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An ongoing false claim from former President Donald Trump about the Russia investigation may have had the unintended consequence of dismantling a longstanding surveillance program that was a threat to American civil liberties, analyst Hayes Brown wrote for MSNBC on Thursday.

Specifically, Trump's "Spygate" claims that his campaign was illegally snooped on by federal authorities led him to demand the expiration of the wrong statute, and now the passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reauthorization is up in the air as a small group of House Republicans are joining all Democrats to oppose it.

Even a Fox News reporter called him "confused."

"'KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!' he wrote on Truth Social, resurrecting one of his long-standing claims about the 2016 election," wrote Brown.

"And the bill being debated didn’t concern all of FISA, just Section 702. But Trump’s post was enough to bolster a revolt among conservative Republicans, 19 of whom voted with Democrats to block the reauthorization bill from coming up for debate.

"For once, though, the GOP’s disarray and obedience to Trump fortuitously may be put to good use. While Trump’s 'Spygate' narrative remains false, it may be harnessed to improve a broken part of America’s intelligence-gathering system."

The problem with Section 702, Brown explained, is a program that allows warrantless surveillance of foreigners living abroad, a once-secret program that was formally authorized in 2008. The law is not intended to apply to Americans, yet American data has been repeatedly caught up in the dragnet.

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Trump's claims that FISA was used to unlawfully spy on his campaign are false, Brown reiterated, and he has flip-flopped on the issue before, previously demanding it expire in 2018 before Republican lawmakers and his cabinet talked him out of it — but this time, things appear to be going differently.

"While Trump’s post rallied conservative opponents to the bill, it’s striking that the rule that was voted down Wednesday managed to get out of committee only because of a proposed bipartisan amendment to the reauthorization bill. The list of co-sponsors is one that you’d never expect to see grouped together, ranging from committed progressives to MAGA die-hards: Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.; Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.; Warren Davidson, R-Ohio; Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.; and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio," wrote Brown. "Their proposed change would block 'warrantless searches of U.S. person communications in the FISA 702 database, with exceptions for imminent threats to life or bodily harm, consent searches, or known cybersecurity threat signatures.'"

Ultimately, Brown concluded, "it’s clear that Section 702 isn’t likely to be extended in full without at least some major changes" — and while "Trump’s delusions about the 'deep state' are usually best treated as the ramblings of someone upset that his authoritarian instincts are being trampled ... his ranting might legitimately help safeguard Americans’ rights" in this case.

During an appearance on MSNBC on Saturday morning, former federal prosecutor Paul Butler bluntly stated that the moment Donald Trump steps into a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, it will commence the "worst day of his life" as he faces 34 felony counts that could lead to four years in jail.

Speaking with fill-in host Charles Coleman Jr., Bultler explained that for the first time in his life, the former president's actions have led to a moment in life where he faces very real consequences that could impact his freedom.

Speaking with the host, he stated, "On Monday, something historical will happen. It will be the first day in Donald Trump's life that he is beginning to be brought to judgment in a criminal case for his own alleged corruption."

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"As you noted, his lawyers have filed nine different motions to delay the trial with Judge Juan Merchan. They're trying to get around the law that they can't appeal until after the trial, that is what the Article 78 motion was about," he explained. " And the reason for that, Charles, is that Trump's defense is delay. But when he is actually brought to judgment, when his cases are heard on the merits, he loses all the time."

RELATED: Trump's trial will 'turn off' Christian voters regardless of verdict: ex-GOP lawmaker

"[New York write] E. Jean Carroll beat himE. Jean Carroll beat him, [New York Attorney General] Letitia James beat him in the civil fraud trial. [Manhattan DA] Alvin Bragg beat him in the criminal conviction of the Trump organization. The New York attorney general took down his fake university and his fake charity," he listed off for the host. "So, Monday, April 15th, 2024, will be the worst day of Trump's public life because it is the first time he is personally being brought to judgment in a criminal court."

Watch below or at the link.

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