The indictment was issued by a grand jury of citizens here in the District Of Columbia and it sets forth the crimes charged in detail. I encourage everyone to read it in full. The attack on our nations capitol onjanuary 6, 2021 was an unprecedented assault on the seat of american democracy. Its described in the indictment it was fuelled by lies, lies by the defendant, targeted at obstructing a Bedrock Function of the us government, the nations process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the president ial election. The men and women of Law Enforcement who defended the us capitol on january 6 are heroes. They are patriots and they are the very best of us. They did notjust defend a building or the people sheltering in it, they put their lives on the line to defend who we are as a country and a people. They defended the very institutions and principles that define the United States. Since the attack on our capitol, the Department Ofjustice Has remained committed to ensuring accountability for those criminally responsible for what happened that day. This case is brought consistent with that commitment and our investigation of other individuals continues. In this case, my office will seek a speedy trial so that our evidence can be tested in court and judged by a jury of citizens. Our North America correspondent, nomia iqbal, was at the courthouse earlier. The former President Donald Trump is due to appear on thursday and can appear virtually or in person but he will probably do that in person as he has done previously. Inside court, he will face what is arguably the most serious indictment so far and probably the most serious indictment that the Department Ofjustice Has ever brought against a former president , and potentially a future president. He is being accused in this 45 page indictment of trying to subvert the Election Results of 2020, trying to overturn democracy. One of the charges includes Conspiracy To Defraud the United States. He has dismissed this indictment as is done with the previous two, saying this is a political witch hunt, the Department Ofjustice Being Weaponised by President Biden in order to stop them running for the white house, unsubstantiated claims he has made. The Republican Party by and large have backed him. They did so with his previous two indictments and have also seen his Approval Ratings tend to go up with republican voters. It is probably going to be the same with this indictment. However, how he does with the rest of the american electorate remains to be seen. Right now however he still remains the clear front runner for the Republican Partys president ial nomination. Special Counseljack Smiths indictment caps an inquiry into events surrounding the january six, 2021 riot at the us capitol. The investigation focused on mr trumps actions in the two month period between his loss and the attack on congress as lawmakers certified joe biden� s victory. Following the attack, congress led its own investigation and impeachment inquiry of donald trump. I spoke to tim heaphy, the lead investigator for that committee about this indictment. Thank you so much for joining us on bbc news. You are the top Staff Investigator for the house enquiry into the january 6 attacks. Getting the charges brought by the Special Counsel reflect what you found . They do almost precisely. Read the indictment quickly this evening since has been issued and reads a lot like our final report. It outlines a multi part, intentional plan to disrupt the joint session and ultimately the transfer of power. The plan took many different forms which we laid out over the course of our work and the Special Counsel has now picked up on as well. A lot of things we knew before, still powerful to see it laid out in Black And White in a criminal indictment. The indictment said the former president enlisted Co Conspirators. What did you make of that . Yeah, he did not act alone. The indictment actually describes their conduct. Its obvious that it is rudolph giuliani, john eastman, cindy powell, some of the lawyers that helped him devise this multipart plan to submit fake electorate certificates from various states and put on State Officials and the Vice President , change leadership at the dusters expect justice department, Geoffrey Clark is another conspirator. These names were identified specifically over the course of the select committee work. They are understandably named as Co Conspirators in this indictment. It may be they are ultimately charged. The fact that its only President Trump charged now doesnt mean that is the final statement. There could be additional people, like those Co Conspirators as this moves forward. Do you think they should be charged . I think they have exposure, absolutely, and unless they are cooperating, a lot of times what happens in a conspiracy, people try to essentially get leniency in exchange for information. That could be happening and if it hasnt happened, it might still happen. Absolutely. As we found and as the indictment lays out, they absolutely have culpability as Co Conspirators in devising and implementing this multistage plan to disrupt the transfer of power. In the indictment, the special Counsel Office seems to point to the former Vice President mike pence as being a key witness in putting together their case. You didnt have in your enquiry the ability to interview and speak to the former Vice President. What key evidence do you think he will provide . Reading the indictment, its pretty clear the Vice President has recounted for the Special Counsel direct communications that he had with President Trump in advance of january 6 about the key issue of his authority. Indictment also reflects that he took contemporaneous notes. He wrote some things down either during or right after those calls and the Special Counsel is in possession of that. But mike pence gives a very interesting window to that by actually recounting the words used in the direct pressure applied. It looks like he is a key witness if this case ever goes to trial. We have seen in polls the country is very much divided on whether President Trump is liable for what happened onjanuary 6, if he should even be prosecuted and former president still has a lot of support. And notjust among his base but widely among republicans. What you think it is important is case does go to trial . Im not a political expert and im not really qualified to opine on why it is that our political system is divided but i do believe injustice and i do believe the law should apply equally to everyone, whether he is a former president of the United States or someone of considerably less means and stature. If that concept of equal justice under law is going to mean anything, that has to apply in situation like this. I was a prosecutor and worked in the Criminaljustice System at the doj for years and believed strongly that the system, in order for it to work, these allegations, allegations like this need to be adjudicated in court, subject to Cross Examination and a burden of proof. The president is presumed innocent. He will have an opportunity to defend these charges. Whether that exacerbates divisional or solves it remains to be seen, i dont know. If this case does go to trial, what will you be looking for in the prosecutions case . I mean, who is going to co operate, who is going to testify . Will there be additional facts beyond the indictment . It does not lay out all facts that the Special Counsel had. There are enough facts to essentially explain the charges, but my guess is there will be more evidence, more testimony, more specific instances that are manifestations of this multipart plan that will play out in the trial. All that would be very interesting to see. Thank you so much forjoining us. Thank you for the invitation. The indictment of the former president complicates his mounting legal issues as he campaigns again for president. I spoke with former federal prosecutor Sarah Krissoff on what he faces in the eyes of the law. Thank you for being with us. First of all, i want to ask you about the indictment here and what you think of the charges that these Special Counsels office has brought here . What i think is very office has brought here . What i think is very interesting office has brought here . What i think is very interesting is think is very interesting is they have used this indictment, speaking indictment, to set out their story, the narrative of what happened here. Very thoroughly. I look beyond the four charges which are no doubt very serious and pose a big threat to the former president s liberty but to the narrative here of what happened. I think the narrative is particularly important for the public, to have that one spot, a narrative of what happened, according to the justice department. Happened, according to the justice department. Sarah, if ou look justice department. Sarah, if you look at justice department. Sarah, if you look at what justice department. Sarah, if you look at what the justice department. Sarah, if you look at what the special. You look at what the special Counseljack Smith said in a statement, he said he wants a speedy trial. One could we see this go to trial . I speedy trial. One could we see this go to trial . This go to trial . I would not exect this go to trial . I would not exoect to this go to trial . I would not expect to see this go to trial . I would not expect to see this this go to trial . I would not expect to see this trial this go to trial . I would not. Expect to see this trial happen any time soon. For lots of reasons. First of all, the president is now under indictment in three cases. That is an enormous amount of work for him and his legal teams, to process all of those cases, to respond to the cases and review the discovery. It is a huge, process for him. Even putting aside the fact he is running for the presidency of the United States for the presidency of the United States ~. , United States what resources do the trump United States what resources do the trump team United States what resources do the trump team have United States what resources do the trump team have at. United states what resources l do the trump team have at their disposal to possibly postpone a trial . ,. ,. , trial . First of all, i dont think it trial . First of all, i dont think it would trial . First of all, i dont think it would be, trial . First of all, i dont think it would be, i trial . First of all, i dont| think it would be, i think trial . First of all, i dont think it would be, i think we would certainly expect request for a postponement here. We do not have a trial day. We do not have a schedule set for it all the scope of the discovery in this case. I think it would be reasonable for trumpet� s defence team for a long, drawnout schedule and they expect a discovery in this case and the legal obligations, i dont think that is unreasonable, frankly. That is the question, unreasonable, frankly. That is the question, how unreasonable, frankly. That is the question, how do unreasonable, frankly. That is the question, how do other. The question, how do other indictments factor entities and the prospect of another indictment coming in the State Of Georgia . I indictment coming in the State Of Georgia . Indictment coming in the state of geora ia . , of georgia . I mean, the Biggest Issue is timing. Of georgia . I mean, the Biggest Issue is timing. And issue is timing. And overlapping evidence and witnesses in these cases. There may be individuals that are witnesses in more than one case. There is certainly evidence that is relevant in more than one case, in particular, the georgia case, brought byjack smith. Although they are discrete matters, there will certainly been interaction and overlap between those. Putting that aside, the former president has a constitutional right to be able to to defend himself and participate in his own defence and he is certainly going to say, i expect to hear, expect to hear say that he needs more time in each of these cases to defend himself. Time in each of these cases to defend himself. Sarah, what do ou think defend himself. Sarah, what do you think we defend himself. Sarah, what do you think we will defend himself. Sarah, what do you think we will see defend himself. Sarah, what do you think we will see on you think we will see on thursday when the former president is expected to be arraigned in person in washington, dc . I arraigned in person in washington, dc . Ithink that will be a very washington, dc . Ithink that will be a very simple will be a very simple proceeding. He will plead not guilty. It will be advised of the charges against him. It will be a quick proceeding. The judge will set the Bail Conditions, which should reveal the Bail Conditions that was set in the florida case. What will be interesting frankly is if trump or his team takes the opportunity to rebut the allegations and the complaint and make this as an opportunity to make more public statements about their version of the events. At about their version of the events. �. , about their version of the events. �. ,. ,. , events. A final question, what will ou events. A final question, what will you be events. A final question, what will you be looking events. A final question, what will you be looking for events. A final question, what will you be looking for in events. A final question, what will you be looking for in the l will you be looking for in the trial when we do end up starting that trial . What is interesting starting that trial . What is interesting about starting that trial . What is interesting about this starting that trial . What is | interesting about this case, starting that trial . What is i interesting about this case, it is a little different, evidence wise, then the documents case. This case is heavily based on Witness Testimony that recounts conversation after conversation that the former president and his Co Conspirators, alleged Co Conspirators had with other individuals. This particular trial will be very witness heavy. Again, scheduling that trial could be pretty cumbersome and, given that fact. I as always, great to get your take on the story tonight. Thank you forjoining us. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Bringing you different stories from across the uk. This bringing you different stories from across the uk. Bringing you different stories from across the uk. This is my box of tricks. From across the uk. This is my box of tricks. These from across the uk. This is my box of tricks. These are from across the uk. This is my box of tricks. These are all box of tricks. These are all the medications box of tricks. These are all the medications jeanette l box of tricks. These are all i the medications jeanette has box of tricks. These are all the medications jeanette has to the medicationsjeanette has to take every day to take her symptoms, the condition leaves her feeling exhausted symptoms, the condition leaves herfeeling exhausted has dizzy spells and brain fog. The difference spells and brain fog. The difference of spells and brain fog. 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For more stories from across the uk, head it was like. For more stories from across the uk, head to l it was like. For more stories l from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. Youre live with bbc news. The political and legal fallout from the indictment on former President Donald Trump will loom over his campaign to retake the white house. For more on this, i spoke to former republican congressman rodney davis and former democratic senator doug jones. I want to start with you senator and get by they are incredibly damning and this is a speaking indictment. It incredibly damning and this is a speaking indictment. A speaking indictment. It lays out the factual a speaking indictment. It lays out the factual basis a speaking indictment. It lays out the Factual Basis For A speaking indictment. It lays| out the factual basis for these charges and i do not think anyone should be surprised this indictment and the way it is framed, we saw all of this evidence been laid out in the january Sex Committee, we saw the last two or three weeks when a Target Letter which is the last step in an investigation before a target is indicted, kinder blade these things out. Its incredible. I have status to. But i still maintain the sazeda akter day for the United States of america, we have a former president elected by the people of this country who engages in conduct like this who is now under Indictment Reset Jurisdictions and looking like there will be a fourth. So this is not good for the United States. I hope they can get these charges behind them and get them resolved one way or other as soon as possible. Congressmen we had the senator calling this a dark day for democracy. What are your thoughts on the significance of this indictment, also politically former president . T politically former president . I agree with senatorjones, it is agree with senatorjones, it is a dark day. I was on the House Floor On January A dark day. I was on the house floor onjanuary six, a dark day. I was on the house floor on january six, one a dark day. I was on the house floor onjanuary six, one of the darkest days in american history. The political consequences will probably, amazingly be positive for President Trump. Nobody plays the victim better than President Trump. When you look at this indictment and you look at this indictment and you look at what is going to have to be proven in court of law, i am certainly going to be entertained as is the world by the trial that is going to commence, Asjackson The Trial that is going to commence, as jackson has said, at a very speedy rate. It is one, i think will have surprised witnesses, we also have seen in this indictment, there are six un Co Conspirators, four attorneys, we can assume that as the clown show of attorneys President Trump had feeding him these lies, prior to january sex. You can assume former Doj Officialjeffrey Clarke is One Officialjeffrey Clarke is one of those on indicted Co Conspirators then apolitical consultant was named as none indicted Co Conspirators to be i dont know which political consultant donald trump relied on prior to january sex, that could be a good Lottery Question . Could be a good Lottery Question . Could be a good Lottery Cuestion . ,. ,. ,. , question . Senator, what is your sense of how question . Senator, what is your sense of how difficult question . Senator, what is your sense of how difficult it question . Senator, what is your sense of how difficult it will sense of how difficult it will be for the Special Counsels office to prove the criminal the former president is criminally liable here . This is a really interesting criminally liable here . This is| a really interesting indictment and that legal offences for the former president will be more significant, he will have more legal defences and the other cases that are pending against. You will see a very aggressive defence on the law. What is really unknown right now is where some of this evidence is coming from. Who is cooperating . Are any of the uninvited Co Conspirators cooperating, have any of them cut a deal, have they been given immunity . Those are the questions that are unanswered with this indictment and they will be the telling thing. I want to clarify and make sure nobody misunderstands what the congressmen and i are saying a dark day for america. We are not talking about a dark day because the Congress Department as being weaponised, we are talking about an individual who held the highest office of the land, engaged in conduct in which our institutions of government have to hold them accountable, somehow, someway. The fact he was in that position and is now in this position and is now in this position is no fault of his own but it is still a dark day. I do not want there to be any mistake of what we are talking about for a dark day of democracy. About for a dark day of democra. ,. , about for a dark day of democra. ,. , democracy. Department of justice. Democracy. Department of justice we democracy. Department of justice. We have democracy. Department of justice. We have seen democracy. Department of justice. We have seen a democracy. Department of i justice. We have seen a number of republicans come out in support of the former president saying this is an example of the Department Ofjustice Being Weaponised and political targeting. What do you make of that . I targeting. What do you make of that . ,. ,. ,. , that . I do want to piggyback on something that . I do want to piggyback on something senator that . I do want to piggyback on something senatorjones that . I do want to piggyback on something senatorjones said, l something senatorjones said, we are going to be finding out who in the trump orbit has cooperated, i can tell you from my personal expense and working with the white house, as a member of congress, there was not a single decision or phone call i ever had with President Trump, last year in Office Without his chief of staff, mark meadows sitting by her side. It will be interesting to find out how much mark meadows cooperated during this investigation. Frankly, mark meadows was part of a lot of the conversations as has been reported, post election and prior to january sex. I believe he was present at the rally where we saw thousands get riled up and then begin to march to the capital. I can tell you i know what mark meadows was doing that day, you might have been believing those lies publicly, but he was calling me, asking how we got a former member of congress id, he left me a voicemail on that tragic day. It will be interesting to see. I am not surprised a lot of republicans are standing by President Trump, he is the front runner for the gop nomination by a longshot right and frankly, the Department Ofjustice Needs to be do a betterjob explaining to the American People why a Sweetheart Deal given to hunter biden which would have made them immune from any further prosecution for any crime he would have ever done, was thrown out by, thankfully, a judge, just last week. Doj needs to make sure they explained they are not a Two Tiered System Ofjustice tiered system of justice because tiered system ofjustice because many people in this country believe that they are right now. Country believe that they are right nova right now. Senator i want to net right now. Senator i want to get your right now. Senator i want to get your take right now. Senator i want to get your take of right now. Senator i want to get your take of what right now. Senator i want to get your take of what we. Right now. Senator i want to i get your take of what we heard from the congressman right now, do you think the department of justice has not communicated effectively what they are pursuing . Effectively what they are ursuin . , ~ , effectively what they are ursuina . , ~ ,. , pursuing . No, i think they have done all that pursuing . No, i think they have done all that they pursuing . No, i think they have done all that they could pursuing . No, i think they have done all that they could do. Pursuing . No, i think they have done all that they could do. In | done all that they could do. In this system ofjustice people are presumed innocent until Proven Guilty and the doj has to operate under a Cloud Of Grand Jury secrecy that is the law, it is one of those things and i think we have to do to detect the integrity of the investigation. I think they are giving us as much information as they can, what will happen as they can, what will happen as this case goes forward, there will be more information, we have seen this in the pleading and civil and criminal cases, there will be more information coming out, sooner or later we will get a full. It may take the trial to get the evidence in the full picture, but if you compare this indictment was some of the things that came out in the january Sex Committee we are beginning to see a sordid picture of a trumpet white house and what they were doing to try to stay in power, i have to try to stay in power, i have to respond in orbit to what the congressman said about hunter biden. Thejudge did not throw out their plea, he asked questions about the plea and the agreement and the way it was worded on the gun charge. She is giving him 30 days, personally i fully expect that plea to go forward and let me say this, this has been vetted, and investigated by trump and biden administrations, the trump prosecutor was in charge, they have gone through everything, and they found that this was the only charges they could bring against hunter biden. I think, could bring against hunter biden. Ithink, ultimately, it will stand. Biden. Ithink, ultimately, it willstand. Biden. Ithink, ultimately, it willstand. ,. , will stand. Quick last question to ou will stand. Quick last question to you both. Will stand. Quick last question to you both, what will stand. Quick last question to you both, what you will stand. Quick last question to you both, what you think. Will stand. Quick last question | to you both, what you think the impact of this, the former president facing 78 criminal charges and three indictments, what is the impact on his campaign . Senator . I what is the impact on his campaign . Senator . Ithink he will aet a campaign . Senator . Ithink he will get a balm, campaign . Senator . Ithink he will get a balm, i campaign . Senator . Ithink he will get a balm, i think campaign . Senator . Ithink he will get a balm, i think the will get a balm, i think the congressman that will support his help supporters initially, i think in the long run people are getting tired of this and seeing more and more. People are getting tired of this, people are getting tired of this, many republicans like me are very this, many republicans like me are very tired of it but he will are very tired of it but he will he are very tired of it but he will be stronger in the polls, it will will be stronger in the polls, it will help him politically because nobody plays the victim like donald trump. Like donald trump. Really interesting like donald trump. Really interesting insights like donald trump. Really interesting insights both i interesting insights both of you shared with us. Congressman, senator, thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news, tonight. That is our show for tonight. News, tonight. That is our show fortonight. Stay news, tonight. That is our show for tonight. Stay with us. I am sumi sommer scanned in washington. Wet and windy weather on the way for wednesday. More on that in a second. But first of all, we start off with the news that for northern ireland, weve had the wettestjuly on record, with over double the averagejuly rainfall. Those records go back to 1836. It was also the wettestjuly on record for greater manchester, merseyside and lancashire as well. Now, weve got more rain to come through wednesday. This area of low pressure continues to strengthen and were going to see a swathe of particularly strong winds just running to the south of this hook of cloud you can see just here. Now, that is going to be working into the south west of the uk, but already those winds are picking up across south west england, across Southern Parts of wales, as our band of rain gets driven northwards and eastwards across much of the country. And, ok, its going to be a mild start to the day on wednesday, but those winds will continue to strengthen during the first part of the morning. The windiest weather works in across the south coast of england, where were looking at gusts of around 1t0 to 55 miles an hour. Even stronger for Northern France and the channel islands, where we could see gusts of 60 odd miles an hour. Now, winds that strong could bring down one or two trees, so you might find some localised disruption. You might also see the ferries running with even some cancellations or delays, so it might be worth checking before travelling if you have plans that way. Therell be plenty of heavy downpours for england and wales, some thunder mixed in, some really heavy downpours. But for northern scotland, well, this is probably where the brightest, driest weather is going to be. Youll manage a little bit of sunshine. It probably wont be too bad a day. Now, through wednesday night, the worst of the rain clears away eastwards, but you can still see some tightly packed isobars across the uk as we head into thursday. It will be a blustery day, with some of the strongest winds this time heading into northern ireland, driving in frequent showers here. Therell also be loads of showers for Northern Areas of scotland. But across inland areas, you probably have to wait, really, until the afternoon until we start to see those showers become really widespread and heavy. Now, its not going to be the warmest of days for for august, with temperatures generally high teens, maybejust about the low 20s. And that kind of Weather Pattern continues friday and into the weekend. We might even see some longer spells of rain across england and wales as the low pressure potentially moves its way in this weekend. But if youre fed up with being rained on over the last, what, six or seven weeks, better news for next week. It looks like we might have found the first signs of something that resembles summer late next week. Voiceover this is bbc news. Well have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. Welcome to hardtalk. I am stephen sackur. What happens when art and politics collide . Things can get ugly pretty quickly. With talk of culture wars and battles over values, identity and he gets to tell the stories that define us. If warfare is currently a dominant cultural metaphor, what does that make the artists . Warriors . My guest is the groundbreaking playwright and artistic director of the young vic theatre, kwame kwei armah. In troubled times, can art be persuasive rather than polarising . Kwame kwei armah, welcome to hardtalk. Kwame kweiarmah, welcome to hardtalk. , ~ ,. , kwame kweiarmah, welcome to hardtalk. , ~. Kwame kweiarmah, welcome to hardtalk. ,. , hardtalk. Thank you so much for havin hardtalk. Thank you so much for having me hardtalk. Thank you so much for having me it