She is held be it in the hearts of every 5 years. I think its very important that the place of that monument actually here, because its nice where most of the University Students best lie here every day to see and that, you know, most of them are in the future generation. Theyre going to become journalists and shes a very significant example for them. Excellent example. Not only here in drama lubbock elsewhere in the occupied westbank, we see pictures of city murals being drawn by palestinian artists. Every one here wants to send a key or a message that its been 90 days since shooting was killed and had a killer, hasnt been held accountable. Emergency crews trying to put out wild fires in the us state of california have recorded a rear phenomenon. Flames in a region north of los angeles swirled into whats known as a fire depot, or fire nato firefighters side are making Good Progress and containing the flames. Ah, this is al jazeera and these are the top stories. Sierra leone has imposed a nationwide curfew in response to Anti Government protests officials, so several people have been killed, including security personnel. More heavy rain is forecast and northern sudan. Were down, pause and flash floods of kill 2 people and injured dozens. At least 3000 homes were destroyed and driven, ill state the rain also cut off the main highway, connecting the states to the capitol cartoon or spoken to some families here in barbara and ronald states. Northern part of the sudanese capital harder to many of them say they were not expecting the flash floods that occurred. Theyve been living here for decades. They describe this as the 1st time that theres things such kinds of our flash floats, destroying homes. Now you can see the destruction behind me. Some of the homes here in Barber County in river now state completely destroyed. According to state authorities and local authorities more than 3000 homes have been completely damaged by the flash floods and our heavy rains. The u. S. Justice Department Says its charged an iranian man, supposing to kill form, the National Security advisor, john bolton, describes him as a member of irans revolution. Re got. The news is up next after inside story. The important thing if you are Walking Around in beirut was not to be in the line of fire from the holiday. I thought we heard gunshots. I was the 1st one to flee the hotel. The battle lasted 3 days and 3 nights and there were no prisoners at the control holiday inn and you controllers the region around. And thats why it is such a bloody battle. An icon of conflict at the heart of the lebanese civil war, bay route holiday in. Whoa, whoa. Towels on al jazeera, have f b i agents found what they were looking for in Donald Trumps home. The former u. S. President says the search of his florida resident is part of a plan to destroy him. But what does this mean for his potential 2nd run for the white house . This is inside stored. Ah. Hello and welcome to the program. Im hammer, jim, jim, f. B i. Agents in the us state of florida have conducted a criminal search of former president Donald Trumps home. Its seen as a significant escalation of the federal investigation into whether trump illegally removed classified documents from the white house. As he was leaving office in january last year. Trump criticized the f b i search, calling it a weapon. Ization of the Justice System will bring in our guest shortly. But 1st, this report from gillian wolf, the f. B i search of Donald Trumps mar lago, a state on monday marked a dramatic escalation. The former u. S. President is facing a number of allegations into his conduct. In the waning days of his administration. For much of the year there had been small cracks and trumps political support. Bought a day after the f. B as unprecedented search republicans rally behind the former leader. When all this went down in moral argo, my phone blew up friends and family members asked me what in the world is going on . Why is the law not being applied equally . Your friends text to be things like is the f b. I turn to the gestapo. The search was part of the u. S. Justice departments investigation into allegations tromp removed classified documents from the white house. The u. S. Agency in charge of collecting and storing president ial documents had notified the Justice Department about the discovery of at least 15 boxes of white house documents at trumps mar, logo home. It said some of those records were classified. The House Committee investigating the january 6th attack on the u. S. Capital had also heard evidence about the removal of classified documents when trump left office, along with allegations trump had repeatedly shredded or disposed of classified material after reading it as president. Republicans in congress are calling the search of political witch hunt, initiating an investigation into the allegations of the f b. I. We now find that justice in america is not equal. Is determined upon whether you want to go after a political, a person or not. And you go after your political foes, i think thats wrong. Democrats say the f. B i action shows, no one is above the law. And the white house says President Joe Biden was not given advance notice about the search. The president in the white house learned about this f b. I serge from public reports we learned just like the American Public did and we did not have advanced notice of this activity. President mine has been very clear from before he was elected president. And throughout the his time in office at the Justice Department conducts its investigations independently. He believes in the rule of law, donald trump remains a Republican Party, is most influential voice and has been considering the idea of running. Again, his ability to tap into the frustrations of conservative voters has helped him overcome to impeachment and the full out from the general 6 attack his allies say the f. B, i search of his florida home could strengthen his standing once again for inside story telling wolf ah. All right, lets go ahead and bring in our guests and rest in virginia rena shop found her and principal of relax strategies. Shes also a conservative political advisor. In washington dc, henry olson, a senior fellow at the ethics and Public Policy center and columnist for the washington post, is also the author of the working class republican Ronald Reagan and the return of the blue collar conservatism. And in london, julie norman associate professor at University College london, and co director of the u cl. Center on us politics. A warm welcome to you all. And thanks so much for joining us today on inside story. Julie, let me start with you today, and lets talk for a moment about the significance of all of this. A 1st of all is this unprecedented. Has a search warrant ever been executed at the home of a former u. S. President before and you know, what kind of evidence would have been needed in order to convince a judge to sign off on a search warrant like this. Sure, so as is why be known by now, this is unprecedented. Justice has investigated president s before, but i never to the extent of a search warrant for a former president. So as you noted, this would have had to have gotten approval from a federal magistrate judge as it did in order to get a warrant, though its just probable cause that a crime was committed. So it doesnt necessarily mean there is firm evidence. It doesnt necessarily mean theres going to be a criminal proceeding. It just means that its warrant for a search. It should be noted, a search warrant is rare in this kind of investigation. This is an investigation around classified documents. Usually these are resolved through negotiations, maybe a subpoena, but a search really is unusual. So the question of course is still unknown at least to the public of what the f b i was looking for. If they found it and what the implications will be. And we certainly dont know that just yet, rina there has been polling done recently, showing that a majority of republicans did not want mr. Trump to be the parties nominee in 2024. Before the news of this search at more lago, was there a sense that republican lawmakers may have been ready to move on from mr. Trump . And has the fact that this search has happened . Has that up in did all of that now . Well, in the past few months, ive definitely heard a greater sense then in a very long time that the country may, you know, really be looking for something fresh, something new. But again, its almost as if we dont know where the pendulum has swung entirely for republicans and i speak to. There are a great many who are still very committed to make America Great. Again, movement who feel that trump maybe should be given a 2nd look. But theres also a fair amount whether youre talking about the mid Atlantic Region of republicans or western republicans or even southern republicans. There are a fair amount that want to try something new, perhaps in the form of Florida Governor ron de santis. Its hard to tell what will happen now. As of course, we know in this era, the court of Public Opinion feels to be the only court that matters. So the political ramifications, particularly in this Republican Party, i think, will be quite severe. Will they rally behind trump and stay there . What will the mid terms do . Or is there going to be a new Energy Behind trump endorse candidates who were losing for many weeks . And then now we see sort of a resurgence of some. These are all open ended questions right now, because this is such an obviously unprecedented move it because no former president has done anything that has warranted such a search. Thats what i like to remind republicans is that this has never been warranted. So lets be sort of cautious in the moment about what this really means about the future of the g o. P. And henry are based on 1st impressions from your vantage point, does this help or hurt trump . It marginally helps trump within the Republican Party because theres a large number of people who like him may be considering moving on. But now he seems to be in the target. Some of the air quotes, real enemy, the democrats in the lab. So in the short term, this is something thats going to slightly increase from standing within the Republican Party, but its still a long way to go and we dont know whats going to come out. I dont think this will have lasting impulse, but certainly it gives trump brief bit of momentum that he lacks prior to the right. Julie, if the f b, i doesnt find anything if nothing from the search sticks to trump, whats the blowback going to be . And how much would then benefit trump will if nothing comes out of this, i think it will benefit trump massively. Trump has really embraced a narrative throughout his, his time in office and afterwards of persecution, of grievance of. 6 being under a witch hunt with the federal government in general, but especially with justice. And so this incident plays very much into that narrative gives him a specific instant and specific optics to point to. And its one that weve already seen, resonating very strongly with many of his supporters. You know, people coming out in our logo on monday night already rattling around trump. And it just puts him back in the center of the narrative in exactly the place he wants to be. And i could see him leveraging this definitely in the short term and really well into a campaign if you wished. Henry, how strong is trumps grip on the Republican Party . Still, and what is his record thus far . When it comes to the candidates that hes been supporting during the primary he actually turned around his endorsement record. He was looking like he was losing a fair number of them are earlier in the primary where he said a very good winning street. Recently winning most of is contested enforcement. I think that fair statement right now is that trump is, has the upper hand in the Republican Party, that there is a substantial number of republicans who may want to go along with many a trump like policies, but do not want to endorse full throated. Trump ism, or trump candidates, we saw on the wisconsin primary just last night that the incoming general governor last year a trunk back candidate, but got 42 percent. Same thing in arizona where an opponent to trumps endorse candidates got close to 45 percent. So lets say the party is divided with Trump Supporters having the upper hand. And that means that theres still an opening for someone to come through and challenge him. But its still clear that trump has that slight upper edge within g o p. And henry, you talked about the, the party being divided, but let me ask you, i mean, just how fractured is the Republican Party right now. Against the democrats. Its not very factor that republican factions may disagree with one another on how far or how fast move. But against the democrats, i think youll see a lot of unity. But theres going to be a real question whether trump is somebody who can and should lead the ticket. And thats one thats going to come to ahead after the mid term elections arena, you know, top, Congressional Republicans have been rushing to defend mr. Tromp after the news broke. That that, that search warrant was executed. Is this in any way surprising to you . I want to talk for more about the fact that, you know, you have former u. S. Vice president mike pence. Hes called on us attorney general mary garland, to give a full accounting to the public of why the search warrant was carried out more lago. You know, of course, my pencil, its known that he is somebody who was in the hiding a win win that the invasion of the capitol happened on january 6th. You had Trump Supporters who wanted to harm him. So the fact that you know, he has come out and put out this statement at a time when theres a lot of speculation that, that, that pence might run in 2024. And the fact that there are these Republican Leaders of who privately may be saying they dont support trump or now publicly defending him. Does that surprise . It is a bit surprising, even after many years of trumpet office, to watch Establishment Republicans. So sitting in congress right now, who are elected members of congress, elected to a branch that is supposed to check the other branch, be a check on their power. Completely surround the former president with continued adoration and love and defense of what is sort of his, his way of going about things. His unique style of continuing to engage an hypocritical action and talk of but the what about as them as well, it almost feels as if weve entered this new era politics that we cannot walk back from. We had many weeks of the january, 6 select committee within the house, tell us that there was well documented evidence of trump and really his, egregious actions to try to remain power to grow power that was not constitutionally his up, but still even didnt. Despite that, this Republican Party does not have to embrace him and they continue to so it shows sort of the level of pettiness of some of these elected members of congress. It, they may be defending themselves, they may be protecting themselves. They know that money is still tied to the make America Great again base. So its, it almost leans. Anyone whos even a Political Insider scratching their heads about at what point does a divorce happen between Establishment Republicans and the trump sort of empire that continues to pervade the Republican Party . That again, is another open ended question. This is just a time where its just too quick. Its too early to tell. We have to get past these midterms to know more about what the American Electric really thinks of trump and will he be the standard bear in 2024 o. Rena. Speaking of the midterms, you know, it had been reported that up until the news broke, that this search warrant was executed, that many republicans had been privately urging donald trump not to announce that he was going to ron in 2024 because they thought that might be damaging in the mid term elections for other candidates. Now it seems that there are republicans that are calling on trump to actually announce before the mid terms, because they believe that will help the party. Do you think that this means that donald trump will officially enter the president ial race soon . Will is by help the party, you mean that a former president who again was sort of the, the standard bearer not just sort of he was the elected former resident, you know, if by helping him that means he doesnt go to jail, which would just be my goodness, absolutely, a shock to the system to the entire country, but no one can be above the law in these United States. I think the actions that weve seen in the past 36 hours, particularly tell us that democracy in action is an action here in the United States as in motion. Its working. And were not at Banana Republic because even if you are now a private citizen who held the highest office in the land, you are subject to the law. And so we have one side of the story right now that is trumps version. We have yet to hear why this legal search was conducted on his private property in florida. We will learn more in the coming days. That will tell us exactly what this means for a former president. Has he broken a part of our u. S. Coat that prohibits him from a holding office. Again, this is all very consequential in so many ways it all hangs in the balance for the future of the Republican Party. Do people want to do then trump at all costs . Or are they willing to say, let him go like the r N C Committee chair woman herself just alluded to, i believe it was just last week. I and if not, it was a few days prior to that where she said that they would not even pay trumps legal bills anymore if you were to continue on this path of a potential candidacy. So were again hanging in the balance as a myself, a former republican strategist, and, and a long time registered republican. But somebody who wishes to see a healthy Republican Party exist. Julie democrats are fresh off of some big legislative whims right now on the fact that the focus has now shifted to trump. Does that hurt the democrats going into the mid terms . Well, as you said this week was probably not the week that bite in the white house wanted a story like this necessarily, you know, coming off their climate bill when chips some other very long waited legislation finally coming through. And of course, trump has just completely flipped the new cycle with the, with whats happening this week. So from the democratic point of view, you, they would like more emphasis on those pieces. But at the same time, you know, Many Democrats had been keen to see some legal movements from any of the number investigations that trump is currently under. Hes expected also to testify today in a separate investigation in new york. So Many Democrats have been looking for justice to come down a bit stronger on trump, as we have said there. You know, i think if there is not anything to show from this, that will blow back on democrats at the end of the day, and many who are maybe celebrating right now are maybe not thinking about some of the repercussions of this in terms of the campaign and the electorate, and how this might galvanized. And julie, if were talking about galvanizing Trump Supporters, you know, its being reported that there is some violent rhetoric thats been appearing on pro trump online forums. Is there a lot of concern out there that, that this could all lead to violence some point . Well, there certainly is concern and ever since obviously, january 6th, i think people are taking this kind of reg rock more seriously than they may have in the past. A lot of terms and phrases that were being put on social media on twitter. Since the news of the search came out, certainly have very aggressive, you know, very, very violence meaning connotations to then, with that said, i think we should always be cautious about not, not jumping to kind of alarm is conclusions with this. You know, people are going to react to this, there are going to be protest, but right now we have not seen any kind of extreme expression of violence in reaction to this. Again, trump himself, i think well have a lot of sway and how much that side of the rhetoric builds or not. Hes obviously encouraged it in the past and we can only hope that. B deescalate, rather than escalates in terms of the violent rhetoric around henry, do you think that as a result of any of these investigations that it might be possible that mr. Trump could be barred from running again for president . You know, i dont think that there is a legal way to borrow him from running for president short of jailing him. That theres a lot of belief that you cannot add to the constitutional requirements for running or office. And there are no constitutional requirements saying that somebody under indictment or somebody under suspicion, or somebody whos been convicted even cannot run for the presidency. So i think short of securing conviction, thats a lot of deal that have been behind bars. I dont think theres any way that this is going to prevent him from running for office, convicting him in the impeachment. Trial would have been the way to do. Rena. Weve heard from my House Minority leader, kevin mccarthy, he told attorney general Merrick Garland to preserve your documents and clear your calendar. And he warned that there would be a probe into all of this when republicans take back to the house in the mid term elections. Now if republicans do regain control of the house of representatives come november, are we going to see republicans launch a lot of retaliatory investigations . And whats that going to do . The countries already so polarized the Political Parties already so polarized, what kind of effect would that have . All republicans have been calling and, you know, making calls about this january 6 Law Committee in the house. It that did these public hearings for these past many weeks. And theyve been saying that that is a, a sort of one sided ive sort of investigation that, that is purely political and which on in events happening through the u. S. House representatives because of nancy pelosi, the speaker. So, so theyve already sort of taken to that line of messaging and, and been rather successful with their babies parting with that theyve been raised often bit a massive amount. They continue to beat that steady drum of the democrats are trying to ruin the way youre your way of life that theyre trying to, you know, do things that will, will affect your bottom line lately. This entire week of the, the messaging point has been that the iris is expanding, theyre coming for you, theyre hiring up. Were close to 90000 new agents and theyre coming for you the little guy because youre a conservative so. So do not be surprised if you, you hear this from Congressional Republicans that of course, the leader and mccarthy is, is giving away his entire playbook. He wants to exact revenge on debit cards and hes going to start it from the top down at the house. Republicans take over this fall. And that will be the 1st thing they do is hold these kind of hearings because they will say, democrats already did the very same thing. Henry, you know, this certainly is not the 1st time that form President Trump has been accused of mishandling classified materials, or we do know that in the u. S. The president has the authority to declassify any information if it is determined. Ultimately, the mr. Trump took classified material that he, that he shouldnt have that hes of held on to it. Couldnt mr. Trump just claim to have be classified . It would that, would that be enough to end all of this . I think theres a process through which you have to go to your judy. Classify it. Of course one can only do that as president. The question is whether he did that while when he was serving an office, i dont think its something that he can wave one after the fact and say, these documents are all okay if he didnt go through the procedures that establishes declassification prior to his departure from office, then i dont think hes going to be able to make that claim. Julie, i saw you nodding along to what henry was saying. Did you want to jump in . Just to, to agree with that, right . That, you know, while in office the president can, can declassified but afterwards they cannot into its unclear with the status of those documents would be. And, you know, its important to know back in the spring with kind of the 1st boxes that were taken from our logo. We were given from our logo. You, there were, there were classified documents in there. So we already, we know that trump has had some classified materials, but again, there is that can usually be assuaged the different kinds of negotiations. And the worry here is that theres something much more sensitive or much more pertinent to some of the other legal challenges going on. But that would be, its complicated because of that president ial power to the classify as well. And julie, from your vantage point, you know, from what youre seeing and reading and hearing, does it look like trump may be in real serious legal peril here . I really think its too early to say we just dont have enough information about what was found and what its going to mean. I would again emphasize that in order to bar trump from running from office again, that would still be a very long way off. I think a criminal proceeding just around having classified documents would be unlikely and would probably be seen as an overreach. If those documents actually related to something very serious, then i could see an actual proceeding moving forward, potentially. But again, i think trump will continue to, to leverage this as much as possible through an appeals process, et cetera. And, and really it will be very difficult legally to keep him from running again. Right . And we only have about a minute left to me and ask you the same question from your vantage point. Do you think the trump is in real legal trouble here . Well, it depends on, you know, really how this whole thing plays out because there is a president ial records act if, and if this legal search was fully about classified documents and how they were handled by trump and really what the f b, i knows at this point then it becomes a question of whos going to enforce the president ial records act for the 1st time. There were there was a former chief of staff. There were other top advisors who werent President Trump while he was in the white house about that act in his handling of information. But it still to this day nobody has really been punished for violating that act. Are we going to be a country that holds accountable, our former elected leaders . That is the question. Im really, im ready and waiting for an answer for. All right, well, we have run out of time, so were going to have to leave the conversation there today. Thanks so much to all of our guest, rena shaw, and we olson and julie norman. And thank you for watching. You can see the program again any time by visiting our website or dot com. And for further discussion, go to a facebook page. Thats facebook dot com, forward slash ha inside story. You can also, during the conversation on twitter handle is at a j inside story for him, how much im drilling a whole team here for now. And examining the impact of todays headlines. 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