAIGN IS SCHEDULED TO COME INTO MORE MONEY. CONGRESSMAN PAPPAS OWES HIS CAREER TO DARK INTEREST MONEY COMING INTO THIS RACE. IF THEY GOT HIM ELECTED TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET HIM ELECTED NOW BECAUSE HIS RECORD DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ITSELF. HE SUPPORTS AN INCOME TAX INCREASE. HE HAS UNDERMINED LAW ENFORCEMENT. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT RELATING OR DELIVERING TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. NANCY PELOSI IS GOING TO TRY TO SWOOP IN WITH A BUNCH OF CORPORATE CASH AND SAVE HIS CAMPAIGN AGAIN. THAT IS NOT WILL BE NEED NEW HAMPSHIRE. ADAM: THANK YOU FOR J

CloseUp: Mowers defends political consulting work

Updated: 3:30 PM EDT Oct 11, 2020

President Trump has endorsed the Republican candidate. How will that play with independent voters?

President Trump has endorsed the Republican candidate. How will that play with independent voters?