Welcome to the beat. I'm Melissa Murray in for Ari Melber. We're tracking several developing stories, including a big legal setback for Donald Trump.

Late today, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected his efforts to disqualify the Fulton County probe into 2020 election interference.

I've more on that ahead. But we begin tonight with bracing revelations about Donald Trump's scheme for an historic power grab, as his allies plot a second Trump term with few guardrails against what critics say.

Would be an imperial presidency. The New York Times is reporting today on the far reaching plan cooked up by some of the same right wing election deniers subpoena by special counsel Jack Smith.

As the time puts it, the plan would be a quote sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Under the plan, Trump would bring quote independent agencies under his control. He would revive the practice known as impounding of refusing to send money appropriated by Congress impounding has been banned since the days of Richard Nixon.

And more chillingly, Trump intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda.

Opponents are warning that this is the playbook of a would be tyrant. A playbook made all the more dangerous by the maga cult of personality. Speaking of, Trump's followers turned out in impressive numbers this weekend at a conservative gathering, booing and heckling Trump's GOP primary foes.

I am delighted to be here today.

The President is here today.

Those light-minded folks thank him for us to win in 2024.

They got a tragic figure on there right now. Governor Ron DeSantis.

He's a tragic figure.

He's fighting for the conservative cause.

Young people, you are leading the charge that's ahead. I just finished eight years.

Tough crowd. Trump's apparent scheme to a mass power grows out of seeds planted by leading maga figures. Steve Bannon has long expressed interest in what he terms quote the destruction of the administrative state.

The deconstruction of the administrative state, which is a huge element right-wing populism is about deconstruction of the administrative state, the deconstruction of the administrative state, all of that, all the real work.

Deconstruction of the administrative state.

And if you, this is taking on and defeating a deconstructing of the administrative state.

There's a long way to go before the 2024 election, but today's reporting raises the stakes as Trump widens his lead in the GOP primary despite indictments and multiple jurisdictions.

Joining me to discuss it all is Rick Wilson, former GOP strategist and co-founder of the Lincoln Project. He's also the host of the Enemies List podcast.

Also with us is Eugene Robinson, the Pulitzer Prize winning columnist with the Washington Post. So Eugene, what are your thoughts on the prospect of Trump increasing executive power?

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