Tonights lead on politics nation, democracy on trial. Tonight im in washington, d. C. , ahead of the annual white house Correspondents Dinner where there will be no doubt plenty of cocktail hour conversation about the whirlwind week of Legal Proceedings for former President Trump. The first witness in trumps Manhattan Hush Money Trial took the stand this week, and the former publisher of the National Enquirer detailed how farrakhan candidate trump went to like his alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels. Meanwhile, here in washington on thursday heard trumps argument that the presidency itself is Above The Law as his lawyers claim he has total immunity for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Some of the courts most conservative justices, many of which were nominated by trump himself, seemed open, if not sympathetic, to the idea. All of that on politics nation, plus well hear from the president of emilys list as the biden takes on another State Abortion Ban and voters prepare for the november election with reproductive rights on their minds, if not on their ballots. Joining me now is congressman benny thompson, democrat of mississippi. Congressman thompson, thank you for joining us this evening. We had a massive week, congressman, of trump legal news, and you had his hush money trial to begin in ernest. You heard the Supreme Court argue his immunity claims over january 6th. But i want to get to todays news out of arizona where the State Attorney General has named five more defendants in a fake elector scheme to overturn the 2020 Election Results on trumps behalf. 11 others were indicted in that scheme earlier this week. What do you hope to see come out of these arizona indictments . Well, first of all, thank you for having me. As you know, i chaired the january 6th select committee. We went to arizona as part of the work of the committee. We found a lot of the evidence thats being shared now and, obviously, was presented and presented and made indictments. But i think what it shows is that the election orchestrated by donald trump was clearly an intentional effort to subvert the will of the people. Look at michigan. Look at georgia. Look at arizona. I think the fact that we lected a democratic attorney general in arizona who came, looked at the evidence, presented it to a grand jury, and we gotten indictment. You cant be a sore loser and try to be a criminal at the same time. So what we have in arizona is some people who were manipulated by donald trump and his acolytes, and now they have to stand before a jury of their peers and tell what happened. But look, the thing i can say to you, i looked at it you know, our Founding Fathers at this point have to absolutely be turning over in their grave. If you see what donald trump is doing to this great country of ours, its not about him. Hes not Above The Law. In every instance hes trying to rewrite what the Founding Fathers and what we stand for as a country, and so arizona is just one of those indications that no one is Above The Law. Now, right on that point, some members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority appear to be taking Donald Trumps claim of total president ial immunity seriously. And at thursdays Hearing On Whether Trump is liable for his conduct on january 6th, they posed several hypotheticals suggesting that some degree of president ial immunity was in our nations best interest. Now, as you stated, you chaired the house probe of trumps conduct on january 6th, watching the courts conservative wing actually consider the merits of trumps immunity argument, what are your thoughts . Well, you know, i looked at the testimony that was being offered at the court. Im very troubled. You know, we select our leaders by popular vote in this country. Thats how we are strong as a country. Thats why we lead the world. To decide at some point that when you pick a president hes omnipotent that no one can challenge his authority, thats not who we are as a democracy. What happened on january 6th was a threat to our democracy, and we have to preserve it. Im disappointed at those conservative members of the Supreme Court who somehow give the illusion that a president is Above The Law. Thats not true. Again, i think our Founding Fathers would be very upset, but im im holding firm that in this great democracy of ours everyone, even the president , has to conform to the law. Its its difficult for me to see where were going, rev. Ive seen the courts, donald trump now is saying he cant campaign, and hes a guy whos been appealing his court cases all along. He could have been in court long time ago, but he kept appealing, appealing, and so when the appeals run out, you have to, you know, have your day in court. Hes having his day in court, and he created the process that got him to it at this point. So again, hes playing the victim, but im convinced with what i heard from mr. Peck er and other this is week, its clear that he was part and parcel to the scheme. So i hope those individuals in that jury box wont be intimidated by donald trump. Make their decision on what the facts are, not the fact that hes running for president again, thats not the standard. Now, before i let you go, i want your take on a Voting Rights issue out of your state of mississippi. Lawmakers considered nearly three dozen individual suffrage bills this week that would restore Voting Rights to former prisoners. Their cases are being debated one by one. Because the Senate Earlier this year refused to consider a bill that would have restored Voting Rights to all people convicted of nonviolent felonies that had completed the terms of their sentencing. What would the restoration of Voting Rights for former felons mean specifically for your state of mississippi . Well, we got it out of the house, rev, it was the senate that stopped it. But it would have added about 20 of the population to our voting rolls, a majority of that percentage would have been african americans. As you know, those laws are put in place especially in the south to disenfranchise black people. Only way you can get back on the rolls if you are a convicted individual in mississippi now, a legislator has to put forth your request before the legislature. Its amazing, the bible belt, everyone is supposed to be of some faith would now say, well, if you commit a crime, well never forgive you ever again in life. And so going to church asking for forgiveness is just a con thats being put out here on society. If we can do wrong and then go to church and be forgiven, then people who commit crimes, who pay their dues and debt to society, they should be made whole again. So mississippi, we almost there. We didnt make it. Well keep trying, but its one of those Jim Crow Laws that is out here in the south that keep a significant number of black people from being voters. Well, as a preacher, i can say amen to your references to people going to church asking for forgiveness, but youre saying 20 more would be added to the rolls if this passes, 20 more, most of them black. That is mind boggling. Absolutely. That is something to note. Thank you for being with us, mr. Chairman, congressman bene thompson. Joining me now for more on the trump cases is political analyst kimberly at kins stall. Thank you for joining us tonight. Very busy week of Legal Proceedings for donald trump. So lets start with his Manhattan Hush Money Trial, which was dominated by the testimony of david pecke r former publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, who Working With Trump and his former fixer Michael Cohen would buy the right to stories that were unfavorable to trumps 2016 president ial ambitions and then bury them. What would you say was the impact of testimony saying this on the stand under oath. Yeah, i think that davids testimony was crucial, and its clear whew the prosecutors began with him to lay out this story of this unlawful, this alleged unlawful behavior. You have to keep in mind that the charges donald trump faces in new york are a little complicated because its a crime layered upon a crime. One is falsifying business records, but that becomes a felony when its done for some other criminal purpose in this case fraudulently keeping information from voters to suppress it in an election. And david was a great witness to really put those two things together. He was able to distinguish this catch and kill thing that the National Enquirer has done before donald trump for other people as well but in 2016 how it was clearly done because donald trump was a candidate for office and he didnt want negative stories out for him and continuing to want to kill negative stories about him while he was in the presidency. He talked about and pecker directly testified to that, saying that this was about the election. Right. He was asked, well, did donald trump perhaps want to keep this quiet because he didnt want his family to know . Keep in mind, he had a very young child with melania at the time that his relationship with these women were alleged to have happened. And he said, no, it was about the campaign. And that was buffered by the fact that he was talking to people within Donald TrumpsCampaign Sphere and then later within the white house even about this ongoing catch and kill scheme. So i think that plus the evidence that is being presented by prosecutors, its really tough for Donald TrumpsDefense Attorneys to pull coals in it. They tried with his the fact that david pecker himself entered into a non pros. Cushion agreement, but that doesnt mean that hes lying on the stand. It seems to be very credible. Now, pecker also detailed making a payout to former playmate Karen Mcdougal to silence her account of an alleged affair with trump. Yesterday trumps longtime assistant said that information for both mcdougal and Stormy Daniels were in trumps contact list, and pecker testified that he spoke with former white house staffer, hope hicks and sarah sanders, about an extension of mcdougals Hush Money Contract on a call with the white house. What do you think the jury took from all of that . Well, i think that the jury can very easily take the fact that this was an organized scheme. This wasnt just the National Enquirer, for example, acting on its own, buying stories that they just didnt want published in competitive in competitors news publications, they were doing this for the purpose, for donald trump, to give him a benefit, a president ial benefit, a Campaign Benefit that. Is what directly runs afoul of New York State and federal law. And that is what the prosecution has to prove in this case. So again, they were both very critical witnesses. I think that youll see other witnesses like hope hicks, like Michael Cohen just put on additional layers in filling out this picture of exactly how the scheme played out. Now, pivoting right here to washington, as you heard me discuss with congressman thompson, the Supreme Courts conservative justices, many of whom were nominated by trump, appeared to at least considered his claim of total president ial immunity this week, some suggesting that such immunity was necessary for our democracy to function. The courts ruling is expected some time between now and july. What happens after that . Well, it depends on what the court rules. Rev, i was actually really surprised after this argument and during the argument. I thought that the Supreme Court would, perhaps, take its sweet time in issuing any ruling which would push off the possibility of a trial beyond the election, but i was really struck by the comments by some of the conservative justices who, as you said, really entertained this notion that a president would have immunity. Not only that he would have it but that it would be necessary to prevent unmeritorious prosecutions when we have seen just in how these cases are playing out before donald trump, how difficult, how time consuming it is to bring a criminal case against someone. You need a grand jury. You need prosecutors. You need evidence. You need to go through motions to dismiss. Its not a Political Tool that can be wielded on the willynilly. But still, that had some purchase with some of the justices. I think it will come down to the chief justice, john roberts, to determine whether there will be some immunity, maybe a limited immunity, maybe something more broadly, or maybe not a finding that there is immunity but question es for the lower court to have to go back and answer in an evidentiary hearing. In any case, i think it will be hard for this trial to get going before the election. And i must say that we are in a place i never could have imagined. I mean, never could have imagined a former president in four criminal trials and aside from that civil trials, but we are actually talking about in the Supreme Court entertaining whether to give total immunity to a president of the United States no matter what the crime. Were in a place i never thought wed be. Kimberly atkins stohr, thank you for being with us. After the break well talk about the white house Correspondents Dinner and the future of the American Free press. And later were keeping an eye on campus protests across the country. Our Political Panel weighs in on how lawmakers and administrators are responding to the demonstrations. Strators are responding to th demonstrations when i think about purpose, i dont know if st. Jude donors realize the magnitude of what they are doing. Their donations are funding the research. The research is allowing for the treatments to happen. And those treatments provide cures. And the cures are allowing patients to get to grow up and live amazing lives all around the world. Everybody wants super straight, super white teeth. They want that Hollywood White smile. New sensodyne clinical white provides 2 shades whiter teeth and 24 7 sensitivity protection. I think its a great product. Its going to help a lot of patients. Weeds. They have you surrounded. Take your lawn back with Scotts Turf BuilderTriple Action it gets three jobs done at once kills weeds. Prevents crabgrass. And keeps it growing strong. Download the my lawn app today for Lawn Care Tips and customized plans. Feed your lawn. Feed it. Business. For Lawn Care Tips its not a ninetofive proposition. Its all day and into the night. Its all the things that keep this world turning. The gotos that keep us going. The places we cheer. And check in. They all choose the advanced Network Solutions and round the Clock Partnership from Comcast Business. See why Comcast Business powers more Small Businesses than anyone else. Get started for 49. 99 a month plus ask how to get up to an 800 prepaid card. Dont wait call today. Welcome back to politics nation. In just a few hours, ill be attending the white house Correspondents Dinner here in washington. Ive had the pleasure of participating for many years. At its best, the dinner is a chance for the countrys top generalists and lawmakers and influencers to set aside their differences for a few hours to enjoy a good meal and a few bad jokes. But our increasingly polarized politics has cast a shadow over the event and its future. Joining me now to talk about it is another veteran of the Correspondents Dinners, The One And Only april ryan, White House Correspondent for the grio and an msnbc political contributor. April, thank you for joining us tonight. Thank you for having me, reverend al. Thank you again. Now, april, this is the third Correspondents Dinner of the Biden Administration. The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and of course, bidens predecessor donald trump did not attend any of the dinners during his term. How has this washington pastime changed over to years . Well, reverend al, over the years its changes because of the focus on the presidency. There was a great focus with then president barack obama. You had celebrities and so many different people just wanting to be at that intersection of politics and entertainment, because at that time po