Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro talks collaboration with federal authorities on crime, concerns over rising antisemitism on both sides of the aisle on ‘Special Report:’

BRET BAIER, HOST: Joining us tonight to talk about that and other things, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. His new book, “Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service,” is out right now. Governor, welcome back to “Special Report.” GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Good to be with you, thanks, Bret. BAIER: I want ask you about the ICE situation, what’s happening in Minnesota and across the country. You said earlier this week that you are preparing for at least the possibility of a large-scale ICE surge operation coming to Pennsylvania, you would think about it. In that case, do you support state and local authorities cooperating with ICE on their job? SHAPIRO: We’re not a sanctuary state in Pennsylvania. BAIER: Philadelphia is a sanctuary city, but… (CROSSTALK) SHAPIRO: We’re not a sanctuary state. And I do believe in law enforcement collaboration at all levels, local, state, and federal. But I also believe that all of your partners need to be working together on a mission that is constitutional, working together on a mission that reduces crime, that brings law and order to a community, and that protects people’s constitutional rights. And respectfully, that’s not what I’m seeing in Minnesota. So, I’m happy to work with my partners at every level to create more safety, to build more trust. In Pennsylvania, I made a pledge to hire 2,000 more police officers. We’ve — I think we’re about 1,900, we’ll actually eclipse that 2,000 number. We’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars in violence prevention. Violent crime is down 13 percent. Fatal gun violence is down 43 percent. BAIER: Well, you ask people, though… SHAPIRO: What we’re doing is working. BAIER: Taking criminal illegal immigrants off the street, would you honor ICE detainers? If — if you’re not willing to hold someone longer in a jail for ICE, what about a phone call that gives ICE the heads up that you’re releasing that person? That’s where a lot of the pushback is coming from. SHAPIRO: We want our communities to be safe. And we work with our federal partners where appropriate. As an example, if we have a violent criminal who is about to leave one of our jails, we do collaborate and communicate with our federal partners. We want our communities to be safe. What I’m seeing… BAIER: But so that’s the problem with sanctuary cities and sanctuary states. SHAPIRO: We’re not a sanctuary state. BAIER: I know you’re not. But do you think that Governor Walz and Mayor Frey are doing the right thing? SHAPIRO: Well, I’m not going to opine on other governors. I can tell you what I do in Pennsylvania. We work together to reduce crime. That is what we’ve accomplished. BAIER: So Pennsylvania, to your point, is not a sanctuary state, but Philadelphia is a sanctuary city. How do you address some of the strident, some people even say dangerous rhetoric coming from people within your own party in the state, in particular, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who said this in front of Philadelphia City Hall. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LARRY KRANSER, PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY: This is a small bunch of wannabe Nazis. That’s what they are. In a country of 350 million, we outnumber them. If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities. We will find you. We will achieve justice. (END VIDEO CLIP) BAIER: It makes some people really uncomfortable. They — they look at that and say, an elected official is dehumanizing law enforcement and could lead to someone getting really hurt. What’s your take on that? SHAPIRO: That kind of rhetoric is unacceptable. It is abhorrent and it is wrong, period, hard stop, end of sentence. I think what we need, and I’ve called for this in Minnesota and I practiced this in Pennsylvania, is we need to bring down the rhetoric, bring down the temperature, and create calm in the community. I believe that the president’s policies have injected chaos onto the streets of Minnesota. I’ve been very outspoken about that. You may disagree with that statement, but I believe that to be true. I think we have seen that. What we are trying to do in Pennsylvania is bring down the temperature. And rhetoric like that is not helpful. BAIER: And in your book you do write about it. To — you know, there is a part on shared humanity. “I’ve learned over and over again in my public and private life to be open to people of all different faiths and background, to fill your cup, to fill you up, and to understand our shared and common humanity. Despite our differences, at our cores, our values are the same. Our humanity is shared. And it’s always there if we choose to see it.” I hear what you’re saying. SHAPIRO: Yeah. BAIER: In the same breath, Governor, you said to NBC, about J.D. Vance, you said, “The fact that J.D. Vance,” the vice president, “couldn’t bring himself to acknowledging that 6 million Jews were killed by Hitler and by the Nazis speaks volumes. It’s not a surprise to me, however, given the way in which he has openly supported the AFD party, given the way he has openly embraced neo-Nazis and neo-Nazi political parties, given the way in which he has offered comforted really to the antisemites on the right who are infecting the Republican Party.” I mean, essentially you’re calling J.D. Vance a neo-Nazi or antisemite. SHAPIRO: Well, I’m not essentially calling him anything. I’m saying what I said, and I stand by that. Look, I think… BAIER: But how do those two quotes match up? The book excerpt and what you said to NBC? SHAPIRO: Because I believe antisemitism is a problem on the political left, Bret, and on the political right. And I think leaders need to speak and act with moral clarity and need it call it out. I just called it out on someone on the political left. I would like to see the vice president of the United States do the same. He should not allow for a Nick Fuentes or a Tucker Carlson or others who are promoting antisemitic views to be platformed. And my view he is that seeking some short-term political gain by not criticizing them. And in the long run, I believe that makes our country less safe. BAIER: You were mad that it seemed like he didn’t say Jews, he said, “Today we remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust, the millions of stories of individual bravery and heroism, one of the enduring lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history, that while humans create beautiful things and are full of compassion, we’re also capable of unspeakable brutality and we promise never again to not go down the darkest path.” SHAPIRO: I was… BAIER: That’s — that’s what you’re responding to on NBC. And that’s what you said. SHAPIRO: I was offering a statement not about a tweet but of what I see as a track record. And, to me, antisemitism is a problem in this country. You’ve spoken about it on your show. BAIER: Many times. SHAPIRO: I’m sitting here telling you I believe it to be a problem on both sides of the political aisle. I’m not pointing fingers at one side or the other. BAIER: My point is the rhetoric. If you’re going to say the rhetoric is… SHAPIRO: But my point is… BAIER: … high and want to moderate it and take it down, and then say that to NBC about the vice president of the United States, I don’t know, does it match up? SHAPIRO: It sure does. I’m not attacking an individual personally the way you see coming from this administration, both the president and vice president. I am pointing out that antisemitism is a problem. And I want to see the vice president of the United States do better. BAIER: Where do you think the future of your party is as you look forward? And you may have aspirations. You’ve told me you’re not ready to say what those are yet. But… SHAPIRO: No, I’m running for re-election as governor of Pennsylvania. BAIER: That’s what I figured you’d say. SHAPIRO: That’s my aspiration. BAIER: But where do you think your party is and what are the warning signs that you see for Democrats? SHAPIRO: I see a party with a lot of really capable leaders here in the Congress of the United States. I happen to think governors, I think very highly of governors. We’ve got some extraordinary governors around the country. You’ve reported on this show many times, the president said many times he won all seven swing states. He did. Six of the seven are governed by Democratic governors, governors who, like me, try and play between the 40s and get stuff done. Good schools for their kids, safe communities, economic opportunity, an affordable neighborhood to live in. And I believe we’re a party that stands up for people’s rights and freedoms at a time where this administration here in Washington is eroding people’s rights and freedoms. And so, to me, I think there are a number of Democrats who are leading the way on that. There is not a singular leader in the Democratic Party the way there is, obviously, in the Republican Party in — in Donald Trump. And that’s OK. I think there’s a lot of talent across the board. BAIER: You’re pretty critical of Kamala Harris in the book and how you were treated in this process. Do you think she is running for president? SHAPIRO: I have no idea. That’s a question for her. And actually, I was, I thought, complementary of her in the book in the sense that when we had our conversation together, it was a direct and honest conversation, which I appreciated that. And it allowed me to make the decision that I did not want to be a part of that ticket. I was going to go out and work hard for it and do everything I could to ensure that Governor Walz and Vice President Harris won the election. I worked very hard to do that as — as you well know and you documented. But I appreciate the candor. I was candid back with her. And I wrote about that as one small part of a larger book. BAIER: Can a Jewish Democrat who supports Israel win in your party? SHAPIRO: I think the people who can win in my party are people who can win in any party, are people who are going to deliver for the people that they want to represent. I think the good people of Pennsylvania are people who respect folks from all different walks of life. And I think Pennsylvania is, in many ways, really a microcosm of the rest of this great country. BAIER: Governor, we appreciate the time. SHAPIRO: Thank you, Bret. BAIER: Thanks. SHAPIRO: Thank you.

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