Morning Joe - Morning Joe 3/24/23

Episode Date: March 24, 2023

Trump threatens D.A. with violent imagery

Trump's lawyers have reportedly told him that if he gets indicted in New York, he should be prepared to lose the case, which means he'll spend the next three years claiming he won the case. This is we are now on day three of to catch a president. He said he would be arrested on Tuesday. Since he announced his imminent arrest on Saturday, his campaign has raked in more than $1.5 million in donations, which is a lot of money. $1.5 million, that's almost enough to, I don't know, 12 more porn stars you could pay off for that much money. That was part of Jimmy Kimmel's take on former President Trump's legal issues. It comes as Donald Trump spent hours online yesterday furiously posting about the Manhattan district attorney rants that included messaging similar to what inspired the January 6th attack. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a hostile

hearing with the CEO of TikTok lawmakers grilled him for hours on privacy and content concerns, as well as the company's connection to the Chinese government. We'll have the highlights for you just ahead. Plus, what we're learning about a drone strike overnight in Syria that killed at least one American and injured a handful of U.S. service members. A lot going on. Good morning. Welcome to Morning Joe. Can you believe it's Friday? It's Friday, March 24. You know, it is Friday. And, you know, you believe it's Friday? It's Friday, March 24th. You know, it is Friday. And, you know, Willie, it's interesting. You have Trump raising one point five million dollars off of this.

Puck noted last night that actually people around Donald Trump see this as a bad sign because his fundraising prowess has dried up. He's worn out all of these lists. He sent spam out for six years, seven years. And the small money donations just aren't coming in. You know, right after Access Hollywood, he raised eleven and a half million dollars off of small donors. After the FBI raid last summer at Mar-a-Lago, as he called it, he raised two million dollars in two days. He's raised one and a half million dollars over the week. And while we're all talking about, hey, this was a grift, this was a scam, which it was to raise

money, people around Trump and Trump's orbit are going, this is a really bad sign for the coming campaign because he's completely worn out the small donors. And all the big donors, of course, are going to the guy in Tallahassee, Ron DeSantis. Yeah, it's a great point. You wonder how many times can you go back to the well and claim I am the victim. They're coming after me again. They're coming after you again. Send me all of your money to the same small and shrinking group of people now. And even his more conventional fundraising, since he announced he was going to be running for president again, has not been overwhelmingly great. And I can tell you, just talking to people privately yesterday, his behavior yesterday

on social media, most people don't have his app, so you probably didn't see a lot of it. We'll spare you most of it, but talk to you about some of it. Has Republicans, not Democrats, Republicans going, my God, there's got to be something else. We can't do this again. We're exhausted. This is not a man who should be president of the United States. Tweeting or whatever his thing is called in all caps, just horrible, grotesque insults at people all day long. That's not the behavior of a guy who wants to be president. Well, it's a guy who's, again, trying to whip

up the base. This is really just a bigger version of what we've been saying here. We have Marjorie Taylor Greene saying the most outrageous things that Republicans don't like, but her small donors have like, like, for instance, she's going to a D.C. prison to celebrate rioters today, calling rioters and, you know, a part of a riot where people bashed in the brains of cops with American flags. She's doing that. Why is she doing it? It's bad politics, but it's good for fundraising. Trump

using just the most egregious, grotesque language. It's even turning off Republicans. Why is he doing it? Those small donors. He didn't get it with a lie about the arrest on Tuesday. So he's trying to amp it up. So we're going to get to Trump's day of rage in a moment. But first, Mika, did you see the story last night? Breaking news. Utah's Republican governor, Spencer Cox, actually signed two, I think, pretty landmark social media bills yesterday. And the intent is to dramatically limit teenagers access to apps like TikTok and Instagram. And one of the measures that Utah is now implementing makes it the first state in the nation to prohibit platforms from having users under 18 to have accounts unless they have the

explicit consent of a parent of a guardian. And also, Mika, you'll like this. It's also going to require parents to have access to any of their children's posts, messages and response. And they passed another bill that stops media companies, and this is really important, from doing features or designing things that would cause a minor to form an addiction to their platforms. And the laws are going to be challenged, of course, in the courts, but also the focus of advertising to young people as well. So, I mean, that's what do you think? This is just the beginning. I mean, there are a number of red states that people as well. So, I mean, that's, what do you think?

This is just the beginning. I mean, there are a number of red states that are doing this. Also, California, there's a school district that's suing the social media companies. By the way, in Utah, the social media companies that are being named in this new legislation is already getting ready to sue.

Right. And the bottom line is, this is the story of our generation of kids. We both have kids. We both see amongst our own kids, their friends and our friends, friends, kids that they're being hurt by this, that this has caused an impact, a serious impact to their mental health. And it got a lot worse during covid when social media was in some ways screens were the only way to do anything. But again, this is just the beginning. And the fact that these states are trying to enact measures like this, like the one in Utah has social media being banned from 1030 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the night when kids are on their phones.

They claim they need their phones to set their alarm or whatever else. And they're on their phones all night scrolling and scrolling and all that negative impact and lack of sleep. It goes on. So the social media companies are going to push back. But I do believe this is really this big issue of our generation. And it's going to be like big tobacco. Yeah. And Willie, you can't have kids our children's age, which, again, run a pretty wide gamut. Same with you, where you don't see how it's impacting our children's friends, their classmates, their communities in such a devastating way. And I got to say that in a devastating way. Yeah, no question about it. And the thing overnight, the 1030 p.m. to 630 a.m., that's key.

Our kids cannot have their phones in their rooms at that hour of the night. We bought them old fashioned alarm clocks at Target so that they want to get up. That's how they're going to wake up. But what's really interesting, guys, is the bipartisan recognition of this crisis. And it is a crisis. You have Republicans in Utah. You had Republicans and Democrats at that hearing yesterday where the CEO of TikTok was grilled in front of Congress, both sides of the aisle, recognizing that this is a huge problem,

that something has to be done. The concerns there were more national security in that congressional hearing. But the overall impact of social media on teenagers now, even among Republicans who maybe, Joe, in the past would have said, look, the government doesn't have a place stepping into a business and to tell them what to do now, saying this is too important. We've got to do something about this. Well, they regulated tobacco because tobacco scientifically was damaging the health of Americans. This is scientifically damaging the health of Americans. And it really it's deeply offensive. It's deeply offensive.

Let me say it again. When we when people reach out to us from social media companies and suggest that it's much ado about nothing, you might as well be from the Sackler family calling us up saying opioids, you know, actually they take away the pain and there's they're not addictive because we see it. You see it. Social media companies see it. And they're going to have to wake up to this reality. And we're not we're not going to read it. Well, you can read it on a statement. But here's the bottom line. It's so addictive.

Willie, what you'll find. I mean, I predict most parents will discover this. Yes, they can't have their phones. Then they'll find an iPad. But then they'll be doing their homework on a computer. And it's addictive. It's addictive. And by the way, if you can somehow protect your kids and keep them in a bubble, the bottom line is there's a generation of kids that are being impacted by this.

The overall health and inability to connect and all the other side effects. Yes. Side effects of the impact of social media is a mental health crisis. Yeah, man. That's something, of course, it's parents' responsibility as well. And they're going to have to step up. Willie, by the way, last night, some incredible games. NCAA basketball, obviously, Sweet 16. And my God, the Michigan State-Kansas State game, crazy. Yeah, that was an absolute classic.

That was the first game of the night at Madison Square Garden, and it continued deep into the night with Gonzaga and UCLA playing a thriller that came down to the very end as well. Here's a look at some of those Sweet 16 matchups, the first of them last night, and they did not disappoint. Robust move into the paint by Black. Charge free. Picked up caravan.

Baseball pass. Jackson. Click him. Robust move into the paint by Black, charge free, picked up Caravan, baseball pass, Jackson, Clingan! UConn is now 1-9 of their last 10, 12 of their last 14, and they are going to be a sledgehammer. Here's Hauser, gives it up, clock ticks, Hall, finding Walker, Walker, oh and he's stripped by Noel! Ball is loose, Noel comes out of the pack. Noel dribbles. And he throws it in. Count the basket, and Kansas State wins it. The Wildcats are headed for the Elite Eight. Florida Atlantic a chance to take the lead,

and it's going to be forced again. Cash, money. The Owls alive and well. They win it 62-55, and Florida Atlantic is a lead eight bound. If you're Gonzaga, you've got to take the first good shot you get. You're down one. This isn't a situation where you hold the ball for the last shot. No, not at all, because you've also dominated the offensive glass. Chances are you'll get more than one opportunity. And off it for the lead,

Gonzaga! Gonzaga survives. They're going to the Elite Eight in a thriller. How about that? A pull from the logo to send Gonzaga to the Elite Eight. Top-seeded. No, Gonzaga knocked off number two UCLA. Going

ahead in the final seconds with a game-winning three-pointer. The Bulldogs beat the Bruins 79-76. Gonzaga was the three-seed there. They advance now to play number four, UConn, on Saturday for a spot in the final four. Connecticut, UConn, just dominant last night. They swashed Arkansas. And, Joe, that's a talented Arkansas team with a couple of lottery picks in their starting lineup. Connecticut led by as many as 29 points, dominating 88-65 win over

Arkansas. Number three, Kansas State, as we mentioned, outlasted seven-seeded Michigan State in a great game at the Garden. In overtime, Kansas State will meet Florida Atlantic in the Elite Eight. Can you believe F-A-U? They had not had a NCAA tournament victory in the history of its men's basketball program. Now has three using a second half search. Upset four-seeded Tennessee 62-55 last night. So we can start there, Joe. That Florida Atlantic team actually has 34 wins this season. I think it's finally time to say they're a really good team. They're 34-3. They've got a good shot against Kansas State, who is also really impressive. The kid Noel had an NCAA record 19 assists in the Kansas State win over Michigan State. Really fun games last night. Really some great games last night. I've got to say, FAU winning. And FAU going to the grade eight.

Just unbelievable. The K-State game, like we said, was really a lot of fun. But, man, I'll tell you, Jonathan Lemire, one of the surprises for me, UCLA. I mean, they played a great team. But UCLA, a team that some people, even though they were second seeded, thinking they could go all the way, knocked out. Another great team knocked out of this tournament. Yeah, UCLA was my bracket's pick to win it all.

So I can officially throw that away. But this game was fantastic. And how about Gonzaga here? You know, they had 10-odd seconds to go at the end of the game, and they run that play with, as Willie said, the three from the logo. The guy's foot was on the S of madness. It was on the S of madness. It's unbelievable.

And he nailed it, and he absolutely nailed it. And just a spectacular play. And, look, let's give Gonzaga credit. They are in this every single year. They're always in. Sweet 16, Elite 8. They made, let's give Gonzaga credit. They are in this every single year. They're always in. Sweet 16, Elite 8. They made the Final Four a couple years back. They're an elite team.

But UCLA is so talented. And now they are out. And yeah, there is the shot. His foot's on the S. And as discussed earlier, that Kansas State-Michigan State game, an absolute thriller too. Tom Izzo always has his team ready to go. And they were so gutsy. And they just got beat by a Kansas State game, an absolute thriller, too. Tom Izzo always has his team ready to go, and they were so gutsy.

And, you know, they just got beat by a Kansas State team by the slimmest of margins in overtime. Fantastic, fantastic games. All right. You stayed up late watching. Well, I did, but I'll tell you what. Tonight, of course, we were all looking. Come on.

We're all looking at Princeton. Could Princeton make it to the great eight? Alabama playing San Diego State, the elite eight, the great eight, the elite eight. But Princeton, unbelievable they've made it that far. And then, of course. So I'll be looking at the South Bracket tonight. All right. Let's get to the news. A grand jury assembled by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office met yesterday for the second time this week after being told not to convene on Wednesday. But for reasons unknown, sources tell NBC News the group discussed a matter separate from the hush money case involving Trump and porn star Stormy Daniels. It's not unusual for a New York grand jury to hear multiple cases at the same time. The group is unlikely to meet again until Monday at the earliest. We will keep you

posted. Meanwhile, the Manhattan district attorney's office is slamming top House Republicans for launching an investigation into the DA's investigation of Trump. In a letter obtained by NBC News yesterday, a general counsel for the DA's office responded to a GOP request from earlier in the week, which called on District Attorney Alvin Bragg to testify before Congress about his ongoing probe. That request was made by Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer,

and Administration Committee Chairman Brian Stile. In their letter, they claimed the DA's office was, quote, about to engage in an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority by indicting Trump. But the only person who ever claimed with certainty that Trump was going to be indicted, let's remember, was Trump himself. Tried to make some money. His own social media post last weekend on his truth social. In her response yesterday, the counsel for the DA's office wrote that the Republican request

was an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution that only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested. She added that the request treads into territory very clearly reserved to the states. Let's bring in right now NBC News national affairs analyst and co-host Showtime circus John Heilman, also the host of MSNBC's Politics Nation, president of the National Action Network, Reverend Al Sharpton, and the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Report, Political Report, Amy Walter. John Heilman, let's start with you. You know, if you're attorney general of the United States of America and a lot of yahoos start saying things about you in Congress, you usually just keep your head down and you

ignore it. You're appointed by the president. You go before the appropriate committees so often, probably better to just keep your head down. If you're an elected official outside of Washington, D.C., and the people put you in there, you know what? You've got the wherewithal to fire off a letter and tell somebody to go straight to hell if they're accusing you of something you didn't do. And yesterday, that's something the Braggs people felt the freedom to do. They felt the freedom to do it, Joe. They did it forcefully. But I'll tell you, you know, if you think about the atmospherics around what's kind of taking place here in New York City over the course of the week,

you know, you had from the moment that Trump came out on Truth Social last weekend and called on his supporters to protest. Some would say that that was an incitement to riot. Some would say that it was reminiscent of some of the calls that he put out before January 6th. The echoes were strongly there. You saw the police barricades were laid out throughout New York City. We saw that footage I saw here in the city. You had the police department told its officers starting Tuesday to go out in their dress blues and project some sense of force. You then had Trump yesterday, and Lamir was talking about this in the 6 a.m. hour or in the 5 a.m. hour. You guys alluded to it. I don't know how far we want to go with this,

but the stuff that Trump said yesterday over the course of the day, between the images he put forward, the language he used, the attack, the constant attacks all week trying to tie Bragg to George Soros, an anti-Semitic dog whistle, the references to Bragg as an animal, as someone who was a human scum doing the work of the devil. By the way, John, here we go. And by the way, if this isn't fascist type language and fascist type imagery, here you have a former president of the United States. And let's face it, Republicans, he's your guy. He's the head of your party with a baseball bat and a split screen. Ball bat.

And a prosecutor who he's calling human scum. I mean, is that is that I'm sorry. Is that straight out of Nazi Germany calling him a human scum, calling him an animal, doing the George Soros lie. We're going to dig into that, about what a lie that is. More anti-Semitic dog whistling from Donald Trump. And every Republican, it seems, that talks about this, they just can't help but engaging, John, in the anti-Semitic dog whistling going against a Holocaust survivor. So, John, I mean, we could show you this, but go back to the image of the baseball bat while John talks.

Look at this. This guy that was once president of the United States. I mean, look, there have been some who have suggested that Trump could put himself in some legal jeopardy here. It's certainly at a minimum suggestive of a direct threat to a public official, to the Manhattan DA. Some say it goes further than that. There's no doubt what's being what would be messaged here. And if you come up with a line which is Soros backed animal, you are managing to roll racism and anti-Semitism into one into one toxic package. And then you combine it with that kind of imagery. It is a it's it is a provocative, to say the least, dangerous, incendiary. There's been a lot of discussions around around the security that is being put in place to try to protect Alvin Bragg here in Manhattan. And Joe, you guys made the point earlier. There's no doubt. We don't know what Donald Trump's supporters will or won't do

if he is or isn't indicted. But what we have seen over the course of this week is that when Donald Trump threw up the Trump signal, the bat signal on Saturday and tried to move this case out of the legal realm into the political realm, I'll tell you who did come riding to his rescue. House Republicans. He continues to have in the one branch of government where Republicans are in charge, he continues to have the chairman of two powerful committees with subpoena power who, before any indictment was ever actually issued by the office, I know this point has been made, but I'll say it again, he asked them to jump. They said, how high? And they are now aiding in his effort to try to

delegitimize, disrupt, wreak some kind of chaos that will, I guess, in Trump's view, advantage him politically somehow, potentially disrupt the proceedings of the grand jury. We have no reason to think that's happened yet. But I will say in Donald Trump's world today and in Donald Trump's head, he thinks he won this week. He thinks that he thinks a lot of people thought he was going to get indicted this week. He's not going to get indicted this week. His messaging yesterday about how the DA's office is in disarray. I don't know if he believes that or not, but I do know that he thinks that the antics he pulled off this week, the support he got from House Republicans and the turnout that we're likely to see tomorrow in Waco, Texas, which you talk

about the semiotics of that a little later and the ugliness of that scene. But I think Donald Trump feels like he's in a better place today than he was last Saturday. Well, it may feel that way inside his bubble, but it's not much outside of that rev. And you look at what he was posting yesterday, calling Alvin Bragg a Soros backed animal and going on and on. We've said this before, but if someone in your life, someone you love and cared about was behaving the way Donald Trump behaved yesterday, writing the things he wrote yesterday, you'd call an emergency family meeting to talk about it and figure out what to do with him. It was ugly, to say the least. The comments were anti-Semitic.

They were racist. But Donald Trump does believe that this is helping him play the victim card to say that they're out to get me. He called the D.A.'s office the Gestapo, said America's worse than Russia or China. They're coming for me because they want to prevent me from being president again. You know both parties in this. You've dealt with Donald Trump for a long time. You know Alvin Bragg. Does Donald Trump really benefit from any of this? Well, he certainly doesn't benefit. I think that beyond all of the bluster and it is certainly the most vicious, anti-Semitic and racist language you could use. And to think that a former president is using it, I think beneath it all, from what I knew of Donald Trump

when I knew him, I think that he is very nervous. I think that we're looking at a man that is becoming unhinged because he does not know what lies ahead. When you look at the fact that people are forgetting Alvin Bragg is the same D.A. that would not go forward with the case, two of his assistants resigned. One wrote a book that is now going forward, which sends every signal that maybe they saw something or have figured out something or have some witness that they did not have when he decided not to go forward before. And the reason I believe that is the reaction of Donald Trump. He's also, in my opinion, shaken by the fact that let's not forget, he called for people to protest on Tuesday and nobody showed up. You know, we show in the barricades. Let's show the fact that nobody showed up to those barricades. So not only are we seeing the money's not coming in,

the uprising of the masses that he claims to be leading are not rushing to the barricades. All of this is what is leading him becoming unhinged. And he's going to who he is, a very anti-Semitic racist to call a man, an animal, a learned man, an animal, and to connect him to a man whose only position in this is he happens to be a Jewish man who helps other causes he likes, shows a man that has lost control and he's hearing footsteps and they're getting closer. And as offensive as Trump's rhetoric was yesterday in his posts, it got more dangerous overnight. Joe and Mika, just the last couple hours at a post on Truth Social just was well after midnight. Trump says this, his usual routine about how he's innocent.

But then he says this about D.A. Bragg. He says about the consequences of a potential charge. He says, he says, does he know the, quote, potential death and destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our country? That is Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, who we already know incited violence once on January 6th, suggesting that there could be death and destruction, in his words, if he were to be charged now. So so first he's threatening the D.A. with an image with a baseball bat. I mean, I just again, Jonathan, let's just back up. I mean, let's show that image again. If I can tell you, at least when I was a lawyer in northwest Florida, if you did that, held that that baseball bat up and put it on social media, if there were social media back then, and there was a split screen with a prosecutor, I mean, you could expect a knock on your door.

I mean, that is threatening violence against a prosecutor and trying to get other people to commit acts of violence against a prosecutor. And then, Jonathan, if you could read it again, what's a timestamp on that where Donald Trump is now threatening death and destruction if he's, get this, if he's possibly charged, could just be a misdemeanor, death and destruction and riots for a misdemeanor charge? What did he say again? And what time did he say it? So this with truth social, it doesn't time stamp at the precise time, but it tells you approximately how many hours ago. So this is about five hours ago. So therefore, after midnight, we can safely say after midnight, I will simply read it. What kind of person can charge another person, in this case, a former president who got more votes?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll skip that. How do you charge this person with a crime when it is known by all that no crime has been committed? And also, no, that's not known by all. Not not known by all. But also no crime has been committed and also known that potential death and destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our country. Why and who would do such a thing? Only a degenerate psychopath that truly hates the United States of America. That was posted after midnight by the former president of the United States calling for death, saying there could be death and destruction if he was charged with, as you say, potentially just a misdemeanor. I got to say, Rev, I want to go back to what you said. This is a guy who's shaking in his boots.

Now, of course, he's threatening the lives of other people. He's threatening the lives of other people. But you read these tweets or whatever you call it on that failing platform. And this is a guy who you're right. He's out of his mind, scared. He's melting down. And now he's threatening riots that will lead to death and destruction if he gets charged with a misdemeanor. Any man that is up in the middle of the night that is going with this kind of language is scared to death. The problem, though, is in his fear is that he is inciting people, no matter how small they have become as a crowd, to do something. And if you add to that him having the photo with the bat at a sitting prosecutor. I mean, it's unimaginable. You're

right, Joe. We'd be arrested for that. And then you have members of Congress, chairmen of committees telling a prosecutor who is in the middle of an investigation to come and give us the evidence. I mean, they're really tampering with an investigation. This is not an investigation that has concluded before we know even whether there's an indictment or a charge. They're saying bring us the evidence. I mean, this is unheard of. What is Jordan talking about? They're in the middle of a grand jury proceeding. You want the prosecutor to leave the proceeding and tell me what evidence you're giving. And we're going to put on national television so the target can understand the evidence.

I mean, we are we are going beyond all bounds of what is legal, what's respectful. And we have a man who's scared to death that is up in the middle of the night inciting violence, having a photo with a bat because he's scared to death that he's going to have to face this prosecution. Well, and just to show you how quickly this is devolving for a man who's completely out of control, just completely he's melted down. We go from a lower third that says Trump threatens D.A. with violent imagery to now Trump threatens D.A. with death and destruction. Again, using his own words, he's now threatening a D.A. with death and destruction. I'm sorry, is that legal? Is that legal? I want to know what would happen if somebody that that worked in a school threatened a D.A. with death and destruction.

I mean, actually, that's a great parallel. And the only thing I find shocking here is this is a moment for Republicans in Congress to step up. This is where Trumpers who support Donald Trump, who are still in leadership positions, who are afraid of their base, need to say, you know what, this is the line. And they never draw the line. This is no surprise that Donald Trump is acting this way, amplifying violent imagery. He suggested that Second Amendment people could act against Hillary Clinton. A Second Amendment solution. Remember Charlottesville. This is the beginning of his presidency.

He said there were very fine people among a group of violent white nationalists. He blamed the media the day after a pipe bomb. Pipe bombs were sent to Democrats that he had attacked. And of course, he praised the January 6th insurrectionists. So it's not surprising his behavior. What's surprising to me is that Republicans in Congress and media entities continue to promulgate this or allow it to happen without reporting on it. And Amy Walter, you have a piece published in the Cook Political Report entitled Will an Indictment Sink Trump or Rescue Him? And I think part of what I'm talking

about might be part of the answer. What is the answer? Well, it depends on where you focus. If you're talking about the broader American electorate, this is not helpful at all. Everything you all brought up is what we know about Donald Trump. It's the reason that he lost reelection in 2020. It's the reason that Republicans did poorly in the 2022 elections, lost the Senate in 2021. I mean, it is the classic example of when you're a hammer, everything's a nail. There's one speed for Donald Trump, and it is this everything you all mentioned now for his base. And that goes to the second audience. Yes, this is what they like to see. And the more that he is in the news, the better for him with his base. The more unpopular he is with independents.

The question in my mind isn't so much what our House Republicans going to do, because to me, this isn't particularly surprising. They have supported and stand behind the president. Most of these folks continue to believe that having him on the ticket helps them, helps them retain their control of the House. But watching the other candidates who have to go up against him as presidential candidates. And, you know, you've had Ron DeSantis, Florida governor, who takes sort of a backhanded swipe, right, or maybe like from an angle swipe on, you know, look, this is a he also uses the Soros language, but says, you know, I don't know what goes into hush money payments to mistresses. I don't know that much about it. So we'll we'll have to wait

and see. And at the same time, the real question, I think, about what what matters in terms of his presidential candidacy among Republicans is what does it look like? Not in the polls. We're going to get a lot of polls in these next few weeks. We're going to have a lot more legal action potentially in these next few months. But in August, when there's the first Republican debate, watching how those Republicans respond to him is going to be everything. And Amy, as you alluded to there in your headline, will an indictment sink Trump? It's fair to ask which indictment. We could talk about Manhattan DA's office. We could talk about Fulton County, Georgia. Potentially, we could talk about the attack on the Capitol. We could talk about Manhattan DA's office. We could talk about Fulton County, Georgia, potentially. We could talk about the attack on the Capitol. We could

talk about the Mar-a-Lago documents. So these things do stack up and some of them get more serious even potentially than what we're talking about here. But do you see any appetite among Republicans to go after Donald Trump in any serious way? We've been seeing, as you said, Ron DeSantis sort of dipping his toe in the water this week with the interview with Piers Morgan, with his press conference earlier in the week. But they're afraid to go after him because they're afraid of his base and his voters. So is there someone in this field who could stand up to him? So your point is a very good one about just how many more indictments or legal actions are we going to see between now and then. I think for a lot of Republicans, this isn't the case that they would like to take,

to use against Trump as much as, say, the Georgia case or the even the Mar-a-Lago case, where the substance of it is easier to be able to to use against him. But at this point, I think the weight of it they're hoping is also going to take care of Donald Trump potentially before we even get to August. All right. We shall see. Amy Walter with the Cook Political Report, as always. Thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate it. And John Heilman, we've, you know, by the way, this Donald Trump, like this obsession and this crazy, I mean, setting himself on fire, going crazy of Manhattan D.A. There are actually people in Trump world that say he's doing that for a reason. He wants all eyes averted to Manhattan.

He wants us talking about Manhattan because he knows he's in much bigger trouble in Washington. He knows he's in much bigger trouble in Georgia. He knows he's in much bigger trouble with it, with the Mar-a-Lago investigation. So he sets himself on fire over a misdemeanor charge. We, of course, all chase it all week because we can't help ourselves, the whole political world. And Trump, he gets the attention off of, like, for instance, what's happening in Washington, D.C. today, which may actually be what finally gets him indicted and finally gets this man to be held accountable for the first time in his life for his law breaking.

Yeah, I mean, we started this week, Joe. I think that this is right. I mean, the other way to kind of put it is that Trump, this is the case that this is the terrain. If you think of it, he's trying what he's trying to do is move all these matters from the legal realm into the political realm. He thinks he's on the strongest footing politically to fight over the Stormy Daniels, the hush money payments. Those are things that happened before he was president. He kind of thinks he can contextualize those and make them seem like they're part of a witch hunt. It's much harder to do that in some of these other cases. You know, we saw earlier in the week before I get to D.C., we saw earlier in the week, all of a sudden, two months after the Fulton County D.A. came out and said, hey, something's imminent here.

Suddenly, Trump is the Trump legal team. Two months later, for no apparent reason, decides to try to scuttle that case. They not going to get anywhere with that but like what are they hearing about the possibility that an indictment in in Georgia is imminent and then you get to Washington where I think you know at the beginning of this week we thought maybe this the history making thing the thing that history would remember this week was his indictment here in Manhattan where I'm sitting but we over the course of the week, we now learn that the grand jury that the special counsel has convened in Washington, D.C., believes so strongly and has convinced a judge that there is such credible evidence

that Donald Trump has committed a crime that sits right up against obstruction of justice that involves him lying to his own lawyer, that they have gotten a judge to agree that the lawyer must testify in a hearing where he's going to have to break attorney-client privilege. That is potentially, if you think as many people do, that in the documents case, that the obstruction of justice charges are the ones that are the ones that are most likely to stick to Trump. You know, the documents, OK, Joe Biden had some documents. Mike Pence had some documents. Al Gore had some documents. The thing that that that that case has gotten muddied by politics. But the obstruction charges in that case are very powerful. And now

it seems as though the special counsel is homing in on those that has evidence that's so powerful that a judge has now ordered Trump's lawyer to come before him and break attorney-client privilege. That is a sign that that case is getting very close to an indictment. And I think everyone who's following all of these cases looks at this hearing today as a sign that this may be, like I say, the thing that history looks back on. This is the one that matters may be, like I say, the thing that history looks back on. This is the one that matters more politically, matters more legally, matters more to Trump's future than anything going on in Manhattan today. And this is a big deal what's happening today on that hearing. judge agreeing that an attorney has to testify and sort of pierce that attorney-client confidentiality, the standard that a judge has to use to come to that conclusion is it is likely, it is likely that a crime was committed. So if it is likely that a crime is committed regarding classified documents,

regarding top secret documents, and you have Donald Trump obstructing the ability to get top secret classified documents back to safe holding space, then maybe maybe that explains why he's setting himself on fire and saying, look here, look at this misdemeanor up here. Look, look, look what's happening in Manhattan, because he doesn't want us talking about the fact that a federal judge has already concluded that it's likely he committed a felony. No doubt about it. And I think the panic that you and I were talking about, it may not be Manhattan, but he's definitely in a panic. And I think that it is absolutely a panic when you now have taken just the documents found on in one box and moved to a box of obstruction, because now you can't talk about Pence and Biden.

You're talking about a singular thing that could really unravel Donald Trump for all times with a federal indictment of obstruction with the intent to obstruct and go around the law. And I think that's why we're seeing these midnight rants from him that he's posting, because he's hearing, as I said, these footsteps coming closer. Those those midnight demons are saying to him, they're coming to get you, Donald. The Manhattan elite that you always felt looked down on you and your dad are laughing at you. They're on their way. And the only way he can express it is to go using his anti-Semitic racist ways of jumping out at Bragg and taking shots at Soros. But the real core problem is he feels trapped in court. It may not be in Manhattan, but he knows that they're coming to get him. And I think that that judge's decision in Washington is what probably incited his real fear. So anyway, from Washington, D.C. to Paris, just this breaking news from the

Associated Press, British King's visit to France canceled amid mass protests. Willie, it seems that King Charles III and the French president Macron spoke and decided to cancel the visit. It was going to be King Charles the third's first state visit to another country. He's going to go to France and then Germany. But they have canceled for now the the the French part of that because protests breaking out because this is shocking. They raised the retirement age from 14 in France to 27. Actually, they raised it from 62 to 64. And this, I guess, is some sort of threat to the French way of life when in fact, all Macron is trying to do is keep this system alive because they have the most generous retirement benefits

and 62 seriously with life expectancy going up all over the place. It makes little sense to keep it at 62. So anyway but but France right now protests. It looks a bit like Thatcher's Britain in the early 1980s. She of course ended up winning that battle and the British economy revived. Whether people love to hate Margaret Thatcher or not, that's just the reality. And I suspect there will be people on the left that hate Macron forever, the far left in France that hate Macron forever for raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.

But all he's really done is guaranteed workers that when they retire, they will actually have a system that will take care of them. Yeah, there were concerns about this visit anyway, with King Charles, as you said, making his first overseas visit as king, going to France to sort of solidify the bond between the two countries, that the streets of Paris are filled with garbage, that there are protests everywhere, the things being lit on fire. And it might not be the best optics to have the wealth and privilege of a king walking the streets there. So they've decided at least for now to postpone the visit. I'm sure he'll be back soon. Back here in the United States later today, members of the House

Oversight Committee are scheduled to tour a jail in Washington where defendants charged with crimes related to the January 6th insurrection are being held. Republican Committee Chair James Comer will not take part, he says, due to a family event back home in Kentucky. But committee member Marjorie Taylor Greene, who previously visited that facility, has criticized the detainment of the January 6th defendants calling for their release, tweeting she will lead the group, calling it a, quote, bipartisan delegation. But our next guest explains why it is a bipartisan visit.

Joining us now, Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas. She is one of two Democratic members of Congress who will visit that jail later today. She'll be joined as well by Congresswoman Summer Lee of Pennsylvania. Congresswoman, thanks for your time this morning. So I'll let you explain it. But the way I understand it, you're sort of there as a chaperone to the Republicans to make sure that when they come back and tell the story of what happened today, tell the story of what you all see,

that your version of the truth will be there as well. Do I have that right? You absolutely have that right. Listen, we know that these MAGA Republicans have a problem with the truth. In fact, that's why we are coddling these January 6th insurrectionists. You know, I'm just a freshman. So I watched January 6th from afar, unlike what so many of my colleagues experienced. And the fact that, you know fact that they wanna go in and these people, some of them, which were attempting murder, and they wanna have a conversation about how comfortable they are.

They wanna have a conversation about whether or not their iPads are working or if they have enough time on their iPads. This is what I'm hearing. As someone who's been a public defender, let me tell you something. They know nothing about what bad conditions are And I'm going to clarify that

After I can see with my own two eyes But in the state of Texas We don't even have air conditioning In our prisons And we are once again in the state of Texas So we've had inmates die From overheating You know, the idea

That these folks somehow Should engage in a real conversation now that January Sixers, mostly white folk, are saying that these accommodations don't work for them when black and brown folk have been trying to have a real conversation around what prison accommodations should look like if we are just going to be humane is laughable. So I look forward to this visit and I look forward to reporting out on the accommodations and whether or not they are subpar. So, Congresswoman, just thinking in line of Trumpist and Trump himself and how he handles the media. I'm curious what the plan is here, especially as, as you put it, these MAGA Republicans try and do this tour and whatever else they're going to do. Perhaps you could share with us what the plans are, but how do you make sure you don't validate

exactly what they're doing and bring more light to it? Yeah. You know, here's the deal. We know that Marjorie Taylor Greene and crew, they already have a large microphone. It doesn't matter if we were there or not. We know that the media is going to cover anything that they do. But the problem is that if no one were to show up, then there is no one to counter.

And there's absolutely no one to tell the truth about what was going on behind bars. We won't be allowed to have our cell phones. So our truth will be whatever it is that we recall it to be. And just like they have said time and time again that this was a tour, this wasn't an insurrection. You know, we need to make sure that someone is there to tell an actual account of what the historical nature of this visit really showed. We also know that there's some choir that they have and they're on iTunes or something. These folk are not being treated like the average inmates. And unfortunately, what I fully anticipate we're going to see is yet another level of privilege. So my job is to make sure that I report the truth.

My job is to also hold them accountable. You know, we've got our appropriations processes going on right now. We actually are submitting for a community project investment that would update one of the jails in my district, a jail that hasn't had an update since the 1980s. We're talking about an intercom system that is failing inmates when they need to communicate about a health care issue for them. We are actually trying to make sure that we're giving the basic needs in my district. So I look forward to their support on this. I also want to make it clear that while they're talking about these conditions, the January Sixers at least arrived at the jail. In this country, if we want

to have a real conversation, let's have a robust conversation. Let's talk about George Floyd. Let's talk about Sandra Bland, who was taken into custody in the state of Texas for a traffic violation and somehow ended up dead. We can have a real conversation. But before I start to say what is or isn't going on in this jail, I've got to see it myself. So I'm not here to validate that there's anything problematic because I can guarantee you that at a very minimum, they have air conditioning. Yeah. And again, here you have people who beat the hell out of cops with American flags, their families saying they died because of the rioters. And they're actually bitching and moaning about their iPads in jail. Yeah, you're exactly right. And we thank you for being with us. Thank you for going today.

I hope you'll come back and report Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas. Report, Congresswoman, about what you see there. Thank you so much. Have a good one. All right. Thank you. You too. John Heilman, again, I get, you know, I'm not repeating myself. I'm just stating facts. They put another block. They put another brick in the wall. These Republicans and the the another brick in the wall. You you you stack them up. And it's the it's the wall they build that keeps them away from the swing voters. They keep losing the suburban voters. They keep losing.

But look what Republicans are doing again. They keep adding to the list just in the last 24 hours. You've had a former president who's the head of their party right now, the most popular person in their party right now, threatening violence against a district attorney with a baseball bat. You have him promising death and destruction if he gets charged with a misdemeanor, death and destruction. You have Republican members of Congress going to praise rioters, people that beat the hell out of cops with baseball bats. You've got Republican senators who still haven't taken it back.

Republican senators who say they wish our military were more like Russia's military. You have another top Republican who's probably running for president who actually is quoting Kremlin talking points this past week when he said that Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine, that the ICC have said constitutes war crimes, is nothing more than a border dispute. Again, I could keep going, but this is just like in the last, most of this is just in the last week. And they sit here and they wonder why they've lost every election since 2016.

Yeah, you know, Trump, you remember, Joe, Trump said, you know, there's going to be so much winning. We're going to get tired of winning. Seems like the opposite's true. There's been so much losing. They haven't gotten yet tired of losing. Look, I agree with everything you just said. They keep walking the plank for Donald Trump. And, you know, I'll say the one thing I know we got to get out here. There's a hard out we're getting to. But the thing that's popped out from that last Truth Social post of his when he calls Alvin Bragg, I believe, a degenerate psychopath. And as always, my favorite phrase, everything that Donald Trump says is either

projection or confession. I think you can imagine which one degenerate psychopath qualifies for in that formulation. You have to wonder. John Heilman, thank you very much for being on this morning. We appreciate it.