Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner revealed the one statement that "conclusively" proves former President Donald Trump's "corrupt intent" in the January 6 probe during an MSNBC interview on Saturday morning.
On Tuesday, Trump said he received a letter from the Department of Justice (DOJ) stating that he is a target of the investigation into the January 6, 2021, riot at the United States Capitol building that saw a mob of his supporters—allegedly motivated by his unfounded election fraud claims—violently protest in a failed effort to block Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. Trump said he anticipates that he will be indicted, with legal experts adding that an indictment could be handed down in the coming weeks. The former president, meanwhile, has declared his innocence in the case.
Kirschner, a legal analyst who frequently vocalizes criticisms of the former president, weighed in on the DOJ's probe during an appearance on MSNBC's The Katie Phang Show.
He predicted that prosecutors may not have a difficult time proving Trump's "corrupt intent" in the case, pointing to one specific statement the former president allegedly made during a December 27, 2020, meeting with his DOJ officials.
"There is one marquee statement that, to me, has always proved Donald Trump's corrupt intent conclusively. When his DOJ officials and other executive branch agency officials said, 'Mr. President, there is no fraud undermining the elections.' What did he say? 'I don't care if there's no fraud. Just say there was and leave the rest to me and my Republican allies in Congress.' Corrupt intent proved," Kirschner said.
During the December meeting, then-Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and other DOJ officials allegedly told Trump that there was no proof of widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election and that then-President Elect Biden fairly won the election.
Trump, however, allegedly pleaded with Rosen to publicly say the election was corrupt, despite a lack of evidence to back up that claim, according to notes taken by Richard Donoghue, a senior DOJ official who was on the call.
"Just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen," Trump said at one point to Rosen, according to Donoghue's notes.
"I think proving Donald Trump's corrupt intent is like proving that fish swim and birds fly." @glennkirschner2 shares his initial reaction to a third possible Trump indictment, this time for alleged 2020 election interference #KatiePhangShow pic.twitter.com/V1MtKw1Hhk
— The Katie Phang Show (@katiephangshow) July 22, 2023
Kirschner added on Saturday that he has proven corrupt intent with "far less evidence" in the courtroom throughout his career.
"I proved corrupt intent for 30 years in court rooms, both military and civilian, with far less evidence than has been amassed against Donald Trump," Kirschner said. "I think proving Donald Trump's corrupt intent is like proving that fish swim and birds fly."
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.
Trump's spokespersons have previously rejected Kirschner's legal analysis, previously saying in a statement to Newsweek that Kirschner is "a notorious trafficker of wild conspiracy theories and dubious legal analysis" who "has been shunned by the legal community at large."
