On today’s episode, David is joined by our newest staff writer Hassan Kanu, who primarily writes about the courts and questions of power and justice through a legal lens.
First on the docket this week: the ongoing Trump trials, and whether Donald Trump is setting himself up to be seen as a martyr by his base. There’s no doubt his most ardent supporters will continue to believe Trump is being unjustly persecuted for his beliefs, and their reaction fuels his victim complex—“I’m going to come out looking like Nelson Mandela” and all—but would this be compelling to voters outside of his most enthusiastic fans?
Underlying the trials, and all of the rhetoric surrounding them, is the question of what happens if Donald Trump were to actually go to prison. Prosecuting a former president isn’t like prosecuting any regular defendant. The threat of violence from his supporters, especially after January 6th, remains potent, and no one knows how the right will respond if their standard-bearer is jailed. As long as the vague possibility exists that Trump’s right-wing supporters could commit an act of political violence, it affects how the judge, the jury, and the court system treat this case.
Kanu and Dayen also discuss how right-wing business interests are exploiting the courts to strike down federal rules, the upcoming Maryland primary on Tuesday, and why everybody seems to hate Drake right now—Kendrick Lamar most of all.
As we head into a contentious election year, we’ll be livestreaming every Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET to give you the information you need to understand the week in news. Join us next week by subscribing to our YouTube channel today!
