Legal analyst issues a dire warning about DOJ's inaction as Trump hints at 2024 run

While the prosecutions of those who rioted at the US Capitol on Jan. 6 of last year are ongoing, no charges have been filed against any alleged "planners" of the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. According to MSNBC commentator and former prosecutor Glenn Kirschner, the lack of charges from the Justice Department "could enable future attacks on our democracy."

Kirschner points to former President Donald Trump's hint that he's running again in 2024. Trump has also suggested that if he wins, he'll pardon some of those charged with breaching the Capitol on Jan. 6.

So far, Kirchner says the Jan. 6 committee's congressional subpoenas targeting Trump loyalists have been "toothless."

"...the lack of even whispers of a federal criminal investigation into Trump or other high-ranking government officials or political figures is dangerous and damaging," Kirchner writes. "As we saw in Texas over the weekend, it enables Trump and his associates to continue to push their big lie with impunity."

Kirchner goes on to say that the lack of charges gives Trump and his allies an excuse to say they truly did nothing wrong. "After all, we’ve now known about their conduct for more than a year, and no charges have been forthcoming," he writes.

"Ultimately, if the Justice Department doesn’t prosecute Trump and he runs for re-election in 2024, we can expect him to talk about his 'confirmed innocence' at every rally."

Read the full op-ed over at MSNBC.