[THEME MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

THERE'S LESS THAN ONE WEEK UNTIL ELECTION DAY AND CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN MAKING THEIR LAST PITCH TO VOTERS.

DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF EARLY VOTING, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL CAMPAIGNED WITH NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND LOCAL LEADERS.

HOCHUL'S REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER BRUCE BLAKEMAN ALSO HAD SEVERAL CAMPAIGN EVENTS WITH OTHER GOP CANDIDATES AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ACROSS THE STATE.

PER THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, MORE THAN ONE MILLION NEW YORKERS HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR BALLOT IN EARLY VOTING.

THE NUMBERS HAVE ALREADY OUTPACED THE 2022 VOTER TURNOUT RATE.

OUR TEAM WILL PROVIDING IN DEPTH COVERAGE ON THE RESULTS OF THE GUBERNATORIAL AND OTHER STATEWIDE RACES IN NEXT WEEK'S SHOW.

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT.

AND AS WE CLOSE OUT OCTOBER, WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME FUN AND TAKE A LOOK AT NEW YORK'S HAUNTED HISTORY.

FROM THE NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL TOUR TO THE SARATOGA SPRINGS HISTORY MUSEUM, THE STATE IS RICH WITH HAUNTED TALES.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, OUR VERY OWN ELISE KLINE BRINGS US A DEEP DIVE ON THAT HISTORY.

HERE'S THAT STORY.

>> NEW YORK STATE IS THE HOME OF MANY NATIONAL HISTORICAL LANDMARKS SUCH AS THE NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL AND THE SARATOGA HISTORY MUSEUM, A 1870S GAMBLING CASINO.

THE NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1899.

IT COST $25 MILLION, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $800 MILLION TODAY, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS OF ITS TIME.

IT HAD A TEAM OF ARCHITECTS AND TOOK 32 YEARS TO CONSTRUCT.

TODAY THE CAPITOL IS A PLACE WHERE STATE LAWS ARE MADE; IT'S ALSO A PLACE WHERE GHOSTS REPORTEDLY MAY LIVE AND/OR VISIT.

IN THE STATE CAPITOL, THERE HAVE BEEN RECOUNTED SIGHTINGS AND GHOSTLY EXPERIENCES.

KELLEY BALLARD, A SPIRITUAL MEDIUM, SAYS SHE HAS BEEN CALLED FOR HER SERVICES TO HELP CLEAR OFFICE SPACES IN THE BUILDING THAT ARE REPORTEDLY BEING HAUNTED.

>> I'LL GET A PHONE CALL, MAYBE SOMEBODY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, MANAGING A TEAM OR SOMETHING, AND THEY SAY, 'WE CAN'T GET WORK DONE,' 'MY STAFF DOESN'T WANT TO COME TO THE OFFICE NOW,' OR 'NO ONE'S USING THIS BATHROOM ANY LONGER.

KIND OF AS A LAST RESORT, ALMOST LIKE, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO."

>> THERE IS ONE PROMINENT GHOST, HOWEVER, BELIEVED BY SOME STATE EMPLOYEES AND VISITORS TO HAUNT THE BUILDING FREQUENTLY.

SAMUEL ABBOTT.

SAMUEL ABBOTT, A NIGHTWATCHMAN WHO DIED IN A CAPITOL BUILDING FIRE IN 1911, IS BELIEVED BY SOME TO ROAM THE STATE CAPITOL STILL.

EMPLOYEES HAVE REPORTED HEARING KEYS JINGLE, WITNESSING DOORS OPEN AND CLOSE ON THEIR OWN, AND EVEN SEEING ORBS, APPARITIONS, AND, FOR SOME, HIS VERY REALISTIC GHOST.

STUART LEHMAN, A VOLUNTEER HAUNTED TOUR GUIDE AT THE CAPITOL AND RETIRED CURATOR FOR THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF GENERAL SERVICES, SAYS HE IS FASCINATED BY THESE STORIES BUT ISN'T SURE WHAT HE BELIEVES, DEFINING HIMSELF AS A SKEPTIC.

>> WHETHER SAMUEL ABBOTT WALKS AS A GHOST, THAT'S A QUESTION OF BELIEF, BUT WE DO KNOW THERE WAS A REAL SAMUEL ABBOTT, WHO REALLY DID PERISH IN A FIRE WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE CAPITOL'S HISTORY.

>> ANOTHER MORE ATTRIBUTABLE REPORTED GHOST IS THE SPIRIT OF WILLIAM MORRIS, AN ARTIST WHOSE MURALS FOR THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER HAVE SINCE BEEN LOST.

A GHOSTBUSTER CHAPTER IN ALBANY REPORTED IN 2002 CATCHING AN EERIE VOICE ON THEIR EQUIPMENT SAYING 'WILLIAM MORRIS IS BEHIND THE DOOR.

ABBOTT IS BELIEVED TO BE A FRIENDLY GHOST CONTINUING HIS WORK, MAKING HIS ROUNDS AND CHECKING ON THE BUILDING, WHILE MORRIS IS BELIEVED TO BE UNFRIENDLY, SCORNED AND UPSET ABOUT HIS LOST MURALS.

HAUNTED TOURS OF THE CAPITOL TAKE PLACE EVERY YEAR THROUGH THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.

THE TOURS RANGE IN SIZE FROM ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE TO SOMETIMES UP TO 40 PEOPLE.

SOME VISITORS AT THE STATE CAPITOL, SUCH AS THOMAS BARDASCINI, SAY THEY BELIEVE THE CAPITOL IS FULL OF SPIRITS.

>> I THINK IT'S HAUNTED, DEFINITELY.

IT LOOKS VERY MEDIEVAL.

AND JUST THE WAY THE MOOD FEELS, THE VIBES.

MY GIRLFRIEND SAID THAT, BEFORE WE EVEN KNEW WHERE THE WATCHMAN PASSED AWAY, SHE FELT A WEIRD VIBE THERE.

SO IT WAS JUST PRETTY WEIRD.

>> OTHER VISITORS SAY THEY ARE MORE SKEPTICAL.

>> I'M MORE OF A SKEPTIC WHEN IT COMES TO THE ORBS, SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SURE.

BUT THE STORY ABOUT THE NIGHT WATCHMAN WAS VERY COOL THE ONE WHO DIED IN THE FIRE.

IT WAS VERY SPOOKY.

>> LAURA ELIZABETH SAYS SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE GHOST STORIES, BUT SHE DID ENJOY HEARING THEM.

>> I LOVE JUST HEARING STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE.

AND EVEN THINGS LIKE THIS, I JUST LIKE HEARING THE HISTORY BEHIND, THE STORIES OF EVERYTHING.

>> LEHMAN SAYS ON THE CAPITOL GHOST TOURS HE TRIES TO BALANCE HISTORY AND THE PARANORMAL REPORTS.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO, OF COURSE, ARE TRUE BELIEVERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTAL SKEPTICS.

I ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE BOTH VIEWPOINTS FEEL RESPECTED, AND GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.

>> LEHMAN ADDS THAT THE CAPITOL'S SPOOKY HISTORY HELPS HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S INTEREST IN THE STATE'S HISTORY IN GENERAL.

>> OF COURSE, THIS HAUNTED HISTORY IS A VERY POPULAR WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS.

AND ANOTHER GREAT REASON FOR PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE HISTORIC SITES OF NEW YORK STATE.

>> AT THE SARATOGA HISTORY MUSEUM, A 1870'S GAMBLING CASINO, VISITORS LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, ILLEGAL GAMBLING DURING THE 19TH CENTURY, AND PROMINENT POLITICIANS SUCH AS RUEBEN HYDE WALWORTH.

THE CANFIELD CASINO WAS BUILT IN 1870 BY JOHN MORRISSEY, WHO WAS A U.S.

CONGRESSMAN AT THAT TIME.

IT SERVED AS A POPULAR GAMBLING HUB UNTIL 1907.

THE MUSEUM AND FORMER CASINO IS BELIEVED TO BE HAUNTED, ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS EXPERIENCES AND ACCOUNTS OF PARANORMAL INTERACTIONS.

JAMIE PARILLO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM, SAYS HE HAS WORKED AT THE MUSEUM FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS AND EXPERIENCED VERY ODD THINGS SUCH AS DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING ON THEIR OWN, SMELLING SCENTS THAT WEREN'T THERE, HEARING LOUD NOISES WHEN HE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE BUILDING, AND MORE.

PARILLO RECOUNTS ONE EXPERIENCE WHERE A VISITOR WHO WAS ALSO A SPIRITUAL MEDIUM COMMUNICATED WITH A GHOST.

AT FIRST, HE DIDN'T BELIEVE HER.

>> SHE SAYS, 'COME HERE, JAMIE.

I'M COMMUNICATING WITH SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.'

SO WE'RE IN THIS ROOM, AND SHE SAID TO COME AND STAND NEXT TO ME, SO I DID.

AND SO GOES, DO YOU SMELL MY PERFUME?

AND I SAID, 'YEAH, I SMELL IT.'

SHE GOES, 'WELL, I DON'T HAVE PERFUME ON.'

AND I KIND OF LOOKED AT HER WITH A COCK TO MY HEAD, AND I'M LIKE, 'YEAH, SURE, WHATEVER.'

SO SHE WENT ABOUT FOUR FEET AWAY, TURNED AROUND, AND SAID,' NOW COME HERE.

AND STAND WITH ME AGAIN.'

SO I WENT OVER TO HER, AND I SAID, 'I DON'T SMELL ANYTHING.'

SHE GOES, 'YEAH, I KNOW.'

SHE PUT HER HANDS OUT, GOES LIKE THIS, THE SMELL TRAVELS ACROSS THE DOORWAY WHERE WE WERE, AND THEN IT CAME TO US, AND IT WAS THERE, AND POOF, DISSIPATES AND IT'S GONE.

>> PARILLO SAYS HE THEN STARTED SMELLING THE EXACT SAME LAVENDER PERFUME SCENT IN OTHER INSTANCES WHEN ALONE IN THE MUSEUM WHILE OTHER UNUSUAL THINGS HAPPENED.

>> WHEN I LOCK THE MUSEUM UP AT NIGHT, I GO TO MY OFFICE AND WORK.

AND ONE EVENING I CAME UP; I'M GOING ACROSS THE LANDING TO GO TO MY OFFICE DOOR.

I SEE A DOOR TO MY RIGHT SLAM SHUT AND OPEN UP AGAIN.

I THINK, OKAY, MAYBE I JUST IMAGINED IT.

HECK WITH IT.

WELL, TWO WEEKS LATER, I'M ON THE TELEPHONE WITH MY BOARD PRESIDENT.

IT'S 4:30 IN THE AFTERNOON; I HAD LOCKED THE MUSEUM UP AND CLEARED IT OF VISITORS, AT LEAST I THOUGHT I DID.

THEN, AS I WAS IN THERE WORKING ON THE PHONE, I HEARD BAM!

MY LUNCHROOM DOOR OPENS AND SLAMS.

SO I SAID, 'BOB, I GOT TO GO; I LOCKED A VISITOR IN THE BUILDING.

SO I CAME OUT, AND I SAID, 'HEY, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE?

I'LL TAKE YOU OUT.'

THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE BUILDING WHATSOEVER.

BUT AS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, OR REALIZED THEN, I WAS SMELLING A LAVENDER PERFUME, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT; IT WAS THERE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THAT.

>> PARILLO SAYS VISITING SPIRITS AT THE MUSEUM ARE LIKELY CONNECTED TO ARTIFACTS IN THE BUILDING, AND THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE AN UPTICK IN WEIRD EVENTS WHENEVER THEY MAKE CHANGES.

ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT GHOSTS REPORTEDLY HAUNTING THE MUSEUM IS REUBENA WALWORTH.

THE WALWORTHS WERE AN ILLUSTRIOUS, WEALTHY POLITICAL FAMILY IN SARATOGA.

REUBENA WAS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF REUBEN WALWORTH, WHO WAS THE CHANCELLOR OF NEW YORK FROM 1828 TO 1847.

REUBENA WAS ALSO A NURSE WHO CARED FOR AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO WERE RETURNING FROM THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR.

SHE DIED OF TYPHOID IN HER FAMILY HOME IN SARATOGA IN 1898.

>> I'VE HAD VISITORS, SPECIFICALLY A COUPLE OF VOLUNTEERS AND ONE STAFF MEMBER, SAY THEY'VE SEEN A WOMAN IN A WHITE DRESS WALK FROM ROOM TO ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR.

>> MANY OF THE WALWORTHS' POSSESSIONS AND FURNITURE ARE PRESERVED ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE MUSEUM, WHICH IS REPORTEDLY WHERE THE MOST SPOOKY ODD THINGS OCCUR.

>> PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT SINCE WE HAVE ALL THEIR MATERIALS HERE, THEY'RE HERE WITH IT ALSO.

AND THAT'S WHO THEY SEE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OLD SARATOGATHERE ARE WHISPERING STORIES.

PEOPLE WILL SAY, 'I WALKED BY THE CANFIELD CASINO AT NIGHT, AND I LOOKED UP IN THE CENTER WINDOW,' HERE NEXT TO US, OR ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AND THEY SAY THERE'S A WOMAN IN WHITE THAT STARES DOWN AT THEM.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT.

BUT I WILL THROW IN THE CAVEAT THAT THESE WINDOWS ARE FROM THE 19TH CENTURY.

THEY'RE ROLLED GLASS; IT'S WAVY, AND THERE ARE STREETLIGHTS OUT IN THE PARK.

SO I THINK MAYBE THEY'RE SEEING REFLECTIONS; MAYBE THEY'RE SEEING HER.

>> BALLARD SAYS SHE HAS VISITED THE MUSEUM MANY TIMES AND ENCOUNTERED THE WALWORTH FAMILY SPIRITS.

>> YOU HAVE SOME CHARACTERS IN THE FAMILY THAT HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING STORYLINE, RIGHT?

AND YOU CAN FEEL THEIR PRESENCE, PRIDE THAT SOME OF THEIR BELONGINGS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED, THAT THEY'RE THERE, THAT THEIR NAME IS BEING CARRIED FORWARD.

AND YOU'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE UNSAVORY, KIND OF SKETCHY, THAT DEFINITELY DON'T LIKE YOU POKING AROUND IN THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, AROUND THEIR BELONGINGS.

SO YOU MIGHT SUDDENLY FEEL LIKE A PRESENCE COMES UP BEHIND YOU THAT GIVES YOU THE SHIVERS FROM HEAD TO TOE.

YOUR HEART MIGHT START RACING.

YOU MIGHT START TO FEEL AS THOUGH IT'S REALLY HARD TO BREATHE IN THIS ROOM.

>> ANTHROPOLOGY PROFESSOR SEAN RAFFERTY ARGUES GHOSTS ARE NOT REAL AND THERE IS ALWAYS AN EXPLAINABLE NATURAL PHENOMENON.

>> I AM AWARE, OF COURSE, THAT ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ANY OLD SIGNIFICANT BUILDING HAS SOME KIND OF LORE REGARDING HAUNTINGS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

APPARENTLY GHOSTS ONLY HAUNT OLD BUILDINGS.

THEY NEVER HAUNT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A 1970S SPLIT LEVEL DUPLEX OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEY'RE PICKY THAT WAY, I GUESS.

>> RAFFERTY ADDS HOWEVER, HE IS FASCINATED BY HUMAN CULTURAL INTEREST IN GHOSTS AND SPIRITS.

>> WHAT I ACTUALLY FIND INTERESTING IS NOT THE IDEA OF HAUNTINGS THEMSELVES BUT THE IDEA OF HAUNTINGS, THE FACT THAT THESE BELIEFS ARE SO PERVASIVE.

AS AN ANTHROPOLOGIST, WE STUDY HUMAN CULTURES AND I STUDY CULTURES THAT ARE DEAD AND/OR ARE PART OF THE PAST, BUT MY INTEREST IS STILL IN HUMAN CULTURES, AND EVERY CULTURE, EVERY PLACE ON THE PLANET, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, HAS SOME KIND OF GHOST BELIEF.

>> FOR MANY VISITORS OF THE MUSEUM, SPIRITUAL FASCINATION AND EXPERIENCING THE REPORTED GHOSTS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, ESPECIALLY AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR.

DAWN BREITHAUPT AND KAREN MARLATT, A GROUP OF FRIENDS ON THEIR ANNUAL GIRLS TRIP, SIMPLY WANTED TO HAVE FUN AND MAYBE EXPERIENCE SOME GHOSTS.

>> JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT THERE.

>> HE HAD A LOT OF GOOD STORIES, THOUGH, NOT HAPPENING TONIGHT.

>> FRIENDS LORI TAMBASCO AND DIANE MADEJ ALSO CAME TO THE HAUNTED TOUR TO HAVE FUN AND SPEND TIME TOGETHER.

TAMBASCO SAYS SHE BELIEVES SHE MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED SOMETHING WHILE ON THE TOUR, LISTENING TO A STORY THAT PARILLO WAS TELLING ABOUT A CHILD GHOST THAT LIKES TO RUN AROUND THE MUSEUM.

>> WE WERE IN THE ONE ROOM, AND HE WAS EXPLAINING WHAT WAS IT, THE LITTLE CHILDREN?

THE LITTLE GIRL WAS LIKE RUNNING AROUND.

MY PURSE FELL OFF MY ARM.

IT WAS LIKE ON MY SHOULDER, SO THEN I PUT IT LIKE THIS AFTERWARDS.

AND WHEN WE WERE OUTSIDE WAITING FOR THE TROLLEY, THERE WAS A LADY WHO WAS STANDING THERE, AND HER PURSE FELL OFF HER ARM AND WENT ONTO THE SIDEWALK AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW; MAYBE IT'S A COINCIDENCE, MAYBE IT JUST SLIPPED BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE JACKET OR WHATEVER, BUT IT WAS PRETTY NEAT.

>> MADEJ SAYS THAT WHILE SHE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY ODD THINGS WHILE ON THE TOUR, SHE BELIEVED THE STORIES SHE HEARD AND ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE.

>> I BELIEVE IN GHOSTS; I BELIEVE THERE DEFINITELY COULD BE A PRESENCE HERE.

THE STORIES WERE VERY CONVINCING, ESPECIALLY WHEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SCARY.

I THINK THAT GHOSTS ARE JUST STUCK; I AGREE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION FOR WHATEVER REASON.

>> AGAIN, WHETHER OR NOT THESE LANDMARKS ARE REALLY HAUNTED REALLY DEPENDS ON THE VISITOR'S EXPERIENCE AND DETERMINATION FOR THEMSELF.

I WILL SAY, I AM STANDING IN THE EXACT SPOT WHERE SAMUEL ABBOTT PERISHED IN THE 1911 CAPITOL FIRE, AND IT'S DEFINITELY A LITTLE SPOOKY.

ELISE KLINE, NEW YORK NOW.

>> THE MUSEUM OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS A NON PROFIT HOSE MISSION IS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER THE PUBLIC BY FIGHTING AGAINST POLITICAL CORRUPTION AND EXPLORING SOLUTIONS.

THE BODY HONORED VETERAN JOURNALIST JULIE K. BROWN WITH THE 2026 NELIE BLYE AWARD FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

BOTH THE TIMES UNION AND WMHT WERE AMONG THE SPONSORS OF THE AWARD THIS YEAR.

BROWN'S INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING BACK IN 2018 LED TO THE ARRESTS OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND GHISLAINE MAXWELL FOR SEX TRAFFICKING CRIMES.

HERE'S A SNIPPIT FROM THAT AWARD CEREMONY.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S IRONIC THAT WE HAVE THIS MUSEUM OF PUBLIC CORRUPTION AT A TIME WHEN POLLS ARE SHOWING JUST THIS PAST WEEK THAT POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS AMONG THE TOP, IF NOT THE TOP, ISSUE IN AMERICA, RIGHT?

THERE IS A HUGE CONCERN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND REALLY ALL OVER THE WORLD ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION THAT WE'RE FACING.

AND SADLY, WE'RE FACING ALL THIS CORRUPTION AT A TIME WHEN JOURNALISM HAS BEEN VAULTERING.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER GETTING THEIR NEWS FROM THEIR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OR EVEN THEIR LOCAL JOURNALISTS ON TV, THEY'RE GETTING THEIR NEWS, UNFORTUNATELY, FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND YOUNG PEOPLE, SOME OF THEM HAVE PROBABLY NEVER EVEN READ A NEWSPAPER, WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I DO KNOW ONE THING.

WHEN THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN STORY BROKE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES TO ME WAS WHEN I RETURNED TO THE NEWSROOM AFTER THE STORY WENT VIRAL AND I WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE DOING INTERVIEWS, I HAD STACKS AND STACKS OF MAIL ON MY DESK.

STACKED PILES LIKE THIS.

IT WAS FAN MAIL.

NOW, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT JOURNALISTS, WE DON'T GET IT.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO ME.

I EVEN HAD ONE WOMAN SEND ME FIVE CARDS THAT I WAS TO SIGN WITH MY AUTOGRAPH SO THAT SHE WOULD HAVE FIVE COPIES OF MY AUTOGRAPH.

IT WAS MOST UNBELIEVABLE.

AND IT STRUCK ME THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE OF A HUNGER FOR THIS KIND OF WORK.

AND PEOPLE WHO HOLD YOU KNOW OUR POLITICAL LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS STORY WAS.

THAT WAS WHY I UNDERTOOK THIS STORY.

I DIDN'T BREAK THE JEFFREY EPSTEIN STORY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT THIS STORY.

BUT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DUG INTO IT TO FIND OUT HOW SUCH A WEALTHY MAN GOT AWAY WITH USING SO MANY YOUNG GIRLS.

SO I'M HOPING THAT WITH THIS ELECTION COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT VOTERS UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HOLD OUR ELECTED LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT'S WHAT ELECTIONS ARE FOR.

THE SECOND PART IS I WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF STUDENTS OUT HERE.

AND I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE STUDENTS BECAUSE, AS BRUCE POINTED OUT, THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.

AND I SPEAK TO COLLEGE JOURNALISM, EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM CLASSES, QUITE OFTEN THESE DAYS.

AND YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE DISCOURAGED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS EMPOWERED THEM TO BECOME JOURNALISTS AND BECAUSE THEY DO WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND MAKE IT BETTER, NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

AND SO WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO THE STUDENTS HERE IS VERY FEW PEOPLE REALLY BELIEVED IN ME WHEN I STARTED OUT IN JOURNALISM.

THIS IS A VERY SOMETIMES A VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING CAREER, ESPECIALLY AS A WOMAN.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I PERSEVERED.

I THINK THAT IT WAS THE STORIES THAT I DID.

THAT WAS EVERY STORY THAT MADE AN IMPACT.

IT MADE ME WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS.

SO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU IS YOU JUST HAVE TO REALLY BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND KEEP GOING.

BECAUSE IF I DIDN'T DO THAT, THERE WOULD NOT BE A JEFFREY EPSTEIN STORY BECAUSE I HAD TO FIGHT FOR THIS STORY.

AND YOU CAN FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.

YOU HAVE TO PICK YOUR BATTLES SOMETIMES.

PICK THOSE BATTLES AND STICK TO YOUR GUNS AND DO THE STORIES THAT YOU BELIEVE.

THANKS.

>> JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S NAME KEPT COMING UP.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS HIS NAME CAME UP WAS THERE WAS A COLUMN THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN BY A PROMINENT LAWYER QUESTIONING THIS WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION IN 2016 WHY THE MEDIA WASN'T LOOKING AT THIS LAWSUIT THAT A WOMAN HAD FILED AGAINST EPSTEIN AND TRUMP, ALLEGING THAT SHE HAD BEEN RAPED BY THEM WHEN SHE WAS 13 YEARS OLD.

SO I JUST DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE CASE, AS I MENTIONED, BUT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THE MEDIA SHOULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS.

LET'S LOOK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

AND I THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO START FROM SCRATCH, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT WAS A COLD CASE FILE, REQUEST ALL THE POLICE REPORTS, LOOK AT ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE LAWSUITS, JUST START FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY HOW IT ALL HAPPENED.

IT WAS PARTIALLY TIED TO THE FACT THAT TRUMP HAD BEEN ACCUSED IN A LAWSUIT OF BEING INVOLVED IN RAPING A TEENAGER.

AND THE SECOND PART OF IT WAS, QUITE FRANKLY, EPSTEIN'S NAME KEPT COMING UP EVERY TIME I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ON SEX TRAFFICKING.

AND EVERY TIME I READ A STORY, I FELT MORE AND MORE FLABBERGASTED THAT THIS MAN HAD GOTTEN AWAY WITH, YOU KNOW, RAPING ALL THESE YOUNG GIRLS.

>> AND SO AS THE STORY STARTS TO GET LEGS AND NOW YOU'RE IN THE POSITION TO, YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY VICTIMS FROM COURT RECORDS, DOZENS OF VICTIMS.

AND THEN SO WHAT WAS THE PROCESS FOR FINDING DOZENS OF WOMEN SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND CONVINCING THEM TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEIR STORY?

>> REMEMBER, ALL THEIR NAMES WERE REDACTED.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE.

AND SO, OF COURSE, THERE WERE SOME LAWSUITS.

SO I CONTACTED SOME LAWYERS.

QUITE FRANKLY, MOST OF THEM SAID NO.

YOU KNOW, DON'T, FORGET IT.

A LOT OF VICTIMS WHO I DID FIND HUNG UP ON ME.

SO IT WAS A REALLY LONG, TEDIOUS PROCESS TO GET JUST FOUR VICTIMS IN THE END.

I WANTED TO GET THEM ON THE RECORD.

I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE POWERFUL STORY, THEY WERE NOW IN THEIR LATE 20S EARLY 30S AND I THOUGHT IF I COULD GET EVEN A FEW OF THEM TO TALK ON THE RECORD THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A POWERFUL STORY BECAUSE REMEMBER HE WAS NOW YOU KNOW, HE HAD HIS PLEA DEAL.

HE HAD FINISHED.

HE WAS FLYING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S NOT SUCH A STRETCH TO THINK THAT HE WAS PROBABLY STILL ABUSING WOMEN AND GIRLS.

SO IN MY MIND, I THOUGHT, I WONDER WHAT THESE VICTIMS THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW ALSO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME.

TRUMP GOT ELECTED.

HE APPOINTED A MAN BY THE NAME OF ALEX ACOSTA TO BE HIS LABOR SECRETARY.

AND AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS IRONIC BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY STARTED KIND OF PICKING AWAY AT THE STORY.

ACOSTA WAS THE PROSECUTOR THAT GAVE JEFFREY EPSTEIN HIS SWEETHEART DEAL.

SO THAT OPENED THE DOOR WITH THE VICTIMS IN MY MIND TO SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS MAN WHO GAVE THIS PREDATOR, YOUR PREDATOR, SUCH A SWEETHEART DEAL, IS NOW LEADING AN AGENCY THAT'S IN CHARGE OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SEX TRAFFICKING.

SO IT WAS LIKE A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT KIND OF CAME TOGETHER FOR ME AT THE SAME TIME.

>> WHAT WENT INTO PICKING APART THAT DEAL WITH COURT RECORDS THAT MAY BE SEALED, AND UNCOOPERATIVE, PROBABLY, U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

>> AND LAWYERS.

A LOT OF THESE LAWYERS DIDN'T TRUST THE MEDIA EITHER.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO COOPERATE WITH ME IN THE BEGINNING.

ONE OF THEM LATER SAID, YOU KNOW, I GAVE YOU THE WHOLE FILE, BECAUSE THEY HAD GIVEN THE FILE TO OTHER JOURNALISTS.

AND THEY SAID, AND WE TOLD THE JOURNALISTS BEFORE, HERE, READ IT, COME BACK TO US.

AFTER YOU READ THE WHOLE FILE, NOBODY EVER CAME BACK TO THEM.

BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAME BACK BECAUSE I DID READ THE WHOLE FILE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY KNEW I DID MY HOMEWORK.

THEY KNEW I KNEW WHAT THE CASE WAS ABOUT.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, WALKING ME THROUGH EVERYTHING.

I UNDERSTOOD.

I DID MY HOMEWORK.

AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS KIND OF REPORTING, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING IS VERY TEDIOUS.

I MEAN, I WOULD SIT AND READ COURT FILES FOREVER.

THERE WERE 500, YOU KNOW, DOCKET ENTRIES FOR JUST ONE CASE INVOLVING EPSTEIN.

AND I THOUGHT I COULD GO IN AND JUST, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING A STORY LIKE THIS, YOU PICK THE COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT THEY RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT, YOU ONLY PICK LIKE, YOU KNOW, SIX OR SEVEN AND YOU WRITE A STORY ABOUT IT.

I SOON REALIZED I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO READ EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WAS IN THIS LAWSUIT AND I WOULD FALL ASLEEP AND SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON READING THEM, WAKE UP AGAIN AND START OVER.

AND SO IT WAS YOU KNOW, IT'S A LONG PROCESS BECAUSE YOU ESPECIALLY WITH A STORY THIS WAS FRAUGHT WITH REMEMBER, HE HIRED SOME VERY POWERFUL ATTORNEYS, ALAN DERSHOWITZ, ROY BLACK, KENNETH STARR.

I MEAN, A REAL LEGAL DREAM TEAM.

SO THIS, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, IN THE BACK OF MY EDITOR'S MIND, THIS IS THE KIND OF STORY WHERE SOMEBODY COULD SUE YOU.

SO THIS HAD TO BE AIRTIGHT, AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU MAKE IT AIRTIGHT.

YOU READ EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT.

>> WAS THERE ANY PUSHBACK THAT YOU RECEIVED?

BECAUSE NOWADAYS IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR JOURNALISTS TO BECOME THE TARGET.

WHEN THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK, THEY'RE UNCOVERING WRONGDOING, THEY BECOME THE TARGET OF THE PEOPLE THEY'RE REPORTING ON.

WAS THERE ANY OF THAT THAT WENT ON?

>> IT'S STILL GOING ON.

I MEAN, I STILL GET THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING.

THE VICTIMS ARE FEELING THE FEEDBACK, TOO.

THERE HAVE BEEN CASES WHERE THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT ARE STALKING THESE VICTIMS WHO HAVE STALKED ME, EVEN RECENTLY.

WHEN I FIRST DID THE STORY, THOUGH, I KEPT IT PRETTY MUCH ON THE DOWN LOW.

I DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO KNOW I WAS DOING IT UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST DONE.

AND THAT WAS REALLY TO PROTECT THE VICTIMS.

BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IF EPSTEIN HAD FOUND OUT THAT I HAD THESE VICTIMS, THAT HE WOULD DO WHAT HE DID WHEN THE CASE FIRST BECAME PUBLIC 10 YEARS EARLIER, WAS HE DID HIRE PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS TO FOLLOW THESE VICTIMS AND TO MAKE THEIR LIVES MISERABLE.

SO I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO KNOW UNTIL I WAS PRETTY MUCH HAD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, I DIDN'T REALLY WANT THEM TO KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.

>> WAS THERE A PARTICULAR DOCUMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR UNDERSTANDING?

WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT GAVE YOU THAT AHA MOMENT THAT REALLY KEPT YOU UP?

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S A BREAKING MOMENT IN A STORY WHEN YOU'RE REPORTING, OR EVEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VICTIM STATEMENT.

>> WELL, THAT REALLY WAS THE AHA MOMENT WITH ME.

THE FIRST VICTIM THAT WE WENT AND INTERVIEWED, WE HAD TO FLY TO TENNESSEE.

AND THE FUNNY PART ABOUT IT WAS, OF COURSE, SHE HAD A LAWYER, SO I CALLED HER LAWYER FIRST, AND THEN HER LAWYER CALLED HER.

HER LAWYER TOLD HER, NO, DON'T DO THE INTERVIEW.

BUT SHE AGREED TO LET US COME ANYWAY.

SO EMILY MICHAUD, WHO WAS MY REPORTING PARTNER, A VISUAL JOURNALIST WHO DID A LOT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE DOCUMENTARY AND THE VIDEOS THAT GO WITH MY ORIGINAL PIECE, WHICH WAS VERY POWERFUL, SHE AND I FLEW TO TENNESSEE.

SHE WAS WORKING AT A LITTLE DINER.

AND THAT INTERVIEW WAS SO INCREDIBLE.

WE JUST COULDN'T SPEAK AFTERWARDS.

WE GOT IN THE CAR TO FLY BACK TO FLORIDA AND WE WERE QUIET AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT SHE SAID AND HOW IT AFFECTED HER AND HOW SHE FELT THAT OUR SYSTEM HAD FAILED THEM.

AND IT WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.

>> AND TO WATCH THE FULL AWARD CEREMONY AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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