Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner

It's difficult to understand how a defendant on pre-trial release in four criminal cases is still allowed to endanger the community by holding hate rallies that inspire violence. Glenn discusses the history of Trump's dangerous and reckless rhetoric - from inspiring a significant rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans during the COVID pandemic, to inspiring a silent attack on the US Capitol o...

Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon should not be presiding over Trump's federal prosecution in Florida. She has brought the case to a screeching halt by declining to resolve motions in a timely manner and by refusing to even set a trial date. Judge Cannon is NOT an honest broker of the law, and the federal law requires a judge to be removed when his/her "impartially might reasonably be questioned...

Donald Trump repeatedly and incessantly told the American people he would absolutely testify in his defense at his criminal trial in New York. But, when he had the opportunity to take the stand and tell his side of the story - Trump punked out. Glenn discusses a defendant's right to testify and a defendant's right to decline to testify. But importantly, it is the defendant's decision - not the def...

As the only witness of consequence, Donald Trump's lawyers called Robert Costello to testify in Trump's defense. And if it wasn't bad enough that Judge Juan Merchan had to clear the courtroom for Costello's "contemptuous" behavior, the cross-examination of Costello (including with his own emails) also proved to be devastating to Donald Trump's defense. Glenn discusses why most experienced criminal...

After more than 15 hours on the witness stand, Michael Cohen's testimony concluded. Although the defense attorney scored a couple points, Michael Cohen's testimony was consistent, corroborated and credible. Interestingly, Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, didn't even question Cohen about the 2017 Oval Office meeting that was key to the prosecution's case. Glenn discusses this tactical decision by Trum...

On January 6th, 2021, Trump incited an insurrection, and as a result, he is pending federal prosecution for his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump's angry mob showed their determination to "stop the steal" on January 6th by carrying upside-down American flags. Days later, Justice Samuel Alito's home was flying an upside-down American flag in what appeared to b...

After about 14 hours of testimony, Donald Trump's former lawyer, fixer, and criminal associate Michael Cohen is done on cross-examination. The defense scored some points on cross but nothing that significantly undermines the mountain of corroborating evidence that prosecutors introduced to pre-corroborate Cohen. Now the testimony turns to Cohen's re-direct examination by prosecutors. Glenn explain...

Donald Trump's lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche, badly bungled his opening salvo when he started his cross-examination of Michael Cohen, the single most important witness in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump. Glenn reviews how bad and how damaging Blanche's bungle was. In another important development, prosecutors announced that Cohen will be the final prosecution witness. Glenn also dis...

In 1974, Republican congressional leadership walked to the White House to tell a Republican criminal president of the United States to resign or be impeached. Now, congressional House leadership walked to a courthouse in New York to support a criminal former president of the United States. The corruption, corrosion, and compromise of the Republican Party is complete, as it has figuratively declare...

After committing crimes at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald Trump (and going to prison for it) - Michael Cohen has finally testified against his criminal associate. Cohen's testimony was directly and sharply incriminating of Trump. Glenn reviews some of the most damaging testimony Cohen provided in Trump's criminal trial in New York. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunte...

One of Donald Trump's right-hand men, Steve Bannon, was convicted of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress, and was sentenced to four months in prison. Unfortunately, a Trump-appointed judge, Carl Nichols, let Bannon remain free pending appeal. A DC appeals court just affirmed Bannon's convictions and gave him seven days to seek review by all of the appellate court judges (which is very like...

The Georgia State Court of Appeals has decided to review Judge Scott McAfee's ruling that DA Fani Willis is not disqualified from prosecuting Trump and his 18 co-conspirators in the Georgia state RICO case. Glenn discusses why this development is 1. expected, 2. not good, and 3. not necessarily all that bad. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you can become a Team Justic...

In a remarkable move, Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon vacated (cancelled) the May 20th trial date in Donald Trump's classified documents/obstruction of justice/espionage case in Florida and she announced that she'll be setting no trial date for the time being. This is particularly outrageous given that Trump's own lawyers had previously suggested an August trial date. Judge Cannon's conduct is...

Donald Trump is on trial in New York for criminally falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments he made to Stormy Daniels to prevent her from revealing an intimate encounter they had. He did this to gain unfair advantage in the 2016 presidential election. Ironically, Donald Trump's own attorneys made crystal clear in court exactly how damaging Daniels' story was when they argued for...

Judge Juan Merchan, the New York State court judge presiding over Donald Trump's criminal trial for interfering in the 2016 presidential election, found Trump guilty of a 10th count of criminal contempt of court for violating his gag order again. But once again, Judge Merchan only imposed a punishment of a $1000 fine. He also again warned Trump that, in the event he continues to violate the court'...

Donald Trump's longtime aide and confidant, Hope Hicks, testified as a witness for the prosecution in Trump's New York State trial for falsifying business records to gain unfair advantage in the 2016 presidential election. There's been plenty of discussion about how damaging HIck's testimony was to the former president. Glenn explains why he thinks prosecutors called Hicks as the last witness on a...

It's not often that a presiding judge publicly calls out a defendant for lying outside the courtroom. Yet, that is precisely what New York State court judge Juan Merchan found himself having to do when Donald Trump claimed that a gag order prohibited him from testifying in his own defense at trial. As reported by The Hill, the "Judge in Trump's hush money (election interference) case clarifies gag...

In a moment that makes one wonder if we will ever learn our lesson, Donald Trump gives an interview to Time magazine and says he won't rule out violence if he loses the 2024 election. As CNN reported, "Trump doesn't rule out political violence if he loses." This prompts one obvious question . . . what the hell are we doing!? If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you can bec...

Donald Trump has many "firsts" to his credit: first former president criminally indicted by a state; first former president criminally indicted by the feds; first former president tried for his crimes; and now, first former president held in criminal contempt. Glenn reviews Judge Juan Merchan's order, finding - beyond a reasonable doubt - that Donald Trump violated New York law nine times by commi...

Donald Trump is indicted on 88 felony counts, across four jurisdictions, for crimes he committed - many of them while he was serving as president. Trump's lawyer, John Sauer, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that Trump shouldn't be prosecuted for the crimes that were committed while he was in office. Specifically, Sauer said that the following acts are official presidential acts that would be...

Donald Trump, on trial in New York for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, has denied any relationship with Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. Yet he arranged for them to be paid more than $100,000 each to cover up information they could provide about him, so that information would not hurt his election chances in the 2016 presidential election. He then falsified business records to d...

As The New York Times reported, " Trump's Trial Could Bring a Rarity: Consequences for His Words." People are fully aware that Donald Trump says and posts anything that occurs to him in the moment, without any filter or regard for the truth of what he's saying or the consequences of the lies he tells. But now that Trump is moving from the court of public opinion into the actual courts of criminal...

Judge Juan Merchan is about to decide if Donald Trump is guilty of criminal contempt for violating the court's gag order at his election interference trial in New York. Assuming he holds Trump in contempt, that will represent a violation of Trump's conditions of pretrial release in his criminal cases. Why is this dire for Trump? Judge's have told him: one of the conditions he must obey while on re...

Day two of his criminal trial was no better for Donald Trump than day one. His friend and long-time associate David Pecker testified about the dirty "catch-and-kill" scheme they conspired to execute to assist Trump in his political pursuits. Pecker also testified that Trump was very detail-oriented, to the point of being a "micromanager." This directly undercut Trump's lawyer's contention during o...

Donald Trump's first criminal trial (of four criminal trials) started in earnest on Monday with opening statements and it turned out to be something of a lopsided affair. Glenn reviews some of the points made by the prosecution and some of the . . . curious arguments offered by Donald Trump's defense attorney. If you're interested in supporting our all-volunteer efforts, you can become a Team Just...