Crash Course: How grand juries work — and why Jan. 6 prosecutors are relying on them

A favored tool for prosecutors, grand juries largely conduct their business in secret. That's both good and bad [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci8zODk0VwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) How grand juries work — and why Jan. 6 prosecutors are relying on them Grand juries play a major role in the U.S. criminal justice system. And they're very much in the news these days. [A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly9hYmNuZXdzLmdvLmNvbS9VUy9nZW9yZ2lhLWdvdmVybm9yLXRlc3RpbW9ueS1mdWx0b24tY291bnR5LWVsZWN0aW9uLXByb2JlLXJlcG9ydC9zdG9yeT9pZD04NzQyNTg2OFcDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), is looking into former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in that state. Among the latest witnesses to give testimony to the grand jury was Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Justice Department is in the middle of an [investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL25hdGlvbmFsLXNlY3VyaXR5LzIwMjIvMDcvMjYvdHJ1bXAtanVzdGljZS1pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aW9uLWphbnVhcnktNi9XA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), and it is questioning witnesses before a grand jury as well. Most recently, [two top aides to former Vice President Mike Pence were questioned](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud3NqLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9qdXN0aWNlLWRlcGFydG1lbnQtcXVlc3Rpb25zLXRvcC1wZW5jZS1haWRlcy1vdmVyLXRydW1wLWJpZC10by1vdmVydHVybi1lbGVjdGlvbi0xMTY1ODc4MzYyOFcDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in that probe. [Read the rest from Peter A. Joy.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvaG93LWdyYW5kLWp1cmllcy13b3JrLS1hbmQtd2h5LWphbi02LXByb3NlY3V0b3JzLWFyZS1yZWx5aW5nLW9uLXRoZW1fcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Universal Pictures) From "Gladiator" to "Nope": How Jordan Peele maps our decline into spectacular denial Like Peele's other movies "Get Out" and "Us," "Nope" is a movie best enjoyed by knowing as few plot details as possible. Describing it as Peele's contribution to flying saucer movies doesn't spoil anything. Neither does describing it as a film about choosing how seriously we should take what we see. [Read the rest from Melanie McFarland](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0REaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvbm9wZS1qb3JkYW4tcGVlbGUtZGVuaWFsLXNwZWN0YWNsZS9XA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). - Do you *really* need to sort your [laundry](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvZG8teW91LXJlYWxseS1uZWVkLXRvLXNvcnQteW91ci1sYXVuZHJ5X3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)? - [Michael Pollan](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvbWljaGFlbC1wb2xsYW4taW50ZXJ2aWV3L1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) explains why any drug can be a "powerful healing medicine" - What to do after [extreme heat](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvd2hhdC10by1kby1hZnRlci1leHRyZW1lLWhlYXQtd3JlY2tzLXlvdXItZ2FyZGVuLV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) wrecks your garden - Rethinking [celebrity and aging](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvcmV0aGlua2luZy1jZWxlYnJpdHktYW5kLWFnaW5nLXdpdGgtdGhlLWxhc3QtbW92aWUtc3RhcnMtYW5kLWpvbmktbWl0Y2hlbGwtYXQtbmV3cG9ydC1mb2xrLWZlc3QvVwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) with "The Last Movie Stars" and Joni Mitchell at Newport Folk Fest - [Girls are reaching puberty earlier](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvZ2lybHMtYXJlLXJlYWNoaW5nLXB1YmVydHktZWFybGllci1hbmQtZWFybGllci1uby1vbmUtaXMtc3VyZS13aHkvVwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and earlier. No one is sure why - [Manchin](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvbWFuY2hpbi10ZWxscy1tZWV0LXRoZS1wcmVzcy1pbS1ub3QtZ29pbmctdG8tYmUtcmVzcG9uc2libGUtZm9yLWluZmxhbWluZy1pbmZsYXRpb24tcmF0ZXMvVwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) tells "Meet The Press": "I'm not going to be responsible for inflaming inflation rates" - ["Flowers in the Attic"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvZmxvd2Vycy1pbi10aGUtYXR0aWMtdGhlLW9yaWdpbi1lbmRpbmctcGF1bC1zY2lhcnJvdHRhL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) writer on "The Origin" ending, whose story needs telling and that swan bed - 6 ideas that changed how I [decorate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvNi1pZGVhcy10aGF0LWNoYW5nZWQtaG93LWktZGVjb3JhdGUtbXktaG9tZV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) my home - Jan.6 witness included on "[death list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvamFuNi13aXRuZXNzLWluY2x1ZGVkLW9uLWxpc3Qta2VwdC1ieS1vYXRoLWtlZXBlcl9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)" kept by Oath Keeper - [Matt Gaetz](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvbWF0dC1nYWV0ei1jYXVnaHQtb24tdGFwZS1wcm9taXNpbmctcGFyZG9ucy10by1yb2dlci1zdG9uZV9wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) caught on tape promising pardons to Roger Stone Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images) America's heart of darkness: Making sense of the nonsensical allure of MAGA The Republican-MAGA movement's reactionary agenda is clear enough. But the deeper motivations of many Trump supporters, at least beneath their absurd and offensive stated beliefs, is much less so. What we might call the Great Demolition plot includes establishing a corporate oligarchy, a neo-feudalist regime based on long-term minoritarian rule and a malevolent pseudo-Christian theocracy undergirded by state thuggery and social authoritarianism, all of it infused with an incoherent ideological blend of anarchic libertarianism (on guns and most forms of regulation) and fascistic nightmare (white supremacy, antisemitism and numerous grades of conspiracy theory). [Read the rest from Michel Gueldry.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvYW1lcmljYXMtaGVhcnQtb2YtZGFya25lc3MtbWFraW5nLXNlbnNlLW9mLXRoZS1ub25zZW5zaWNhbC1hbGx1cmUtb2YtbWFnYS9XA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "How are animals adapting to climate change?" [The New Statesman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0SdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c3RhdGVzbWFuLmNvbS9lbnZpcm9ubWVudC8yMDIyLzA3L2FuaW1hbC1hZGFwdGF0aW9ucy1jbGltYXRlLWNoYW5nZS1zcGVjaWVzLWNoYW5naW5nP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09U29jaWFsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9VHdpdHRlciNFY2hvYm94PTE2NTkxNzExMzgtMVcDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Code Snitching: Nashvillians Are Weaponizing Metro Codes Against ‘Undesirable’ Neighbors," [Nashville Scene](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0S2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmFzaHZpbGxlc2NlbmUuY29tL25ld3MvY292ZXJzdG9yeS9jb2RlLXNuaXRjaGluZy1uYXNodmlsbGlhbnMtYXJlLXdlYXBvbml6aW5nLW1ldHJvLWNvZGVzLWFnYWluc3QtdW5kZXNpcmFibGUtbmVpZ2hib3JzL2FydGljbGVfNWU5NGJkNTYtMGM2Ny0xMWVkLWFmNGUtZTNkMDRhZDdlNTAwLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "New Orleans Fire Department reports 'secured' abandon naval base caught on fire once again," [WDSU](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0S7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2RzdS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS9uZXctb3JsZWFucy1maXJlLWRlcGFydG1lbnQtc2VjdXJlZC1hYmFuZG9uLW5hdmFsLWJhc2UtY2F1Z2h0LW9uLWZpcmUtb25jZS1hZ2Fpbi80MDc2MzI0OT9mYmNsaWQ9SXdBUjNqQmY0MWx2NWg5dC12X3l3MExjV2VOMi0yQ0VzODhWaDFPWlVjQjhPZXdoQ01pNzRlRzRWRXFFOFcDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Unsealed Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard Court Documents Reveal Shocking New Claims," [Daily Beast](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20vdW5zZWFsZWQtZG9jcy1mcm9tLWpvaG5ueS1kZXBwLXYtYW1iZXItaGVhcmQtZGVmYW1hdGlvbi10cmlhbC1jb250YWluLXNob2NraW5nLW5ldy1jbGFpbXNXA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Janos Kummer/Getty Images) Tucker Carlson poll to rename monkeypox lands on “schlong covid” as winner On Thursday, Fox News host [Tucker Carlson](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMTIvdHVja2VyLWNhcmxzb24tdGVsbHMtZm94LW5ld3MtYXVkaWVuY2UtdGhhdC1hbWVyaWNhbi1lZHVjYXRpb24td3JlY2tlZC1ieS1kZXNlZ3JlZ2F0ZWQtYnVzc2luZy9XA3NwY0IKYuBCsudiFT0Qd1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) ran a Twitter poll asking people to vote on suggestions for new names for monkeypox, and the results of that poll are in with "schlong covid" as the winner. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDcvMzEvdHVja2VyLWNhcmxzb24tcG9sbC10by1yZW5hbWUtbW9ua2V5cG94LWxhbmRzLW9uLXNjaGxvbmctY292aWQtYXMtd2lubmVyL1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmLgQrLnYhU9EHdSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkyjdBP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpi4EKy52IVPRB3Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)