Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on CNN

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on CNN.

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

John Berman, CNN: We continue with our breaking news on the Department of Education, and the President signed an executive order to dismantle it. This is just the latest in a series of moves made by his administration in its first two months. And yes, it's really only been two months. That's it. The critics call it presidential overreach.

That's along with the fury directed at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats for voting to let President Trump's spending bill proceed last week, helping to avert a government shutdown. And all of that has many in the Democratic base and beyond demanding more of a fight from the party. Let's talk about that and more with a well known New York Democrat, Governor Kathy Hochul. Governor, thanks so much for being with us.

Governor Hochul: Glad to be back.

John Berman, CNN: Why do you think so many people feel the Democratic Party is struggling right now?

Governor Hochul: People are frustrated. I mean, first of all, they're exhausted. There's enormous fatigue that there's so much incoming all the time. The voters were promised lower prices on Inauguration Day. And let's talk about what's happened since then: Inflation has not come down, the grocery bills are getting higher, you can't even find an egg these days, and also, tariffs are creating higher utility costs already.

So, people are frustrated, they're showing up at town hall meetings, they've just had enough. And Democrats have to respond to that and say, “No, we will take up the mantle, we will fight back.” And sometimes we have to use the courts. We have brought countless lawsuits from the very beginning here in the State of New York. It's definitely a growth industry for lawyers, this administration, so we're always in litigation.

But today I was at a school talking about the education cuts, you know, making sure there's a spotlight in the media, getting out to the parents. Who is doing this? Who is possibly taking away the free lunch that saves you $1,600 a year per child. A family of two — $3,200 that you may now have to pay, because they're eliminating this funding from the Department of Education. So, of course they're frustrated. How could you not be?

John Berman, CNN: We'll get to the Department of Education in just a second. There are many Democrats who are saying we need to hold up a mirror. We need to look at us here. And New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now one of them.

This is what she said just today: “This isn't just about Republicans. We need a Democratic Party that fights harder for us too. We, as a community, must choose and vote for Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand for the working class.”

How much harder do you think Democrats need to fight?

Governor Hochul: She's not wrong. But you look at a state like New York, examine the record. What are we delivering for people? Child care — $7 billion that we're investing in our families. The affordability agenda that I have in my budget. I have a path to put $5,000 back in families’ pockets with an inflation rebate, a middle class tax cut — the largest tax rate cut in 70 years.

Also making sure that we have money for families with children. So, it can be $5,000 — she's right that we need to stand up. And Democratic governors are in a perfect position to show what we lead when we have the power to stand up for our residents and put more money back in their pockets. They want to hear about that, but more than hearing about it, they want to see you do it. My budget I'm negotiating right now — will deliver that.

John Berman, CNN: So Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader — It's all happening right around you. These are all New Yorkers here. What did you make? Did you approve of what Senator Schumer decided to do to let that funding bill go through, and not let the government shut down? And do you think he's the right person to lead the Democrats in the Senate?

Governor Hochul: Listen, we have benefited tremendously here in the State of New York by having the influence of the Majority Leader for the Senate, our home Senator. Look at the Chips and Science Act, we have Micron with 50,000 jobs coming to upstate New York. He helped get that through Congress and directed that programming here in New York. The Gateway Tunnel, thousands of good paying union jobs are being created. What we're doing with the 2nd Avenue subway.

So, he has been my partner and I don't want him to lose that clout. Why do we want someone else in a different state to have that kind of weight in Washington? I say keep him right where he is. He's doing a great job in that respect. And people can debate whether or not that was the right decision, but don't forget who brought us here. The Republicans created this scenario.

John Berman, CNN: Do you think it was the right decision?

Governor Hochul: They created the chaos. We need to point the finger where it belongs.

John Berman, CNN: Do you think it was the right decision?

Governor Hochul: Republicans created the chaos. We need to point the finger where it belongs.

John Berman, CNN: A notable non answer. I do want to ask you about what the President did with the Department of Education today because, as he was signing that executive order, he basically ran down a list of counties in New York. Listen: “But we'll work with them and we're going to make them — they'll do a job. I think they'll do a job. And they'll go to sections of the State. For instance, New York — you'll have a Manhattan and you'll have a Suffolk County and you'll have Nassau County and you'll have Westchester County. You'll do four or five or six of them. You have upstate New York and those counties, I think, are going to do very well. And I think ultimately Manhattan should do very well.”

What do you think he's talking about there?

Governor Hochul: I have no idea. I mean, you're talking about, “We're going to do better with the elimination of the Department of Education?”

Right now we get $6 billion from them in New York State. Two billion for Pell Grants to give people a pathway to higher education. Two billion dollars goes to school lunches. Like I said, I was in an elementary school this morning watching the kids eat their breakfast and lunch later on in the afternoon.

There are families who cannot afford to feed their kids a lunch, so is he saying he's going to spread the same amount of money we get now and hand it back to us? I know how I'll spend it as a Democrat, and I'll make sure it goes to the right place. Heaven help the Republican states who might take that money and do something that's not focused on feeding hungry kids, helping kids with disabilities, and everyone else that the Department of Education helps. So why do this? Why are you unleashing this chaos on the people who put you in office? Just leave everybody alone. Leave the parents alone, leave the kids alone.

John Berman, CNN: What do you think the impact is on the children?

Governor Hochul: They're going to be hungry. If that money does not come for school lunches and breakfasts — we're doing it in the State of New York — but we need the federal money to supplement our efforts here.

And I want to make a very clear point: We get $93 billion in all kinds of support from the federal government. Now, New York — we send more than that in taxes, so we are still a donor state. But I cannot make that up. They start cutting that kind of money, I can't make that up. People are going to suffer.

John Berman, CNN: Let me ask you very quickly — and I'm sure you're excited to weigh in on the Mayor's race here in New York City. Eric Adams, someone you considered using your power to push out of office. Andrew Cuomo, someone you replaced. Could come down to them. What do you think?

Governor Hochul: You have to say, “Only in New York. Only in New York do we get this kind of situation.” My job as governor is to make sure that whomever the very smart voters of this city want as their mayor is someone that I will work with. Who will work with me to continue my efforts to make our subways safer, to make sure that we're working on building more housing.

Number one cost of living here is because housing stock has not kept up with the need and the demand. I'm focused on it. So give me a mayor I can work with.

John Berman, CNN: Governor Kathy Hochul, we appreciate you coming in. Thank you so much.

Governor Hochul: Thank you.