Hi there, everyone. It's 4 o'clock in New York. In the words of our next guest, quote,

it's happening right in front of our eyes. The first shots being fired against the pillars of our democracy and the rule of law by Donald Trump.

Events in the last few days showing just how

quickly the democratic experiment will be tested, and it's all happening even before Donald Trump

is sworn in. There's the case study in obeying in advance, as Professor Timothy Snyder puts it,

happening not in Hungary or Turkey or Russia this time, but right here,

scores of business leaders seemingly determined to curry favor with Donald Trump.

As we witnessed Donald Trump using civil litigation to pursue any media outlet or anyone who displeases him,

even a pollster who came out with a shock poll ahead of the November

election. And as we witness media outlets absorb those blows, the headlines speak for themselves.

CNN writing this, quote, emboldened by ABC settlement, Trump threatens more lawsuits against the press.

PBS wrote it this way, quote, ABC News Settlement with Trump raises concerns about press freedom in his second term.

And again, all of it's happening in public out in the open in front of our eyes, the seeds being planted for the retribution against the most outspoken and prominent critics of Donald Trump that he promised.

On Tuesday, House Republicans released a report calling for January 6th committee

vice-chairwoman Liz Cheney to be investigated by the FBI.

That report claims that she, quote, colluded with star witness Cassidy Hutchinson

without Hutchinson's attorney's knowledge in order to change her testimony.

The Republicans claim it was witness tampering.

And if that report is the kerosene, Donald Trump is the match.

He posted late last night that Cheney could, quote, be in a lot of trouble, end quote.

This is, of course, after he promised during his campaign for her to be tried in a military

tribunal. Cassidy Hutchinson's attorney telling NBC News that the claim that Hutchinson colluded

...