Crash Course: “They’re closing in”: Experts say DOJ may “force” Trump aide to testify after he pleads the Fifth

Kash Patel publicly has a lot to say about the Mar-a-Lago documents but repeatedly refused to answer questions. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81Njg0VwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Donald-Trump] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images “They’re closing in”: Experts say DOJ may “force” Trump aide to testify after he pleads the Fifth Prosecutors are trying to force longtime Trump aide [Kash Patel](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjEvZG9qLWhlYWRpbmctdG93YXJkLWluZGljdG1lbnQtbGVnYWwtZXhwZXJ0cy1zYXktYWR2aXNlcnMtdGVzdGltb255LXNob3dzLXRydW1wLWlzLXRoZS10YXJnZXQvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) to answer questions before a grand jury after he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in his first appearance. Prosecutors have asked a federal judge in D.C. to force Patel to testify. Patel's lawyers have opposed the move over concerns that the DOJ wants to use Patel's statements to incriminate him. Prosecutors are likely to give Patel an "immunity deal that he can't in some ways refuse" that would allow him to avoid "criminal liability" in the matter, predicted Ryan Goodman, co-director of the Reiss Center on Law and Security at the New York University School of Law. "They say you have immunity so you don't risk criminal liability for yourself. 'Now tell us what you know." And if that's what they're trying to do, that's a pretty strong tactic at this stage," Goodman [told CNN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0QcaHR0cHM6Ly95b3V0dS5iZS9SODJqVjJ1NDJSa1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), adding that it "looks like they're closing in directly on Donald Trump." [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvdGhleXJlLWNsb3NpbmctaW4tZXhwZXJ0cy1zYXktZG9qLW1heS1mb3JjZS1haWRlLXRvLXRlc3RpZnktYWZ0ZXItaGUtcGxlYWRzLXRoZS1maWZ0aC9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Doug-Mastriano] Mark Makela/Getty Images Doug Mastriano's campaign struggling to hide what a ginormous right-wing nut he is Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, was a no-show. He had been scheduled to speak over the weekend at the ReAwaken America Tour at its stop in Manheim, a small town in Lancaster County west of Philadelphia. [Even Donald Trump took time to call into this](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL25hdGlvbi8yMDIyLzEwLzIzL3JpZ2h0LXdpbmctZWxlY3Rpb24tdHVybm91dC9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Christian nationalist shindig, whose participants didn't bother to hide their fascist longings. But even though Mastriano was scheduled to appear with other pro-insurrection figures, including Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn and MyPilllow CEO Mike Lindell, at the very last minute, Mastriano decided he was too busy to show up. [Mastriano is falling behind](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9qZWN0cy5maXZldGhpcnR5ZWlnaHQuY29tLzIwMjItZWxlY3Rpb24tZm9yZWNhc3QvZ292ZXJub3IvcGVubnN5bHZhbmlhL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania's Democratic attorney general, in the governor's race, largely due to the entirely correct perception that [Mastriano is a Christian nationalist nutjob](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTgvMjAyMi1wcmltYXJpZXMtcHJvdmUtdGhhdC1tYWdhLWlzLW5vdy1iaWdnZXItdGhhbi1kb25hbGQvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) who wants to overthrow democracy and will try to steal the 2024 election for Trump, if he gains the power to do so. Indeed, [Mastriano is performing even worse than the other](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RQaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9qZWN0cy5maXZldGhpcnR5ZWlnaHQuY29tLzIwMjItZWxlY3Rpb24tZm9yZWNhc3Qvc2VuYXRlL3Blbm5zeWx2YW5pYS9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) major Republican running for statewide office, U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, even though [Oz is a puppy-killer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvZHItb3otY29uZHVjdGVkLWV4cGVyaW1lbnRzLXRoYXQtb3Zlci0zMDAtZG9ncy1hbmQtaHVuZHJlZHMtb2Ytb3RoZXItYW5pbWFscy1yZXBvcnRfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) who seems to have barely spent any time in Pennsylvania before Trump suggested he run for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. In order to win in this consummate swing state, Mastriano has to trick moderate and even some conservative-but-not-bananas voters into believing he can't really be that nuts. And that's a lot harder to pull off if he's on stage with people who claim that Bible-based numerology offers clear predictions that Trump will replace Biden in 2023. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvZG91Zy1tYXN0cmlhbm9zLWNhbXBhaWduLXN0cnVnZ2xpbmctdG8taGlkZS13aGF0LWEtZ2lub3Jtb3VzLXJpZ2h0LXdpbmctbnV0LWhlLWlzL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - [Cannabis users are often denied liver transplants](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvY2FubmFiaXMtdXNlcnMtYXJlLW9mdGVuLWRlbmllZC1saXZlci10cmFuc3BsYW50cy1zY2llbnRpc3RzLWxvb2tlZC1pbnRvLXdoZXRoZXItdGhhdC1oYWQtYW55LW1lcml0L1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Scientists looked into whether that had any merit - “I have kidney stones. My hair is falling out”: [Wendy Osefo of "Housewives'"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvcmVhbC1ob3VzZXdpdmVzLXdlbmR5LW9zZWZvLXRlYXJzLW15LW1vdGhlci9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) on reality TV's stress - In [major break with Biden administration](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvaW4tbWFqb3ItYnJlYWstd2l0aC1iaWRlbi1hZG1pbmlzdHJhdGlvbi0zMC1wcm9ncmVzc2l2ZXMtY2FsbC1mb3ItY2Vhc2VmaXJlLWluLXVrcmFpbmUvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), 30 House progressives call for ceasefire in Ukraine - ["The Patient" creators](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvdGhlLXBhdGllbnQtZmluYWxlLWhvbG9jYXVzdC1qb2Utd2Vpc2Jlcmctam9lbC1maWVsZHMvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) on using Holocaust imagery when antisemitism is spiking: "It feels true" - US test scores fell during the pandemic — but experts say [don't blame school closings](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvdXMtdGVzdC1zY29yZXMtZmVsbC1kdXJpbmctdGhlLS1idXQtZXhwZXJ0cy1zYXktZG9udC1zY2hvb2wtY2xvc2luZ3MvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Impasta! How the [Barilla "pasta fraud"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvaW1wYXN0YS1ob3ctdGhlLWJhcmlsbGEtcGFzdGEtZnJhdWQtYWxsZWdhdGlvbnMtaWxsdXN0cmF0ZS1hbWVyaWNhcy1pbGxpdGVyYWN5L1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) allegations illustrate America's food illiteracy - [10 frozen pizzas](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvMTAtZnJvemVuLXBpenphcy10by1waWNrLXVwLWZyb20tdHJhZGVyLWpvZXMtcmlnaHQtbm93LWZyb20tdGFydGUtYXV4LWNoYW1waWdub25zLXRvLWNoZWVzZS1waXp6YS9XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to pick up from Trader Joe’s right now, from Tarte aux Champignons to cheese pizza Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Oz,-Masters,-Walker] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images Leftists, don't gaslight yourselves: It's time to unite against the fascist Republicans Six months ago, people on the left in France faced a crucial choice. None of their candidates had gotten enough votes to make it into the presidential runoff election. On the upcoming ballot were the neoliberal president Emmanuel Macron and the neofascist challenger Marine Le Pen, who had trailed the incumbent in the first round by less than five percentage points. What to do? Rather than sit out the decisive election and enable the far-right candidate to take power, millions of leftist voters held their nose and voted for Macron. Now, progressives in the United States face similar choices. In key House districts and states with [pivotal Senate races](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpY28uY29tL25ld3MvMjAyMi8xMC8yMi9zZW5hdGUtc3dpbmctc3RhdGUtcG9sbHMtMjAyMi0wMDA2Mjc1MlcDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) — including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — leftist voters could tip the balance of congressional power. At this point, in the balloting that ends on Nov. 8, the choice is binary: [neoliberalism](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW52ZXN0b3BlZGlhLmNvbS90ZXJtcy9uL25lb2xpYmVyYWxpc20uYXNwVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) or [neofascism](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9wdWxpc21zdHVkaWVzLm9yZy9Wb2NhYnVsYXJ5L25lby1mYXNjaXNtL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Read more from Norman Solomon.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvbm9ybWFuLXNheS1uby10by1mYXNjaXNtL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How Wisconsin Became the GOP’s Laboratory for Dismantling Democracy," [Mother Jones](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubW90aGVyam9uZXMuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjIvMTAvd2lzY29uc2luLTIwMjItbWlkdGVybXMtZ2VycnltYW5kZXJpbmctcmVkaXN0cmljdGluZy1ldmVycy1taWNoZWxzL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "How the U.K. Became One of the Poorest Countries in Western Europe," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMi8xMC91ay1lY29ub215LWRpc2FzdGVyLWRlZ3Jvd3RoLWJyZXhpdC82NzE4NDcvVwNzcGNCCmNPRhNZYwInyVNSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "CBS' Dr Phil has become a safe space for right-wing media personalities to spread hate and misinformation," [Media Matters](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWVkaWFtYXR0ZXJzLm9yZy9jYnMvY2JzLWRyLXBoaWwtaGFzLWJlY29tZS1zYWZlLXNwYWNlLXJpZ2h0LXdpbmctbWVkaWEtcGVyc29uYWxpdGllcy1zcHJlYWQtaGF0ZS1hbmQtbWlzaW5mb3JtYXRpb25XA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Our buildings are making us sick," [Vox](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS90aGUtaGlnaGxpZ2h0LzIzMzc3NjM4L2J1aWxkaW5ncy1pbmRvb3ItYWlyLXF1YWxpdHktcG9sbHV0aW9uLXRveGljLXNpY2tXA3NwY0IKY09GE1ljAifJU1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Their America Is Vanishing. Like Trump, They Insist They Were Cheated," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC8yMy91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9yZXB1YmxpY2FuLWVsZWN0aW9uLW9iamVjdG9ycy1kZW1vZ3JhcGhpY3MuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Craving brains and hangry: Zombie behavior demystified by scientists," [The Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3NjaWVuY2UvaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMi96b21iaWUtYmVoYXZpb3IvP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPXNvY2lhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249d3BfbWFpblcDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Clarence-Thomas] Susan Walsh-Pool/Getty Images "Absurd": Experts say Clarence Thomas "giving the finger to the court" by blocking Graham subpoena Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas temporarily blocked an order requiring Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to testify before an Atlanta-area special grand jury investigating efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Graham's refusal to testify and claim protection under the Speech and Debate Clause drew criticism from legal experts. Barb McQuade, a former U.S. attorney and University of Michigan law professor, called his argument "absurd." "There is no legal basis for Graham to refuse to even appear to testify. He can invoke objection under speech or debate clause to any particular question that intrudes on legislative activities, but this investigation is about election interference, not legislation," [McQuade wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CYXJiTWNRdWFkZS9zdGF0dXMvMTU4NDU5ODE2MzQxNTI2NTI4MFcDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe argued that Thomas violated a federal law that requires "any 'justice' to recuse when his or her 'impartiality might reasonably be questioned' or his or her 'spouse is known by the justice to have an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome."" Tribe [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS90cmliZWxhdy9zdGF0dXMvMTU4NDY2ODI2NTE3OTM4NTg1N1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that "Thomas is giving the finger to the Court on which he sits, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices with whom he serves, the Constitution he interprets and the Nation that pays his salary." [Read more from Areeba Shah.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlO5hGP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMjUvYWJzdXJkLWV4cGVydHMtc2F5LWNsYXJlbmNlLXRob21hcy1naXZpbmctdGhlLWZpbmdlci10by10aGUtY291cnQtYnktYmxvY2tpbmctZ3JhaGFtLXN1YnBvZW5hL1cDc3BjQgpjT0YTWWMCJ8lTUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. 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