Dan Cox, Wes Moore clash in Maryland governor's debate on key issues - WBAL TV Baltimore

GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I’M JASON NEWTON FROM WBAL-TV 11 NEWS. AND TONIGHT, WE PRESENT A ONE HOUR DEBATE FEATURING THE TOP TWO CONTENDERS FOR MARYLAND GOVERNOR. THIS IS A JOINT PRODUCTION OF MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION AND WBAL TV 11. WE ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ON NBC AND WASHINGTON AND LISTENING ON WBAL NEWSRADIO HERE IN BALTIMORE. I’LL BE YOUR MODERATOR TONIGHT AND HOPEFULLY KEEP THINGS ON TRACK AS WE EXPLORE KEY ISSUES ON THE MINDS OF MARYLAND VOTERS. WE’LL GET TO OUR CANDIDATES IN JUST A MOMENT. FIRST, I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR INQUISITIVE PANEL OF JOURNALISTS, STARTING WITH REPORTER PAMELA WOOD FROM THE BALTIMORE BANNER. ALSO, TRACEY WILKINS IS THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY BUREAU CHIEF FOR NBC WASHINGTON. NEWS EDITOR ALEXIS TAYLOR IS REPRESENTING THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS ANCHOR JEFF SULKIN OF MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION. TONIGHT’S DEBATE WILL ALSO FEATURE QUESTIONS FROM STUDENT JOURNALISTS, FROM BOTH MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND SALISBURY UNIVERSITY. SO LET’S GET RIGHT TO IT TONIGHT. WE’LL HEAR FROM DAN COX. HE IS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR. AND WES MOORE, THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE AS SELECTED BY MARYLAND VOTERS DURING THE PRIMARY ELECTION THIS SUMMER. WE’D LIKE TO OFFER EACH OF OUR CANDIDATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT. AND WE USED YESTERDAY’S MARYLAND LOTTERY MIDDAY PICK THREE NUMBER AT A RANDOM LEE SELECT. WHICH CANDIDATE WILL GO FIRST? WE COULD HAVE DONE THE OLD COIN FLIP, BUT THIS IS WAY MORE FUN. SO, MR. MOORE, THE PICK THREE, WAS IT IN YOUR FAVOR? YOU WIN NO MONEY, BUT YOU WIN THE CHANCE TO BEGIN WITH YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND GOOD EVENING. THIS CAN BE MARYLAND’S MOMENT. WE HAVE AMAZING PEOPLE AND INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL, BUT NOT EVERYBODY’S IN A POSITION TO SUCCEED AND UNDERSTAND THAT. I WAS RAISED BY AN IMMIGRANT SINGLE MOM. AFTER MY DAD DIED, I JOINED THE ARMY AND LEARNED A BASIC PRINCIPLE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND. AND AS YOUR GOVERNOR, THAT WILL BE THE NEW MISSION FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT PAYING GROCERIES AND BILLS, BUT WE CAN BUILD AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES, BUT WE CAN WORK WITH COMMUNITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I KNOW YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS BEING STRIPPED AWAY. MARYLAND CAN BE A STATE THAT PROTECTS ABORTION RIGHTS AND ABORTION ACCESS. MY NAME IS WES MOORE. I’M A COMBAT VETERAN, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, A THIRD GENERATION MARYLANDER. AND I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT IN MARYLAND. MR. COX. WELL, HELLO, MARYLAND. HELLO, MARYLAND. IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO REPRESENT YOUR INTERESTS. I AM A HUSBAND. MY PRECIOUS BRIDE OF 26 YEARS. MY LOVELY FAMILY OF TEN CHILDREN. WE ARE SERVING YOU AND IN THE STATE HOUSE. I’VE SERVED FOR MANY YEARS IN WORKING AS A SMALL BUSINESSMAN. I’VE WORKED AND GREW UP ON A FARM AND I HAD TO WORK MY WAY THROUGH COLLEGE. I UNDERSTAND AND AND I FEEL THE PAIN OF PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE THAT SO MANY MARYLANDERS ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW. AND THAT IS WHY IN THE LEGISLATURE, I STOOD WITH GOVERNOR HOGAN TO ENSURE THAT OUR STREETS WERE SAFE AND THAT OUR TAXES WERE LOWER. I WAS ON THE GOVERNOR’S ACCOUNTABILITY CRIME ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. I WAS ON THE TASK FORCE AND ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE WORKED FOR PARENTAL RIGHTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND THAT THE OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR THEM. BUT MY OPPONENT, HE HAS SOUGHT TO DEFUND THE POLICE. HE HAS SOUGHT FROM THIS, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN TRAIL HAS SOUGHT TO CENTRALIZE EDUCATION. I INTEND TO PUT POWER BACK IN THE PEOPLE’S HANDS. AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU. OUR FIRST QUESTION IS COMING FROM PAMELA WOOD WITH THE BALTIMORE BANNER. THANK YOU. THIS QUESTION GOES FIRST TO DELEGATE COX. YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF PROMOTING DISTRUST IN ELECTIONS. YOU’VE CLAIMED THE 2020 ELECTION WAS STOLEN FROM DONALD TRUMP. YOU WORKED AS A LAWYER ON HIS BEHALF IN PENNSYLVANIA AND YOU CO-HOSTED BUSSES TO WASHINGTON, D.C. ON JANUARY SIX, 2021 FOR HIS STOP THE STEAL RALLY. AND HERE IN MARYLAND, YOU JUST FOUGHT UNSUCCESSFULLY A LEGAL BATTLE OVER HOW SOME OF THE BALLOTS WILL BE COUNTED. DO YOU TRUST THAT MARYLAND ELECTION SYSTEM IS ACCURATE? AND SHOULD MARYLANDERS BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL HONOR AND ACCEPT THE ELECTION RESULTS? ABSOLUTELY. I BELIEVE IN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM AND AS A CONSTITUTIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DO IN THE LEGISLATURE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE PLEDGED TO DO AS YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR, TO ENSURE THAT REALLY DEMOCRACY IS AT STAKE. RIGHT. WE HAVE A REPUBLIC. THAT MEANS THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED. THAT’S ALL I’VE EVER SOUGHT TO DO. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO DO. AND SO JUST A FOLLOW UP. I ASKED IF YOU WOULD ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION AND BELIEVE THAT THERE’S INTEGRITY. THE WAY THAT THE ELECTION IS BEING CARRIED OUT THIS FALL, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WILL BE ACCURATE AND WILL YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS? WELL, I HAVE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THE ELECTION RESULTS THAT ARE FAIR AND THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE CONSTITUTION. I INTEND TO LOOK TO THE CONSTITUTION AND UPHOLD THE LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION. AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO SAYING THAT BEFORE A SURGERY TAKES PLACE TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE SURGERY WENT WELL. THAT IS WHY THE STATUTE OF MARYLAND ACTUALLY PROTECTS DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS ALIKE TO SAY THERE’S A PROCESS THAT HAS TO BE FOLLOWED AND EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE ON THE BALLOT HAS A RIGHT TO THAT PROCESS. AND I INTEND TO UPHOLD THAT PROCESS. AND TO MR. MOORE. NOW, YOU HAVE STATED THAT YOU WILL HONORED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, GIVEN THE STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS OF YOUR OPPONENT. IT’S POSSIBLE THAT A MEANINGFUL NUMBER OF MARYLANDERS WILL NOT BELIEVE THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION. WHAT MORE DO YOU BELIEVE COULD BE DONE TO ENSURE THE ELECTION INTEGRITY AND FAITH IN THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION? I WANT TO READ SOMETHING. I AM COHOST ING TWO BUSSES TO THE MILLION MAGA MARCH SLASH RALLY WITH THE FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATIVE CLUB IN SUPPORT OF AT REAL DONALD TRUMP ON JANUARY SIX, 2021 TO HASHTAG TAG STOP THE STEAL DEMAND NO HASHTAG TAG CHINA BIDEN. THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF MY OPPONENT. AND SO TO MARYLANDERS, I SAY THIS WE HAVE FREE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN OUR STATE. NEVER HAS THE QUESTION OF ELECTION INTEGRITY COME UP IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND THEY WILL NOT COME UP IN 2022. WE ARE PROUD OF THE ELECTION PROCESS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND I WILL HONOR THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION. AND I’M HOPING THAT MY OPPONENT WOULD DO THE SAME. THANK YOU. BUT TO MY QUESTION, WHAT MORE COULD BE DONE TO ENSURE PUBLIC TRUST IN THE ELECTION RESULTS? DO YOU HAVE ANY PROPOSALS? WELL, I THINK PUBLIC TRUST IN THE ELECTION SYSTEM IS THERE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ELECTION SYSTEM WHERE WE OFFER MAIL IN BALLOTS. WE HAVE AN ELECTION SYSTEM WHERE WE OFFER EARLY VOTING. WE HAVE AN ELECTION SYSTEM WHERE WE OFFER WHERE WE OFFER DAY OFF AND WE HAVE A COURT SYSTEM THAT REINFORCE THE FACT THAT EARLY BALLOTS SHOULD BE COUNTED PRIOR. WE HAVE A REMARKABLY TRANSPARENT ELECTION SYSTEM IN OUR STATE AND ONE THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND FRANKLY DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE TO CAST DOUBT IN THE ELECTION SYSTEM OF MARYLAND. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT QUESTION TONIGHT. MAY I RESPOND? 10 SECONDS, IF YOU COULD. SO THE ONLY THING THAT’S DANGEROUS AS A CANDIDATE, SUCH AS MY OPPONENT, WHO WISHES TO CENTRALIZE AUTHORITY AND COMPLETELY IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION AND THE STATE LAW. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN SEEKING TO DO, IS UPHOLD THE STATE LAW FOR EVERYONE. AND THAT’S EXEMPLIFIED EVEN IN MY OWN COUNTY, WHERE A DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE WON ONE ELECTION BY ONE VOTE. AND THEN THE THE THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS WAS THEN DENIED. JUST JUST THIS THIS LAST MONTH IN JULY EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO THE COUNTING. THAT’S THE RIGHT OF EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE ON THE BALLOT. THAT’S THE STATUTE. THAT’S THE LAW. AND I’VE WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR ELECTIONS HAVE INTEGRITY. I HAVE STOOD WITH ACL ATTORNEYS TO MAKE SURE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE, AND I INTEND TO UPHOLD THE LAW AS WE GO FORWARD. IF I IF I CAN JUST SAY SAY SO, I’M GOING TO KEEP MOVING. I’LL GIVE YOU PLENTY OF TIME TOWARDS THE END. SO I’M SORRY, TRACI, GO AHEAD. SO, MR. MOORE, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU. I WANTED TO DISCUSS WHY YOU’VE ONLY AGREED TO ONE IN-PERSON DEBATE. DAN COX APPEARED AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY’S FORUM THAT YOU DECLINED THE STUDENT PAPER FROM OREGON STATE SAID IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT WES MOORE DID NOT ACCEPT OUR NUMEROUS INVITATIONS TO THE FORUM. DAN COX HAS ACCUSED YOU OF RUNNING FROM HIM. COX HANDILY WON HIS PARTY’S NOMINATION. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO MARYLANDERS, THOSE WHO FEEL THAT YOU ARE SNUBBING THEIR NOMINEE? I RESPOND BY SAYING THAT I’M EXCITED TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW. IT’S A DAY DEBATING DAN COX. I RESPOND BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE SPENT TIME GOING ALL OVER THE STATE OF MARYLAND, GOING TO ALL 24 JURISDICTIONS, MEETING VOTERS WHERE THEY ARE THAT WE HAVE SPENT TIME AND WE’LL SPEND TIME ON ALL FOUR HBCU’S IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND BECAUSE THEY’RE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE LONG TERM VITALITY OF OUR STATE AND TRUTHFULLY, YOU KNOW, I’M EXCITED TO SPEND TIME WITH VOTERS TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THEY CARE ABOUT. AND AND WHILE I’M I’M EAGER TO HAVE THIS DEBATE WITH WITH MY OPPONENT, THE FACT THAT EVEN GOVERNOR HOGAN SAID HE WILL NOT SUPPORT HIS CANDIDACY AND CALLED HIM UNFIT TO LEAD, I THINK IS A IT SHOULD BE A CLEAR INDICATION TO VOTERS AS TO WHY I WHY I WANT TO SPEND MY TIME TALKING TO VOTERS INSTEAD OF JUST ON THE DEBATE STAGE CONSTANTLY. AND, MR. COX, IF YOU WERE TO LOSE THIS ELECTION, WOULD YOU BE A BRIDGE BUILDER? WOULD YOU WORK TO SUPPORT THE MOORE ADMINISTRATION? WELL, ABSOLUTELY. WE NEED TO BE TEAM PLAYERS. AND I WOULD BEGIN BY SAYING THAT THE FACT THAT I HAVE STOOD WITH GOVERNOR HOGAN INDICATES THAT I AM THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR WITH EXPERIENCE, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY WHO HAS SERVED IN GOVERNMENT AND WHO HAS STOOD WITH GOVERNOR HOGAN’S POLICIES TO LOWER TAXES, LOWER CRIME. WHILE MY OPPONENT INSTEAD HAS SOUGHT TO IN ON SALON.COM, HAS PROCLAIMED THAT HE WANTS TO DEFUND THE POLICE. THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US. IT’S A STARK DIFFERENCE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REASON HE WON’T DEBATE, IT’S BECAUSE HE’S A PHONY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS IN HIS BOOK THAT ARE COMPLETELY FALSE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOOK, HE CLAIMS HE WAS RAISED IN BALTIMORE CITY. BUT, SIR, YOU WEREN’T THERE UNTIL YOU WERE 34. NO MORE. GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RESPOND. THANK YOU. I MEAN, WE’RE WATCHING A PERFECT INDICATION AS TO WHY GOVERNOR HOLDEN CALLED YOU UNFIT TO LEAD. WE’RE WATCHING A PERFECT INDICATION AS TO WHY GOVERNOR HOGAN HAS SAID NOT ONLY WILL I NOT SUPPORT DELEGATE COX, I WON’T EVEN GIVE HIM A TOUR OF A GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. FRANKLY, I’M STANDING ON STAGE RIGHT NOW WITH AN EXTREMIST ELECTION DENIER WHO’S RHETORIC AND WHOSE POLICIES ARE NOT JUST DANGEROUS AND DIVISIVE, BUT WILL TAKE OUR STATE BACKWARDS. AND THE INTENTION THAT I HAVE IN THIS CAMPAIGN IS I HAVE AN INTENTION THAT WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MARYLANDERS CARE ABOUT, LIKE ENSURING WE HAVE A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, ENSURING THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE, ENSURING THAT WE CAN HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT GROWS AND CAN BENEFIT EVERYBODY. INSTEAD OF DELVING INTO CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT MY OPPONENT CONTINUES TO THROW OUT, I THINK THAT’S PREPOSTEROUS. I NEED TO RESPOND. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND RIDICULOUS. WE ARE BIGGER THAN MIDDLE SCHOOL. NAME CALLING, SIR. WE HAVE TO GET ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE. AND I HAVE HAD LUNCH WITH THE GOVERNOR. I HAVE TOWARD THE STATE HOUSE. SO I’M NOT SURE WHERE YOU’VE BEEN, BUT I’VE BEEN WORKING IN ANNAPOLIS FOR FOUR YEARS FOR THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND. I HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO DO THAT AND I AM RUNNING TO RESTORE OPPORTUNITY, SAFE SAFETY, AFFORDABILITY, FREEDOM AND EDUCATION IS MY PLATFORM. THAT’S WHAT MARYLAND WANTS. THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT AT THE DINNER TABLE. AND THAT’S WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING WITH MY OWN FAMILY. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BRING TO ANNAPOLIS. THAT BALANCE IS NEEDED. WE’RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO ALEXIS SMITH. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. AS YOU BOTH KNOW, AMERICANS ACROSS THE NATION ARE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION. RESIDENTS OF THIS GREAT STATE FEEL THE PAIN AT THE PUMP AND IN THE GROCERY STORE AISLE. MARYLANDERS OF EVERY RACE, EVERY CREED AND COLOR ARE MAKING TOUGH FINANCIAL DECISIONS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK MARYLANDERS, THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION ARE MAGNIFIED. BLACK AMERICANS MAKE $0.71 FOR EVERY WHITE DOLLAR. AND AS YOU POINTED OUT THIS YEAR, MR. MORE WHITE FAMILIES IN MARYLAND ON AVERAGE HAVE EIGHT TIMES THE WEALTH OF BLACK FAMILIES IN THIS GREAT STATE. WHAT WILL YOU DO IF ELECTED GOVERNOR TO CLOSE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP? NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT. WHAT WILL YOU ACTUALLY PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS AND DO REPARATIONS PLAY A PART IN YOUR PLAN AT ALL? I WILL GIVE THAT TO MR. OR MR. COX FIRST. SO THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WITH REPARATIONS IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ROBBED OF THEIR BUSINESS AND THEIR WEALTH IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WITHIN AUTHORITY THAT MY OPPONENT SUPPORTS IT. AND THAT IS A LOCK DOWN AUTHORITY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE BACK IN THE POSITION TO PROSPER ONCE AGAIN. AND THAT’S MY PLATFORM AND PLAN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT MY OPPONENT, HE’S TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRANSFERRING WEALTH AWAY FROM PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR SKIN COLOR THAT IS RACIST. IT’S WRONG. I WILL STAND AGAINST THAT AND SAY I’M ABOUT I’M A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY. I’M ABOUT EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL OF MARYLAND MAKING OPPORTUNITIES, BRIDGE LOANS, OPPORTUNITY ZONES. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OUR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN MARYLAND HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO HAVE AN EDUCATION. I MEAN, IT’S PREPOSTEROUS WHEN YOU GO TO BALTIMORE CITY AND I’VE BEEN THERE PLAYING BALL AND I’VE BEEN TO MORGAN STATE WHEN MS. . WHEN MR. MOORE REFUSED TO ATTEND. AND THE CRY OF EVERYONE’S HEART IS, WE’VE GOT TO GET OUR CITY AND OUR STATE BACK ON TRACK, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND SAFE. THAT’S MY PLATFORM. MR. MOORE WANTS TO UNDERMINE THAT. THE IMPACTS OF RACIAL DISPARITIES DID NOT START TWO YEARS AGO. DELEGATE COX WE ARE WATCHING SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A LONG TERM CHALLENGE THAT OUR STATE HAS GOT TO WRESTLE WITH AND ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN 8 TO 1 RACIAL WEALTH GAP IN OUR STATE. IS REAL. IT’S NOT PRETEND. AND IT’S NOT BECAUSE ONE GROUP IS WORKING EIGHT TIMES HARDER. WE HAVE GOT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT’S NOT JUST IMPACTING ONE GROUP. IT IS IMPACTING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US. A RECENT REPORT SHOWED THAT THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP, WEALTH GAP HAS COST THIS COUNTRY $16 TRILLION IN GDP. NOT OF A GROUP GDP. AND SO WE’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON CREATING PATHWAYS FOR WORK, WAGES AND WEALTH, HAVING AN EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HOW NOT JUST TO BE EMPLOYEES, BUT EMPLOYERS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE INCREASING WAGES FOR MARYLAND FAMILIES AND GETTING TO A $15 MINIMUM WAGE AND PEG IT TO INFLATION AND MAKING SURE THE WORK IN CREATING PATHWAYS FOR WEALTH. AND THAT MEANS ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE UNAFFORDABLE HOMES. THAT MEANS ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE UNFAIR APPRAISAL VALUES AND HISTORICALLY RED LINE NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT MEANS FIXING BROKEN PROCUREMENT LAWS THAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND THAT CALLS FOR A 29% GOAL AND B, PARTICIPATION. BUT WE HAVE NOT COME CLOSE TO HITTING THAT NUMBER. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE THIS. WE’VE GOT TO MOVE INTO A DIRECTION WHERE WE’RE TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTION AND REPARATIVE ACTION TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC GAPS THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE IN OUR SOCIETY. SIR, THANK YOU. YOU’LL MOVE TO JUST NOW. AND SO FINALLY, TO RESPOND REAL BRIEFLY, TO KEEP MOVING THIS TIME, WE’LL COME BACK TO ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU. WHO GOES FIRST TO MR. MOORE? STUDENT TEST SCORES NATIONALLY AND IN MARYLAND ARE DOWN. ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS TO HELP STUDENTS CATCH UP AFTER THE PANDEMIC? THANK YOU. AND THE ANSWER IS WE NEED TO DO MORE. YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN I’M BEEN GOING ALL AROUND THE STATE AND TALKING TO PARENTS AND HEARING THE FRUSTRATION. AND FRANKLY, IT’S NOT JUST THE FRUSTRATION IN TALKING TO PARENTS. I HAVE AN 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND EIGHT YEAR OLD SON MYSELF. AND WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT WHERE WE HAVE RESOURCE SOURCES THAT ARE COMING FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE UPWARDS OF $1.9 BILLION. THAT’S EARMARKED TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS. AND WE’VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT THAT CAPITAL IS GOING TOWARDS THINGS LIKE AFTERSCHOOL SUPPORTS, SUMMER SUPPORTS, ADVANCED TUTORING, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROPERLY IMPLEMENTING THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND’S FUTURE, WHICH I WAS VERY PROUD TO WORK ON. OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL FULLY FUND AND IN PARTNERSHIP WE WILL PROPERLY IMPLEMENT. AND I’M THANKFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF MARYLAND’S TEACHERS WHO HAVE BACKED MY CAMPAIGN THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE HOLISTICALLY TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION, AN EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE, AND AN EDUCATION THAT OUR COMMUNITIES NEED THEM TO GET. SO. I WANT TO BEGIN BY MENTIONING THE CLARITY OF OF WHAT WE JUST HEARD A MINUTE AGO. MY OPPONENT STATED ON RECORD THAT HE IS FOR REPARATIONS. THIS IS AN EXTREME AND INAPPROPRIATE, DIVISIVE APPROACH TO HEALING THE DIVIDES THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE TO SEE HEALED. THAT’S WHAT MADE FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND HARRIET TUBMAN GREAT. THEY SOUGHT TO USE OUR CONSTITUTION LIKE I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS TO ADVANCE FREEDOM FOR EVERYONE, NOT TO CREATE THIS DIVISION THAT MY OPPONENT IS NOW ON RECORD SAYING THAT HE’S GOING TO ENFORCE WITH THIS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH THROUGH REPARATIONS. THAT’S A POLLING AND IT ACTUALLY REFLECTS THE EDUCATION QUESTION THAT YOU JUST ASKED, BECAUSE THAT’S PART OF HIS EDUCATION PROGRAM. THAT’S NOT GOING TO GIVE US A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. WE NEED TO GET BACK TO READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT STEM TECHNOLOGY AGES ARE WHAT OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SCHOOL CHOICE. THAT’S PART OF MY PLATFORM. I PLEDGED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ACTUALLY TURN ON THE BACK END. THAT WORKS. WE ARE GOING TO RESTORE WORLD CLASS EDUCATION IN MARYLAND, AND I’M PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT PLAN. IT’S A GOOD SEGUE TO WHERE WE’RE GOING. I’M SORRY. CAN I GUYS MAKE A QUICK NOTE? 10 SECONDS. WE GOT TO GO. THANK YOU. THAT MY OPPONENT, WHEN ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT EDUCATION, USE IT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT SAY. I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS PART OF THIS DANGEROUS RHETORIC. AND MR. VICE, OF RHETORIC THAT WILL FRANKLY MOVE OUR STATE BACKWARDS. AND I, I HONOR WHAT I WHAT GOVERNOR HOGAN SAID, BECAUSE WHAT GOVERNOR HOGAN SAID ABOUT BEING YOU BEING UNFIT TO BE IN THIS OFFICE, YOU ARE PUTTING ON FULL DISPLAY RIGHT NOW. MR. MOORE INSTEAD, THE BACK AND FORTH. LET’S LISTEN TO SOME COLLEGE STUDENTS. I HAVE ON HIS WAY TO JOURNALISM STUDENTS. ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. BOTH FROM SALISBURY AND MORGAN STATE AS WELL. AND I WANT TO KNOW FROM THE NEXT GOVERNOR SOME QUESTIONS FROM THEIR STANDPOINT. THIS IS FROM SALISBURY UNIVERSITY. HI, I’M BJ BEASLEY, THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF SALISBURY UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER. THE FLIER. MY QUESTION FOR THE CANDIDATES IS HOW WILL GUN CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION INTERSECT UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION? MR. COX IS GOING TO GO FIRST ON THAT. SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE GUNS OFF THE STREETS THAT ARE THERE ILLEGALLY AND BEING USED ILLEGALLY FOR CRIMES. THIS IS WHY I WAS ON THE GOVERNOR’S CRIME TASK FORCE IN MY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE FIGHTING WITH MY FELLOW LEGISLATORS TO TAKE GUNS OFF THE STREETS THAT ARE THERE ILLEGALLY, AND BEING USED IN CRIMES. MR. MOORE AND HIS TEAM, THEY ACTUALLY SUPPORTED DECRYPTION, LOSING MUCH OF THIS AND REFUSED. THE APPROACH IS THEIR APPROACH WAS TO REFUSE THE FELONY APPROACH THAT IF YOU’VE USED A GUN IN CRIME THAT YOU SHOULD GO TO JAIL. INSTEAD, THEY WANT THEM TO RUN THE STREETS. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE 60% OF THE MURDERS IN BALTIMORE CITY RIGHT NOW BEING UNSOLVED AND UNPROSECUTED. THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE ON MY WATCH. WE ARE GOING TO BRING BACK LAW AND ORDER. WE’RE GOING TO BRING BACK THE SAFETY ON OUR STREETS THAT EVERYONE IS CRYING OUT FOR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION. AND IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE’S NO HIGHER PRIORITY FOR ANY CHIEF EXECUTIVE THAN PUBLIC SAFETY. PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, IN THEIR OWN HOMES, AND IN THEIR OWN SKIN. AND I THINK ABOUT WHAT MY OPPONENT SAID THAT I SAID, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I NEVER SAID ONCE AGAIN, AND ALSO HOW MY OPPONENT LIKES TO SAY THAT HE BACKS THE BLUE. THE IRONY IS THE BLUE DOESN’T BACK YOU BECAUSE THE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE ENDORSED OUR CAMPAIGN. AND SO THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS ENSURING THAT WE CAN GET AND KEEP THESE ILLEGAL GUNS OFF OF OUR STREETS AND GET AND KEEP THESE VIOLENT OFFENDERS OFF OF OUR STREETS. AND THERE’S AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THE STATE PLAYS IN THAT. THERE’S ALSO AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THE STATE PLAYS IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG PAROLE AND PROBATION SYSTEM. WHEN YOU CONSIDER A THIRD OF ALL VIOLENT OFFENDERS ARE IN VIOLATION OF PAROLE AND PROBATION. THAT IS A STATE FUNCTION. AND RIGHT NOW IT IS UNDERSTAFFED AND UNDERMANNED. WE HAVE TO FIX THAT. THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT STATE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE’RE PROVIDING SUPPORTS FOR VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW IMPACTS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE CHALLENGE ARE OFTENTIMES THE ONES CLOSEST TO THE SOLUTIONS. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A STATE THAT’S WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL JURISDICTION AND ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS TO ENSURE WE ARE GETTING AND KEEPING ILLEGAL GUNS OUT OF OUR STREETS AND KEEPING VIOLENT OFFENDERS OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WISCONSIN, GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RESPOND IF YOU’D LIKE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SECONDS, PLEASE. MR. MOORE HAS LONG WORKED WITH OPEN SOCIETY AND THEY CAME INTO MY COMMITTEE AND I HAVE A RECORD OF SERVING AND PROTECTING THE BLUE AND SERVING IN MY COMMITTEE TO DEFEND THEM, BECAUSE MR. MOORE AND HIS TEAM CAME IN AND SOUGHT TO DEFUND THE POLICE IN MY COMMITTEE. THAT WAS WITH THE OPEN SOCIETY PEOPLE. THAT WAS WITH THE NONPROFITS THAT WANTED TO CHANGE AND REIMAGINE POLICING AGAINST THE POLICE AND AGAINST YOU AND I AS CITIZENS. I THOUGHT THAT WE STOPPED IT INSTEAD, I’M GOING TO FUND THE POLICE. THAT’S WHY SHERIFFS AND OFFICERS ON DUTY SUPPORT ME, NOT JUST UNIONS, ALTHOUGH I SUPPORT THEM TOO, BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE FROM DAY ONE THAT OUR STREETS ARE SAFE AGAIN. WE WILL NEVER SAY, LIKE MR. MOORE SAID IN SALON DOT COM, YOU CAN GOOGLE IT AND LOOK IT UP AND THAT HE WANTS TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND NOT JUST THAT HE WANTS TO INDICT THE SYSTEM. NOW, THAT’S NOT TALK AND RHETORIC THAT’S SAFE FOR ANY ONE OF US. THIS IS WHERE WE KEEP MOVING. AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT’S JUST THAT’S NOT TRUE. SO WE’RE GOING TO GO TO MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ONE MOMENT. HI, MY NAME IS JANE AND MOSLEY LAWSON, A STUDENT, POLITICAL REPORTER HERE AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. AND MY QUESTION IS, NOW THAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND HBCU HAVE MADE A SETTLEMENT, WHAT ARE SOME FURTHER STEPS THAT YOU THINK THE STATE SHOULD TAKE IN ORDER TO FURTHER ASSIST THE HBCU IN THE AREA. MR. MOORE GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION. AND OUR STATE IS SO BLESSED THAT WE HAVE FOR THE TOP HBCUS IN AMERICA HERE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. AND NOW WE HAVE REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE HBCU’S THAT WAS THAT WAS NEEDED AND LONG OVERDUE. BUT THERE’S A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE’VE GOT TO DO. ONE IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GROUNDS WHY THE SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED IN THE FIRST PLACE ARE ACTUALLY BEING HONORED BECAUSE THIS WAS ABOUT DUPLICATION OF COURSEWORK. THIS WAS ABOUT NOT ABOUT GIVING AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE TO INSTITUTIONS WHO WERE NOT OUR HBCU’S. THE CHALLENGE IS, DESPITE THE SETTLEMENT BEING DONE, THAT PRACTICE IS STILL HAPPENING. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GROUNDS FOR THE SETTLEMENTS ARE ACTUALLY BEING HONORED. WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE INITIAL SETTLEMENT. WHEN YOU HAVE FOR THE TOP EIGHT HBCUS IN AMERICA THAT HELPS TO ADDRESS SO MANY OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE SEEING ABOUT HOW WE HOW ARE WE CREATING PIPELINE LINES IN OUR NURSING INDUSTRY? HOW ARE WE CREATING PIPELINES IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM? HOW ARE WE CREATING PIPELINES OF ENTREPRENEURIAL GROWTH AND BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON NEW INDUSTRIES, SOLAR AND WIND TECHNOLOGY, CYBER AND BIOTECH TECHNOLOGIES? WE SHOULD BE LEVERAGING THE GENIUS OF OUR HBCU STUDENTS AND MAKING THEM A CORE PART OF MARYLAND’S GROWTH STORY. MR. COX. WELL, I LIKE MY OPPONENT. I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE HBCU DEBATE THAT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND I SPOKE WITH THE STUDENTS THERE, AND I WAS HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE PART OF THAT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID THERE, AND I BELIEVE FIRMLY THIS IS WHY I VOTED FOR THE SETTLEMENT. THIS IS WHY I VOTED FOR HBCUS TO RECEIVE EQUAL FUNDING. AND THAT IS WE NEED TO EXPAND PROGRAMS FOR ALL OF THEM TO HAVE THINGS LIKE TECH OPPORTUNITIES, TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET CERTIFICATIONS AND THEIR DEGREES. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH COLLEGE MYSELF ON A PELL GRANT. I KNOW EXACTLY HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE UP THE GAP IN YOUR TUITION, AND YET MANY TIMES HBCUS HAVE THE FUNDING LEVELS DIFFERING, SHE ADDED, THINKING THAT SOMEHOW RECEIVING MORE FUNDS THAN OTHER UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SYSTEM. BUT THAT’S JUST NOT THE CASE. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE EQUALIZE NOT ONLY THE FUNDING TO THE UNIVERSITY, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY GETS TO THE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TO DROP OUT. LIKE, UNFORTUNATELY, SO MANY STUDENTS IN HBCUS END UP DOING. PAMELA, BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. TURNING TO HEALTH CARE, AS YOU BOTH KNOW, ACCESS TO ABORTION CARE IS PROTECTED BY MARYLAND LAW, BUT NOT BY NATIONAL LAW. DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION AND THE MAKEUP OF CONGRESS, THERE COULD EITHER BE A PROPOSAL FOR A NATIONAL BAN ON ABORTION OR NATIONAL PROTECTION FOR ABORTION AS GOVERNOR. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR POSITION ON NATIONAL ABORTION LEGISLATION, AND WOULD YOU GET INVOLVED IN A NATIONAL DEBATE ON BEHALF OF MARYLANDERS? DELEGATE COX YOU GO FIRST. I KNOW I’M FOCUSED ON BEING THE GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND, AND I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS WORKED ON IN MARYLAND REFLECTS THE INTERESTS AND VALUES OF THE PEOPLE. I AM PRO-LIFE. I’M VERY HONORED AND PRIVILEGED WITH MY WIFE TO HAVE A SPECIAL NEEDS SON THAT’S WHY I FOUGHT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR THE DOWN SYNDROME PROTECTION ACT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE, THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND THE UNBORN ALL HAVE EQUAL PROTECTION AND ARE SUPPORTED BY LAW, BY OUR LAWS. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL DEBATE, IT’S TURNED BACK TO THE STATES. WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST LIBERAL ABORTION LAWS IN THE COUNTRY. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS GOVERNOR, THERE’S VERY LITTLE THAT I CAN DO TO OVERRIDE THAT OR CHANGE IT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT’S COME FROM MY OPPONENT THAT I’M SOMEHOW DANGEROUS TO WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE IS PREPOSTEROUS. IT’S FALSE. IT’S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. MR. MOORE, YOUR POSITION ON NATIONAL ABORTION LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE ABORTION IS HEALTH CARE AND I FULLY TRUST WOMEN TO MAKE THIS DECISION WITH THEIR DOCTORS. I WANT MARYLAND TO BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR ABORTION RIGHTS. AND I BACKED BACK LAST FALL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. AND IF I BECOME THE GOVERNOR, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I WILL BACK IT AGAIN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT JUST A NATIONAL ISSUE. THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR MARYLAND’S WOMEN WHO WANT THEIR HEALTH CARE TO BE PROTECTED AND WHEN THE SUPREME COURT MADE THE DECISION TO ROB MILLIONS OF WOMEN OF HEALTH CARE, MY OPPONENT THEN THE SAME DAY PRAISED THE SUPREME COURT AND PRAISED DONALD TRUMP. SO MY MY OPPONENT IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHERE HE STANDS ON HEALTH CARE. HE’S VERY CLEAR ON THE FACT THAT HE WOULD CRIMINALIZE ABORTION, EVEN IN THE CASE OF INCEST AND RAPE. HE’S VERY CLEAR WHERE HE IS ON ON ON ABORTION CARE, THAT HE SAYS THAT THAT EVEN IN THE CASE WHERE THE WOMAN WITH A MOTHER’S LIFE EVENTS IS IN RISK, THAT HE WOULD EITHER FORCE THE MOTHER TO HAVE THE CHILD OR ARREST HER. HE IS VERY CLEAR AND WE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS. ABORTION IS HEALTH CARE. DISCUSSING. DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND? THANK YOU, JASON. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE. IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ABORTION LEGISLATION, THE PRO-LIFE BILLS I PUT IN TO THE LEGISLATURE WHERE I’VE ACTUALLY HAD TO WORK ON THIS ACROSS THE AISLE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I HAVE HAD THE THREE EXCEPTIONS IN IN THE LAW. I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A LEGAL PROCESS THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED. AND THIS WHOLE YOU KNOW, STATING OF CRIMINALIZATION OF ABSOLUTELY FALSE. THAT’S THAT’S A PREPOSTEROUS SITUATION. PREPOSTEROUS ACCUSATION. IT’S IT’S DEMEANING. IT’S WRONG. IT’S DEMEANING TO WOMEN. IT’S DEMEANING TO THE FIVE WOMEN IN MY HOUSEHOLD. AND I TELL YOU, THAT’S JUST DEMONSTRATES THAT YOU CANNOT TRUST WHAT COMES OUT OF MY OPPONENT’S MOUTH. I WILL SAY THIS. I WILL DEFEND UNBORN LIFE, BUT NOT TAKE INTO. THIS IS WHY I’M RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, NOT TAKE INTO MY POWER SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL. WHEN YOU HEAR MY OPPONENT SAYING THAT HE’S GOING TO FORCE INTO THE CONSTITUTION A PROTECTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH, NOT ONLY THE THIRD TRIMESTER, BUT THE THIRD. YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW, TRANSACTIONAL ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE THIRD TRIMESTER. THAT’S HIS APPROACH. AND IT’S WRONG. IT’S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING TO THINK THAT THAT’S THE POSITION OF MY OPPONENT. IT’S EXTREME AND I WILL INSTEAD FOLLOW THE LAW WITH THE DIRECT ATTACK. I’LL LET YOU RESPOND IF YOU LIKE, OR WE CAN MOVE ON. THANK YOU. NOW, THE STATE OF MARYLAND SHOULD NEVER STAND BETWEEN THE DIFFICULT DECISION THAT A WOMAN HAS TO MAKE WITH HER DOCTOR ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ABORTION BEING HEALTH CARE, I TRUST WOMEN TO MAKE THIS DECISION WITH THEIR DOCTORS, NOT POLITICIANS AND JUDGES. THIS IS A DEEPLY PERS AND IMPORTANT THING FOR MARYLAND WOMEN AND FRANKLY, ALL MARYLANDERS TO BE ABLE TO EMBRACE. AND ONCE AGAIN, WHILE, YOU KNOW, I THINK MY MY OPPONENT BOTH HIS ARE HIS ACTIONS AND DEEDS, BOTH HISTORIC AND PRESENT. THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. I WANT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR IN A MORE MILLER ADMINISTRATION. WE WILL PROTECT THAT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN A MORE MILLER ADMINISTRATION. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT MARYLAND IS A SAFE HAVEN FOR ABORTION CARE FOR GENERAL. I NEED TO RESPOND. WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO KEEP MOVING, SIR. KEEP MOVING TO GET TO THIS NEXT QUESTION HERE WITH TRACI. YES. SO STICKING WITH THE TOPIC OF HEALTH CARE AND WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, I’D LIKE TO START WITH MR. COX. MR. COX, YOU ARE OPPOSED TO GOVERNMENT MANDATES FOR VACCINES AGAINST COVID, A POTENTIALLY DEADLY VIRUS. YOU CITE THAT AS WHY YOU RAN FOR DELEGATE, BUT YOU SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT TELLING WOMEN WHEN THEY CAN AND CANNOT PRACTICE THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN ABORTION. YOU HAVE SUPPORTED 14 BILLS RESTRICTING OR ROLLING BACK ABORTION ACCESS AS A DELEGATE. WHY DO WOMEN’S BODIES DESERVE GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT WHEN YOU DON’T WANT OVERSIGHT FOR YOUR OWN BODY? WELL, THAT’S JUST A VERY LOADED QUESTION. THAT’S CERTAINLY DEMONSTRATE ADDING BIAS, BECAUSE THAT’S NOT MY POSITION AT ALL. I THINK IT’S REALLY OBNOXIOUS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WISH TO TAKE POSSESSION OF OUR BODIES AGAINST THE THE LAW, THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR THE DECISIONS TO BE MADE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND HER DOCTOR OR HIS DOCTOR AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS TRAMPLED ON IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. AND SO I STOOD FIRMLY IN SAYING I’M FOR VACCINES, PERSONAL CHOICES FOR THAT, BUT I’M OPPOSED TO VACCINE PASSPORTS. AND THAT’S WHAT MY OPPONENT EMBRACES. YOU COULDN’T EVEN GO TO SOME OF HIS EVENTS WITHOUT DEMONSTRATING THAT YOU HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE. THAT’S NOT THE KIND OF DIRECTION OF OUR STATE. THAT’S NOT AMERICA. PEOPLE HAD SHOULD HAVE THEIR CHOICES IN THESE DECISIONS. AND AS TO THE BILL’S, LIKE I SAID, THE BILLS THAT I HAVE SUPPORTED HAVE HAD EXCEPTIONS. THEY HAVE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE WOMEN ARE SAFE WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICATION, MAKING SURE WOMEN ARE SAFE IN THEIR IN THEIR PROCEDURES AND IN THEIR AMBULATORY CLINICS, MAKING SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, LITTLE CHILDREN LIKE DOWN’S SYNDROME ARE NOT TARGETED JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR BEING DISABLED. THAT’S THE FUTURE OF ABORTION. MY OPPONENT IS EXTREME ON THIS ISSUE. HE RIGHT NOW WILL SUPPORT AND SIGN A CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT. AND I BELIEVE, SIR, THAT YOU WOULD SIGN THE BILL. THAT WOULD ALSO DENY CARE AFTER BIRTH TO SOMEONE WHO SURVIVED AN ABORTION. THAT’S EXTREME. MY APPROACH IS, IS MORE MAINSTREAM. WELL, MR. COX, IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO ONE’S BODY AND WHEN IT COMES TO VACCINES, YOUR FEELING IS THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT THERE. BUT FOR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, THERE SHOULD BE. THE GOVERNMENT’S NOT FORCING ANYBODY ABOUT ABORTION. THE GOVERNMENT IS FORCING INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE A VACCINE OR LOSE THEIR JOBS. THIS ISN’T RIGHT. EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THE VACCINE. I APPLAUD THEM, BUT EVEN THEY AGREE IN A MAJORITY THAT THOSE WHO CANNOT, WHETHER FOR DISABILITY OR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES, SHOULD NOT LOSE THEIR JOB OVER THIS. THAT’S WHY I’VE BEEN FIGHTING THAT ISSUE. MR. MOORE, IS THERE ANY PART OF MARYLAND’S ABORTION ACCESS LAWS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXPANDED OR LIMITED OR SO? CAN I FIRST RESPOND TO THE VACCINE QUESTION? DURING DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY LOOK TO IMPEACH GOVERNOR HOGAN FOR HIS HANDLING OF IT. WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHO SOUGHT TO IMPEACH GOVERNOR HOGAN BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE, BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO LISTEN TO THE CDC IN THE NOW, BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO LISTEN TO JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER. THAT MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WAS DAN COX. AND BY THE WAY, HE STOOD ALONE. EVEN HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES DID NOT BACK THAT. SO WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN A MORE MILLER ADMINISTRATION, WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. WE ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO DOCTORS AND MEDICAL EXPERTS AND NOT IDEOLOGUES. WE ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND FIRST AND FOREMOST IN ALL OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE AISLE, AND WORKING WITH PROFESSIONALS IN ORDER TO HELP US MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. I WOULD. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WITH ABORTION LAWS? WOULD YOU EXPAND AND OR LIMIT? MR. MOORE OH, YES, PLEASE. AND SO YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ABORTION BEING HEALTH CARE, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHAT IT IS AND WHO IT IS THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LATE TERM ABORTIONS, YOU KNOW, 99% OF ABORTIONS ARE NOT LATE TERM ABORTIONS. WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TRULY LATE TERM ABORTIONS, IT’S USUALLY BECAUSE THERE’S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. IT’S USUALLY BECAUSE THAT FAMILY IS ABOUT TO MAKE ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS OF THEIR LIFE. IT’S BECAUSE FAMILY HAS NOW RECEIVED NEWS. CHANCES ARE UNEXPECTED NEWS THAT NO PARENT WOULD EVER WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE AND NO PERSON WOULD EVER WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE. AND SO I TRUST WOMEN TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR DOCTORS. AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LAWYERS AND POLITICIANS AND JUDGES SHOULD BE GETTING IN THE WAY OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT’S NOT WHAT MY OPPONENT BELIEVES, BECAUSE HE STOOD HERE JUST NOW SAYING THAT HE WOULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU YOU ARE FORCED TO TAKE AN EXPERIMENTAL A YOU AUTHORIZED VACCINE. THAT’S NOT THE APPROACH OF FREEDOM. AND I THINK THE APPROACH IS WE NEED TO GET BACK TO IS TO SAY LET’S THE LET’S LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE. THAT’S MY APPROACH. I WANT TO GET BACK TO SAFETY, MAKING SURE WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAKING SURE WE HAVE FREEDOM, MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS AND MAKE SURE OUR EDUCATION IS WORLD CLASS AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPONENT STANDS RIGHT HERE AND SAYS THAT HE CAN MAKE YOUR DECISIONS BETTER THAN YOU ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES. AND THAT’S WRONG. I FIND I FIND THAT THE USAGE OF THE WORD FREEDOM TO BE AMAZING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE MY OPPONENT TALKS ABOUT FREEDOM, BUT NOT THE FREEDOM OF A WOMAN OR GIRL WHO POTENTIALLY WE HAVE TO HAVE THE HAVE TO CARRY THEIR RAPISTS CHILD. WE TALK ABOUT FREEDOMS BUT HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY TO CRIMINALIZE ABORTIONS FOR BOTH PATIENTS, THE PROVIDERS. SO IF WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FREEDOM, LET’S MAKE SURE WE’RE CONSISTENT AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU MEAN BY FREEDOM SORRY. THAT’S NOT TRUE. LET’S ASSURE THIS WILL GO TO MR. MOORE FIRST. LEGAL MARIJUANA IS A BIG BUSINESS HERE IN MARYLAND. RESIDENTS HAVE A PLETHORA OF DISPENSARY TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THOSE DISPENSARIES ARE OWNED BY MARYLANDERS WHO DO NOT IDENTIFY AS PERSONS OF COLOR. WE KNOW THAT BLACK MARYLANDERS HAVE BORNE THE BRUNT OF LEGAL REPERCUSSIONS FOR ILLEGAL MARIJUANA USE NOW THAT THE TIDE IS CHANGING. DO YOU THINK IT’S FAIR TO LEAVE BLACK ENTREPRENEURS THAT ARE QUALIFIED OUT OF THIS BUSINESS THAT MADE 600 MILLION LAST YEAR IN THIS STATE ALONE? DO YOU THINK THERE’S AN EQUITY PROBLEM AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ADDRESS IT WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL MARIJUANA? THANK YOU. AND AND IT IS A PROBLEM AND IT WILL BE FIXED AND RECTIFIED IN A MORE. MILLER MINISTRATION. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF IF THE STATE VOTES TO ON QUESTION FOUR AND THAT IN OUR ADMINISTRATION WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THIS ROLLOUT IS GOING TO BE FAIR AND IT IS GOING TO BE EQUITABLE. AND THAT MEANS USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK CLEARLY ABOUT HOW WE GOING ABOUT THE PORT, THE PROSPECTS OF OF POSITIONING LICENSES, HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT NOT JUST EVERYTHING FROM THE GROWERS AND THE MANUFACTURERS AND THE AND THE PARAPHERNALIA PROVIDERS, BUT TRULY USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP ADDRESS THE WEALTH GAP THAT EXISTS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT’S NOT JUST GOING TO BE ABOUT THAT, THAT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LEGALIZATION IF WE’RE ALSO NOT DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINALIZING. AND WHERE WE SEE AN INSIDE OF COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES, AND PARTICULARLY BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES THAT HAS BEEN DISPROPORTIONAL HARMED THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE AUTOMATIC RECORD EXPUNGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CANNABIS CONVICTIONS. WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PARDONING OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOW A BURGEONING INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO. GET THIS RIGHT. AND IN OUR ADMINISTRATION BOTH ON THE ECONOMIC EQUITY, BUT ALSO ON THE SOCIAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE. THIS IS GOING TO BE A CORE PRIORITY. OUR LAWS SHOULDN’T BE BASED UPON SOCIAL JUSTICE, REIMAGINING OF MY OPPONENT. WE NEED TO GET BACK TO FAIRNESS AND EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW. EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUAL. THAT’S WHY I DO SUPPORT A MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE CRIMINALIZED FOR SMALL POSSESSIONS ARE NO LONGER CRIMINALIZED. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PATH FOR PEOPLE TO REESTABLISH THEMSELVES SO THEY DON’T LOSE THEIR JOB OVER SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE AND IN FACT IN MY COMMITTEE WORK TO DECRIMINALIZE A FEW PLANTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE APPRECIATED THE EFFECTS. EVEN OUR VETERANS WITH PTSD. SO BUT THAT’S NOT THE SAME ISSUE THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH. I NEED TO HAVE WE NEED TO HAVE A REGULATORY APPROACH AND I PLEDGED TO MARYLAND TO WORK WITH OUR CONSTRUCT AN INDUSTRY, WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WITH ALL SECTORS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS APPROPRIATE TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SAFETY ON THE JOB AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE WALK DOWN THE STREET THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE RULES, JUST LOCKING. GOVERNOR HOGAN HAD AS GOTTEN NAMECHECKED A LOT IN THIS DEBATE. SO FAR. QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU. GIVE US AN EXACT FINAL GRADE FOR EIGHT YEARS OF LARRY HOGAN AS GOVERNOR AND IF YOU WOULD NAME A POLICY OF HIS THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO OR SOMETHING THAT YOU’D BE ANXIOUS TO CHANGE. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, MR. MORGAN? THANK YOU. WELL, YOU KNOW, I APPLAUD THE GOVERNOR FOR FOR BEING SO EARLY AND FULL THROATED ABOUT THE DANGER OF THIS MAGA MOVEMENT. I APPLAUD THE GOVERNOR FOR CALLING IT OUT EARLY FOR WHAT IT IS THAT THIS IS A THAT THIS IS A DANGER TO THE BASIC VALUES OF DEMOCRACY. AND I’M THANKFUL THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS COME OUT AND VERY EARLY SAID THAT THAT HE WILL NOT SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, DESPITE THAT BEING THE NOMINEE OF HIS PARTY. BUT I THINK, AS I KNOW ABOUT THIS, WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE WE ARE AS A STATE, WE’VE GOT TO MOVE FASTER. WE’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE TRUE MEASUREMENTS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH WITHIN OUR STATE. AND THAT BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON HELPING TO REDUCE THE REGULATORY RED TAPE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN FIX BROKEN PROCUREMENT LAWS TO INCREASE LIQUIDITY TO OUR SMALL AND MICRO-BUSINESSES, MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE PUTTING A REAL FOCUS ON OUR BEES AND OUR BEES, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AND ALSO EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS, JOB RETRAINING, JOB RESKILLING, FOCUSING ON APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND TRADE PROGRAMS. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, WE HAVE TWO AVAILABLE JOBS FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON FILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE A DISCONNECT WHEN IT COMES TO SKILL SETS AND THE SKILLS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR MARYLAND’S GROWING AND DIVERSE ECONOMY. WE’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON THAT FINAL GRADE A, B, C, D OR SOMETHING ELSE. OH, HE’S HE’S NOT DONE YET, SO IT’S INCOMPLETE. MR. COX WELL, THIS IS AGAIN, I GIVE GOVERNOR HOGAN AN A ON EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WE’VE HAD ON THE HANDLING OF COVID. BUT I WILL SAY THIS I HAVE STOOD WITH GOVERNOR HOGAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE ARE PROTECTED AND BACKED. MY OPPONENT WOULD LIKE TO DEFUND THE POLICE, AND HE ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE IN MY COMMITTEE ON HIS TEAM DOING JUST THAT. AND I FOUGHT AGAINST IT. AND HE WILL TAKE US BACK TO THE YEARS BEFORE. GOVERNOR HOGAN, WHO STOOD AGAINST THE TAXES THAT WE SAW, 42 TAX INCREASES BACK THEN. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE TAX INCREASES LIKE NEVER BEFORE. THE TOLLS ARE GOING TO RISE IF MR. MOORE IS GOVERNOR. I WILL STAND AGAINST THAT BECAUSE I DID IT. I PROVED IT. I’VE ALREADY THAT IN THE LEGISLATURE, I’VE STOOD WITH THE GOVERNOR ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES, AND I’VE ALSO STOOD WITH THE GOVERNOR ON SCHOOL CHOICE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT MR. MOORE’S POLICIES, HE’S ABOUT CENTRALIZING EDUCATION. HE’S ABOUT INDOCTRINATION ON HIS WEBSITE FROM THE FROM THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. THAT’S NOT THE APPROACH OF MARYLAND. WE NEED TO PUT PARENTS BACK IN CHARGE. THAT’S WHAT I PLEDGED TO DO. AS YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR. I, I WANT TO BE CLEAR. THERE IS NOTHING IN MY PLAN THAT CALLS FOR THE RAISING OF TAXES. NOTHING. NOT A WORD. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND ABOUT WHAT IS FACT AND WHAT IS FICTION. NOW, THE THING THAT I DO KNOW IS MY OPPONENT’S ECONOMIC PLAN THAT HE HAS PUT OUT THERE WOULD LITERALLY DEFUND THE POLICE DEFUND EDUCATION AND BANKRUPT THE STATE LITERALLY. AND I DON’T SAY THAT THAT’S NOT A THAT’S NOT A AN IDEOLOGICAL POSITION. THAT’S MATH. WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON IN OUR ECONOMIC PLAN, WE’RE FOCUSING ON GROWTH BECAUSE WE NEED FOR OUR ECONOMY TO GROW AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION IN OUR ECONOMY. AND THAT MEANS THINGS LIKE FIXING A BROKEN CHILDCARE SYSTEM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE’VE HAD OVER 750 CHILD CARE CENTERS CLOSED SINCE THE START OF COVID. OFTENTIMES, THEY ARE FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS AND ARE NEVER TREATED AS SUCH. AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET PARENTS, PARTICULARLY PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE. IT MEANS FOCUSING ON JOB RESKILLING AND JOB RETRAINING IN MY OPINION. WE SWUNG THE PENDULUM FAR TO SWEPT IN ONE DIRECTION WHEN WE STARTED EVALUATING HIGH SCHOOLS EXCLUSIVELY ON FOUR YEAR COLLEGE ACCEPTACE RATES. WHEN THAT’S NOT THE PATH FOR EVERY STUDENT. IT WASN’T MY PATH. SO WE HAVE TO GET OUR ECONOMY GOING AND MAKING SURE WE’RE GETTING MORE PEOPLE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW ECONOMY. IN MARYLAND’S NEW ECONOMY. MY ECONOMIC PLAN WILL NOT DEFUND THE POLICE. I’VE FOUGHT FOR FOUR YEARS TO SUPPORT THE POLICE IN MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE FUNDING THEY NEED. AND I STOOD WITH THE GOVERNOR ON THIS ISSUE. MY OPPONENT ACTUALLY IS ON RECORD. SALON.COM SAYING HE WILL DEFUND THE POLICE BECAUSE OF 400 YEARS OF SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND THAT’S LUDICROUS. IT’S EXTREME. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR ECONOMY WORKS. AND I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE FACT THAT MY OPPONENT’S PLAN SAYS THAT HE’S NOT GOING TO RAISE TAXES WHEN IT’S ALL ABOUT SPENDING. WELL, WE ARE AT 44TH IN THE NATION FOR INCOME TAX. WE HAVE TO LOWER THAT. WE ARE AT ONE OF THE WORST SITUATIONS FOR OUR SENIORS TAXES. WE HAVE TO LOWER SENIOR TAXES. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INCOME TAX AND OF OUR BUSINESSES, DELAWARE, IT BETTER 5.5% INCOME TAX RATE FOR BUSINESSES. MARYLAND’S AT 8.25%. IT’S NO WONDER JOBS AREN’T FLOURISHING HERE AND IT’S NO WONDER WE DON’T HAVE THE TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE. I WILL TURN THAT AROUND. SAY, LET’S KEEP MARYLAND OPEN FOR BUSINESS. LET’S LOWER OUR TAXES. NOT JUST THAT, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO RAISE THEM BECAUSE TIME YOU INCREASE SPENDING LIKE MY OPPONENT’S PLAN INCLUDES. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TAXES COME TO ROOST VERY SOON AND I WILL STAND AGAINST THAT, JUST AS GOVERNOR HOGAN HAS DONE. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO GO TO WE’RE GOING TO GO TO PAMELA NOW. THANK YOU. SHIFTING TOPICS YESTERDAY, AS YOU MAY KNOW, WAS NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY AND IN AMERICA WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN EMBRACING AND ACCEPTING PEOPLE WHO ARE LGBTQ PLUS. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE KNOW THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ FACE A LOT OF CHALLENGES. DO YOU BELIEVE THESE CHILDREN ARE BEING ADEQUATELY SUPPORTED IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOING A GOOD ENOUGH JOB EDUCATING THE WHOLE STUDENT BODY ABOUT LGBTQ ISSUES? THE QUESTION GOES FIRST TO DELEGATE COX. NO, WE’RE NOT DOING ENOUGH BECAUSE MANY TIMES WE EXCLUDE THE PARENTS FROM INVOLVEMENT. IN FACT, I FOUGHT AGAINST BILL THAT WOULD LITERALLY ALLOW 12 YEAR OLDS TO RECEIVE COUNSELING WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS EVEN KNOWING. THAT’S WRONG. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE PARENTS ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE THE DATA SHOWS THAT WHEN PARENTS ARE INVOLVED, THEIR CHILDREN’S LIVES, ALL OF THE CONCERNS, WHETHER IT BE EMOTIONAL, SOCIOLOGICAL OR PHYSICAL CONCERNS, ARE SO MUCH BETTER HANDLED. AND WHAT I PLEDGED TO DO AS YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR. WHAT I WILL DO ALSO IS ENSURE THAT THE INDOCTRINATION STOPS. WE CANNOT HAVE TRANSGENDER INDOCTRINATION IN KINDERGARTEN. I MEAN, THAT’S PREPOSTEROUS. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT MY OPPONENT SUPPORTS. IT’S ON HIS WEBSITE. I WILL STAND AGAINST THAT AND ERADICATE THAT FROM THE CURRICULUM AND GET BACK TO WORLD CLASS LEARNING, MAKING SURE IT’S ALL ABOUT STEM TECHNOLOGY, MAKING SURE WE HAVE READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN LEARN LIKE GOD’S INTENDED THEM TO LEARN BECAUSE WHY EVERY PERSON IS MADE IN THE IMAGO DAY. EVERY PERSON HAS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD TO HAVE UNALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT WE PROTECT. AND WE CAN’T DO THAT WHEN WE EXCLUDE PARENTS. DON’T GET CLOCKS. AS A FOLLOW UP, WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU MEAN BY INDOCTRINATION? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS GOING ON IN KINDERGARTENS THAT’S HARMFUL TO CHILDREN? WELL, JUST LOOK AT THE THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE BEING PUBLISHED RIGHT NOW. THERE’S INSTRUCTION ON YOU KNOW, THERE’S BOOKS LITERALLY IN THE SCHOOLS AT THIS MOMENT IN MARYLAND CALLED GENDERQUEER, WHICH DEPICT THINGS THAT I CANNOT SHOW YOU ON TELEVISION. IT’S SO. WE’RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT. AND SAY, LET’S GET BACK TO MATH. LET’S GET BACK TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS KNOW HOW TO READ AND WRITE. RIGHT NOW IN BALTIMORE CITY, FOR INSTANCE, 7% PASSAGE RATE IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS. THESE SCHOOLS NEED OUR HELP. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE $2 BILLION, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WENT INTO BALTIMORE CITY LAST YEAR, THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY GETTING TO THE CLASSROOM, TO THE TEACHERS AND TO THE STUDENTS. MR. MOORE, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE DOING TO SUPPORT AND EDUCATE LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS? WELL, I MEAN, MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE’RE DISCUSSING ARE BEING ADDRESSED AT THE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. AND IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE A PARTNER IN THAT. BUT WE DON’T DICTATE TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AS TO AS TO HOW THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES WORK. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I DO THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, THOUGH. YOU KNOW, I HAVE AN 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND AN EIGHT YEAR OLD SON. ALL I EVER WANT FOR MY CHILDREN IS FOR THEM TO BE SEEN AND FOR THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE BEING HEARD. AND I WANT THE SAME THING FOR EVERY CHILD. AND SO THERE’S A STAT THAT ALWAYS DOES STICK WITH ME AS WELL. IT’S LOOKING AT THE EXCEL, ACCELERATED YOUTH HOMELESSNESS RATE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH IN OUR STATE. IT’S LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT TRANS CHILDREN OR TRANSGENDER VISUALS 80% OF TRANS INDIVIDUAL MALES HAVE CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE. I WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF OUR LGBTQ YOU YOUTH AND FAMILIES, I SEE YOU AND I HEAR YOU AND POLICIES THAT WILL BE MADE WILL BE MADE IN PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE THAT IS HOW WE HAVE TO LEAD AS A STATE IN PARTNERSHIP. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU, TRACY. WELL, IF I MAY RESPOND BRIEFLY, SO I HAVE CHILDREN ALSO. AS YOU KNOW, I’M VERY BLESSED. MY WIFE AND I. AND WE BELIEVE AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN ANY CHILD IS STRUGGLING, AS MY OPPONENT IDENTIFIED, YOU CANNOT CUT THE PARENT OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT MY OPPONENT PLANS TO DO, BECAUSE THAT’S THE POLICY RIGHT NOW UNDER THIS NEW APPROACH THAT I HAVE OPPOSED. AND THAT’S WRONG. WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO MAKING SURE PARENTS ARE INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES, SIT DOWN WITH MY SON OR DAUGHTER THAT THEY KNOW DAD IS ALWAYS IN THE MIX FOR THEM. MR. COX, YOU WATCHING THIS IN FRONT OF US. AND SO WE’RE GOING TO GO AHEAD TO TRACY AND I’M SORRY. CAN I CAN I PLEASE JUST SAY ONE THING? I AM VERY INVOLVED IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION. AND AND I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION. DO YOU KNOW WHO ALSO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION, THEIR EDUCATORS? BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL. IT’S TO MAKE SURE THAT MY CHILDREN ARE PREPARED FOR THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO INHERIT. AND WE WANT THE SAME THING FOR ALL OF OUR. AND EDUCATOR PARTICIPATION IS NOT INDOCTRINATION. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN PARENTS AND EDUCATORS. BUT WE’RE HAVING DEMOCRACY NOW! GENTLEMEN, WE’RE GOING TO GIVE TRACY THE FLOOR. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SET THE CONVERSATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THERE WAS A FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED YESTERDAY BY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TO TRY AND PROHIBIT THE WIDENING OF I-270 AND PART OF THE CAPITAL BELTWAY WITH TOLL LANES AS PROPOSED BY GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN. THE SUIT CLAIMS THE EXPANSION PROMOTES AUTO DEPENDENCY AND WILL EXACERBATE CLIMATE CHANGE. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON TRANSPORTATION AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE STATE. WE COULD START WITH MR. COX. WELL, THANK YOU. I’M A STRONG ADVOCATE. IN FACT, EVERY YEAR THAT I’VE RUN FOR OFFICE, I’VE BEEN ADVOCATING TO ENSURE THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION WORKS SO THAT WE HAVE OUR FAMILIES GETTING, YOU KNOW, GETTING HOME TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET HOME TO DINNER INSTEAD OF SITTING IN WHAT WE CALL A PARKING LOT. IN MY DISTRICT OF 270. THAT’S UNCONSCIOUS EVIL. IT ACTUALLY HURTS THE ENVIRONMENT TO SIT THERE AND TO HAVE THE CAR IDLING. SO MUCH SO I SUPPORT WIDENING I-270, I SUPPORT WIDENING OUR BRIDGES AND SECURING OUR TRANSPORTATION. THAT’S WHY I WILL LOOK TO THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND TO BRING TRANSPARENCY THAT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE PROJECTS DONE. MY OPPONENT, THOUGH, WANTS TO BAN GASOLINE CARS. HIS RESPONSE IS TO US ALL INTO SOME KIND OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT’S THE MORE MILLER APPROACH, BECAUSE HIS RUNNING MATE WAS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CO-SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION. SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT THAT. I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN ENSURING ALL THE ABOVE OPTIONS ARE THERE AND I WILL SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION. WE NEED TO IMPROVE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WORKS FOR EVERY MARYLANDER. MR. MOORE I’LL ONCE AGAIN START WITH THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS LIKE ADDRESSING THE DEEP CONGESTION THAT SITS ON TO 17 THE BELTWAY. IT IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY DANGEROUS TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF CONGESTION. SO WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT ALONG WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FIXING THE AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE OVER THIS NEXT DECADE. IT IS UNSAFE. ALONG WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THE RED LINE DONE IN BALTIMORE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC VITALITY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE EAST-WEST. BUT THERE ARE THREE LENSES THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT. EVERY SINGLE PROJECT. ONE, IT’S THROUGH THE LENS OF EQUITY, MAKING SURE WE’RE UNDERSTANDING WHO IS BUILDING IT AND WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM. THE SECOND IS THE ENVIRONMENT, MAKING SURE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION ASSETS THAT WE’RE PULLING TOGETHER ARE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY NOT HURTING THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ACTUALLY USING TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO HELP IT. AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE IS MAKING SURE THERE IS LOCAL INVOLVEMENT AND LOCAL ENGAGEMENT. WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF CONGESTION. BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE DOING IT IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND WAY. AND THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE BEING ABLE TO ADD THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE GRID FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THAT MEANS ADDING MASS TRANSIT OPTIONS. THIS IS MARYLAND’S TIME TO LEAD ON THIS. WE HAVE UNIQUE RESOURCE TO DO SO, AND THAT’S WHAT MARYLAND WILL DO. LET’S TRY TO BE QUICK WITH ONE LAST QUESTION, BUT GET YOU INTO YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS. ONE LAST ONE FROM ALEXIS. ALL RIGHT. LAST QUESTION, GENTLEMEN. IF YOU ARE ELECTED TO THE SEAT OF GOVERNOR FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES AND SPECIFICALLY DISPARITY IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DIFFERENT, ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY PLACED NEXT TO HIGHWAYS, NEXT TO POWER PLANTS AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS THAT HAVE MORE POLLUTION. THANK YOU. LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND. THAT IS THE MANTRA. THAT’S THE AGENDA THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR OUR NOT JUST CAMPAIGN, BUT FOREIGN MINISTRATION, THAT EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY MUST BE SEEN AND HEARD IN CONVERSATIONS. AND THE TRUTH IS, MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE SAID TO ME OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE DON’T FEEL SEEN, WE DON’T FEEL HEARD BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE REALITY IS, FOR MANY OF YOU, YOU HAVEN’T BEEN THAT THERE’S A REALITY OF, FOR EXAMPLE, IN BALTIMORE, THAT CHILDREN IN BALTIMORE HAVE DOUBLE THE ASTHMA RATE OF THE REST OF THIS STATE. THERE’S A REALITY THAT IN THE EASTERN, BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT HAVE LITERALLY A QUARTER OF THE EASTERN SHORE, THAT IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS IS IN DANGER OF FLOODING FOR ITS BUSINESSES AND HOMES. AND SO WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE STARTING A CORE FOCUS ON BUILDING OUT EQUITABLE FRAMEWORKS IN THE WAY THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE ADDRESSING THE HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES. AND THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE THE NEGOTIATION OF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS AND MAKING SURE WE’RE MAKING IT EASIER FOR SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO AGE IN PLACE AND AGE AND DIGNITY, AND ALSO ENSURING THAT WE CAN HAVE AND ACCESSIBILITY TO HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR EVERY SINGLE MARYLANDER. GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO GET YOUR CLOSING STATEMENTS AND I’LL LET YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION AND THEN WE’LL KEEP MOVING. SO I WANT TO START BY, FIRST OF ALL, POINTING OUT THAT MY OPPONENT IS JUST A BE ABLE TO REBUT THAT STATEMENT ABOUT GASOLINE CARS. HE IS ON BOARD WITH ANY EVEN SENATE CHANGING THE ELECTRIC GRID TO ALLOW FOR ELECTRIC CARS. AND IT’S NOT JUST THE ALLOWANCE OF IT. WE HAVE A 2035 PLAN THAT HE SUPPORTS TO TIE US SIMILARLY TO CALIFORNIA, WHICH HAS A PLAN TO BAN GASOLINE CARS. THAT’S A PROBLEM. IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND WHEN MY OPPONENT SAYS HE WANTS TO LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND, WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, AS A CEO OF ROBIN HOOD, A NONPROFIT THAT’S SUPPOSED TO HELP THE POOR, HE LEFT BALTIMORE BEHIND WHILE HE WAS MAKING MILLIONS. AND HE’S CURRENTLY LIVING IN A $3 MILLION HOME WHILE HE LIVES BALTIMORE AND THE REST OF THE STATE. I’M GLAD TO SEE IF YOU’D LIKE A CLOSING STATEMENT. I’VE GOT TO STOP YOU NOW. WELL, I WAS GOING TO JUST WRAP IT UP BECAUSE I HAVE 16 SECONDS LEFT ON THE CLOCK. IT IS TAKING HOUSING LONG STATEMENT. WELL, THAT WAS ACTUALLY MY MY TIME. BUT FOR THE QUESTION. BUT. SO I WOULD OBJECT TO SAYING THAT THAT’S MY CLOSING STATEMENT THAT NO SELF DISPARITIES ARE CLEAR. I’M A MEDICAID SUPPORTER. I WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINICS. WE’LL WORK TO EXPAND OUR HEALTH CARE ACROSS. WE GOT TO MOVE, SIR. MR. MOORE, CLOSING STATEMENT, PLEASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE’VE SPENT THE LAST HOUR HEARING HOW MY OPPONENTS DANGEROUS AND DIVISIVE. YOU STOLE THAT? I HAD TO RESTRICT ABORTION ACCESS. DID YOU GET A CLOSING STATEMENT? BUT I WAS TOLD I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO FIRST BECAUSE HE WENT FIRST. THAT’S ALL. THAT WAS THE RULES, MR. COX, IF YOU’D LIKE TO GO FIRST, GO RIGHT AHEAD. PLEASE GO. GO AHEAD. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR. IF I EARN YOUR VOTE AND I’M HERE TO EARN YOUR VOTE, I’M GOING TO ONCE AGAIN MAKE MARYLAND SAFE. WHY? BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE WORST ASPECTS OF CRIME IN NOT ONLY THE NATION, BUT IN THE WORLD. MY OPPONENT WANTS TO DEFUND THE POLICE. HE WANTS, QUOTE, IDICT THE SYSTEM. I WILL STAND AGAINST THAT FOR YOU. I WILL BE THE ONLY BALANCE POSSIBLE BECAUSE A ONE PARTY RULE IS NOT THE WAY OF THE FUTURE OF MARYLAND. WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY SAFETY FOR AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING. I WILL LOWER PROPERTY TAX ASSESSABLE AND VALUATION SO WE CAN CUT THOSE RENTS AND CUT THOSE TAXATION. I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM ONCE AGAIN WHERE YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH CARE WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND EDUCATION, BE WORLD CLASS. WE’RE GOING TO END THE INDOCTRINATE OPTION. WE’RE GOING TO END THE POLITICAL POLITICALIZATION OF OUR CLASSROOMS, GOING TO MAKE SURE TEACHERS ARE EMPOWERED AND PARENTS ARE BACK CHARGE. I AM HUMBLY ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. YOU CAN GO TO COX FOR FREEDOM DOT COM AND SIGN UP. MR. MOORE, THANK YOU. WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST HOUR HEARING ABOUT HOW MY OPPONENT’S DANGEROUS AND DIVISIVE VIEWS WOULD RESTRICT ABORTION ACCESS AND HIS ECONOMIC PLANS WOULD MOVE MARYLAND BACKWARDS. SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS ON ON POLICIES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VALUES. YOU KNOW, MY OPPONENT LIKES TO THROW AROUND THE WORD FREEDOM, BUT FREEDOM IS NOT AN EMPTY WORD TO ME. MY LIFE COULD HAVE GONE A VERY DIFFERENT WAY AFTER MY DAD DIED. I COULD HAVE BEEN LEFT. BUT I’M RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR BECAUSE WE CAN DO BETTER AS A STATE. WE CAN GET THESE DEADLY ILLEGAL GUNS OFF OF OUR STREET. WE CAN BUILD AN ECONOMY THAT LIFTS EVERYONE UP. WE CAN PROTECT ABORTION ACCESS. I’VE SPENT MY ENTIRE CAREER BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY, OUR STATES AND OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER. AND THAT’S WHAT REAL PATRIOTISM LOOKS LIKE. AND I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT AS WE MOVE MARYLAND FORWARD IN THIS NEXT DECADE. ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOOD GOOD NIGHT. THE CHOICE IS YOURS. INTO THE VOTING BOOTH TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK.