Im john hall in london, the top stories on al jazeera, the u. S. Secretary of state and russias foreign minister have spoken for the 1st time since russia invaded ukraine in february. In the phone call, Anthony Blinkin says he told sir gala brought the world, expects russia to honor its commitment to let grain shipment safely leave. Ukrainian ports that have rob said sanctions on russia were party to blame for the global food crisis and weapons supplies to ukraine. Prolonging the war, lincoln also warned rusher of consequences if it tries to annex more regions of ukraine. Also make clear to farmersville average that in light of recent statements coming from the kremlin about their plans to proceed with the further annexation of ukrainian territory. Indeed, the Foreign Ministers onwards about replacing a democratically elected ukrainian government, as well as being part of their ongoing plans. Those plans would ever be certain. The world will not recognize accusations. We will impose additional significant costs on russia if it moves forward with plants, ships filled with ukrainian grain, a loaded up and ready to go with black c ports. President followed him as the lensky and g. 7. Ambassadors to his country visited a port near odessa to witness the final preparations. But you crime says it still waiting for a signal from turkey and the un before the ships can leave from odessa in southern new, cried john henry reports. The 1st ships long delayed by war are laden with ukrainian grain and ready to course through a new shipping lane designed to be safe from the conflict around it. Ukraine hopes that soon it will again be feeding the world seasoned al m a. But lily, madam, we sent all the signal. So our partners, the you and, and turkey and our military has guaranteed the security situation. As farmers continue to harvest this years wheat, corn and sunflower seeds, 25000000 tons of grain from last season had been stuck in storage. Silos it 3 black c ports. Until now. The 1st trips for a test run after that more ships will lead from the ports of odessa churn a more skin piv denny, in the coming days. If all goes well. The u. S. Ambassador, joining her group of 7 colleagues in odessa says they are united in a simple task to get this grain to the people who need it to hungry people around the world. And also to shine a spotlight on the fact that its very important for russia to live up to its commitments until allow this grain to be exporting oh leg. Bring back the deputy mayor of odessa says the port is a lifeline to a world struggling to avert a global food crisis. Porpoise finish. And then there was, there was a thought are the ports of a deceased, the oxygen ukraine needs to breathe. Its not only for disa, we understand the grain is a strategic role material for the entire world with me. This makes it possible to day in ukraine for us to continue fighting and defend our independence across ukraine, strikes from both sides or a reminder of the danger of sending ships through war time water. The Ukrainian Military says, Russian Forces have leveled a school in crumb matters in the east while the Russian Defense Ministry Says a ukrainian missiles struck a prison and olen eva in the dawn bass, killing dozens of people keeps as thats dis, information from the kremlin. And that it was actually Russian Forces who carried out the attack. The prisoners of war inside the facility were from the as of battalion, which became synonymous with ukrainian strength when its fighters held off Russian Forces. And merrier po for weeks. John henderson, Al Jazeera Odessa ukraine. A court in the United States has decided that civil lawsuits brought against theyve been wall, or holly for half to can be heard in federal courts. After a us citizen is accused of war crimes and extra judicial killings during libya. Civil war, the ruling means libyan civilians have the right to bring cases against him in u. S. Courts, but damages and alleged war crimes. Well, those are the top stories stay with us. The bottom line looks at challenges facing democrats in the us mid term elections. Ah, hi, im steve clements, i have a question. Whats the point of Congress Investigation into the riot at the capital . If the instigator in chief of that insurrection remains wildly popular with his followers. Lets get to the bottom line. Ah. The january 6th Commission Says it wants to make sure that the events of january 6th, 2021 never happen again. The democrat lead panel has argued that former president , donald trump, was at the center of an Election Fraud conspiracy that ultimately led to an insurrection at the u. S. Capital. He still refuses to admit that he lost the 2020 election and a lot of Americans Still believe him. And judging by the latest opinion polls, they havent changed their views on trump with most poles, saying he would beat President Joe Biden if elections were held today. So where will the investigations go from here . And how true a republican criticisms that its just a Democratic Party attempt to gain political points. Joining me today as democratic congressman from pennsylvania, brendan boiled castle broil. Im really grateful for you joining me here and let me just let me just start this with a very serious element here. You were in the capital when this attack on it happened. And as i understand it, this is the 1st attack on the u. S. Capital infrastructure since the war of 1812, it just is not a normal thing. What was it like being in the midst of that malay . You know, its really hard to describe and even now i think many members went through it, myself included are still kind of processing what, what happened. It also happened so quickly, even though it was the course of a day, things went downhill extremely quickly. So i, one of my vivid memories is literally with my staff pushing a couch in front of my office door, making sure all of the other doors were locked. Barricading ourselves in. Certainly an unforgettable day and a very sad one. But i would also point out, ultimately we did our duty, went back to the house floor. That evening. I spoke just after midnight because the only state that was still challenged, disgracefully, even after the riot, were the electoral votes from pennsylvania. And gave a for speech that im very proud of and ultimately about 3 30 in the morning. Certified the election and ensure that the transfer power would take place 2 weeks later on january 20th. Okay. I dont want to run through all the points that you and i have both been watching and listening to every word of these hearings. I know you have, i saw you doing in the last hearing that said, when you think about what liz cheney a republican, we should note that there are 2 republican members of the january 6th Committee Hearing congresswoman luce cheney and congressman adam kinsey. Her, she said there was a 7 point plan that, that donald trump put into action to overturn the, at the elections of 2020. And, and in that i guess my question to you is, do you think President Trump ought to be in jail . Yes. Yeah, i absolutely, i believe there is already sufficient evidence to indict donald trump. I firmly believe that he will be indicted separately in georgia. We know the grand jury is meeting right now. I mean, my goodness. He is on clearly intimidating the top election official in georgia, literally saying just find me the votes. I need in order to declare me the, the winner. The irony of all his schemes, of course, is that even if one state flipped, he still wouldnt be close to the actual number that he needed. He needed at least 3 states to flip a. But, you know, for someone like donald trump, that sort of practical thinking wouldnt come into the picture and my biggest fear i wrote an op ed in the spring of 2016 about donald trump in a philadelphia newspaper. And i said, donald trump is different than any previous democrat, or republican, or a wig, who came before and, and sought the presidency. Because deep down he is not a small, di democrat, is obviously not a capital d democrat, but its a small di, democrat. He does not believe in democracy. Think of all of the world wide authoritarians he would speak about glowingly. Hes. Busy quoted by one of his act, staffers as coming back from north korea. Speaking admiringly about how afraid kim jung oon staffers were around him. Trump spoken myron li about that. So this was always one of my biggest concerns from the very beginning about donald trump and even though and till we reached the trump presidency, im not the kind of person who ever would have been supportive of indicting a former president of the United States. We dont want to be a country where the successor is indicting the predecessor, especially for political reasons. This is different. If we do not hold donald trump criminally responsible for what he did, i believe the great danger is that it will happen again except next time it would succeed. Look, i happen to know that you are good friends with some republican members of the house. And when you talk to them privately, what sorts of Gravitational Forces take them to a different place than you . Or if you were a republican, take your hat off for a moment and youre a republican. Would you be able to make the same statement that you just made and, and politically survive . Probably not. I, it was so impressive about what lose chain in and one of my very good friends in congress and kensington. You are good for do adam. I am your dad, he and i co lead a caucus on syria together and have worked very closely for a number of years now to attempt to change and improve us policy as it relates to the syrian war. This now going on more than a decade and sadly has been forgotten by too many year. So i, adam, is someone i, i like and im friends with admire a great deal. And i think one of the, even though the commissioner, the committee is described as a democratic lead committee, it is in terms of the numbers of the membership. Thats by the way, because Kevin Mccarthy rejected putting a g o p. Members on other than the, the 2 that were appointed by speaker below. So i just went on to emphasize for audience, so they get lost the weeds. Kevin mccarthy, the republican leader, had an opportunity to record other members and they withdrew that oper correct. So there are 2 republican members that are leading, i mean one is the daughter of a former vice pres, United States, and rather a tough vice pres, United States. You know, the chia name is a no name and g o p circles. Why . In your estimation, just as you know in this mix, as she becomes so reviled adam, kensington, you know, is likely gonna move on to, you know, run, run a new Organization Called country 1st. But in that, the republicans dont seem to be solvent right now in terms of, of this discussion. Yes. So, so lets be clear, the reason why there are as, as we both described, republicans on the committee is entirely their own doing and their leader Kevin Mccarthys. Doing but even with that, what is impressed me maybe the most about these Committee Hearings is that the overwhelming majority of the witnesses have been republicans. 2 of the people who have really, i think, had the biggest role of, from what ive seen on the hearings are the 2 republican members, liz cheney and Adam Kensington. So even so for those who would describe it as partisan, i disagree with that. Overwhelmingly, the biggest impact that these hearings has been from republican members of congress and republican witnesses, most of whom were staffers of donald trump. I think that is what gives them such credibility. Now, i dont know if and how the legality got sorted out. If you could actually impeach a president who was no longer in office, right. But if there were, if that decision had been made, which i think is in dispute, if you could impeach, ah, President Trump again for the newfound evidence about his, you know, involvement, that the pre knowledge they had of what an armed mob was going to do. And his own desire to lead that mob up the steps of the congress. Do you believe he would be impeached to day . So far as i did vote for impeachment, exactly one week after january 6, january 13th, he was impeached in the house. One charge. Um, i believe every democratic member voted for it, and 10 republicans voted for it. And then 57. 00 senators voted to convict him including 7 republican members. That was actually the most members of the United States senate to convict a president of their own party in history previous to that it there, its just been one. Wow. So i do think that that speaks volumes. Now, i dont, i dont know about this. I dont think you can actually impeach someone on the same charge twice. It would have to be a separate count. I would assume. But given the evidence that is there. Now, if this at all come out last january, february, whenever the trial was in the senate, i think it was about 6 weeks later. I do wonder if you would get the additional 10 republican sanders. But that brings us back to the original question that you asked, which is can a republican member of congress survive and be viable, standing up to trump . It is obviously very difficult. There are many privately who want to do with adam cleansing her is doing, want to do it. Las chaney are doing, but frankly, just dont have the courage to do so. What is been most surprising to you about the january 6th hearings . What, what has come up that you were surprised by that you didnt know even though youre a member of congress and a friend of Adam Kensington . Is there anything thats been really moving for you . The fact that the secret service already noticed that there were individuals with weapons in the crowd and relate that to donald trump. Thats very important, legally, thats consciousness of guilt. So then when he told them to go to the capital, we now know because of these hearings, he knew that they were armed, that there were individuals in that crowd, he reportedly said he wasnt worried because glue, they werent after him, correct . He didnt mind if they were after some one else. Yeah. Wells. Remarkable. So how do you not indict someone after this, given all of that body of evidence . Well, i think, you know, one of the other interesting questions that comes up in this is, you know, President Trumps positioning with this about the election and election denial in this and, and we do have a comment where he basically said, we know that he was reported to have said in a taping that he didnt want to say that the election was over. He admitted that congress had certified the votes, but was unwilling to say, hey, were not gonna do that. And then also if you read this january 6 committee interview, which we have here, you know, he ex doubt in his own hands that he wanted to hold those people who broke the law accountable. You know, he basically took out the section, im directing the department of justice to ensure all law breakers are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We must send a clear message, not with mercy, but with justice. Legal consequences must be swift and firm. He ex, all of that out. Why did he ex that out . Yeah, i mean, i think its pretty obvious. He feels that what he cares about are people who are with them, where people who are against them. Thats the only thing he cares about. The only thing hes ever cared about, and so he called them special people. If you remember the day before the video, he film from the white house, he has spoken since then. That if you were to become president again, he would pardon them. When i talk about the need to hold donald trump criminally responsible, its not trust for january 6, 2021. Its about january 6, 2025 and the january 6. That will follow every 4 years. Because if hes not held criminally responsible, there is every indication he will do this again. Will his successor do it . If he is not elected . Mean, i think one of the really interesting questions is the world looks at what, at our political mess in this country is donald trump, the cause of what were seeing, the leader of what we seen is the a manifestation of a deeper dysfunction in america. There are other candidates out there, governor de santis of florida and others that are, you know, potentially interested in running, you know, even mike pants, who his Vice President will any candidate who comes up on the g o p side be able to be different in behavior and direction and respect the rules and, and norms of our institutions. Or do you suspect that any republican that is elected in this next election will bring in the same storm . Yeah, i said this is an open question in my own mind. And i go back and forth on this, the danger with what donald trump is done, and that hes succeeded within the Republican Party is that the playbook has now been written. And so its easy for copy cats to come along and attempt. I mean, you see, Rhonda Santas as even of suddenly adopted the same hand gestures ah, that, that donald trump views i served with round de santis in congress. He wasnt like that. He was actually quite quiet. But you know, he now gets the play many trump on t v. And so that is a real concern of mine that now that trump is open the door to this sort of creeping authoritarianism in our system that others would, would walk through it. I want to make one other point to, as you know, im a member of the natal Parliamentary Assembly and all throughout the trump years. I would constantly get the question from fellow parliamentarians of mine, of other who, serv, i, they may, i should know, you just helped to vote, to support finland and sweden, repairing nato. And you were at a leader of that. Thats right. And so something i feel very strongly about and excited about finland and sweden joining our alliance. We will go to 32 members. That show is one more way in which bruton strategy is attacked. Literally back fired. But i raised this because at those nato meetings, i would have british parliamentarians, french germans, come up to me and say, what is going on in americas democracy, going to survive . These are questions people would never even think to ask. Before the last several years, we have polls, i just want to bring up some polls. You know, when you kind of look at the, the question of whether joe biden could win tomorrow. And you see that a poll after poll, there is a, you know, weve got 44. 00 and a half percent for trump and 42. 00 and a half percent for biden. And a real clear politics ball. But if you look at a lot of poles, you see that right now. Now i know that polls and i should see this got to be careful of poles in the aggregate. What matters is Electoral College and a lot of other dimensions that come in, you know, as these votes are skewed around the country. But its remarkable because i remember the days, congressmen, when someone with the baggage that a President Trump might have given what we now know and saw would be looked at as an opportunity for the challenger and, and i dont it. So i guess have 2 questions is why do you feel that the Republican National support for donald trump right now is so high and to what is the implication for your own party not being able to compete with that . What does it mean . What is the Democratic Party getting wrong . Well, a couple things. First, i think its quite clear that donald trump would actually be the weakest republican candidate of the different ones that they could nominate. Just look at from where i am, where i sit in suburban or in philadelphia, but the suburbs around me and suburban philadelphia. You had republicans when for congress, like right above me, the congressional district, one by double digits, one for state senate, one for state rep. And then that same district photo for joe biden by 6 points. So actually trump was the weakest republican of the republican to ryan statewide. Trump actually did the worst as, as compared to republicans running for different the 3 other statewide offices. So in my view, trump is toxic in the suburbs that are needed to win the general election. That said, though, in this highly partisan era in which things were closely divided in america, i think pretty much i would not dismiss the ability of pretty much any republican candidate or any democratic candidate to win the general election. Things are chosen that close. And as you know, there are probably about less than half the number of swing voters today that there were a generation ago. So now in terms of what democrats can do, were still a long way to 2024. I really want to focus on 2020 to the Congressional Elections are coming this fall. The historic pattern is the mid term elections tend to be challenging for the party and power, which means you guys are going to have a tough time, the democrats that correct. Yeah. But i would point out, do not assume that if we have a challenging 2022, that that will still be the case by 2024. There are many examples. Bill clintons mid term election. Rocco bomb is mid term election. Ronald reagans mid term elections. There are so many examples actually of a president in his 1st mid term election, his party losing seats, and then turning around 2 years later and winning reelection reflect winning reelection. And what do you think the Biden Whitehouse and the biden leadership in the Democratic Party right now is at octane level and the performance level . It should be, you know, are they on their game . Well i, i believe the answer obviously is, is yes, but we can always do better. I also think that and again, i speak to fellow parliamentarians who serve in their National Legislatures around the world. Its so similar to what, what theyre having to deal with because of this inflation crisis, i mean, the hang over from coven, which was one of the greatest disruptions that has ever confronted society. And one of the biggest disruptions that certainly we face in our lifetime, that is still having an impact. You go, you walk in downtowns and offices that are half open, half empty because the workers arent back. You can see it in my city of philadelphia as well. Be increasing crime in a lot of cities that has happened in the last few years reversing what had been not that long ago, 4050 year lows, record lows in the amount of violent crime. So this is still all having an impact. And then of course, you know, probably most crucially the inflation crisis, which again, every country on earth is facing here in the u. S. 89 percent. There are other countries in europe or its double that. Its not a coincidence that right now, you see pretty much every in common party in western democracies struggling, thats in government. And that is because of the overall mood being impacted by coven and then inflation. I think you ration a point because a lot of the republicans that i know are raising inflation crime and immigration as the big 3 issues to running your campaigns on. And im wondering why the democrats arent meeting them in kind. You know, youve got jo mansion, senator joe mentioned, you know, saying hey, we need to care about it. You know, at least show some concern about inflation. We need to not pour a trillion dollars more on a hot economy according to him and his view. Or be careful about how we scrub what the government spends, you know, on climate and other issues. And you see that this train wreck between people very committed a key global concern, which is climate change, which we see the real world effect right now, versus near term effects on peoples lives. And whether they can keep up given with inflation and they are, theyre falling more and more behind. How does that get resolved . Mean, youre great at this in talking to your constituents. And i know because i, i see it in pennsylvania when youre having that conversation with the public about these contending dichotomies, if you will, i dont hear from the white house. So what i would say is that the best thing we can do to address inflation is not have an abstract argument about how spending will affect things 7 years from now. Right. Lets bring it back to the basics Kitchen Table economics. Prescription drug prices are too high. If we just do one thing, give medicare the ability to negotiate Prescription Drug prices. We will save the government a lot of money and we will save consumers a lot of money. Even those who are on medicare will benefit naturally by the fact that Prescription Drug prices are coming down. Thats one. Just one. Very simple thing we can do. We already pass it in the house. Joe mansion said he supportive. Lets do it in this next week. And that is something that would have a dramatic effect. And so, you know, when im back home in speaking of town halls, were running into constituents at the grocery store. Pensively less about abstract argument, the more about very simple meat and potatoes type things. And so i think the more democrats we talk about that right, the better and also it keeps us. Busy away from, you know, other are humans where frankly, republicans probably have an advantage on, well, let me ask you real quickly and im going to be blunt about this and help of the give me a short answer. Jonathan swan of axiom has done a remarkable set of reports around what would happen if donald trump reelected. They would use a tool called schedule app. Its a little boring folks. They would use this boring tool to essentially got the expertise and drop thousands of Civil Servants who have been in government, drop them out and bring in, you know, true believers in dollars into whatever these positions are. And im just interested in what government that sounds like to you from our historic past. I mean it just smelling like 1900 thirties, germany, to me. And im just wondering whether it does to you that Jonathan Swan article is one of the most frightening things that ive ever read. Were talking about 40 to 50000 federal government workers that are not political appointees that are there because of a certain technical expertise. The idea that they would all suddenly be fired and replaced with people again, who just meet one criteria. Busy political loyalty to donald trump, that is part and parcel of what we were discussing earlier about him. Hes an incredibly dangerous person. He never should have been allowed within a 100 yards of the oval office, and he absolutely cannot be allowed in there. Again. Let me ask you finally of liz cheney were to run for president. I did state, would you be supportive of her efforts . Well, i would love the fear, the republican nominee. I want what there need to be 2 at least healthy functioning parties for democracy. The thrive and i just want to see a democratic nominee certainly, and a republican nominee that will keep our commitment to the transfer of power and democratic norms lose. Cheney, i think is a true profile in courage. Well, congress and brandon boil pennsylvania. Thank you so much for joining us. I would hope youll come back this session, come back again. Thank you will do. Thank you. So whats the bottom line . I imagine people all over the world taking one look at todays america and just scratching their heads. How can so Many Americans want donald trump back, especially since he still has an admitted to losing the last time . Well, if you want to understand this society or any society, its about living with crazy contradictions. Folks are worried about climate change, but they also love their gas guzzling cars. A lot of people are hurting financially these days, but some are doing great. Some people believe that america is making progress with more fairness and rights for everyone. While others see their National Identity being torn apart is all happening in the same country in the same family. But as usual, its a big dysfunctional family. Trump ism, is here to stay regardless of the investigation into his actions after he lost the 2020 election. Even if its not led by donald trump, there will always be a politician out there ready to jump on peoples grievances and take them to a new level of skepticism and wrapped up despair. And thats the bottom line. Ah, hulu. Ah. Sake that hed been home and then International Anti corruption Excellence Award boat. Now for your hero lou
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