Summary
Overview
This episode of Pod Save America covers a week of major political developments, from President Trump's calls for Democratic members of Congress to be executed over their military ethics video, to crumbling retribution prosecutions, troubling poll numbers for the administration, and redistricting battles. The show also features a conversation with Swing Left's Executive Director Yasmin Raji about reimagining voter contact and organizing through their new Ground Truth program.
Trump's Death Threats Against Democratic Members of Congress
The episode opens with Trump's shocking social media posts calling for the execution by hanging of six Democratic members of Congress who served in the military or intelligence community. These Democrats had released a video reminding service members they aren't obligated to follow unlawful orders—a timely message given the administration's refusal to provide legal justification for military strikes off Venezuela. Stephen Miller and Fox News led the hysteria, with Trump eventually posting about 20 times demanding these members be tried for seditious behavior punishable by death.
- Trump called for six Democratic members of Congress to be put to death by hanging in approximately 20 Truth Social posts, using all-caps 'DEATH' and reposting 'hang them'
- The Democrats' video reminded military members they can refuse illegal orders, which is already established in the uniform code of military justice
- Stephen Miller appeared on Fox calling it 'insurrection' and saying the lawmakers should 'resign in disgrace'
- The administration has refused to provide legal justification for strikes off Venezuela despite repeated requests from Congress
" These lawmakers should honestly resign in disgrace and never return to public office again. We mean they've adopted a method of thinking in which any use of force is justified for their end state of power and control. "
" The president of the United States calling for Democrats to be hanged seems like should be the top story everywhere. "
Crumbling DOJ Prosecutions and Incompetence
The episode details how Trump's transparently political prosecutions are falling apart due to prosecutorial incompetence. Lindsay Halligan, Trump's hand-picked US Attorney who had never tried a case before, admitted to a judge that she never showed the grand jury the updated indictment against James Comey. Her deputy revealed that previous prosecutors had written a memo explaining why they wouldn't bring charges—something the DAG's office told them to hide from the court. Meanwhile, a federal grand jury appears to be investigating Trump's retribution czars Bill Pulte and Ed Martin.
- Trump fired the Trump-appointed US Attorney and installed Lindsay Halligan, who had never tried a case, because no other prosecutor would sign the Comey indictment
- Halligan admitted she never showed the grand jury the updated version of the indictment after tossing one count
- Her deputy admitted predecessors drafted a memo outlining why they wouldn't bring charges, and the DAG office told him not to acknowledge its existence in court
- A federal grand jury in Maryland is investigating whether unauthorized people claimed to work for Trump's mortgage fraud czar Bill Pulte and retribution czar Ed Martin
" Anyone who would accept that job is obviously someone so lacking in competence, skill, intelligence and dignity to actually execute the job well. "
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