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This was a week punctuated by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which seemed to sweep all the other news we’d been following off the table. Debates about political violence and the First Amendment emerged rapidly. In one of the key pieces I wrote this week, I reacted to the violent murder in real time, arguing that political violence is never the answer, even for those who, like me, reject Kirk’s views as repugnant.
If you missed that piece on Wednesday, I hope you’ll read it now.
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If you missed any of this week's other columns, here’s your weekly wrap-up:
The Week Ahead: We looked at some remarkable comments by a key advisor to Chief Justice Roberts, reviewed Trump’s threat to go into Chicago with the National Guard (he’s since reconsidered and now seems to be looking at Memphis, a blue dot in a red state, and hence an easier target for expanding his use of police powers), and discussed an issue that dropped almost entirely off the radar screen in the wake of Kirk’s murder, Trump’s failure to release the Epstein files.
Substack Live with Heather Cox Richardson: Monday, I got together for an almost hour-long chat with the eminent (and incredibly fun) historian who writes Letters from an American, and I left feeling both smarter and more certain than ever that as Americans, we can use our history and traditions to outlast the foes of democracy we are facing. The prescription is hard work, no sugar coating, lots of commitment.
Affirmed: E. Jean Carroll Case: The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the $83.3 million verdict Carroll won in her defamation case against Trump; the one where he denied he’d sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room and denigrated her as “not his type,” although in a deposition, he subsequently misidentifed a photo of her at the time as his second wife, Marla Maples. The court wrote a lengthy opinion. This piece summarizes key points to be aware of as the appeal moves towards the Supreme Court, which can choose to hear the case or let the lower court’s opinion stand.
Protecting the Right to Vote: DOJ is actively working to aid people who want to suppress your right to vote. It’s critically important to understand what is happening here so we can protect our rights in 2026 and beyond. I wrote, “This is not your mama’s Justice Department—nor is it recognizable as mine anymore. It has tried to get access, unsuccessfully, at least for now, to Missouri voting machines and openly discussed prosecuting state officials, a clear effort to intimidate them and discourage them from holding free and fair elections.”
Investigation in Progress: In 1998, a bomb went off just miles away from our house at a Birmingham abortion clinic. I was the first prosecutor on the scene. I spent the next months on the investigation that ultimately led to the conviction of Eric Robert Rudolph for that explosion, which claimed the life of an off-duty police officer and severely injured a clinic nurse. I understand how an investigation in a case like the one following Kirk’s murder is supposed to work, and I weighed in on what we were seeing, including a concern about letting politics, and not the evidence, shape our understanding of the crime: “In a case like this one, it’s easy to make assumptions about the shooter’s motives. We’re seeing an unfortunate tendency from people (including the president) to leap to conclusions. Instead, we have to wait and see what the evidence shows.”
Trump on Trials: How Our Legal System Shouldn't Work: This week, back on Fox and Friends, the president said our criminal justice system moves too slowly and we should be “more like China,” where a system that lacks the protection of rights that are constitutionally required in the U.S. makes it easier to get quick convictions. Trump shouldn’t get a pass for this sort of thing, but his comment got lost in the week’s newscycle. Read this piece so you can be prepared to ask MAGA supporters around you if they’re hoping our country can be more like China. And, to the point, “as Donald Trump well knows, criminal defendants can raise issues and take appeals before trial, which can significantly delay a case.”
Five Questions with Former Prosecutor and CNN Legal Analyst Elie Honig: Elie joined us Friday night to discuss his new book, When You Come at the King.
These are complicated legal times, and it’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Civil Discourse doesn’t just track today’s headlines—it connects them to the legal and political history that explains why they matter. We won’t forget what’s at stake, or let Trump and his allies rewrite the past. You can subscribe to Civil Discourse for free and get clear analysis that helps you see the whole picture, delivered straight to your inbox. If you’re in a position to, your paid subscription helps me devote the time and resources it takes to write the newsletter. That means everyone has access to information they can share with friends and family—a constructive act we can all participate in right now, helping more Americans understand how critical this moment is.
We’re in this together,
Joyce
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