New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin Talks Gubernatorial Election

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Talks – New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin Talks Gubernatorial Election

Date: November 4, 2025
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Matt Platkin, New Jersey Attorney General

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Episode Overview

This episode of Bloomberg Talks features New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin discussing urgent issues affecting the 2025 gubernatorial election in New Jersey. The conversation focuses on bomb threats targeting polling stations, election security, voter turnout, federal funding threats, and infrastructure risks under the current presidential administration. Platkin emphasizes the state’s response to threats against democracy and infrastructure, and its ongoing commitment to protecting voters’ rights and essential services.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Election Day Bomb Threats and Voter Security

Timestamps: 00:22–01:55

• Incident Overview:
  Multiple polling locations across eight counties in New Jersey received bomb threats by email on election day morning.

• Immediate Response:
  Law enforcement responded quickly, securing each affected polling place. Platkin reassures the public that no credible threats were found.

• Notable Guidance:
  "Voters should have full confidence that today's elections will be free, fair, and they should be able to cast their vote safely." (Matt Platkin, 00:47)

• Scope of Disruption:
  About two dozen polling sites were impacted, but nearly all reopened after security checks.

• Voter Resource:
  Platkin directs voters to check polling site status at vote.nj.gov.

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2. Voter Turnout and Election Access

Timestamps: 01:55–02:32

• Recent Improvements:
  Significant increases in early voting, in-person voting, and vote-by-mail over the past eight years, attributed to Governor Murphy’s administration.

• Democracy Emphasis:
  Platkin underscores the importance of safe, free, and fair elections:
  "My job principally is to make sure that people can do so safely, freely and fairly. And that is exactly what I'm focused on." (Matt Platkin, 02:16)

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3. Federal Funding Threats and Political Climate

Timestamps: 02:32–04:03

• Presidential Comments:
  Discussion on President Trump’s threats to withhold federal funding from New York City and implication for New Jersey.

• State Response:
  Platkin outlines New Jersey's recurring legal battles against the federal government’s attempts to unlawfully withhold funding—and repeated successes in court.

• Impact on Residents:
  Funding cuts have risked essential services—SNAP (food support), education, healthcare, and housing, especially for vulnerable populations.

• Clear Stance:
  "If this administration violates the law and hurts the people in our state, I've been very clear we will go to court to protect them." (Matt Platkin, 03:49)

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4. Infrastructure – Gateway Project Funding Concerns

Timestamps: 04:03–04:54

• Project Status:
  Platkin comments on the Gateway infrastructure project, clarifying that, as of now, federal threats have not derailed the project.

• Continued Vigilance:
  Ongoing monitoring for any unlawful federal action is promised.

• State Collaboration:
  Platkin credits Governor Murphy for championing infrastructure and reaffirms readiness to defend against funding cuts.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Voter Reassurance on Safety:
  "We are not going to tolerate anyone trying to interfere with our elections … voters can vote safely."
  – Matt Platkin (00:47)

• Election Rights Focus:
  "It's an exciting day in the state. This is a fundamental right, people's right to vote."
  – Matt Platkin (02:10)

• Legal Commitment:
  "We've been very clear that we're prepared to stand up for our residents should we need to do so."
  – Matt Platkin (04:49)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Bomb threats and polling site safety: 00:22–01:55
• Voter turnout and election access: 01:55–02:32
• Federal funding threats / New York City connection: 02:32–04:03
• Gateway project / Transit and infrastructure: 04:03–04:54

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Tone and Style

The conversation is serious and urgent, reflecting the gravity of threats to election integrity and essential services. Platkin’s remarks are clear, direct, and aimed at reassuring the public while projecting a stance of legal readiness and administrative capability.

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This summary covers all key interview content and is suitable for anyone interested in the state of New Jersey politics, election security, and state-federal relations as of November 2025.

Transcript

[Matt Platkin]

Indiana University is shaping the future of healthcare, advancing discoveries that become treatments for Alzheimer's, obesity and cancer and training the providers trusted to deliver them. See how IU solves what's next iu. Edu Impact Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts radio.

[Interviewer 1]

News Across New Jersey, bomb threats at multiple polling locations have prompted closures, relocations. Today we are very happy that he's making some time for us. We have with us now Attorney General Matt Platkin, the New Jersey Attorney General. So so tell us. Law enforcement responded to these email threats at polling places. Where do things stand right now and what are you telling voters today?

[Matt Platkin]

Well, first off, I want to reassure every voter that we are not going to tolerate anyone trying to interfere with our elections. Voters should have full confidence that today's elections will be free, fair, and they should be able to cast their vote safely. We received by email earlier this morning a number of threats to polling places across about eight counties. Law enforcement responded immediately. At each polling place, they've secured the polling places and voters can vote safely. At this time, there is no indication that any of those threats were credible. And almost all of them have been reopened. And we direct you to vote.nj.gov if you have questions about your particular polling site.

[Interviewer 1]

And how many polling sites did this, did these threats actually impact? This morning?

[Matt Platkin]

It's around two dozen polling sites across the state. And I should note there's no clear pattern of where they went to. They were statewide. But again, I want to thank law enforcement for their incredible response quickly securing these sites. Again, no indication that any of these threats were credible. We've secured all the polling sites and almost all of them have reopened.

[Interviewer 2]

Matt, talk to us about turnout here. What are the expectations for voter turnout across my home state of New Jersey?

[Matt Platkin]

Well, over the past eight years, under Governor Murphy's leadership, the state has dramatically expanded access to voting. So we've seen significant increases in early voting in person and vote by mail. And we hope that everyone who wants to do so will cast their vote today. It's an exciting day in the state. This is a fundamental right, people's right to vote. And my job principally is to make sure that people can do so safely, freely and fairly. And that is exactly what I'm focused on.

[Interviewer 1]

And we are joined by New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin. Tell us, Matt, your thoughts on President Trump threatening to withhold or reduce federal funding to New York City. If the socialist Zoran Mamdani was wins in our mayor's race today, that's going to impact. If that were to happen New Jersey as well, our friends just over the, over the river. How might that impact what's happening in your state?

[Matt Platkin]

Well, look again, I wish New York City assists, like New Jersey, a free and fair and safe election today. And I wish everyone well who's participating in that. The president has routinely and the administration has routinely unlawfully withheld funds against places that he views as perceived political opponents. New Jersey has not been immune to those risks and those threats. We have gone to court dozens of times and been successful dozens of times in restoring billions and billions of dollars of federal funding that had been unlawfully held funding for things like as we're dealing with Right now, for 850,000 New Jerseyans who rely on SNAP for their food, for themselves, for their kids, for their seniors, things like funding for education, funding for kids with special needs, health care, funding for housing for our seniors. All of these have been unlawfully cut or threatened to be cut by this administration. So my response is very simple. If this administration violates the law and hurts the people in our state, I've been very clear we will go to court to protect them.

[Interviewer 2]

Matt, I think I speak for most, if not all New Jersey transit riders, which I've been a New Jersey transit commuter for 40 years nearly. What's the state of some of the Gateway projects that were moving along so, so quickly but now under threat from this federal administration? What's the status there?

[Matt Platkin]

Yeah, and I thank Governor Murphy, who has been a champion of, of the Gateway project and deferred to him and his office on the transportation infrastructure in the state. But look, the president made some comments. It is our understanding that the project has not been affected, but we are going to continue to monitor very closely. Just like I was just saying, any unlawful threat to or cut to funding that affects the state of New Jersey is something we take very seriously. And we've been very clear that we're prepared to stand up for our residents should we need to do so.

[Interviewer 2]

All right, Matt, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Matt Plankin. He is the New Jersey Attorney General, Democrat, and he is a proud graduate of Madison High School, home of the Dodgers.

[Tom Keene]

This is Tom Keene inviting you to join me for the Bloomberg Surveillance Pod about making you smarter. Each and every business day, we bring you a recap of what happened overnight in Europe and Asia. The day's economic data and complete coverage of the US Market open. We cover stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, even crypto, all the information you need to excel. Bloomberg Surveillance also brings you the analysis behind the headlines. We do that with lengthy conversations with our expert guests, the smartest names in economics, finance, investments and international relations. We do all this live each and every weekday, then bring you the best analysis in our daily podcast search for Bloomberg surveillance on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or anywhere else you listen. On the east coast, listen at lunch and on the west coast when you wake up. That's the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast with me, Tom Keene, along with Paul Sweeney and Lisa Mateo. Subscribe today wherever you get your podcasts.