(PatriotWise.com) — In a recent interview, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig suggested that the GOP is no longer a “healthy” and “strong” party and declared Donald Trump more dangerous now than he was after his 2020 election loss, CNN reported.
While appearing on “CNN This Morning” last Wednesday, the outspoken Trump critic told co-host Poppy Harlow that American democracy is unable to function if it does not have two “equally healthy” and “strong” political parties.
He said that as it stands today, “there is no Republican Party” that can “counter” the Democrat Party, which puts American democracy “in grave peril.”
Luttig, who was instrumental in former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision not to go along with Trump’s scheme to reject electors on January 6, 2021, said the problem with the Republican Party is that it is no longer a collection of individuals who share a set of beliefs, principles, and policy views.
Luttig also addressed Trump’s possible First Amendment defense in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal indictment related to the former president’s attempts to stop the certification of the 2020 election to remain in office.
According to Luttig, the four charges brought against Trump ensure that a First Amendment defense would not apply.
When asked if Trump could argue that he sincerely believed he won the 2020 election, Luttig said there is “overwhelming” evidence that Trump “knew full well that he had lost the election.” He explained that the standard in court will be if a “reasonable person” would believe otherwise “in the face of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.”
Luttig, who called the former president “a clear and present danger to American democracy” when he testified before the January 6 Select Committee last year, told Poppy Harlow that he views Trump as even more of a danger now since he continues to push his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
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