♪ ♪ >> Tucker: LAST NIGHT WE TALKED TO THE GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS, A REPUBLICAN CALLED ASA HUTCHINSON, JUST VETOED A BILL THAT BANNED THE CHEMICAL CASTRATION. WE ASKED HIM WHAT HE DID THAT, HE WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO EXPLAIN. EARLY IN OUR CONVERSATION, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON HAD NOT DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH INTO THE TOPIC. A LOT OF THINGS HE DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IN FEBRUARY 1 OF THE OLDEST MEDICAL JOURNALS THE WORLD SUMMARIZED RESEARCHERS FINDINGS ON PUBERTY BLOCKERS. HERE'S WHAT THEY FOUND. THE PUBERTY USED TO TREAT CHILDREN 12 TO 15 THAT HAVE GENDER DYSPHORIA HAD NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION, THOUGHTS OF SELF HARM OR BODY IMAGE. THE CHILDREN EXPERIENCE REDUCED GROWTH IN HEIGHT AND BONE STRENGTH. THERE IS FACT, KEEP IN MIND. THE GOVERNMENT SAID CHILDREN NEEDED THESE DRUGS IN ORDER TO NOT BECOME CLINICALLY DEPRESSED. THIS SUGGESTS THEY DON'T HELP, ONLY HURT THEIR BODIES. THERE OTHER STUDIES, ONE CONDUCTED BY THEY HAVE STARK CLINIC, THAT IT HAS INCREASED INCIDENCES OF SELF HARM AND SUICIDAL IDEATION. THOSE ARE THE ONLY STUDY SET UP ON THAT. BRITAIN'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOW SAFE IS VERY LOW EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE IDEA THAT THE PUBERTY BLOCKERS SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN TO CHILDREN. THOSE DRUGS MAY MAKE IT WORSE. AT THE MOST THOROUGH PEER-REVIEWED STUDY ON THE TOPIC WAS CONDUCTED IN SWEDEN. RESEARCHERS FOLLOW THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE WHO HAD UNDERGONE REASSIGNMENT SURGERY. TEN TO 15 YEARS AFTER THEY WENT UNDER THE SURGERY, THE SUICIDE RATE HAD JUMPED BY MORE THAN 2000%. I WAS THAT A VICTORY? IT'S NOT, IT'S A TRAGEDY. WE ASKED HIM ABOUT ANY RESEARCH HE MIGHT'VE READ THAT CONTRADICTED THESE FACTS. HE CLEARLY HADN'T READ ANY OF THE CONTRADICTING FACTS. WE HAD WERE LED TO WONDER, HOW WERE THEY CONVINCED THAT VETOING THIS BILL WAS A GOOD IDEA? >> YOU CLEARLY AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE RESEARCH. MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO ANY OF THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS, COMPANIES IN ARKANSAS, ABOUT THIS QUESTION MIGHT HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY CALLS FROM TYSON'S, DILLARD, WALMART? ANY OF THOSE COMPANIES CALLED YOU ABOUT THIS BILL? >> NO. >> Tucker: I WANT TO BE CLEAR, HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO ANY CORPORATE INTERESTS IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS ABOUT THIS BILL? >> TUCKER, ANSWERED THAT QUESTION, AND I SAID, NO I HAVE NOT. >> Tucker: ASA HUTCHINSON WAS QUITE DEFINITIVE ON THAT. WE HAD TO TAKE HIS WORD FOR IT. HE WAS VERY EMPHATIC. IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW DO WE PUT BEST, LYING. THE DAY WE SPOKE TO HIM, IN FACT, THE WALTON FAMILY ENDORSED HIS DECISION TO VETOED THE BILL THAT HAD PASSED THE LEGISLATURE. NOT JUST ANY FAMILY, THE RICHEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD COME OF COURSE, THE MOST POWERFUL FAMILY AND ARKANSAS. THEY WANTED ASA HUTCHINSON TO KNOW THAT HE HAD DONE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED HIM TO DO. "WE SUPPORT ASA HUTCHINSON'S RECENT VETO, ANY POLICY THAT LIMITS INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITY ALSO LIMITS OR STATES POTENTIAL." IF WALMART IS GOING TO SELL A LIFETIME SUPPLY OF DRUGS TO TRANSMUTE, IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD VETO LEGISLATION AND ANY BILLS LIKE IT. IT'S POSSIBLE HE IGNORED THE WISHES OF HIS FAMILY, ALTHOUGH HE COULDN'T FIND ANY EXPERTS WHO AGREE WITH THEM. HE SPOKE TO SOMEONE TODAY WHO SAYS, HE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE A BOARD SEAT AT WALMART WHEN HE LEAVES. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, HE APPEARED ON THIS NETWORK TO ADMIT THAT BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS ON TRANSGENDER ISSUES, HE FIRST CONSIDERS WHAT MAJOR GLOBAL CORPORATIONS THINK. >> THE HOME OF SOME MAJOR GLOBAL CORPORATIONS HERE IN ARKANSAS, CERTAINLY WORRIED ABOUT THE IMAGE OF OUR STATE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO SEND THE SIGNAL THAT YOU CAN PROTECT CONSCIENCE, YOU CAN PROTECT THE GIRLS IN SPORTS WITHOUT BEING DISCRIMINATORY, AND TRYING TO SAY, WE ARE NOT DIVERSE AND TOLERANT OF DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES. THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A STATE, AND WHAT WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE AS A NATION. >> Tucker: WE ARE THE HOME OF SOME MAJOR GLOBAL CORPORATIONS, GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON SAID. THEY WORRY ABOUT THE IMAGE OF THE STATE, LESS ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF THE STATE, WHO IF, IF EACH AND DOMINIC ASA HUTCHINS IN CHARGE, HE WOULD BE CHEMICALLY -- BY DOCTORS. WE WILL S
