Gov. Murphy tells CNN that women are less safe now because of Supreme Court's 'war'

KEILAR: Some celebrities sharing messages of frustration on July Fourth, particularly with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Reality star Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner both sharing this post on Instagram that read, "4th of July has been canceled due to a shortage of independence. Sincerely, women."

[07:55:00] While actress Jessica Chastain shared this photo with two middle fingers up, adding "Happy Independence Day from me and my reproductive rights."

And then singer Katy Perry referenced one of her hit songs, tweeting "Baby you're a firework is a 10 but women in the U.S. have fewer rights than an actual sparkler."

I want to bring in New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to speak with us. Governor, I know you see that celebrity women and many non-celebrity women who found that the idea of celebrating independence was actually insulting after the Supreme Court decision.

What do you think about that?

GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): I mean, who could blame them. God bless America. We are -- we still are, let's not forget, the greatest nation on Earth but war has been declared by a right-wing Supreme Court block against American women.

And by the way, they have likewise allowed us to overnight become a lot less safe due to concealed carry gun laws. And look at the tragedy that happened yesterday in Highland Park.

So, we are a great nation but we are in challenging, troubled times right now. And women, especially, are paying a huge price.

KEILAR: On Friday, you signed a bill that did a lot, but among other things, it protected abortion providers in New Jersey. It protected out-of-state residents who would come to New Jersey to obtain an abortion. But it's also worth noting that a number of Democrats in your state have stood in the way of your efforts to further expand abortion access, or they have not supported your successful effort to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade in your state.

What's your message to that because it's not just Republicans? There is opposition within your own party.

MURPHY: Yes, but we've come a long way, Brianna. I mean, we signed in January -- I signed in January a sweeping reproductive freedom act which put into statute the reproductive freedoms in New Jersey that had been based on case law in the anticipation that Roe v. Wade could be nicked up, if not overturned entirely, which it was.

As you rightfully point out, on Friday, I signed a couple of laws that will protect women and will protect anyone associated with reproductive or abortion procedures who may come into New Jersey from out of state.

And access -- you're absolutely right -- continues to be an issue. Yes, the rhetorical question what good is a right if you don't have access to it? And I'm still confident that we will get -- we'll get to the place that folks that don't have insurance that ultimately will not have to pay co-pays or deductibles will have the same reproductive freedoms as other women. KEILAR: You are also signing a package on guns here. And we have just

learned in Highland Park, which I know you're watching as we all are with horror -- we just learned that the gunman legally obtained that weapon. The suspected gunman legally obtained that weapon.

I mean, what do you -- what do you think about that? What does that say about possible solutions?

MURPHY: Well, first, it's an awful tragedy. It's a community that's one of the -- it's a quintessential American community, so God bless each and every one of the victims and their families.

Listen, more guns on the street is not the answer. We have, in New Jersey, among the strongest gun safety laws in America. And as a result, we have among the fewest -- we're not immune by any means but we have among the fewest gun crimes of any American state.

And you rightfully point out I'm going to sign seven more laws in a short time today that will continue not to attack Second Amendment rights -- we respect those rights -- but to attack folks who should not have guns, folks who don't know how to use those guns, manufacturers who deliberately market those guns in a way that leads to harm, and a whole other series of laws that we will put in place and God willing, that will ultimately make us a safer state and a safer nation.

KEILAR: I also want to ask you a question about politics because we've seen California's Gov. Gavin Newsom, paying for ads attacking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida.

What do you think about that approach? Is that something that you think is a good idea? Is that possibly a blueprint? Or do you think that's the wrong idea?

MURPHY: I like it. I have to say we've become, sadly -- and it's thanks to extreme politics. It's thanks most recently to a hard-right radical block of a U.S. Supreme Court we've become a patchwork quilt country right now.

And I think the states that are on the right side of history -- and I'm proud that New Jersey is -- I think we need to be -- we need to stand up and be counted and make sure we remind folks around the country if you want -- if you -- if you value values, come to states like New Jersey.