The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi

Former President Trump is expected to appear in a federal court in Washington, D.C. on Thursday after being indicted in the special counsel’s 2020 election investigation. It comes as his lawyer hints Trump’s defense will focus on free speech. Luke Broadwater, Kyle Cheney, Barbara McQuade, Former Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund, Former Rep. Tim Ryan and Former Rep. Charlie Dent join.

Donald Trump is now the first U.S. President charged with trying to overturn an election after a D.C. jury indicted him on four criminal charges in the special counsel’s probe. Peter Baker, Katie Benner, Joyce Vance, Glenn Kirschner, Frank Figliuzzi, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Neal Katyal, Charlie Sykes and Jason Johnson join.

As we await next moves in the special counsel’s election interference case, Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis reveals “we’re ready to go” on charging decisions in her election probe of Trump. It comes as Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira makes his first court appearance in the classified documents case. Plus, new reporting found Trump’s team is creating a new legal defense fund to help pay for his allies’ legal bills. And GOP candidates are gearing up for their first debate, but the frontrunner may not be there. Carol Leonning, Tali Farhadian Weinstein, David Cay Johnston, Claire McCaskill, Robert Gibbs, Mike Murphy and Gen. Barry McCaffrey join.

As former President Trump faces mounting legal troubles, he vowed that even a conviction would not stop his presidential campaign. Meantime, nearly every GOP presidential candidate spoke at the same Iowa fundraiser Friday night but ignored Trump’s superseding indictment. Plus, the new spotlight on our aging U.S. lawmakers. Philip Rucker, Glenn Thrush, Mary McCord, David Jolly, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Michael Beschloss join.

Special counsel Jack Smith tacks on additional charges against Trump and his aide Walt Nauta in the classified documents case. It comes as Smith adds a third defendant, Carlos De Oliveira, to the case. Plus, House Republicans boast about a “productive” session just before leaving for a five-week recess. And prosecutors drop another charge against former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. Peter Baker, Katie Benner, Charles Coleman, Joyce Vance, Frank Figliuzzi, Conor Lamb and David Gura join.

Hunter Biden pled not guilty to federal tax charges after his original plea deal collapses. Meantime, Rudy Giuliani admits to making false statements against two Georgia election workers in a new court filing. Plus, the new warning about a second Trump term. And stories of UFO sightings land on Capitol Hill. Tom Winter, Luke Broadwater, Joyce Vance, David Plouffe, Michael Steele, Miles Taylor and Ryan Graves join.

With a possible third indictment of Trump, all eyes are on Thursday for the grand jury to announce their decision in the DOJ election probe. Plus, Jake Ward breaks down Elon Musk’s rebrand of Twitter as an “everything” app. Jon Allen, Katie Benner, Neal Katyal, Juanita Tolliver, Tim Miller, and Matt K. Lewis join.

As we await news of a possible third Trump indictment, we’re getting a clearer picture of the case Jack Smith is putting together. Meantime, Ron DeSantis is under fire in his home state as his campaign launches a new catchphrase. Plus, the president of Stanford University announced he’s stepping down after a student journalist raised questions about some of his past research. Sam Stein, Greg Bluestein, Glenn Kirschner, Amy McGrath, Reed Galen, Theo Baker, Paul Flahive, and J. David Goodman join.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson discusses her state’s plan to protect elections going forward. Lisa Rubin, Peter Baker, Charles Coleman, Mark McKinnon, Maria Teresa Kumar, Bill Browder join.

Three federal statutes were mentioned in the letter, relating to deprivation of rights, conspiracy and witness tampering. Luke Broadwater, Joyce Vance, Melissa Murray, Greg Bluestein, Shermichael Singleton, Juanita Tolliver join.