eli lilly. see if you qualify at irokotv. >> my entire life has been spent preparing for the end times. my father, founder of the now infamous oath keepers, stewart rhodes, the third who was going to save america from the end of the world. >> the big lie is that there. >> was. >> some concerted plan. >> near the capitol and it just wasn't. >> stewart was becoming increasingly unstable. >> people are gravitating to him like a son. i bet. >> everything on him being locked. >> away forever.

>> quote. they have never been more dangerous. we begin today with a chilling. >> warning about the nexus. >> of. >> domestic violent. >> extremism and an emboldened president with a years long affinity for the far right. it comes from one of the prosecutors at the largest justice department investigation in our history, the probe into the january 6th insurrection. which netted more than 1600 arrests and put the leaders of some of the most violent militias in the country in prison for decades on charges of seditious conspiracy. but it was all just undone by a mass pardon from the man who, as liz cheney puts it, lit the flame of the attack in the first place. writing in the new york times, former federal prosecutor brendan belew writes this quote while some convicted rioters seem genuinely remorseful and others appear simply ready to put. politics behind them, many others are emboldened by the

termination of what they see as unjust prosecutions. freed by the president. they have never been more dangerous. take stuart rhodes, whose oath keepers group staged firearms and ammunition near washington on january 6th in anticipation of. >> a, quote. >> bloody and desperate fight. or enrique tarrio, whose proud boys led rioters into the capitol and who had declared just after the 2020 election that while he and his followers would not start a civil war, they would be sure, to, quote, finish one. they are now free to pursue revenge and have already said they want it. as we reported earlier this week, retribution appears to have been on enrique tarrio's mind the minute he was released. watch. >> well. >> now it's our turn. >> now it's our turn. i'm happy that the president is focusing not on retribution and focusing on success, but. >> i. >> will tell you that i'm.

>> not going. >> to play by those rules. the people who did this, they need to feel the heat. they need to be put behind bars, and they need to be prosecuted. >> for what? it's our. >> turn. >> he said. >> atrios and the stewart rhodes. >> of the world are clearly. >> aligned and feel aligned with trump, and. trump appears to feel aligned with them as well. listen to this. from tuesday. >> the leaders of the proud. >> boys and the oath keepers. >> were freed. >> following the pardons yesterday. >> at the. at the time. >> back in. >> 2021, you urged them to. stand back and stand by. is there now a place. >> for. >> them in the political conversation? well, we have to see they've been given a pardon. i thought their sentences were ridiculous and excessive and at least the cases that we looked at, these were people that actually love our country. so we thought a pardon would be appropriate. yeah. >> the people who. >> assaulted cops in many

instances. so what we have now are emboldened extremists and a president, as. >> you just. >> saw. >> who wants them to, as he put it on in front of cameras. >> years ago. >> stand back and stand by. billy writes this quote. >> what might. happen next? >> vigilantes could harass, assault, or even kill perceived enemies of the state under the thin pretext of these vigilantes were acting in self-defense. the president could pardon them for federal crimes, or pressure pliant governors to do the same for state ones. in such a scenario, the president could put those loyal to him above the law quite literally. this kind of violence was a part of our past. it may be a part of our future. >> but that kind. >> of violence. >> is. >> not inevitable even today. what might be the first sign of some resistance to an accountability for an empowered far right came in the form of an order from d.c. judge amit mehta, barring stewart rhodes and other members of the oath

keepers from entering washington, d.c, rhodes have been spotted by nbc news reporters inside the capitol complex earlier this week and breaking in just the last hour, the justice department filed a motion to. dismiss judge mehta's order, setting the terms of stewart rhodes release. the clear and present danger posed by now pardoned january 6th insurrectionists. and what we. >> can do about. >> it is where we. >> begin today. former federal prosecutor brendan ballou is here. he wrote that piece from the times that we just read from, and yesterday he resigned from his job at the department of justice. he's also the author of the book plunder private equity's plan to pillage america. also joining us, msnbc legal analyst andrew weissmann. he was the top official. at doj as well. all. msnbc political analyst tim miller is here as well. he's a former rnc spokesman, now host of the bulwark podcast. thank you for your service. seems wholly inadequate, not just for your

service, but for what comes next. i imagine, as was the case in covering the first trump term, that for the single person who who takes the stand and writes out, you speak for a whole lot of people. you just tell me what. what the mood is and what the conversations are among your now former colleagues. >> well, thank you so much for having me. and i should say that while i'm speaking publicly, i was a very small part of a very large effort there. >> and so, you. >> know, the people that really dedicated their lives to prosecuting the rioters on january 6th, many, if not most of them are still in the justice department. and so. >> i. >> hope that someday they will be able to tell their stories. i can't. >> necessarily speak. >> to what the mood is in the building, but i can say, at least at a personal level, i'm less. >> concerned about how the prosecutors. >> feel right. >> now and more about the

victims. from january 6th, police officers that were assaulted with flagpoles and bike racks who were maced, who were called slurs, officers. who texted their families that day because they expected to die. i worry the most, or i think the most about those people today. >> well. >> and their. >> nightmares and perhaps. re sort of cycle of trauma i think was restarted this week. officer fanone talked about calling the justice department to get information, and they told him that he is not technically a victim anymore. >> yeah. well, because the crime. has been pardoned, there is. no crime for him to be a victim of, at least in. >> the eyes. >> of the current justice department. >> is there any. >> precedent of this mass effort to erase a crime that took place on live tv? >> you know. >> i can't. >> speak to domestic. >> comparisons. >> but i will say that this act of collective forgetting. you

could call it, has a lot of historical or international comparisons. this is. >> a common. >> part of an illiberal project to erase the history of past wrongdoing. you know, you can look at in brazil, you know, jair bolsonaro pushing against, you know, celebrating. his 1964 military coup or. the current russian government. actually rescinding. >> the acquittals. >> of soviet era political dissidents. this is. >> an essential. >> part of any illiberal political movement, and we've seen it happen internationally. and now we're seeing it happen here in the united states. >> what does it portend for us? >> i think. >> it portends. >> that this is just the beginning. i think that there is going to be an ongoing effort to both erase the history of january 6th and to try to create a false equivalency, to try to say that both sides, as it were,

were responsible for atrocities and for violence. and i think it's going to be part of an effort to legitimate, state sanctioned, but not state sponsored political violence. >> what is the you know, most people think if someone threatens them, you open your phone and you call 911. if the state is interested in greenlighting the violence, who do you call to protect you? >> i think it's a great question. so, you know, what we're talking about right now is really the very top level of the federal government. the leaders in the white house, perhaps in some law enforcement agencies. but i will say, you know, in a world where those people aren't particularly interested in protecting theiritical opponents, you know, trans people, immigrants, activists and so forth, i think the work of protecting these people is going to fall to states and localities. and so i think. a lot of the work over the coming

months, over the coming years, is going to be making sure that those state law enforcement agencies are focused on protecting those communities. >> christopher wray, who was appointed by donald trump. after he fired. >> jim comey. >> testified under oath right ahead of the 2020 election that domestic violent extremism is the greatest threat facing the homeland. and in that bucket, white supremacist aligned or inspired extremists make up the largest group. is that the ideology of the insurrectionists that were prosecuted? >> i can't speak to the ideology of every insurrectionist, but i will say what i think makes this unique, even from the since christopher wray made that statement, is he was talking about a period where the federal government was opposed to those ideologies and opposed to that violent movement. that is no longer necessarily the case. and i believe that both the. purpose and the effect of these pardons is to create or to encourage

vigilantes and militias who are loyal to the head of state, but unaccountable to the government. >> and how. >> does. >> that? it feels like the unraveling happens. very quickly. i mean, do you do you see criminals invoking these. pardons if they align themselves with donald trump's ideology as a motive for carrying out violence? >> well, i think we know that they can do that because they have done that already in a matter of days. you already played the quote from enrique tarrio. there was a quote from one activist who was not arrested for actions at the capitol, but nevertheless saying that he would be part of a militia or die for president trump. you have jacob chansley, the so-called qanon shaman, announcing shortly after he was released that he was planning to buy guns. so i think we can be pretty confident that this is the intention of a lot of these

rioters, because they're saying it right now. >> when you worked on these cases, was it in the. back of your mind that trump could pardon all of these people? >> i think it was in the back of everybody's mind. yeah. >> how did trump's campaign hang over the effort of holding accountable people who so. brazenly carried out acts of violence in his name? >> i think it makes me think about the professionalism of not just the prosecutors in that office continuing to pursue these cases, no matter what the possible consequences to them were not just the lawyers, though, but the paralegals, the administrative staff, the police officers who were victims or witnesses and often testified in these trials and in the judiciary. the judges that oversaw these cases, i think for those people in particular, those people who were the least protected, i think showed the most courage over the past year.

>> what is. >> the effort to defend everyone who's been named and targeted by trump? he says that he will go after everyone involved in trying to hold him and his people accountable for their crimes. he doesn't. >> seem to. >> differentiate between people who headed agencies and people who reported to other people that were making other decisions. what what have people done to protect themselves? >> you know, i can't speak to the specific actions that people are doing in terms of, you know, some people going out and, you know, trying to pay for security services or things like that. i think the thing that concerns me most is that there are whole categories of people who literally cannot protect themselves, either because of they don't have the money, they don't have the social capital, or because they're identifiable in public. again, once again, you know, when we're talking about trans people, some immigrants and so forth, i think these are folks that are the most vulnerable, and it's going

to fall to local communities to work to protect them. >> i was thinking about that because this week we. >> had, i think every day this week we had someone for whom trump had removed protections from a foreign threat. i think john bolton came out and said, for all the criticisms that i've lobbed publicly at joe biden, he believed in protecting me and my family from the threat from iran. i think the next day, trump removed the yesterday, removed the detail from pompeo, and there's something sadistic in covering the removal of a protection for someone who is known to be at risk from a foreign enemy. what happens inside the department of justice, which is the conduit, usually for communicating threats to people who are out of government? i think it goes right all the way up to the highest levels of the department. when someone is known to be the target of a foreign plot. what what happens to a department that reorients itself to leave those people vulnerable from a foreign threat? >> yeah. you know, i think it's probably going to be something that andrew is going to be better positioned to talk about,

given his seniority in. >> the justice. take that one. i mean. >> what i mean, i know. >> at. >> the highest levels of the department, when the iranian plots were for something that they tried to respond to and protect people, activists and former government officials from those orders to provide protection for those folks went to the highest levels of the department. what happens now when a foreign actor threatens a former trump cabinet official? >> so this is where you have within out of sight, but within the department of justice, within the state department, you will have this friction of people who are apolitical, what's commonly referred to derogatorily as the deep state would, in fact, they are just, you know, the bureaucracy doing their job, which is what you were. yesterday and trying to say, this is what we need to do. and seeing whether their leadership is going to be we're not doing it. and then you end

up with what we saw in trump 1.0, which is unheard. >> of. >> is people at the department, people in the state department, department of justice leaving. and so the signs of. that tension where people are trying to do their job. what gets characterized as being political when it's in fact. the exact opposite, right. what we see is just the people leaving. and sometimes, like jonathan kravis or you, that someone speaks out and says, this is what happened. >> i mean. >> tim miller, the, the, the proof point for how nonpolitical it is, right? is that john bolton could i pressed him over and over again, can never bring himself to support the alternative to trump. he simply, you know, found it in him after being almost prosecuted, i think, by bill barr's justice department for the book he wrote. to sound the alarm about trump. but he wasn't a he wasn't a harris backer. and he represents he and his family are threatened by the iranians. mike

pompeo was on tv, i think, 2 or 3 weeks ago, fawning over donald trump. i believe the topic was the middle east. these are the people that the biden administration thought it was imperative to protect. and the trump administration, in one, two, three days time, yanked their protection. >> isn't that wild, nicole? >> i just think. >> of it. >> that john. >> bolton. >> who didn't even support kamala. >> harris as. >> being targeted for political opposition. >> to trump. >> like that, the so-called free speech. >> party. >> like the people. >> that. >> the whole. >> rationale for. ellen and trump. >> is. >> is that. >> they're going to. protect everybody's right to speech. >> john. john bolton. didn't even have the right. >> to speak about his concerns. >> about donald. trump without going all the way. >> to opposing him, without suffering consequences at the hand of the state. >> and. >> you know, i talked. on the podcast this morning to david. >> french. >> the conservative. writer columnist at the new york times,

and he had put all this together. >> in. >> his recent column about just about his concerns. i mean, think if you tie those two stories. >> together, what what what. >> is happening with the pardons you. >> were discussing with brendan and this revocation of. >> security clearances? like, what message is that sending to. >> vigilantes, as brendan mentions? as what. >> message does that sending. >> to the oath keepers and the proud boys? >> right. >> it's like. not only. >> will this. >> government give bail. >> you out if you act violently. on behalf. >> of donald trump, but they will also. >> not protect opponents of. >> donald trump and not even really even full-throated opponents. mild critics. >> of. >> donald trump won't. >> be protected. >> from threats of violence, at least won't be protected by this government. i mean. that is. >> creating a. >> very. >> very dangerous. >> situation and creating. some extremely i mean. >> it's almost. >> an understatement. >> to call it perverse

incentives, but. >> like perverse. >> incentives to. you know, people that are out there who are radicalized, who are supporters of this president. i mean, it's just like put together. it's a very alarming series of events. just over the series of events. just over the first few days. you got this. one — remember, i don't want surgery for my dupuytren's contracture. two — i want to be able to lay my hand flat. three — i want a nonsurgical recovery. ♪♪ four — i want options — nonsurgical options. and five... and if nonsurgical treatment isn't offered? ♪♪ i'll get a second opinion. let's go! take charge of your treatment. if you can't lay your hand flat, visit findahandspecialist.com to get started. okay everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. yay - woo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, nutrients for immune health. and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein.

(♪♪) time to press rewind with... neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair. it has derm-proven retinol... ...expertly formulated... ...to target skin cell turnover... ...and fights not one—but 5 signs of aging. with visible results... ...in just one week. neutrogena bathroom? this is the all. >> new horsepower scrubber. it's cordless, rechargeable, and it cleans faster and easier. guaranteed. baked on oven grease, the incredible torque blasts away grime in no time. >> the power comes from our. rotating brushes. spinning up to 350 rpm. >> and if you have glass, it removes soap. scum just like that. take it. outside and tackle. >> tough tasks with. >> ease and it's. 100% waterproof. >> get your horsepower with four additional attachments, all for

just 39.99, and find out about the optional easy reach bottle brush. great news they're in stock and ready to ship. order now! call one 800 791 1325 or visit horsepower scrubber.com. so call one 800 791 1325 or visit. horsepower scrubber.com order. >> now you who. >> you're making everything orange. >> we're showing. >> we're consumer. >> cellular gets great coverage. >> we use the same. >> powers as big wireless. so you get the same coverage. you get the same coverage. >> now for unlimited talk and. the best moments deserve the best eggs. especially when they're eggland's best. taste so deliciously fresh. with better nutrition, too. we love our eggs any style. as long as they're the best. eggland's best.

♪ ♪ with so much great entertainment out there... wouldn't it be easier if you could find what you want, all in one place? my favorites. get xfinity streamsaver with netflix, apple tv+, and peacock included, for only $15 a month. >> com physicians mutual. >> physicians mutual. >> for the. first 100 days. >> of this. >> new. >> administration, i am going. >> to. >> be here. >> on msnbc. >> at 9 p.m. eastern five nights a week.

>> monday through friday. >> we will. >> watch what they. >> do and. >> not just what they say from. >> now on. and for the first. >> 100 days and for the duration. but what. >> they are saying thus far, and. >> what they are. >> doing thus far, have both been utterly shambolic. and none. of us. >> should be afraid. >> to say so. >> and none of us here are. so for. >> these first 100. >> days. >> you and i. >> we are going to spend a lot of time together. joining us now are two of the law enforcement officers assaulted by the mob, who stormed the capitol on january 6th. former dc metropolitan police officer michael fanone and former capitol police officer harry dunn. your willingness to. >> speak out. >> today of all days is something i want to thank you both for up front. speaking out shouldn't come with any risks for either of you. but because of the turns and the fractures in our politics, it does. so i

just want to start by saying thank you. harry dunn, you start. how are you doing? >> nicole? thanks for being with you. mike. what's up buddy? i, i got so many calls last night. people that have become friends with in the media, you know, asking me, did i have a response or how you're feeling? can you what's your reaction? and i just ignored a lot of them. i mean, my reaction. what do you mean? what do you want me to say? what more can i say that i haven't said in the last four years? i'm angry. i'm sad. i'm outraged. i'm hurt, i'm disappointed. i've been all of that for four years. four years. what bothers me the most is so many people out there that are shocked and appalled and can't believe they didn't see this coming. where the hell were you? what were you doing? that means you weren't paying attention. if you're shocked and surprised that he did this, then

you were not paying attention. i was fortunate i didn't receive the physical brutality that a lot of my coworkers did and michael fanone did, but so many of them did. they suffered. there was a my buddy sent a screenshot to me with about eight, nine, ten calls from an automated service of the doj saying the person that assaulted you is released from the department of corrections, and it just went on and on. like, what more do you want me to say? like people, what what do people want? we were out there warning that this could happen, not warning, telling. this is what's going to happen. this is what's going to happen. and now, now people are shocked. people are up in arms. people didn't see it coming. we told you it was so that means you weren't paying attention. and that's what's most appalling to me. donald trump is who he who he says he is. he said he was going to do

this. so everybody acted surprised. cut the. >> michael. >> i share a harry's outrage. but again, i'm not shocked and i'm not surprised. >> you know, donald. >> trump announced his candidacy for office from waco, texas. and for those of you who don't know or don't remember, that was the scene of a violent confrontation between members of the american fringe and extremist movements and law enforcement officers and several law enforcement officers lost their lives. but this is where donald trump chose to announce his candidacy for office, and he's been promising these presidential pardons for those that committed crimes on january 6th, in participation with the attack on the capitol. ever since day one. and so the

american people. own this decision. you chose this. you elected this man as president, and now you are responsible for these pardons and anything associated, you know, the inevitable violence that will occur because these individuals and many more like them have been emboldened. donald trump announced to america a new era of government lawlessness. and that if you commit crimes on his behalf, you will not face accountability. accountability is reserved for those who challenge donald trump, and who would dare to stand up to him and his authoritarian regime. >> you're one. >> of. those people who stood up to him, michael. are you worried?

>> for my personal safety? i mean, listen, i recognize that these individuals have made threats against me and that there is always potential for violence. and i've done everything in my power to prepare myself and protect myself. >> i am. >> concerned about members of my family members who don't have 20 year careers in law enforcement to fall back on. and you know who may be more vulnerable? people like my mother, a 76 year old woman who lives alone in, you know, the suburbs of washington, d.c, who has been subjected to some of the most vile and heinous acts, things like having human feces thrown on her while she rakes leaves in her front yard. again, i hold the american people responsible for those types of acts. the

american people sanctioned this activity, and they decided that donald trump best represents them. >> one of donald trump's many, many campaign promises was to crack down on the deadly fentanyl epidemic in this country. so naturally, one of his first orders of business was to issue an unconditional pardon for the so-called mastermind behind an online illegal drug marketplace. we'll bring you the marketplace. we'll bring you the facts on that. pardon? if you're living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis or active psoriatic arthritis symptoms can sometimes hold you back. but now there's skyrizi, so you can be all in with clearer skin. ♪things are getting clearer♪ ♪yeah, i feel free to bare my skin♪ ♪yeah, that's all me.♪ ♪nothing is everything♪ with skyrizi, you can show up with 90% clearer skin. and if you have psoriatic arthritis, skyrizi can help you move with less joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. skyrizi is just 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses.

don't use if allergic. serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. before treatment, get checked for infections and tb. tell your doctor about any flu-like symptoms or vaccines. thanks to skyrizi, there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement, and that means everything. ♪nothing is everything♪ now's the time ask your doctor about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. >> i hope. >> that she. >> turns out. >> to be. >> someone. >> who i. over me. >> nature needs us now.

>> go online. >> call or scan. >> to symbolically adopt. >> an elephant. >> for just $16. >> a month. >> you'll support. >> wwf's global. >> conservation efforts to protect species and their habitats. do it in the next five minutes and we'll send you this free adoption kit with this wildlife calendar, a tote. >> bag. >> and this adorable plush elephant. families are being torn apart. go online, call or scan now. >> consumer cellular is lowering the price for those 50 and up. get two unlimited lines for $30 each. that's just $60 a month. so switch to the carrier ranked number one in network coverage satisfaction. >> now new customers. >> get your second. month free when you switch. >> pause for. >> the facts. >> susie here. >> is shopping for a used car, but she doesn't know that. >> nearly half. >> of them have been in an accident. >> interesting. >> interesting. >> but carfax com shows. how i guess what i'm looking for from you is,

i mean, i know how the fire affected me, and there's always a constant fear that who's to say something like that won't happen again? that's fair. we committed to underground, 10,000 miles of electric line. you look back at where we were 10 years ago and we are in a completely different place today, and it's because of how we need to care for our communities and our customers. i hope that's true. [joe] that's my commitment. [ambient noise] bent finger appointment in 30 minutes.

you got this. one — remember, i don't want surgery for my dupuytren's contracture. two — i don't want to wait for my contracture to get worse. three — i want a treatment with minimal downtime. four — i want a nonsurgical treatment. and five... and if nonsurgical treatment isn't offered? i'll get a second opinion. let's go! take charge of your treatment. if you can't lay your hand flat, visit findahandspecialist.com to get started. ♪♪ is the founder of the. >> silk road online. >> drug bazaar. >> he has been. >> sentenced to. >> life in prison. you might. >> recall he was arrested in october. >> of 2013 and then found guilty. >> on seven charges in february. >> of this year, ulbricht operated silk road, which. >> is basically, as i mentioned. an online drug bazaar and a bazaar where you could also. buy

other illicit. >> goods and services. >> including murder for hire and fake ids, etc. all of this done. on the dark web. almost ten years ago, a 31 year old man named ross ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison for, as you just heard from that report on cnbc running a website called silk road on the dark web, it was a place where buyers could purchase illegal things anonymously. at the time of his sentencing, judge judy forrest called ulbricht, quote, the kingpin of a worldwide digital drug trafficking enterprise and said his actions were, quote, terribly destructive to our social fabric. silk road is the new york times reports, quote, became an international drug marketplace, facilitating more than 1.5 million transactions, including sales of heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances. new york times also notes this quote in court. prosecutors claim that mr. ulbricht had also solicited the

murders of people. he considered threats, but acknowledged there was no evidence that the killings took place. so why did we just take that little history lesson into the dark web and silk road? well, here's why. because that guy, the one who was, quote, terribly destructive to our social fabric, was just pardoned from his life sentence by none other than donald j. trump. despite trump's campaign promise to root out fentanyl and drug related deaths in this country, donald trump just freed a man who was called by the then u.s. attorney for the southern district of new york, preet bharara, as, quote, a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people's addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people. pardoning ross ulbricht was among the things donald trump chose to do on the second day of his second term in office, because it was a promise he made to a group of voters once he was desperate to win

over the libertarians. here's how they responded to him at the libertarian convention in may of 2020. >> for now, i think you should. nominate me, or at least vote for me, and we should win together. you heard those words. nominate me or vote. vote for me because the libertarians want to vote for me, and most of them will. and it's very important. >> so listen to what happens to change the energy in the room, if you will. when he brings up ulbricht. >> and if you. >> vote for me on day one, i will commute the sentence of ross ulbricht, who was sentence. >> of. >> time served. >> fema 34343434.

>> you want. >> to. >> see the little thought bubble. >> i got him. so ulbricht was also a symbol for the crypto movement, as his site used bitcoin for its transactions. and we saw this election cycle. the crypto industry spend more than $100 million on their preferred candidates textbook. donald trump right. did you give me something that helps me or votes money? i'll give you what you want, no matter how dangerous to the rest of the public. nbc news justice reporter and author of sedition hunters how january 6th broke the justice system. ryan riley is here. plus, former assistant director for counterintelligence at the fbi, msnbc senior national security analyst frank figliuzzi is back with me at the table. former federal prosecutor, msnbc legal analyst christie greenberg is back. ryan riley, i start with you. i think the political transaction is

obvious. what's amazing to me is the metamorphosis of donald trump, who was so triggered by any notion that russia had done anything to help him win in 2016, and now is just doing his, you know, ious to all the groups with whatever he promised them for their votes. and this perso, described by a judge as a drug kingpin, basically, in the online version, was not a bridge too far. >> yeah. >> i mean, pardons are. >> where i. >> think donald trump has the most unchecked power. i mean, just constitutionally. >> that's where. >> he does. >> it's something that he can do. >> whenever he wants, whenever he wants. >> and kind of any form that he wants. right. there's been some. >> discussion, legal. >> discussion about whether or. >> not someone. >> just declaring. >> something out a window could. >> be declared as a pardon. >> right. >> so he could, you know, he could put these. >> on truth social theoretically. >> that. >> would. require a little bit. more effort. >> you know, it's easier just to sign that piece of paper and do a dramatic ceremony like he. >> did. with the january 6th

defendants. but that's. >> something that he can do. and i. >> think that that's sort of where this where the rubber sort of hits. >> the road for him. you know. i spoke. >> to a. >> justice department official, a trump justice. >> department official who. >> starts talking about the pardons. >> and how. >> wide they were. >> if they were sort of surprised. >> by how how big they went, you know, whether or not they were surprised. >> whether they. >> thought there was going to be sort of 700 or something along those lines because originally, you know, i. >> think there was. >> a thought process that if you pardon these. >> 700. >> 700 people. those would have been people who. >> had already served. >> their time. it would have been a big number that you could have given him. so, you know, someone might have been working behind the scenes and advocating for just, say, 700 pardons. but he went with everyone. and those are people who committed vicious assaults on on law enforcement today. and this trump justice department official said that they're done with being incremental. and that's sort of what the new policy is within, within this new administration. now that trump has seized. >> power once again. >> well, i mean, you can call it being incremental or you can call it not putting people whose drug trafficking led to the deaths of young people. i mean, this is this is again from from

the case that was brought against ulbricht. at least six deaths were attributable to drugs bought on silk road, according to prosecutors addressing the court. the father of one of the people who died said, quote, all ross ulbricht cared about was his growing pile of bitcoins. this is. >> this was an incredibly serious crime. i mean, silk road was essentially a criminal's playground. >> and you. >> had about $200 million. >> in the sale of. >> all kinds of illegal drugs, you know, heroin, opioids. like it's amazing that last week we were just watching pam bondi tout her experience in taking on the opioid epidemic. and, you know, how does she do that when you just let this person free, who's responsible for six overdose deaths? it's really remarkable. and it sends such a clear message. it sends a message to the those those prosecutors and all the law enforcement agencies who sought to convict him. donald trump said those who worked to convict russ ulbricht, he called them

scum, right. that's the fbi, dea, homeland security, u.s. marshals service, secret service, foreign law enforcement partners that helped out in iceland and france. i mean, this was a massive, massive investigation. and to call them scum, i mean, you don't back the blue. you're not the party heading the party of law and order. if you say something like that, i mean, that's awful. and then you have, you know, the other message that he's sending to the criminals, which is, you know, it's open season for you. go do whatever you want to do. as long as you put on your red maga hat, at the end of the day, you support me and i'll protect you. and it is, as you said, transactional. and quite frankly, vile. >> again, i understand the politics of the moment. i understand who won and who lost frank. but it's not going to stop us from making arguments about hypocrisy when we see it. here's what donald trump says he's going to do about illegal drugs.

>> i want to stop the drugs and fentanyl pouring in and killing our kids and killing our families. one of the very first calls i'm going to make, because we cannot let fentanyl come into our country, we can't let it. come in. i will stop the drugs and fentanyl pouring into our country, killing our kids and our families. we will stop it. >> how many people? >> everybody you meet said, i lost my daughter. i lost my son to drugs, to fentanyl, mostly to fentanyl, but to drugs. families are being destroyed and we're going to stop it. >> and again, this isn't about me. let me just put this back on the father who who lost someone in this crime on the prosecution of russ ulbrich. six deaths attributable to drugs bought on silk road, according to prosecutors addressing the court at the time. the father of one of the people who died said this, quote, all ross ulbricht cared about was this growing pile of bitcoins. these were

victims of illegal drugs and drugs being in this country, too. but silk roads, okay. i mean, what what what i understand what message it sends. but where do we go from here, frank? >> yeah. >> look, if you want to see how unserious trump is about what he pledges and cares. allegedly cares about, just look at who he pardons. as has been said, if he pledges to take on violent crime, understand he's he's pardoned 6 or 700 people from january 6th who were charged with violence. if you if you want to examine whether he's truly serious about drugs, look at what he just did with silk road. hundreds of kilos of illegal narcotics, traded, bought and sold. if you wanted to buy something, you would find it in this dark corner of the web. and what really intrigues me is not only is there the bitcoin thing here, we can see that that's transparent. trump is all in on his bitcoin buddies and the libertarianism. yes, the libertarians want freedom from government. they don't want

government interfering with their activities online. okay. but there's another element that i've identified here, which is the conspiracy theories and disinformation theories ring very true with regard to supporters of silk road. when you try to engage them in civil conversation, they tell you, you know, you and literally you regurgitate the indictment from the southern district of new york to them, that's fake. that's that's fake news. that's the deep state. no, no, no. ulbricht didn't understand what was going on on his site. he, you know, he was overcharged. his sentence is too heavy. he can't possibly have stopped the drug trading. and, you know, the murders for hire that were being hired out online. and so there's this. it's a full holistic trump menu. when you look at silk road, the conspiracy theories and disbelief, the bitcoin fans and the libertarian fans are all there. and it just simply signals the lawlessness period

that we are about to enter. and god help any of us. if our family members are victims of a crime and the criminal is somehow affiliated with a cause that trump likes, or as you said, you know, just wearing a red maga hat, you can kiss that goodbye. >> for the. >> times when cooking just isn't in the cards. try brand new ready made meals from hellofresh. no prepping, no hellofresh. no prepping, no cooking. just heat up and dig in whoa! how'd you get your teeth so white? you gotta use the right toothpaste! dr. c?! ♪♪ not all toothpastes whiten the same. crest 3d white removes 100% more stains for a noticeably whiter smile. new personal best. crest.

get a better price on their meds, i tell them about single care. it's a free app accepted at pharmacies nationwide. >> before i pick up my prescription, i always. >> check the single care price. >> it's quick, easy. >> and totally free to use. >> single care can literally beat my insurance copay. >> you just search for your prescription and show your single care coupon at the pharmacy. >> so i just show the coupon and get this price. >> that's right. >> go to single care.com and start saving today. >> after my hair started thinning. >> my dermatologist recommended nutrafol. the formulas are clinically tested. >> my hair is much stronger and longer. >> i feel like. >> i feel like. >when you really need to sleep. you reach for the really good stuff. zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. ♪♪ no. ♪♪ -no. -nuh-uh. ♪♪ yeah. oh. yes.

♪♪ oh yeah. yes. isn't this great? yeeaahhhh!! ♪♪ yeah, i could do a cartwheel in here. oh hey! would you like to join us? no. we would love to join you. ♪♪ >> loud. >> or if listening in some environments has become too difficult. we are requesting your participation. in a. >> special program. >> called the 30 day risk free. challenge hearing life. hearing centers are seeking people with hearing difficulties to evaluate a new 100% digital mini hearing aid now being released. all people with hearing aids or hearing difficulties are wanted to take part in this 30 day risk free challenge. evaluating this. new high tech device that sits discreetly behind your ear. this hearing aid is bluetooth enabled and rechargeable. all hearing

assessments are performed at no charge. for those taking part in the challenge, participants will try these hearing aids for 30 days. now, to take part in this event, you must call. so please get a pencil and write down the number below. or call. us and take the hearing life 30 day risk free challenge. >> stay up to. >> date on the. >> biggest issues of the day with the. msnbc daily newsletter. get the best of msnbc all in one place. sign up for msnbc daily at msnbc.com. >> each week on my podcast, i'm joined. >> by uniquely qualified. >> guests who help me take a big picture. >> look at the issues like representative jasmine crockett, late night host. >> seth meyers, former attorney general eric holder, and. many more. why is this happening? listen now. >> when we come back, michigan

secretary of state jocelyn benson will be our guest. we came to know her as she defended her family, her home and our democracy four years ago. now she's looking to make a bigger mark. she'll tell us. >> about it next. >> safelite repair. safelite replace. >> nobody likes a cracked windshield. but at least you can go. >> to safelite. >> com and schedule a fix in minutes. >> can confirm. >> very easy. >> safelite can come to you for free. and our highly trained techs can replace your windshield right at your home. >> safelite repair safelite replace. >> go to safelite.com and schedule a replacement today. >> many abused and neglected animals are hungry and need help right now. many animals are starving wondering if food will ever come with the unbearable pain that comes with that. and they need our help. >> there are animals that have

no idea when their next meal will come. they can't even remember when their. >> last meal was, and. >> they are. >> moments from dying. >> so i'm here to ask. >> you, will you open your heart to help an animal who's hungry? go online, call or simply scan this code and donate just $19 a month. you'll help feed a hungry animal that's just $0.63 a day to fill their empty bowl and show them the love in your heart. >> there are empty bowls that are sitting there waiting to be filled. you can tell that. >> these dogs. >> are so. >> weak from. >> hunger. they've known. >> no other. >> life but a life of suffering. >> no animal should have to go hungry. and with your support today, you will help feed a hungry animal. you can fill their bowl, but you have to make your urgent life saving gift today. do it now and we'll send you this welcome kit and this

animal champion t shirt to thank you for helping an animal today. >> there's always. >> an empty bowl on the ground. that should have food in it, and it's very clear from the appearance of these. >> dogs that. >> that bowl. >> hasn't. >> had food. >> in it for a long time. >> we urgently need 3000 new donors in the next 30 days. please say you'll be one of them by signing up today. no animal should ever go hungry. and i know you agree. please make this the moment that you say i won't stand by while they suffer, help fill their bowl to go online. call or scan this code. right now. >> at granger, we. >> know the ones who get it. >> done wear a. >> lot of hats. >> that's why we're always here for you. >> with professional grade products and the knowledge to help answer tough product questions, call click granger.com. >> or just stop by. >> granger for the. >> ones who get it done.

>> one law firm, kline and specter, has. >> won some. >> of the biggest verdicts in american history. so if a defective. >> product, motor vehicle. >> accident or. medical >> accident or. medical malpractice. caused a. you got this. one — remember, i don't want surgery for my dupuytren's contracture. two — i want to be able to lay my hand flat. three — i want a nonsurgical recovery. ♪♪ four — i want options — nonsurgical options. and five... and if nonsurgical treatment isn't offered? ♪♪ i'll get a second opinion. let's go! take charge of your treatment. if you can't lay your hand flat, visit findahandspecialist.com to get started. father, founder of the now infamous oath keepers, stewart rhodes, the third who was going to save america from the end of the world. >> the big lie is that there was

some. >> concerted plan. >> near the capitol. >> and it just wasn't. >> stewart was becoming increasingly unstable. >> people are gravitating to him like. >> a son. >> i bet. everything on him being. >> locked. >> away forever. >> and then. >> about 45. >> minutes. >> later, we started to hear the noises outside my home. and that's why my stomach sunk. >> and i thought. >> it's me. >> and there. >> and then it just, we don't know what's going to happen. >> the uncertainty of that was what was the fear like, are they coming. >> with guns or are. >> they going to attack my house? i'm in here with my kid. >> you know, it's. >> i'm trying to put him to bed. and so it was that was the scariest moment, just not. knowing what was going to happen. >> that was michigan secretary of state jocelyn benson describing to the january 6th select committee the horror of

having an armed mob, egged on by the then president of the united states election, lies surrounding her home. while she was inside with her kid. the people responsible for these kinds of election related threats and violence have only been emboldened by their own telling. after donald trump gave pardons and commutations to the january 6th, insurrectionists, including the people chanting for the vice president of the united states to be hanged and the people who violently beat capitol police officers. joining our conversation, michigan secretary of state jocelyn benson, who's here with a big announcement about her future, which you can see right over her right and left shoulder. tell us what you what you news you're making today. >> hi, nicole. >> it's great to see you. >> and it's. been a. >> it's been a week. i think the pardons that you've been. >> discussing were really hit. >> us hard. >> here in michigan. because they were an affront to democracy. >> and an affront to the basic standards of protecting our. >> law.

>> enforcement and standing with them, not pardoning violent insurrectionists who would seek to use violence to overthrow a fair and free election. >> and yet, here. >> we are. and it's a moment where. states lead. >> and states can remind all of us who. >> we are as americans, which is we are people. >> who stand for. >> true ethical governance. >> rooted in. >> integrity, accountability and transparency. >> we believe. >> in following the law. we believe in standing with our citizens and keeping people safe. not creating anxiety. and chaos. and so i'm running for governor of. >> michigan so that we can be a part of. ensuring that michiganders. >> and residents. >> all across our country. >> know that governors fight for them and will. >> continue to fight for. >> them, just. >> as i've done as. >> the michigan secretary of state to keep people safe, to protect. >> our rights and freedoms. to stand for the truth, and to just make government work. well for everyone. >> michigan is led by women, by by democratic women who have proven again and again to know

how to win in the swingiest of swing states. tell me what that secret sauce is and how do washington democrats bathe in it and drink from it? >> well, you. >> see women winning. >> in michigan, whether it be. >> kristen mcdonald. >> rivet and hillary scholten and elissa slotkin running. >> at the federal. >> level, or. >> folks like. >> myself and gretchen. >> whitmer running at the. >> state level with dana nessel. but because we talk about basic bread and butter. issues that matter to folks, how are we going to ensure that the while the. cost of living. >> increases. >> that we're doing everything we can to invest in high paying jobs. >> in our. >> state and. >> cut costs. >> where possible? >> i've just. completed a tour. >> all around. >> our state, a listening tour. and the number. >> one thing on. >> people's minds wasn't necessarily. >> politics or partizanship. >> or bickering. it was. >> i want to be able to afford a home in the community i choose to live. and we want leaders who are going. >> to. talk about how we can. >> do that and solve. those problems for us. and folks don't

care what party. >> we're affiliated with, as. >> long as we're about. >> getting things done. and the. >> women. >> who have won in our. >> state have made the case to voters. >> that we know how to get things done. we know how to stand up. for their rights and freedoms and also deliver and cutting costs and making. >> life a little. >> bit easier for everyone. so that's what you'll see come out of our campaign for governor. and that's what you've seen win all across the midwest. >> thank you so much for watching deadline white house weekend. be sure to join us weekdays at 4 p.m. eastern for weekdays at 4 p.m. eastern for deadline white house on msnbc. the average dog only lives to be ten. that's ten birthdays, ten first summer swims, ten annual camping trips. at the farmer's dog, we don't think that's long enough. that's why our freshly made food comes pre-portioned just for your dog. because a dog at a healthy weight could live a longer, happier life. [dog barks] ♪♪

plan if you're turning 65, have limited income. >> or you are moving. >> see how. a well cared medicare advantage. >> plan could get you. >> some big benefits? find out how easy it is to get all of your original medicare coverage. >> plus extra benefits. >> you could have medical coverage, prescription. drug coverage, dental vision and hearing coverage. twill a digital, mental health and social support resource. and here's more good news. you can get a wellcare medicare advantage plan with a $0 or low monthly plan premium. how can wellcare offer all of those benefits for a $0 or low monthly plan premium? it's simple. medicare advantage and medicare part d prescription drug coverage are important parts of

medicare. wellcare has a contract with medicare to offer and provide these important options to you. call right now to get your free copy of the wellcare all in one guide. call (877) 829-7179 now. wellcare offers benefits that go beyond the basics, and we make them easy to use so you can support your best health. call a licensed sales agent to see if you are eligible to enroll today, and call today to get your free copy of the all in one guy with absolutely no obligation. just call (877) 829-7179. remember, there's no obligation for requesting this free information. so call (877) 829-7179. call today.