There's a good reason the 'Trump made me do it' defense isn't working

An Ohio man told jurors that he shouldn't be punished for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. His reason? Donald Trump made him do it. [View in browser]( [Image]( April 23, 2022 THE LATEST [Alternate text] [There's a good reason the 'Trump made me do it' defense isn't working]( by Barbara McQuade An Ohio man told jurors that he shouldn't be punished for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. His reason? [Donald Trump made him do it.]( But the jury's rejection of Dustin Thompson’s argument does not in any way exonerate Trump, writes Barbara McQuade. If anything, it does the opposite. "Even if Trump is not legally responsible for the acts of the rioters, his complicity still matters. The Jan. 6 attack illustrated in stark terms the power of a dynamic figure to inspire others to engage in violent extremism," writes McQuade. "The Thompson case shows us why charging Trump would be dangerous. It also shows us why not charging him would be unthinkable." Read Barbara McQuade's [full analysis]( in your Saturday [MSNBC Daily](. TOP STORIES [Alternate text] [A photo of Barack Obama]( [Zeeshan Aleem]( [Obama re-emerges with a new speech that's harsh — and surprisingly optimistic]( The former president went to Silicon Valley and took aim at some of its biggest players. [Read More]( [A photo of Sen. Mallory McMorrow]( [Katelyn Burns]( //link.msnbc.com/click/27470089.95339/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi9oaWxsc29uZy1jaHVyY2gtcy1zY2FuZGFscy1pbXBlcmlsLWZ1dHVyZS1tZWdhY2h1cmNoLW4xMjk0NjQwP2NpZD1lbWxfbWRhXzIwMjIwNDIzJnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914B9ef4593e [This state senator proved just how gross the GOP's homophobic attacks really are]( Let Sen. Mallory McMorrow's defense of trans kids inspire all Democrats to fight. [Read More]( [Graphic of Abercrombie and Fitch models]( [Emma Gray]( [Abercrombie and Fitch wanted to define cool. Here's what it will be known for instead.]( There is an insidious lie hiding behind Abercrombie and Fitch's chiseled white models. [Read More]( [A photo of Mark Meadows]( [Steve Benen]( [How many states was Mark Meadows simultaneously registered to vote in?]( While touting election lies, he appears to have committed fraud. [Read More]( TOP VIDEOS [Alternate text] [A photo of Marjorie Taylor Greene]( [All In]( [Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn't 'recall' if she urged Trump to impose martial law]( [A photo of DeSantis]( [Hallie Jackson]( [DeSantis signs bill dissolving Disney's special self-governing status]( [A photo of Julian Assange]( [Ayman]( [Julian Assange extradition decision heads to U.K. government]( [A photo of Pussy Riot]( [The Beat With Ari]( [Can Putin be ousted from Russia? Pussy Riot musician and dissident speaks out]( MORE FROM MSNBC [Alternate text]   This is one for the history books: you can now stream "Fireside History with Michael Beschloss" and other shows on Peacock. Head to "Browse" to find the MSNBC hub, or click [here](.   The Crown Heights Riot took place thirty years ago following a car accident that killed a Black child in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Over the course of four days, rioters, pointed to rumors of discrimination by a Jewish ambulance service and the escape of the driver responsible for the child's death. Subsequently, one Orthodox Jew was killed and dozens of others were beat. The rest is told in a new podcast titled "Love Thy Neighbor: Four Days in Crown Heights That Changed New York." Creator, writer and narrator Collier Meyerson joins Chris to discuss exploring her own Black and Jewish identities, how the stories told in her podcast can help us understand modern dilemmas and more. The episodes tell the story of immigration, New York City's first Black mayor, the rise of Rudy Giuliani and the Lubavitch Jews and Caribbean-Americans at the center of it all. [Listen now](.     [Image] [Image]   [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_daily)