RADIOJuly 01, 2024

Trump Immunity Case EXPLAINED: Alan Dershowitz's Biggest Takeaways

The Supreme Court has granted at least partial immunity to former President Donald Trump for the actions he took as president. Attorney Alan Dershowitz joins Glenn to explain what this means. He lays out why this is likely a big win for Trump that has made it all but impossible for his Jan. 6 case to go to trial before the 2024 election. But Dershowitz also explains why he believes this isn’t over yet – chances are, he argues, this case will be heading back to the Supreme Court …

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Big news. And riots come out of France. This weekends. We haven't even had a chance to talk about that. But we will.

But in Paris right now, is Alan Dershowitz. He's getting ready to get up on stage. And speak.

But we wanted to take a couple of minutes. The decision on Trump immunity. Or actually it's presidential immunity came down.

And I think it's a win for the republic.

I think that's the way I would have ruled.

It was nine HP three. Alan, any just on it, and what it says?

ALAN: I'm in Paris. And speaking to you from the place of riots and demonstrations. And I'm not a part of that. Bit predicted exactly this instigation. (?) many any book, Trump.

Neither side would have a complete victory. And the Supreme Court would rule six-thee. And if at that if it's well-within the authority of the president. He has immunity.

If it's outside of the president. The question is, which is which?

Does TV to go back to the trial court? To determine whether the indictment had things that covered by immunity. (?) so this is the first step, in what what would be a multi-step process. It probably means, that there won't be a trial before the election.

GLENN: Right. So that's a win for Donald Trump.

ALAN: I think so.

GLENN: But is this a win for the republic? Because we can't have one of the branches going after the other branch, and then we also can't have people dragging the president into the -- into the courtroom, for everything that he does.

He's got to have immunity on official stuff, right?

ALAN: I agree. I agree.

GLENN: Do you agree with this line? Yeah. I agree with the line in general. I think it will be hard to implement and practice.

Everything the president does, he does as president. That's very hard to separate (?) than public acts. For example, the president orders the targeted assassination of Sella Manny.

Surely, he has to be (?) for any prosecution. But what if the president orders troops to have a coupe did he at a. And keep him in office. (?) hypothetically. He probably shouldn't get immunity for that.

So I do think, that this seems like the right line. And now, the problem is, it's going to be complemented by the lower courts.

And the lower courts, of the (?) District of Columbia. Are completely biased against Trump.

It may come back from the Supreme Court.

This may not be the last word from SCOTUS.

GLENN: Any just before we let you go? I know you have to get to the stage.

Any just at all, about what should be happening with the president on stepping down.

I don't know how you can say, he should step down from the campaign, and not as president.

What's the right thing to do?

ERIC: All I worry about is the alternative. Look, there's no question, that Biden, he himself admitted he's slowed down.

He's less -- less able than he was. The question is: What's the alternative. If he does step down, the Democrats may nominate some radical progressive person, who will be terrible to the country.

Terrible for peace in the Middle East.

We may see, you know, an attempt to get real radicals, as president and vice president.

So sometimes, the devil you know, is better than thively you don't.

And we'll see what the Democrats do. If they -- were to nominate some moderate person. That might be good. But if they use this as an excuse to let the progressive wing of the party take over, it won't be good.

GLENN: Alan Dershowitz, thank you very much. Stay safe.

ALAN: Always my pleasure. Thank you.

GLENN: You bet. Alan Dershowitz. That's an interesting thing coming from Alan Dershowitz, isn't it?

STU: Yeah. For sure.

The whole -- very interesting day here. And I think a very good one for Donald Trump.

This ruling going through it, I think exactly what he would want here. It doesn't give him, you know, full immunity on everything he did while he was in office.

It -- it -- and I think that would be bad for the country, right?

If he had this ability to have complete immunity, and any president to have complete immunity on anything they did. It would be completely ridiculous.

GLENN: But that's if we know that's what the impeachment process is for. First.

STU: Right. It also -- Trump's lawyers basically argued this. They even said, we wouldn't have the right to murder a bunch of people for fun.

GLENN: Right.

STU: Right? We're talking about official acts. Now, what the court is saying, is we have to have -- first of all, there's a presumptive immunity for a president, when dealing with these situations.

So you are going to start off with the idea. Okay. There is immunity. Because he was president.

Then there has to be some sort of (?) whether it's an official act or unofficial act.

They sent it back to the courts. (?) are these official acts or not. You rushed through this. (?) whether these were official acts or not.

There's some sort of process there.

Which, by the way, the court notes. We don't know what it is.

There's no actual official process to figure out, whether these are official acts or not.

So this is amaze of legal rulings and challenges.

And the bottom line to all of this, is basically, I could be wrong on this, Glenn.

I will admit if I am.

But to me, this basically kills the possibility of either of these January 6th cases, coming before this election.

Like, it goes from unlikely to impossible with this ruling.

GLENN: Well, if president -- here, let me make a prediction.

If the president loses -- President Trump loses this election.

It will -- these cases will just disappear.

If the president wins this election, they'll fight it tooth and nail.

And they'll drag him all the way through.

But, you know, I think people are tired of all of this stuff. Myself.

You know, the last part of the debate, when they were going back and forth. And Joe Biden was making fun of Donald Trump's weight.

I mean, was he really actually doing a fat joke there?

I mean, I couldn't believe it.

And finally, Trump did say. Let's stop being -- acting like children here.

I think people just -- you know, their lives are in enough turmoil.

They would like somebody to pay attention to them, please.

STU: It's -- look, yeah. I think that's right.

And this is an amazing day.

Stop for a second.

And go back a year. Right?

Six months. This is a possibility of four cases come you up against Donald Trump. That go up to 91 charges against him. And we had no idea where this was going. One them has gone through 34 convictions. We see the result of that. Has not moved the election at all. Everyone has seen that as a weakest one. It will be overtinder anyway.

It's nonsense in my view. That leaves I with the two January 6. Which on the (?) consequences of that. Regardless of what you're feeling. Those were the most impactful. If you were to get convicted (?) even though, I think he was -- obviously, the government was overreaching on all this stuff.

Well, both of those are dead before this election now.

GLENN: And -- and the fanny Bryce. Or whatever her name.

STU: Fani Willis. (?) I would much rather have fanny Bryce do it.

She is -- that thing is pretty much dead.

I mean, it's not.

STU: I think that's dead, especially with this ruling.

I mean, I think it's dead.

We will see. It could still wind through.

They could find their outs.

It was dead anyway.

Most likely, now. I think it's dead, dead, dead.

Then you have the documents case. Again, keeping documents to me, the lowest of consequences in this.

But still, he had trouble there. It looks like there's no question, that will be pushed past November as well.

So it -- we're kind of at the point where that whole, hey, this is going to be an election about legal charges against Donald Trump is over.

Whatever consequence has occurred.

We're going to see. This is it.

There's no more moving this election. On charges. By Democrats.

I mean, Trump had already won the back and forth on this. By getting it to the Supreme Court, and having it take it along.

Just, if they have it delayed. They had a horrible ruling. It would still be a ruling for Trump. Because of the way it played out. This is a much better option.

For him, it will wind around the courts forever.

There's no chance of this happening before November now.

GLENN: And it's the right thing to do as well. This is the right thing to do for the republic.

Shocking train video: Passengers wait while woman bleeds out

Surveillance footage of the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, NC, reveals that the other passengers on the train took a long time to help her. Glenn, Stu, and Jason debate whether they were right or wrong to do so.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: You know, I'm -- I'm torn on how I feel about the people on the train.

Because my first instinct is, they did nothing! They did nothing! Then my -- well, sit down and, you know -- you know, you're going to be judged. So be careful on judging others.

What would I have done? What would I want my wife to do in that situation?

STU: Yeah. Are those two different questions, by the way.

GLENN: Yeah, they are.

STU: I think they go far apart from each other. What would I want myself to do. I mean, it's tough to put yourself in a situation. It's very easy to watch a video on the internet and talk about your heroism. Everybody can do that very easily on Twitter. And everybody is.

You know, when you're in a vehicle that doesn't have an exit with a guy who just murdered somebody in front of you, and has a dripping blood off of a knife that's standing 10 feet away from you, 15 feet away from you.

There's probably a different standard there, that we should all kind of consider. And maybe give a little grace to what I saw at least was a woman, sitting across the -- the -- the aisle.

I think there is a difference there. But when you talk about that question. Those two questions are definitive.

You know, I know what I would want myself to do. I would hope I would act in a way that didn't completely embarrass myself afterward.

But I also think, when I'm thinking of my wife. My advice to my wife would not be to jump into the middle of that situation at all costs. She might do that anyway. She actually is a heck of a lot stronger than I am.

But she might do it anyway.

GLENN: How pathetic, but how true.

STU: Yes. But that would not be my advice to her.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

STU: Now, maybe once the guy has certainly -- is out of the area. And you don't think the moment you step into that situation. He will turn around and kill you too. Then, of course, obviously. Anything you can do to step in.

Not that there was much anyone on the train could do.

I mean, I don't think there was an outcome change, no matter what anyone on that train did.

Unfortunately.

But would I want her to step in?

Of course. If she felt she was safe, yes.

Think about, you said, your wife. Think about your daughter. Your daughter is on that train, just watching someone else getting murdered like that. Would you advise your daughter to jump into a situation like that?

That girl sitting across the aisle was somebody's daughter. I don't know, man.

JASON: I would. You know, as a dad, would I advise.

Hmm. No.

As a human being, would I hope that my daughter or my wife or that I would get up and at least comfort that woman while she's dying on the floor of a train?

Yeah.

I would hope that my daughter, my son, that I would -- and, you know, I have more confidence in my son or daughter or my wife doing something courageous more than I would.

But, you know, I think I have a more realistic picture of myself than anybody else.

And I'm not sure that -- I'm not sure what I would do in that situation. I know what I would hope I would do. But I also know what I fear I would do. But I would have hoped that I would have gotten up and at least tried to help her. You know, help her up off the floor. At least be there with her, as she's seeing her life, you know, spill out in under a minute.

And that's it other thing we have to keep in mind. This all happened so rapidly.

A minute is -- will seem like a very long period of time in that situation. But it's a very short period of time in real life.

STU: Yeah. You watch the video, Glenn. You know, I don't need the video to -- to change my -- my position on this.

But at his seem like there was a -- someone who did get there, eventually, to help, right? I saw someone seemingly trying to put pressure on her neck.

GLENN: Yeah. And tried to give her CPR.

STU: You know, no hope at that point. How long of a time period would you say that was?

Do you know off the top of your head?

GLENN: I don't know. I don't know. I know that we watched the video that I saw. I haven't seen past 30 seconds after she --

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: -- is down. And, you know, for 30 seconds nothing is happening. You know, that is -- that is not a very long period of time.

STU: Right.

GLENN: In reality.

STU: And especially, I saw the pace he was walking. He certainly can't be -- you know, he may have left the actual train car by 30 seconds to a minute. But he wasn't that far away. Like he was still in visual.

He could still turn around and look and see what's going on at that point. So certainly still a threat is my point. He has not, like, left the area. This is not that type of situation.

You know, I -- look, as you point out, I think if I could be super duper sexist for a moment here, sort of my dividing line might just be men and women.

You know, I don't know if it's that a -- you're not supposed to say that, I suppose these days. But, like, there is a difference there. If I'm a man, you know, I would be -- I would want my son to jump in on that, I suppose. I don't know if he could do anything about it. But you would expect at least a grown man to be able to go in there and do something about it. A woman, you know, I don't know.

Maybe I'm -- I hope --

GLENN: Here's the thing I -- here's the thing that I -- that causes me to say, no. You should have jumped in.

And that is, you know, you've already killed one person on the train. So you've proven that you're a killer. And anybody who would have screamed and got up and was with her, she's dying. She's dying. Get him. Get him.

Then the whole train is responsible for stopping that guy. You know. And if you don't stop him, after he's killed one person, if you're not all as members of that train, if you're not stopping him, you know, the person at the side of that girl would be the least likely to be killed. It would be the ones that are standing you up and trying to stop him from getting back to your daughter or your wife or you.

JASON: There was a -- speaking of men and women and their roles in this. There was a video circling social media yesterday. In Sweden. There was a group of officials up on a stage. And one of the main. I think it was health official woman collapses on stage. Completely passes out.

All the men kind of look away. Or I don't know if they're looking away. Or pretending that they didn't know what was going on. There was another woman standing directly behind the woman passed out.

Immediately springs into action. Jumps on top. Grabs her pant leg. Grabs her shoulder. Spins her over and starts providing care.

What did she have that the other guys did not? Or women?

She was a sheepdog. There is a -- this is my issue. And I completely agree with Stu. I completely agree with you. There's some people that do not respond this way. My issue is the proportion of sheepdogs versus people that don't really know how to act. That is diminishing in western society. And American society.

We see it all the time in these critical actions. I mean, circumstances.

There are men and women, and it's actually a meme. That fantasize about hoards of people coming to attack their home and family. And they sit there and say, I've got it. You guys go. I'm staying behind, while I smoke my cigarette and wait for the hoards to come, because I will sacrifice myself. There are men and women that fantasize of block my highway. Go ahead. Block my highway. I'm going to do something about it. They fantasize about someone holding up -- not a liquor store. A convenience store or something. Because they will step in and do something. My issue now is that proportion of sheepdogs in society is disappearing. Just on statistical fact, there should be one within that train car, and there were none.

STU: Yeah. I mean --

JASON: They did not respond.

STU: We see what happens when they do, with Daniel Penny. Our society tries to vilify them and crush their existence. Now, there weren't that many people on that train. Right?

At least on that car. At least it's limited. I only saw three or four people there, there may have been more. I agree with you, though. Like, you see what happens when we actually do have a really recent example of someone doing exactly what Jason wants and what I would want a guy to do. Especially a marine to step up and stop this from happening. And the man was dragged by our legal system to a position where he nearly had to spend the rest of his life in prison.

I mean, I -- it's insanity. Thankfully, they came to their senses on that one.

GLENN: Well, the difference between that one and this one though is that the guy was threatening. This one, he killed somebody.

STU: Yeah. Right. Well, but -- I think -- but it's the opposite way. The debate with Penny, was should he have recognize that had this person might have just been crazy and not done anything?

Maybe. He hadn't actually acted yet. He was just saying things.

GLENN: Yeah. Well --

STU: He didn't wind up stabbing someone. This is a situation where these people have already seen what this man will do to you, even when you don't do anything to try to stop him. So if this woman, who is, again, looks to be an average American woman.

Across the aisle. Steps in and tries to do something. This guy could easily turn around and just make another pile of dead bodies next to the one that already exists.

And, you know, whether that is an optimal solution for our society, I don't know that that's helpful.

In that situation.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Max Lucado on Overcoming Grief in Dark Times | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 266

Disclaimer: This episode was filmed prior to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But Glenn believes Max's message is needed now more than ever.
The political world is divided, constantly at war with itself. In many ways, our own lives are not much different. Why do we constantly focus on the negative? Why are we in pain? Where is God amid our anxiety and fear? Why can’t we ever seem to change? Pastor Max Lucado has found the solution: Stop thinking like that! It may seem easier said than done, but Max joins Glenn Beck to unpack the three tools he describes in his new book, “Tame Your Thoughts,” that make it easy for us to reset the way we think back to God’s factory settings. In this much-needed conversation, Max and Glenn tackle everything from feeling doubt as a parent to facing unfair hardships to ... UFOs?! Plus, Max shares what he recently got tattooed on his arm.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Are Demonic Forces to Blame for Charlie Kirk, Minnesota & Charlotte Killings?

This week has seen some of the most heinous actions in recent memory. Glenn has been discussing the growth of evil in our society, and with the assassination of civil rights leader Charlie Kirk, the recent transgender shooter who took the lives of two children at a Catholic school, and the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, how can we make sense of all this evil? On today's Friday Exclusive, Glenn speaks with BlazeTV host of "Strange Encounters" Rick Burgess to discuss the demon-possessed transgender shooter and the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. Rick breaks down the reality of demon possession and how individuals wind up possessed. Rick and Glenn also discuss the dangers of the grotesque things we see online and in movies, TV shows, and video games on a daily basis. Rick warns that when we allow our minds to be altered by substances like drugs or alcohol, it opens a door for the enemy to take control. A supernatural war is waging in our society, and it’s a Christian’s job to fight this war. Glenn and Rick remind Christians of what their first citizenship is.