On today's 'BradCast':  An historic day for the United States -- the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. President is now underway in a Manhattan courtroom. It's the first of four criminal trials seeking accountability for disgraced ex-President Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for the 2024 election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's 34 felony criminal counts allege that Trump unlawfully falsified business records to hide hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and violated federal campaign finance laws in service of cheating to win the 2016 election. Columnist HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and former attorney KEITH BARBER of Daily Kos delve into the legal, political and cultural significance of the historic first day of Trump's first criminal trial, the evidence in the case, and its potential ramifications for the critical 2024 election in November.

'BradCast' 4/15/2024 (Special Coverage: Trump on criminal trial in NY, Day 1, with Heather Digby Parton of Salon, attorney Keith Barber)

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On today's 'BradCast':  The corrupted rightwing supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether Presidents have 'absolute immunity' for any and all crimes they commit while in office. They don't. Despite rejection by lower courts, the rightwing justices heard Donald Trump's ridiculous assertions of 'immunity,' helping him delay the federal criminal trial over his multi-pronged scheme to steal the 2020 election, thus preventing voters from obtaining critical information before the November 2024 election about whether they should grant another term to the ex-president who tried to steal the 2020 election. We delve into the absurd arguments that seem to have finally made clear to the nation that the Roberts Court is corruptly running interference for Republican policies in general, and Trump in particular. Callers weigh in on what can or should be done about any of it, as the nation stumbles its way toward November...

'BradCast' 4/29/2024 (Corrupt SCOTUS on display after Trump's 'Presidential Immunity' Hearing; Now what?)

Encore: original airdate 4-17-2024. On today's 'BradCast': The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 'Fischer v. U.S.,' a challenge to the criminal statute used to charge and convict hundreds of January 6 insurrectionists, including Donald Trump. Legal journalist CHRIS GEIDNER of Law Dork News discusses the case, which questions whether some January 6th insurrectionists should have been charged with obstruction of an official government proceeding. Geidner explains how a ruling could pivot on the meaning of the word 'otherwise;' the rightwing justices' newly-discovered concerns about over-criminalization; potential impacts on January 6 cases and the Trump indictment; and upcoming oral arguments on Trump's ridiculous assertions of 'absolute immunity.' Also today: Republicans' revenge impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas quickly failed in the US Senate. Arizona GOP lawmakers again blocked repeal of the state's 1864 abortion ban. Alabama's newly-drawn, fairer House maps generated a massive surge in voter turnout in a special election.

'BradCast' 4/26/2024 (Encore: LawDork's Chris Geidner on SCOTUS hearing on J6 obstruction charges)

On today's 'BradCast':  The corrupted U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on 'Trump v. United States', in which disgraced former President Donald Trump ridiculously asserts that he has 'absolute immunity' from any and all crimes committed while serving in office, including bribery, treason, sedition, murder and conspiring overturn the results of an election and keep himself in power. The court's rightwing supermajority has helped Trump delay the trial on criminal charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Former U.S. Attorney RANDALL ELIASON and former Deputy Asst. U.S. Attorney General LISA GRAVES offer insight and expertise on today's 'astonishing' oral arguments, and much more. Arizona's Attorney General indicted 16 people for acting as fake electors in an attempt to steal the 2020 election, along with Trump's former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, attorney Rudy Giuliani and others. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

'BradCast' 4/25/2024 (SCOTUS hears Trump 'immunity' case, w/ Former Dep. Asst. AG Lisa Graves, former Asst. U.S. Attorney Randall Eliason)

On today's 'BradCast': In Pennsylvania's primary elections, a large percentage of Republicans voted for ousted rivals of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. President Biden signed a long-overdue aid package for Ukraine. The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether federal law requires hospitals to provide abortion care when necessary to save a patient's life. In Arizona, state Democratic lawmakers gained ground on an effort to repeal the state's 1864 abortion ban. Columnist HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and attorney KEITH BARBER of Daily Kos discuss Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York on allegations that he conspired to falsify business records to cover up hush money payments he made to a porn star, to help him cheat to win the 2016 Presidential election. Parton and Barber analyze what we've learned so far in the historic trial, the legal hurdles faced by prosecutors, and what to expect in the days ahead.

'BradCast' 4/24/2024 (NY Trump Trial analysis with Heather Digby Parton and Keith Barber)

On today's 'BradCast':  Voters in Pennsylvania's primary election are reportedly struggling with newly-implemented voter ID restrictions. Donald Trump's election-fraud-via-hush-money criminal trial in New York began with a hearing over whether Trump violated a court-imposed gag order on attacking jurors and witnesses, then the former National Enquirer publisher detailed his participation in a 'catch and kill' scheme to bury negative stories about Trump (like affairs with porn stars) to help him win the 2016 election. US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Arizona Republican election deniers Kari Lake and Mark Finchem. Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde backtracked on comments suggesting the elderly should not vote. Trump Campaign/RNC launch an 'election integrity' initiative. Republican Arizona state representative resigns amid accusations he forged petition signatures for his own re-election campaign. Plus Desi Doyen has our new 'Green News Report.'

'BradCast' 4/15/2024 (Special Coverage: Trump on criminal trial in NY, Day 1, with Heather Digby Parton of Salon, attorney Keith Barber)

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