Legal analyst Glenn Kirschner explained why he decided to leave his job at MSNBC and is offering himself up to conservative media outlets in a YouTube video on Sunday.
"There are lots of audiences out there that, frankly, the Dems neglect, and we do it at our own peril," Kirschner told Newsweek on Monday.
Why It Matters
Kirschner, a former assistant U.S. attorney for Washington D.C., has 30 years of experience as a federal prosecutor. He started sharing his legal expertise on MSNBC the day after he retired from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
For six and a half years as a legal analyst with NBC News and MSNBC, Kirschner has been informing viewers on some of the biggest cases of the past half-decade, including special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the gun and tax charges against former President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and the criminal cases on election interference and the mishandling classified documents against President Donald Trump.
What To Know
Kirschner has emerged as a fierce critic of Trump in his pursuit to defend the rule of law. However, the legal analyst said in a YouTube video posted on his "Justice Matters" channel on Sunday that he needed to get out of his comfort zone at MSNBC and try to reach a broader audience in the "battle for a healthy American democracy."
While his job title was "legal analyst," Kirschner explained that his mission was to "translate legalese to English and to separate disinformation from truth."
"For me, personally, the stakes couldn't be higher," Kirschner told Newsweek. "And I've always been a mission-driven person, and I got kids and a lot of grandkids, and I'm going to leave in the country for better or worse. And I want to try to leave them the best country I can."
Kirschner said in his YouTube video that after a few years at MSNBC, he had some gnawing questions: "Was I making a positive contribution to what appeared to be the continual erosion of the vitality of the rule of law? Was I doing anything of value in the battle for a healthy American democracy?"
He also asked himself: "Was I penetrating conservative bubbles, or was I just preaching to the converted?"
The legal analyst told his viewers: "I think it's fair to say that relatively few Trump supporters watch MSNBC, and relatively few Biden/Harris supporters regularly tuned in to Fox, NewsNation or other right-leaning outlets."
So Kirschner said that he decided to ask MSNBC to be released from his contract with them, which they agreed to, and is now offering to appear on "any and all conservative news outlets to talk about the legal issues of the day from the perspective of a career federal prosecutor."
Kirschner added that "MSNBC leadership was very gracious and supportive."
The legal analyst told Newsweek that it's OK to have differences in how to better America, but everyone needs to agree on the law.
"It's really not about ideology. Let's fight over what we believe is best for America. I happen to believe the more liberal policies and approaches to problems is better for America," Kirschner said. "And conservatives can certainly say, 'No. We believe the conservative policies are better for America.' But where we need to be in the middle is on the rule of law. And the fact that if we're not all bound by it, then democracy fails."
When asked what he expects if he is invited to speak to conservative news outlets and how he will navigate tough conversations, Kirschner told Newsweek: "They can be loud and aggressive, but I have the facts of the law and the Constitution on the side of the arguments I intend to make."
He continued: "I am happy to have people go hard and get loud, and I don't want to assume they'll be nasty or uncivil or impolite, but after years in the army and years on the football field and on the wrestling mat and in the boxing ring...getting in scrapes with the law myself as a kid—bring it on. Everybody's gotta fight for something. And this is a fight I am more than happy to have."
What People Are Saying
Kirschner posted a link to his YouTube video on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, and wrote: "Why I Left MSNBC."
Lawyer Arianeh Sajadi commented on the post on Sunday: "Answer: Bc justice matters!"
What Happens Next
MSNBC asked Kirschner not to take up another job as a legal analyst with another network for the next six months.
This wasn't an issue for Kirschner as he's now decided to be "100 percent independent," focusing on his YouTube shows and his newly made Substack account. He said he may occasionally appear on mainstream media outlets but will not be paid to do so.
Kirschner told Newsweek that he will be speaking at Principles First's grassroots summit in Washington, D.C., from February 21 to 23, which will focus "on conserving America's liberal tradition & the path to a principled future for our country," according to the group's website.
Other speakers include billionaire investor Mark Cuban, Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, and MSNBC host Michael Steele.
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About the writer
Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in ... Read more