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It's crucial to address racial diversity. The Rhode Island federal court, with its all-white judicial officers and mostly white staff, exemplifies a lack of diversity. This is partly due to low turnover, making change difficult. However, our probation department, previously all-white, has transformed. We intentionally hired people of color to better reflect the community it serves. Imagine being a young African American defendant, entering a majestic courtroom, led by a white U.S. Marshal, surrounded by white faces. You might wonder, "Do they understand me? Can they relate to my life?" When your life is in their hands, representation matters.

It is essential for a prosecutor to begin with a crime rather than targeting an individual. The issue over the past four years has been the perceived targeting of Donald Trump, which began in 2016 with multiple investigations. If appointed attorney general, I will ensure the office remains non-political and will not pursue individuals based on their political affiliations. Justice will be administered fairly across the country. We need to unite and move forward to preserve our nation. Concerns about the potential politicization of the justice department during my tenure are valid, and I assure you that I will maintain independence and uphold the Constitution, even if it means disagreeing with the president.

The court supports the freedoms and equality of the American people, but it won't be our savior. True change requires people actively amending the constitution. However, constitutional protections can quickly erode, as seen with Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which is being disregarded. It will be up to us on January 6, 2025, to inform the Trump supporters that he is disqualified. This situation creates a need for protection and raises tensions, all because some justices refuse to interpret the 14th Amendment properly. Cherilyn's new center aims to revive this important discussion while we continue to push for constitutional amendments.

This is a disgraceful situation in a courtroom, with biased prosecutors and a judge with conflicts of interest. Every American must reject the politicization of justice and demand a fair legal system. We must unite against injustice, regardless of political beliefs, and ensure that everyone, including the President, receives equal treatment under the law. The American people hold the power to make a difference in November by standing up against this corruption.

My primary duty is to uphold the constitution and the rule of law. Without any other influences, we concluded that Mr. Trump committed insurrection under section 3 of the 14th amendment.

The speakers aim to provide tools to understand complex legal matters, drawing on their experience as prosecutors. They intend to guide people through judgment and strategy calls. A key takeaway from the Trump administration is the realization that constitutional rights and Department of Justice norms are not guaranteed. Fundamental aspects of America are not immutable. The speakers believe that every generation must fight for these values. Regardless of what happens with Donald Trump, the struggle to ensure that the values we care about remain core American values will persist.

Over the past four years, our nation's core values and institutions have faced a new kind of test, reminiscent of challenges during the Civil War era. It felt like a balloon being inflated to its breaking point. The courts play a crucial role in upholding the rule of law, acting as a safeguard against arbitrary actions and defending our constitutional values. In the legal system, especially during sentencing, it's vital to recognize the individual before you. Whether they are a woman, Black, transgender, poor, rich, or anything else, they bring life experiences that you may not have shared. To apply the law justly, you must understand their perspective and apply the law accordingly.

No person is above the law, regardless of their position or title. This principle is fundamental to American justice. Everyone, including former presidents, must be held accountable under the same laws. There cannot be two justice systems; we must ensure that the law applies equally to all. The rule of law means that no one is exempt, and it is essential for maintaining a fair society. The idea that anyone could be above the law undermines the very foundation of our legal system. We must uphold this principle to ensure justice for everyone.

I believe in the right to hire a lawyer who can speak up against injustice. However, today I was told to be silent, yelled at, and faced an unhinged judge slamming a table. I want to make it clear that I won't tolerate such behavior in my life, and neither should you.

I've never personally experienced racism, but it significantly impacts the criminal justice system, influencing stops, arrests, prosecutions, and sentencing. This makes it easy to ignore, especially without diversity among colleagues. Race is a daily presence in courtrooms, notably in criminal cases but also in civil cases. Diversity is crucial everywhere, but it's especially vital in the judiciary. President Obama prioritized racial diversity on the bench, unlike President Trump. I hope President Biden will prioritize racial diversity as well. Without diversity of thought, the courts can't function correctly. Our role is to protect the minority while upholding the Constitution, and without diversity we risk perpetuating the rule of middle-class white men.

I know that many people feel detached, hopeless, and unheard, and that our institutions are partisan and dysfunctional. It may seem like our democracy is dying, but each of you chose to become a lawyer because you believed you could make a difference. Hold onto that belief. If you ever doubt our democracy, visit a naturalization ceremony and witness new citizens, who have overcome so much, proudly becoming Americans and believing in our country. You can defend democracy by offering your legal knowledge to those in need, volunteering at clinics, representing pro se plaintiffs, or mentoring students. By sharing yourself, you restore faith in democracy and can alter someone's life, maybe even your own. So march forward, believe in yourselves and in America, and defend our democracy.

We're at a troubling moment where facts are dismissed, a risky business for our democracy. Historian Heather Cox Richardson explains in her book, Democracy Awakening, that burying facts with false history is a key to authoritarianism. Big lies are springboards for authoritarians. America is at a crossroads, teetering on authoritarianism, but it is in our hands to change this. The book focuses on historical facts to set the record straight about conspiratorial retellings of our history. My judicial colleagues and I regularly see the impact of big lies when sentencing individuals convicted for their offense conduct on January 6th. We are all about the facts and enforcing the rules to ensure authentic and reliable facts are brought forward.

The Supreme Court is overstepping its authority, granting the president unchecked power and restricting Congress's ability to oversee agencies. This undermines our democracy. However, the courts remain a crucial bulwark of our constitutional framework. They retain the power to hold anyone in contempt for disobeying lawful court orders. Therefore, the courts are our current best hope for maintaining our constitutional structure.

The Justice Department is vital to democracy, ensuring investigations are fair and free from political influence. Protecting sensitive investigations is crucial. Despite attacks, we remain committed to following the law. The pace of justice system trials is out of our control. Thank you, everyone.

The speaker asserts that American constitutional values have been tested in recent years, reminiscent of challenges during the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow era. They liken this testing to inflating a balloon, suggesting the rule of law was stretched to its limit, nearly bursting. The speaker emphasizes the importance of courts in upholding the rule of law against arbitrary actions, referencing recent examples. They stress that the Constitution embodies American values in a legal sense. When sentencing, one must consider the defendant's background, acknowledging their unique experiences as a woman, Black individual, transgender person, or someone from a different socioeconomic background. The law must be applied with this understanding.

"No matter the threats, I'm not backing down." "It is sad, telling, and downright dangerous that simply stating a bedrock principle of American law caused the president, our commander in chief, to threaten violence against me and to weaponize the Department of Justice against me." "I served at the Department of Justice." "I know that federal prosecutors have more control over the life and liberty of the American people than any other peacetime force." "I know that when these powers are used for good, they make us the more perfect union." "And I know that when these awesome powers are abused, when they are used to punish political opponents, to seek retribution, to do a president's personal bidding, there's nothing more dangerous in this country." "My message is clear. I took an oath to this constitution, and I intend to keep it." "I will never give up the ship."

Every country faces challenges to the rule of law. The choices we make matter for our own country and our neighbors. Thriving countries have transparent institutions where citizens' voices are heard and the court system is fair. Corruption is like a cancer that erodes faith in democracy, weakens a nation, and acts as a form of tyranny. When politicians can be bought, courts manipulated, and media used for propaganda, society becomes susceptible to manipulation and loses control of its own destiny.

Courts uphold the rule of law, protecting us from arbitrary actions, even those resembling tyranny, as we've recently witnessed. They reinforce our values, specifically those enshrined in the Constitution, in a legal context. History provides numerous instances of this, and we've observed many examples in recent years as well.

When we sentence someone, we must recognize the person before us. They might be a woman, Black, transgender, poor, rich, or have experiences different from our own. We must walk in their shoes and understand that the law applies to them in their specific circumstances. Then, we need to apply the law accordingly, with this understanding in mind. It's about recognizing the human being and their unique situation when applying justice.

Speaker 0 states that there are people who believe we are in an assault on the constitutional order and asks whether we are currently experiencing a constitutional crisis. Yes, he answers, our democracy is at risk because Donald Trump shows that he wishes to violate the laws in many, many different ways. He notes the positive counterpoint: the good news is that 235 judges, progressive judges, judges not under the control of Trump, were put on the bench last year, and they are ruling against Trump time after time after time. Speaker 0 then adds that they hope the appellate courts, when the cases rise to that level and ultimately reach the Supreme Court, will uphold those rulings. He mentions concrete actions tied to this judiciary effort: they restored the money to NIH, and they required that 8,000 employ federal employees have to come back. He emphasizes the scope of legal challenges by stating, “We’re in over a 100 lawsuits against them, and we are having a good deal of success.” He concludes by clarifying the current stage of these legal battles: “It’s only at the lower court level right now.”

I believe the United States is in a type of civil war. By that, I mean we have irreconcilable differences. Each side is willing to fight for the outcomes that they want. In that kind of environment, the question becomes, how will the legal system function? Will it stand in the way of the fight, or will the fight itself become more important than anything else? That's the type of situation we're currently facing.

A prosecutor should begin with a crime and then seek a name, not the other way around. The issue over the past four years has been the targeting of Donald Trump, starting from his 2016 campaign, leading to numerous investigations against him. As attorney general, I will not politicize the office or target individuals based on political affiliation. Justice will be applied fairly across the country. We need to unite and move forward; otherwise, we risk losing our country.

The speaker discusses the potential sentencing of Donald Trump, arguing it's crucial he's treated comparably to others prosecuted in DC to avoid the appearance of selective prosecution. They cite Enrique Tarrio's 22-year sentence as a precedent, emphasizing that Trump, as the leader, should be held accountable. The speaker believes Judge Chutkin will likely sentence Trump to jail, despite the presence of Secret Service. They stress the importance of equal justice under the law, stating there can't be two systems of justice. The speaker concludes there is ample precedent for Trump's prosecution based on current cases in DC, noting judges are speaking with one voice on these cases.

Over the past four years, and at other times in our history, the values and constitutional principles that form the foundation of our country have been tested. Our institutions have been challenged in ways many thought impossible. In the 1800s, war tested us, and we survived, though with some missteps. I view the last four years as a new kind of test. It's like inflating a balloon – you keep adding air until it bursts. With the challenges to the rule of law, it felt like we were on the verge of that balloon popping.

The corruption and weaponization of our justice system pose a severe threat to American freedom. As president, I will prioritize restoring fairness and equality under the law by appointing U.S. attorneys who oppose the current trend of selective enforcement by certain district attorneys. We will investigate these officials for potential violations of federal civil rights laws and hold them accountable. A federal inquiry will also be launched into the prosecution of individuals defending themselves against threats. Additionally, we will address the use of police tactics against conservatives and reform the legal profession to protect conservative lawyers. Our legal system, a cornerstone of Western civilization, must be preserved from radical influences. Thank you.