Two big hearings in Trump indictment world are coming up next week.
Republicans with institutional power in the House are once again attempting to interfere in a criminal indictment. Republicans with messaging power are once again threatening civil war if Trump is held accountable.
Republican base voters who’ve been indoctrinated by Trump’s claims of victimization will tolerate no substantive discussion of the merits of the cases against Trump, nor the potential political liability he—and they—represent to their party.
Enough of that… let’s get down to cases.
Motional intelligence
Two big hearings in Trump indictment world are coming up Monday. In the Fulton County indictment, Mark Meadows goes before a judge in his attempt to remove his case to federal court. Meadows, along with Jeffrey Clark (of “make me AG and I’ll use DOJ to help you lie about the election” repute), tried to get out of arrest and booking this week by claiming his federal status exempted him from Fulton County’s criminal procedures. Both guys were denied.
Also on Monday, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan holds a scheduling hearing to set a trial date in the four-count federal coup case against Trump. Jack Smith has requested a January 2, 2024 trial date. Trump’s lawyers countered with a proposed April, 2026 date—aka safely in Trump self-pardon territory.