LAST PUSH FOR JUSTICE WITH A CRITICAL COURT HEARING TAKING PLACE TODAY. >>> BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH DONALD TRUMP'S LONG LINE OF MAGICAL FINANCIAL SAVIORS. FROM HIS FATHER TO DEUTSCHE BANK TO OTHER FINANCIERS, TRUMP HAS ALWAYS HAD FINANCIAL RESCUERS SWOOP IN AND COME TO THE RESCUE WHEN HE'S MESSED UP, WHICH HAS HAPPENED A LOT. THE LATEST IS BILLIONAIRE DON HANKY, OWNER OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT JUST PUT UP THE $175 MILLION BOND IN TRUMP'S NEW YORK CIVIL FRAUD CASE. ACCORDING TO FORBES, HANKY'S COMPANY KNIGHT SPECIALTY INSURANCE IS THE ONE THAT INITIATED THE DEAL WITH TRUMP. HE TOLD FORBES THAT TRUMP'S COLLATERAL TO SECURE THE LOAN WAS A COMBINATION OF CASH AND INVESTMENT GRADE BONDS. YOU MAY WONDER WHY HANKY OR REALLY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO PUT UP SUCH A LARGE SUM OF MONEY FOR TRUMP. ESPECIALLY NOW. WELL, IT TURNS OUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY LOANDOLED OUT TO TRUMP RECENTLY. HE'S ALSO THE LARGEST INVESTOR IN AOS BANK WHICH REFINANCED TRUMP'S LOAN ON TRUMP TOWER AND HIS GOLF COURSE IN 20 TO THE TUNE OF $100 MILLION AND $125 MILLION RESPECTIVELY. PERHAPS HANKY DOESN'T WANT TO SEE TRUMP'S ASSETS GET SEIZED SO THAT HE CAN KEEP COLLECTING HIS MONEY, INCLUDING INTEREST. THIS COMES AFTER ANOTHER OF TRUMP'S FAILING BUSINESSES, TRUTH SOCIAL, SEEMS TO BE GOING BUST. SHARES OF THE STOCK PLUNGED MORE THAN 20% YESTERDAY, AS THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT LOST MORE THAN $58 MILLION LAST YEAR. IT COULDN'T HAVE HELPED THAT THERE WAS TALK THAT TRUMP WAS TRYING TO GET THE COMPANY'S BOARD TO LET HIM OUT OF HIS OBLIGATION TO HOLD ON TO THE STOCK AS PER THE NORMAL RULES SO HE COULD DUMP IT TO PAY FOR HIS CIVIL FRAUD JUDGMENT. SO THE STOCK HAS BEEN REVEALED TO BE A PUMP AND DUMP SCAM. SURPRISE. BUT IS THAT REALLY A SURPRISE? IT'S NOT LIKE TRUTH SOCIAL IS ALL THAT POPULAR. IT'S ESTIMATED TO ONLY HAVE ROUGHLY 5 MILLION ACTIVE USERS COMPARED TO THE BILLIONS WITH A "B" WHO USE TIKTOK OR FACEBOOK. I MEAN, OTHER THAN TRUMP, CAN YOU NAME ANY OTHER PROMINENT TRUTH SOCIAL USERS? RIGHT. I CAN'T EITHER. SO THAT'S WHY TRUMP WAS LEFT TO TURN TO DON HANKY TO BAIL HIM OUT. AND REMEMBER, PUTTING UP THESE BONDS LIKE HE ALSO DID IN THE E. JEAN CARROLL CASE, ARE ALL ATTEMPTS TO TIE THESE JUDGMENTS UP IN APPEALS SO HE CAN PROLONG HAVING TO PAY ANYONE. IT'S NOT LIKE HE HAS A FACTUAL CASE TO MAKE IN HIS APPEALS BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO HIM. THIS ALSO COMES AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF HIS IMMIGRANT HUSH MONEY TRIAL IN NEW YORK AND THE UTTER DESPERATION DRIPPING FROM TRUMP. SINCE NOTHING HE'S DONE SO FAR HAS HELPED HIM KEEP THE TRIAL FROM STARTING LATER THIS MONTH, THAT INCLUDES TRYING TO TERRORIZE THE JUDGE'S DAUGHTER THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WHICH HAS FINALLY LED JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN TO EXPAND THE GAG ORDER AGAINST TRUMP, MAKING FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDING HIS AND ALVIN BRAGG'S OFF LIMITS. IN LAST NIGHT'S ORDER, MERCHAN CLAIMS TRUMP'S PATTERN OF ATTACKING FAMILY MEMBERS SERVED NO LEGITIMATE PURPOSE OTHER THAN INJECTING FEAR IN THOSE CALLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRIAL. QUOTE, ALL CITIZENS CALLED UPON TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCEEDINGS WHETHER AS A JUROR, A WITNESS, OR IN SOME OTHER CAPACITY, MUST NOW CONCERN THEMSELVES NOT ONLY WITH THEIR OWN PERSONAL SAFETY BUT WITH THE SAFETY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL ATTACKS UPON THEIR LOVED ONES. THAT REALITY CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. IT IS NO LONGER JUST A MERE POSSIBILITY OR A REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE EXISTS A THREAT TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. THE THREAT IS VERY REAL. ADMONITIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH. NOR IS RELIANCE ON SELF RESTRAINT. SELF RESTRAINT IS SOMETHING TRUMP HAS NEVER HAD. AND THAT WAS CLEARLY SHOWN BY HIS RETURN THIS MORNING TO RAGING ABOUT THE JUDGE IN HIS -- THE JUDGES IN HIS VARIOUS CASES WITH A NOTED EXCEPTION OF THE FRIENDLY FLORIDA JUDGE IN HIS DOCUMENT RETENTION CASE. AND TESTING THE BOUNDARIES OF JUDGE MERCHAN'S GAG ORDER. AND PERHAPS SHOWING THEIR DESPERATION, TRUMP'S LAWYERS ARE SEEKING TO MOVE MERCHAN'S RECUSAL -- MOVE FOR MERCHAN'S RECUSAL FOR A SECOND TIME. IN A LETTER TO THE JUDGE YESTERDAY THAT WAS JUST RELEASED PUBLICLY THIS AFTERNOON, THEY'RE CITING THE SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM THE JUDGE'S DAUGHTER AS WELL AS THE NEWLY EXPANDED GAG ORDER AS CAUSE FOR THE JUDGE TO RETHINK HIS DECISION LAST YEAR NOT TO RECUSE HIMSELF. AT LEAST THEY STARTED THIS TIME WITH THEIR LETTER BY SAYING WE RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THIS REQUEST. SMALL THINGS. JOINING ME NOW IS GLENN KIRSCHNER, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, MSNBC LEGAL ANALYST AND HOST OF THE JUSTICE MATTERS PODCAST. TIM O'BRIEN, SENIOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF BLOOMBERG OPINION AND AN MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST. AND FORMER SENATOR AND MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST, CLAIRE McCASKILL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I'M GOING TO START AT THE TABLE WITH YOU, TIM. TRUMP'S FORMER LAWYER, TY COBB, HE TALKED ABOUT WHY THESE ATTACKS CONTINUE ON THESE JUDGES. HE SAYS THE FOLLOWING. IT'S CLEARLY STRATEGIC. AND THIS GUY SERVED HIS WHITE HOUSE LAWYER, TY COBB DID, HIS ATTACKS ARE DESIGNED AROUND DELEGITIMIZING THE PROCEEDINGS, ABOUT STALLING, TRYING TO MAKE THIS CASE NOT START THIS MONTH. >> THERE'S A TRACK RECORD THERE. REMEMBER, HE DID THIS THROUGHOUT THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION. HE BASICALLY ENGAGED IN WITNESS INTIMIDATION. I THINK THERE WAS OVERT OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE DURING THAT INVESTIGATION. HE DID THIS ROUTINELY IN NEW YORK AS A DEVELOPER. IF HE COULDN'T GET THE ZONING HE WANTED, HE WOULD GO AFTER MAYORS. IF HE COULDN'T GET A LOCAL BUSINESS TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY, HE WENT AFTER THE BUSINESS OWNERS. HE'S JUST DOING THIS ON A BIGGER STAGE NOW, OF COURSE. AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF IT ARE FORMORE DISTURBING BECAUSE HE'S A FORMER PRESIDENT WITH A CLOSELY WATCHED SOCIAL MEDIA FEED. AND WITH FOLLOWERS WHO ARE DEEPLY DEVOTED TO HIM. SO WHEN HE MAKES A THREAT TO ANYONE IN HIS PURVIEW, IT CARRIES THE REAL POSSIBILITY OF VIOLENCE WITH IT. WHETHER IT'S A COURT JUDGE OR AN ELECTION WORKER, OR ANYONE ELSE. AND SO THIS DEFENSE THAT HE'S MOUNTED, I THINK IN EVERY COURT CASE, CERTAINLY IN THE J 6 TRIAL, IN GEORGIA AND IN NEW YORK IS HE'S MERELY EXERCISING HIS FREE SPEECH RIGHTS. HE HAS A RIGHT TO SAY HE THINKS THE COURTS ARE COMING AFTER HIM. HE HAS A RIGHT TO SAY HE COULD ASSEMBLE ON THE MALL ON JANUARY 6th AND INCITE PEOPLE TO RIOT BECAUSE HE WAS EXERCISING FREE SPEECH. WHEN IN FACT ANY FREE SPEECH PROTECTION IN THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T ENCOMPASS CALLS TO VIOLENCE OR CALLS TO COMMIT CRIMES. SO I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SYSTEM ITSELF DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE LIKE HIM INTO ACCOUNT FULLY SO THEY'RE PREPARED FOR IT BEFORE HE STARTS DOING IT. YOU KNOW, ON THE ADMIRAL SIDE OF THE LEDGER, YOU HAVE JUDGE MERCHAN, WHO CLEARLY DRAFTED A GAG ORDER THAT DIDN'T ANTICIPATE TRUMP WOULD THEN TURN AROUND AND TARGET HIS OWN DAUGHTER. AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE EASILY MANIPULATED LIE HIS BUSINESS PARTERS WHO HE ABUSES IN PUBLIC. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE DAY IS THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE HOLDING HIM TO ACCOUNT LIKE AN AVERAGE CITIZEN INSTEAD OF A SPECIAL CASE. >> WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT? WHO GOING TO CHECK ME, BOO, THEY MIGHT SAY IN THE STREETS. THE REALITY IS HE KNOWS HE'S NOT GOING TO JAIL. JONATHAN ALTER SAID MAY THEY SHOULD MAKE HIM CLEAN THE SIDEWALKS. HE KNOWS HE'S NOT GOING TO BE INCARCERATED FOR IT. SO HE'S USING WHAT AMOUNTS TO MOB TACTICS TO MAKE THE CASE STOP. MAKE IT STOP ANY WAY HE CAN. >> I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON THE RULE OF LAW. AND I HEAR WHEN YOU SAY HE KNOWS HE'S NOT GOING TO JAIL, BUT LOOK. JUDGE MERCHAN IS ALL ABOUT BUSINESS. I LIKE TO THINK PERHAPS DONALD TRUMP HAS MET HIS MATCH IN JUDGE MERCHAN. I THINK HE ALSO MET HIS MATCH IN JUDGE TANYA CHUTKAN IN WASHINGTON. UNFORTUNATELY, TANYA CHUTKAN IS NO MATCH FOR THE SUPREME COURT WHICH BROUGHT HIS D.C. FEDERAL PROSECUTION TO A SCREECHING HALT FOR NO GOOD REASON. BECAUSE THERE'S NO CONSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE NOTION THAT THE PRESIDENT IS ABSOLUTELY IMMUNE FROM BEING PROSECUTED FOR CRIMES HE COMMITS AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHILE IN OFFICE. BUT JUDGE MERCHAN IS ALL ABOUT BUSINESS. HE HAS PUT THIS GAG ORDER IN PLACE. HE'S EXPANDED IT. WILL DONALD TRUMP VIOLATE IT? OF COURSE HE WILL, AND THE NEW YORK LAW PROVIDES THAT TWO THINGS CAN HAPPEN IF HE IS FOUND TO BE IN CRIMINAL CONTEMPT. ONE, HE CAN BE FINED $1,000. BIG WHOOP FOR DONALD TRUMP. BUT HE CAN ALSO BE JAILED FOR UP TO 30 DAYS. I AM NOT PREPARED TO GIVE UP THE GHOST ON DONALD TRUMP NEVER SEEING THE INSIDE OF A JAIL CELL BECAUSE THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME PUNISHMENT IF HE VIOLATES THIS GAG ORDER. >> AND CLAIRE, THE GOOD NEWS I THINK IN ALL OF THIS MESS IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE IS A BREAK IN THE FEAR CYCLE. YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A HANDFUL, NOT A LOT, BUT A HANDFUL OF REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS WHO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, NO. I WOULD RATHER LEAVE OFFICE THAN HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS GUY. I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT HIM. YOU SAW MARK ESPER, HIS FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY, SAY I WON'T VOTE FOR HIM. YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE CRACKS IN THE FEAR. I THINK THE LEADERS OF THAT HAVE BEEN THE MEMBERS OF OUR JUDICIAL BRANCH. YOU HAVE SEEN PROSECUTORS, LIKE LETITIA JAMES, LIKE FANI WILLIS WHO SAY YOU CAN TRY TO HUMILIATE ME, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. I'M NOT GIVING UP. JUDGE MERCHAN WHO SAID YOU'RE ATTACKING MY DAUGHTER. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I'M GOING TO STAND UP TO THOSE WHO SAY IT WOULD BE A BAD LOOK TO EXPAND THIS ORDER, TALKING ABOUT MY FAMILY. YOU'RE STARTING TO
