For first time in this countrys history a former president of the United States has been charged with felonies committed while he was president. This one is about the threat to our democracy. Targeted, obstructing a Bedrock Function of the u. S. Government. The government has had three years to investigate this and now they want to rush this to trial in the middle of political season. What does that tell you . He oversaw or directed the activity of those involved supposed to protect our country, support our country, support our constitution and protect our constitution. This indictment goes to the heart of our democracy. Behind the scenes hes very angry, much more rattled than hes projecting. Politically motivated and election interference at its finest. We need to recognize that he needs to be held accountable. Donald trump failed the country and put his own interests over those of the United States. As you can see theres so much to get to this morning, were glad youre with us on cnn
Scheduled by the Justice Department and Special Counsel jack smith for his january 6th conduct. By shorthand you may have heard this called the Immunity Case. What we have new just in the last hour is the Supreme Court deciding to weigh in, to take the case to delay the trial. As well get into tonight its not something they have to do but something they have the Legal Authority to do, and its something they are doing. So the court is granting this cert, this review late today. And theyre giving a calender which well get into because it has repercussions for the court, the country, potentially the election and on whether or not the fbi and Justice Department can patrol efforts to overthrow our democracy and stage coups. This means no matter what we know something tonight we didnt know last night that jack smiths scheduled coup trial and his victories because hes won not one but two basic hearings about whether or not president s have immunity when they leave office, both the trial judge
That really good conversation. We appreciate it. That will do it for me on this edition of alex witt reports. Ill see you tomorrow again at one pm eastern. Up next, the beat weekend. He b. Welcome to the beat weekend. I am ari melber. Lets get right into the headlines. Jack smith making new pitch on behalf of the doj on what donald trump must be put on trial before the election. If that sounds like a familiar issue, just remember, jack smith has more than one case against Defendant Trump. The defendant was done and in Federal Court today watching as doj prosecutors argued for a july beginning to a trial and the other jack smith case. Billy and the way, we discussed a big coup case and the Supreme Court slowing that down. This is the classified documents case. You probably remember. Both and they are saying over at the doj there is nothing in their roles or process which prevents this trial, on the documents, from occurring and weeks even days before the election. Remember, it is trump
School education. All you need is a calendar and a healthy skepticism about washington, and so while the lawyers were going through some of the understandable details, i thought you hit on the head in your journalistic coverage of it which was we can see what the court is doing. We can see where theyre headed. Right. I mean, i feel like all that we need to know is, and all we need to trust is that we can see it with our own eyes and what we can hear with our own ears and i needed a calculator to do it, but you can add up the days that remain and it could take up until july 1st what they think and theres not a day left based on what Tanya Chutkan said and shocking, but not surprising that the American People will have to be their own jurors once again. And the Supreme Court issues a ruling that says no one is above being put on trial while eliminating the very trial then that is a stress test for their credibility. Well be talking about it more, but i did want to mention that on the han
Trial. Well have expert legal analysis for you on that in just a moment. Also ahead, the end of an era for Senate Republicans. The partys longest Serving Leader in the Upper Chamber is stepping down at the end of the year. Well take a look at Mitch Mcconnell legacy and who could replace him. And that comes as congressional leaders now have a deal to fund part of the government for a few more weeks, giving lawmakers a little more time to get a lot done. O get a lot done good morning, and welcome to way too early on this thursday, february 29th, a weekday, just what we needed this year to be a little longer. Im jonathan lemire, thanks for starting your day with us. And we begin with some massive news that broke late yesterday. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider former President Trumps claim of president ial immunity in his federal election interference case. The conservative courts decision to hear the case will further delay a potential trial. The high court has scheduled argument