The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle

Key developments continue in Trump’s multiple legal cases: a GA judge has granted DA Fani Willis’s request to keep jurors identities secret in the upcoming election interference trials. Meanwhile, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez refuses to resign amid corruption allegations. Plus: Bianca Fortis breaks down new reporting about former Columbia University OB-GYN Robert Hadden, who’s been sentenced to 20 years for sexually abusing patients. Susan Glasser, Luke Broadwater, Renato Mariotti, Matthew Dowd, Jason Johnson, Ben White, and Seth Harris join.

We’re back for another Friday Nightcap -- we’ll discuss political headlines, the fight for democracy and find out everyone’s MVPs for the week. Alex Witt, José Díaz-Balart, Peter Spiegel, and Pete Dominick join.

Rupert Murdoch announced he will step down in November as chair of Fox and News Corp and tapped his son Lachlan to replace him. Plus, President Zelenskyy met with some members of House leadership after Speaker McCarthy denied his request to address a joint session of Congress. Peter Baker, Dylan Byers, Tim Miller, Jonathan, Capehart, William Taylor, Julia Ainsley, Melissa Russo, and Lucas Shaw join.

General Merrick Garland testifies for more than 5 hours to the House Judiciary Committee. Plus, Ryan Busse, who’s running to be Democratic nominee in the Montana governor’s race, talks about being a gun safety advocate in a heavily armed state. Joyce Vance, Carol Leonning, Jen Psaki, Doug Jones, Charlie Dent, and Keir Simmons join.

President Biden urged world leaders and U.S. lawmakers to stand firm in support of Ukraine as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Meantime, House Republicans scrapped a key vote on a stopgap spending bill. Plus, a judge grants Kenneth Chesebro’s request to speak with the grand jurors who indicted him in Georgia. And as the migrant crisis continues to grow in cities like New York, it’s putting new pressure on Pres. Biden’s re-election bid – especially when it comes to fundraising. Peter Baker, Amb. William Taylor, former Sen. Claire McCaskill, Juanita Tolliver, Reed Galen, Julia Ainsley, Zachary Iscol and Glenn Kirschner join.

Jeffrey Clark’s lawyers argued he was following Trump’s direction to draft a letter to Georgia state officials falsely stating the DOJ had concerns of 2020 election. It comes as new reporting found Trump wrote to-do lists on White House documents. Meantime, Texas AG Ken Paxton is acquitted in his impeachment trial. Plus, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy prepares to address U.N. General Assembly. And an inside look at the largest criminal hospice fraud case ever prosecuted. Amna Nawaz, Luke Broadwater, Charles Coleman, Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Stuart Stevens and Ben Rhodes join.

Our Friday Nightcap returns to discuss the week’s political headlines, summer of strikes, and MVPs. Ben White, Kyle Spencer, George Hahn and Trymaine Lee join.

A federal grand jury indicts President Biden’s son Hunter on three gun-related charges. Meantime, the judge in the Georgia election interference case ruled Trump won’t be tried next month. Rep. Kevin McCarthy dares his Republican detractors to remove his as Speaker. Plus, the United Auto Workers Union says it will go on strike at three factories if no deal is reached. And a new book shares the road map to happiness. Peter Baker, Barbara McQuade, Frank Figliuzzi, Matt Dowd, Amy McGrath, Seth Harris, and Neal Boudette join.

In Thursday’s televised hearing, we could learn more about where the Georgia election interference case is headed next. Meantime, Sen. Mitt Romney announces his retirement and calls for a “new generation” of leaders. Plus, newly-released Census data shows the child poverty rate more than doubled after the pandemic-era child tax credit expired. And the biggest names in tech descend on Capitol Hill to talk about regulating A.I. Garrett Haake, Luke Broadwater, Joyce Vance, Juanita Tolliver, Charlie Sykes, Sen. Michael Bennet and Jake Ward join.

The judge in the Georgia election interference case is expected to decide if Trump and his 18 co-defendants will be tried together next month. Meanwhile, Speaker Kevin McCarthy orders an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Plus, a one-on-one with the Salesforce CEO as their Dreamforce Conference kicks off in San Francisco. Carol Leonning, Harry Litman, Sam Stein, former Rep. Charlie Dent, former Sen. Doug Jones, Marc Benioff and Kara Swisher join.

The nation marked 22 years since the 9/11 attacks with tributes, tears and remembrances. It comes as President Biden commemorated the day with a message of unity. Meantime, Trump seeks the recusal of Judge Chutkan in his federal election interference case. Plus, Kim Jong Un travels to Russia for rare summit with Putin. And it’s a race against time to find survivors of the devastating earthquake in Morocco. Katie Benner, Michael Steele, Glenn Kirschner, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Tim Miller and Dmitri Alperovitch join.

A special grand jury recommended indicting Sen. Lindsey Graham, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler and Michael Flynn in the Georgia election interference case – although none of them were charged. It comes as Mark Meadows files a notice to appeal after a judge denied his request to move the Georgia case to federal court. Meantime, Republicans try to find a new term for “pro-life” to stave off more electoral losses. And South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorses Trump as her name gets tossed around for a possible running mate. Amna Nawaz, Greg Bluestein, Charles Coleman, Dr. Kavita Patel, Reecie Colbert, Shermichael Singleton and Jon Meacham join.

Former President Trump signals he may try to move his Georgia election interference case to federal court. Meantime, former Trump adviser Peter Navarro is found guilty of criminal contempt of Congress for defying a Jan. 6th subpoena. Plus, China’s economy is going through a major slowdown. And parenting Youtuber Ruby Franke is facing six felony child abuse charges. Peter Baker, Jon Allen, Joyce Vance, Basil Smikle, Stuart Stevens, Anna Ashton and Kalhan Rosenblatt join.

In the first major hearing, prosecutors told a Georgia judge they expect the trial of Trump and 18 others to last four months and that they intend to call 150 witnesses. Meantime, Vice President Harris breaks from the White House’s silence on Trump’s legal issues. Plus, a child care crisis looms as covid-era federal funding is set to expire at the end of the month. And Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes a surprise visit to Ukraine. Carol Leonning, Stephen Fowler, Neal Katyal, Conor Lamb, Mike Murphy, Abha Bhattarai, and Ben Rhodes join.

Former Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison after getting convicted of seditious conspiracy. Meantime, all 19 defendants in the Georgia election case have now pleaded not guilty and waived their Wednesday arraignment. Plus, the historic impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton begins. And, thousands leave Burning Man after heavy rain left them stranded over the weekend. Katie Benner, Geoff Bennett, Clint Watts, Melissa Redmon, State Rep. Tanya Miller, Tony Plohetski and Neal Katyal join.

Former President Trump entered a not guilty plea in his Georgia election interference case as he tries to sever his case from the co-defendants who want a speedy trial. It comes as we learn all court proceedings in Georgia will be televised and live streamed. Plus, Supreme Court Justices Thomas and Alito release their 2022 financial disclosures. And former Proud Boys leaders Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl were handed two of the lengthiest sentences yet linked to January 6th. Peter Baker, Glenn Thrush, Renato Mariotti, Chris Geidner, Juanita Tolliver, Tim Miller and Clint Watts join.

The judge in Trump’s federal election interference case sets the trial date for March 4th, 2024 – right in the heart of primary season. Meantime, Trump and his 18 co-defendants are scheduled to be arraigned next week in the Georgia election case. It comes as Mark Meadows takes the stand for nearly five hours in an effort to move his case to federal court. Plus, the community of Jacksonville, Florida is grieving after three people were killed in a racially motivated shooting. Peter Baker, Catherine Christian, Glenn Kirschner, Carol Leonnig, Philip Rucker, Don Calloway, Maria Teresa Kumar and Mark McKinnon join.

All defendants in the Georgia election case have surrendered as D.A. Fani Willis alerts defense attorneys about next steps. Plus, new polling debunks claims that indictments boost former President Trump. And as we mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, it serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done. Kyle Cheney, Jon Allen, Melissa Murray, Stephen Fowler, Amy McGrath, Reed Galen, Michael Beschloss, LaTosha Brown and Kendra Cotton join.

Ali Velshi gives a special preview of his new podcast, “Velshi Banned Book Club,” an act of resistance against the epidemic of book banning. In each episode, a different author of a banned book joins Ali—including Margaret Atwood, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Laurie Halse Anderson and more—to talk about why their work is being targeted and about the literature itself. “Velshi Banned Book Club” is a series rooted in literary and cultural analysis and in the notion of reading as resistance. Listen to the first two episodes now and follow the series: https://link.chtbl.com/vbbc_fdlw

Special Counsel Jack Smith revealed a key witness in the classified documents case has retracted his previous false testimony about efforts to delete security footage. The witness additionally gave prosecutors new information implicating Trump and two co-defendants. Plus, activist and Little Rock Nine member Minnijean Brown-Trickey along with NAACP Director of Education, Innovation, and Research Dr. Ivory Toldson, talk about 6 Arkansas schools’ decisions to offer AP African American Studies despite the state’s education department warning them not to. Joyce Vance, Luke Broadwater, Tia Mitchell, Frank Figliuzzi, Shermichael Singleton, and Basil Smikle join.