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Former federal judge warns of danger to American democracy

NPR's Adrian Florido speaks with retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig about his testimony during a recent Jan. 6 committee hearing.
J. Michael Luttig, former U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the Fourth Circuit, arrives to testify before the House committee that is investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

During Thursday's Jan. 6 committee hearing, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig issued a dire warning to the country. Luttig, who advised former Vice President Mike Pence, said that 17 months after the riot on the U.S. Capitol, "Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy."

Luttig said the United States is at a crossroads similar to the one the country faced during the Civil War, and he said America needs help.

Luttig was appointed to the federal bench by George H.W. Bush and worked in both the Bush and Reagan administrations.

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