>> the not above the law coalition there discussing accountability for those who opposed certifying the 2020 election results wrapping up their news conference on the national mall, a short distance from where former president trump will be arraigned today. the arraignment is scheduled at 4:00 p.m. eastern time. here is a look just outside the federal courthouse will it will take place .5 miles from the u.s. capitol, 1.5 miles from the white house. the sidewalk is full of reporters and news fans waiting outside. we will get your reaction to the arraignment starting at 3:45 p.m. eastern. republican lawmakers have been reacting to the arraignment. >> democracy does not just look like this. it looks like this. americans can see democracy at work. where citizens are truly

informed. our republic thrives. get information straight from the source on c-span. unfiltered, unbiased, word for word, from the nation's's capitol to wherever you are. the opinion that matters the most is your own. this is what democracy looks like. c-span, powered by cable. >> the former attorney general william barr on cnn. bill barr defends doj from weaponization charges after the donald trump indictment. they write the former attorney general claimed wednesday the charges against former president donald trump or "not an abuse." jack smith secured a four count indictment of trump related to his efforts to contest the results of the 2020 election after he previously secured a 37 count indictment against donald trump in june based into it investigations around allegations around classified documents.

let's hear from our callers and first to trenton, georgia on the republican line. caller: hello, good morning. i just wanted to say that i think this is a request for delay for the change of venue is not much more than a delay tactic because -- mr. smith, wasn't he recently reprimanded at the court for withholding evidence? and the fact that alan dershowitz said the judge had worked at a firm where hunter

biden was on the board. i don't see how 95% of the electorate in washington, d.c. being democrat, i just don't see how president trump, former president trump could receive a fair trial. i think that a change of venue would be in order. host: kalani in honolulu, hawaii democrats line. caller: good morning, i wanted to mention, how do we get fact checking to be some kind of, i don't know, i don't know how to say it. there are so many lies out there that everybody is just misinformed.

how do we get that corrected? that's one of the big problems with so many of us on one side and so many of us on the other side. it's a big problem, that's all i think. host: in this case in particular, where you think you are hearing the most misinformation? caller: when you look at the january 6 committee and with the doj has done, they have all these proven facts where you have the other side -- i appreciate everybody's input the you have the other side saying this and that but where are the facts? even with the republican politicians, they have seen so much stuff, where are the facts? host: up next is brad from the nation's capital, good morning. caller: good morning. i'm a little bit disappointed in

your reporting or moderation this morning. moments ago, you had said about the last election being falsely, trumps false allegation that was rigged or had problems or something. you made a point to say that that was untrue in the election, it was a fair election and everything. but any time you ever report russian collusion, you never said alleged russian collusion that that was fake. when you guys report stuff for the democratic side, it's fact there was russian collusion which we know very well now after all these years that it wasn't but then when you report something on the other site, you're are quick to report that that's fake. it didn't happen. people that are uninformed and

here you actually believe this stuff at last caller. i just think you need to be more responsible and more fair and balanced. having someone like the guardian on for the first half hour and people are listening to this and listening to one side but they are not hearing the other side. maybe it would be good to have someone from an alternate source to sort of debate with that person rather than have one side put out there. that's my opinion on that. there should be a change of venue from d.c. he's can i have a hard time finding a jury that will be fair to him in d.c. that's just a fact. middle-class people that support from in d.c., you have the upper class which are democrats and then you have the poor people,

less fortunate people that also vote democrat because they want handouts. i think you will have a hard time finding a fair trial in d.c.. host: they have already brought almost 1000 defendants through that courthouse from january 6. does the same logic apply there that they didn't get a fair trial based on your classification of how d.c. drawers might be? caller: oh yes absolutely. there are still people from january 6 in jail, being held in prison and the same judge that trump is going in front of, but out most of the harshest sentences toward these people. this is all easily researchable on sources in the media and on the internet. i'm not making this up because i heard it on fox news or cnn. you do a little bit of searching and you can dig this stuff up,

absolutely. when they tried to rush the right -- white house, we can call that an attempted coup. that kind of got swept under the rug and no one was arrested. they tore down the statue outside indian avenue and police headquarters in the statue was still not there. no one said anything and no one has been held accountable. they broke out windows and birch down cities. those people did not get sentences where this investigation that was put out for january 6. host: we go to john in virginia, good morning on the republican line. caller: good morning. this witchhunt, and that's what it is, it's all a political witchhunt, has been going on now for seven years. we had years of russian collusion and like the guy ahead of me who said it's all a big lie.

then there was the impeachment because they impeached donald trump for what joe biden actually did. joe biden bride ukraine. then there was january 6. host: are you saying joe biden bride ukrainians? caller: yes, he's on audio and video tape. you look at -- if you look at the real news you would know that. host: onto jeffrey calling on the democrats line in newport news virginia, good morning. caller: good morning and happy arraignment day, 3.0 i was thinking about all of these indictments that are being handed down. it's because of potential crimes. he basically [indiscernible]

but he is not serving any jail time, just waiting for trial. is there a bail set for each one of these appearances, these indictments he has to make? that's what i'm trying to figure out. he is supposed to be not above the law. he served as the president but he's not the president anymore, he's a regular citizen. is he getting special treatment, is bail being posted, is there bail? i'm trying to figure out where this legal system, two-tiered that most republicans talk about, is this how that's applied? all you have to do is run for office, be up in the capital and once you leave, you can do anything you want and you will

not have your regular, i guess system apply to you? you get favors here and there. you are indicted but you are out until the trial. host: the details of the arraignment, we will know later today. that will be at 4 p.m. eastern at the freeman courthouse here in washington, d.c. it's been the site of many cases related to january 6. a caller had mentioned the judge in the case, tanya chutkon, the presiding judge in the case on donald trump are generally six. peers an article about her --

host: hamilton, virginias next, good morning on the republican line. caer: good morning c-span and all the listeners in the world. the gelen that set -- that's a trum can't get a fair trial in d.c., i'm wondering if he can get fa trial in fort worth,

ida where the bulkople voted for trump so he would probably get acquitted down there and found guilty up here. it is amazing how i have friends that are trumper's and when you try to talk to tm d discuss one of these issues whether it's th documentsr this new innt, they always bring up hunt biden or hillarylion. in 2017-2019 when trump owned the house of representatives, the senate and the white house, why didn't he put these people in jail? he had full control over everything. he has already said he will politicize the doj if he gets reelected. the guy need to go to jail, i'm sorry. he is innocent until he is proven guilty in a court of law. we are a country of laws and we need to respect that above all else.

vote, vote, vote. host: thanks for the call. charlene is next in pennsylvania, republican line. caller: good morning. i do agree with your last caller that our country is corrupt and i don't think we will ever find it. go back to your caller from hawaii. i don't see this country ever being able to come together. i think what we need to figure out is to cut this country in half and put all the democrats on one side and all the republicans on the others and we solve the situation. thanks for taking my call. host: murfreesboro, arkansas is next, mike on the democrats line, good morning caller: good morning. i think everyone is in agreement that the doj is not going to jail trump no matter what.

if he's convicted, he won't serve a day in jail, not for federal offenses. on the other hand, if georgia indicts and convicts him, for crimes in georgia, can the doj supersede georgia and keep him out of jail on state charges? host: good question. i don't know and i don't have an expert here to answer that but we have not heard from the district attorney there in fulton county georgia. we expect to hear something in the coming weeks. dave is on the independent line, lynchburg, virginia good morning. caller: good morning and thanks for taking my call. it's hard to imagine with all the exposure that donald trump has had that anybody can believe anything he says. i used to listen and laugh. he is the president or he's been

indicted in all these things. he says these things that are so bizarre. how can people believe anything he says and how can our other elected officials not be standing up and making the case that this is it? how can we follow this guy because 30% of the republicans do. the founding fathers would never have imagined a scenario like this because they couldn't imagine somebody so immoral and corrupt getting elected president. that's my take, have a good day. host: four counts of obstruction and conspiracy handed down by the special counsel, the arraignment today at 4 p.m. eastern at the federal courthouse in washington. a key part of that indictment has been extemporaneous notes and interviews with the former vice president mike pence. mike pence was asked yesterday

for further information and

while i made my case to what i understood was by oath of the constitution would require, the president ultimately continued to demand that i choose him over the constitution. in this moment, irrespective the father case plays out, i want the american people to know. i believe with all of my heart, by god's grace, i did my duty that day. as i stand for the republican nomination to president i want them to know that whatever it means to me, i will always stand on the constitution of the united states of america. our country is more important than any one man. our constitution is more important than any man's career. that is true of me and true of the former president of the united states. we will stand on the facts. we will stand by what happened

that day and the stand we took and trust ourselves and the judgment of republican voters and ultimately the american people. host: we will go to tammy in newport news, virginia. go ahead. caller: i know people think it is well communists doing this. have common sense. trump did this to himself. this talking to my friends. i went, i wish we had high-speed trains so i could ride up there and have a good time and laugh at all this. i have two points. the founding fathers would not expect any of this because black people are free. is -- seems to be ok. host: reston, virginia, independent line, welcome. caller: thank you for taking my call.

i was a republican all my life and i one thing to say -- everybody is up in arms because they say the country has been he's been in and out of court all his life. he has been sued by 3500 schools and businesses. it is not like the guy was so innocent. just because he is winning the gop, he's been in trouble all his life. ourselves. host: we are live outside the federal courthouse in washington, d.c., which sits at the intersection of constitution and pennsylvania. the media tends -- tents,

cameras and reporters, waiting this afternoon. 4:00 is the time schedule for donald trump to be arraigned on four counts, conspiracy to defraud the united states, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. those are the four charges handed down in the indictment on tuesday from jack smith. 4:00 p.m. eastern today, we continue to take your calls and comments on the expected arraignment today of former president donald trump, (202) 748-8001 is the line for republicans. (202) 748-8000 free democrats and (202) 748-8002 for independents and all others. let us hear from wallace on the republican line in new jersey. caller: my son is in the army,

my brother is in the army. i have a whole bunch of family members in the army. i am an extra republican. i am so displeased with donald trump for the things he has done. it is a shame, really. he should be charged with high treason and hung outside the white house for what he has done. this is so ridiculous. it makes me ill. i am feeling ill about what he has stolen. host: freddie in south carolina on the democrats line, go ahead. caller: yes, i would just like to say two things. the best way to get donald trump in jail is going to be house arrest. the next thing i would like to say, if he is found guilty and

they call mike pence as his first witness, it is game over. he will have to tell what he adult home -- what he told donald trump. host: in illinois, ruth on the independent line. what would you like to say? caller: talking about the lady in bc and the department of justice being so fair, that shaman, the guy with the buffalo helmet, they were ready to send him to jail for 22 years. for his part in january 6. tucker carlsen was given the tape from the hill, he put the tape out that showed the cops on

capitol hill letting the shaman -- letting him in, taking him from room to room. until they took him in on the floor. all we saw was the shaman standing on the desk with his arms up reached and all that. but he -- when he was on the floor, he said a prayer for the democrats and the republicans. host: do you know what his sentence ultimately was in his case? caller: i thought they sent him home. host: in terms of the sentence handed down from his trial, do you know what that was? caller: they were going to put them in jail for 22 years, he

was going to jail for 22 years. host: do you know the ultimate sentence was? i do not, so i'm asking you. caller: i thought they sent him home. i thought they immediately got rid of him after the tape came out. but fox news must've been so pressed by -- i call it bidens gestapo, the top people in the doj. this country -- we are going to hell not in a hand basket, we are going on a rocket ship. host: kathy in virginia on the republican line. caller: good morning. drain the swamp, they are all corrupt. they are all dishonest. republicans and democrats alike. host: that is it? caller: i think so.

it is a bad system that we are in these days. host: in addition to coverage later today, any potential news conference, comments at the courthouse here in washington, d.c. we will bring you a news conference ahead of the federal arraignment of the former president, stemming from jack smith's investigation. it is being held by a group called not above the law coalition, group made of organizations calling for accountability for those who oppose certification of 2020 election results. we will have it live on c-span, on c-span now and c-span.org, live at noon eastern. suzanne is next on the democrats line in philadelphia, good morning. caller: mi on now? host: you are. caller: i am not at all eloquent , so bear with me, please.

when jack smith said please read the paper, i tried so hard. i really tried to get the paper. i could not. at all. i really tried. if someone could have helped us just told us how to get it, i would have. i would have paid anything for the paper. when a lawyer was on c-span the other day, she said she was talking about the amount of people on the jury and how many people would be -- if one person was for trump, that the amount of people, it would have made a big difference pro-trump.

it would have ended up pro-trump. i do not see how it is going to be -- just hope it works out. i really hope it does. god knows i hope it does. anyway, that is my opinion. host: from arkansas, good morning. caller: good morning. you hear me? host: yes. caller: i do not think we have a doj or fbi anymore. i think we have an extra branch of the democratic party. it started with bill clinton, they are not going to tell the truth. they need to be put out at the

higher level of the doj and fbi need to be researched himself. they are the ones causing trouble, the ones telling all of the lies. there is not an honest thing in them, that is what i believe. donald trump may have done something wrong, but it will not be the truth that comes out of the doj or fbi because they are part of the democratic party. host: the arraignment of former president trump set for 4:00 p.m. this afternoon at the federal courthouse in washington, d.c.. that courthouse houses the federal district court, d.c. circuit court of appeals and the grand jury that has been taking in testimony and evidence in this case and others on january 6, that is where the grand jury is. (202) 748-8001 is the line to call for republicans. (202) 748-8000 for democrats and

(202) 748-8002 for independents and all others. usa today with a closer look at terms indictments, we will go over the three that have come down so far. the first indictment, hush money paid to stormy daniels. prosecutors accuse the former president of covering up alleged state and federal election law violations by falsifying business records about a payoff to adult film actor stormy daniels, the trial is set for march 25 in new york city. the second, the classified documents case at mar-a-lago. trump is accused of illegally keeping classified documents, including some involving nuclear weapons, after leaving office. that came down june 9. former president arraigned on june 13 and a trial date set for may 20 to begin in fort pierce, florida. today's arraignment, the january

6 insurrection at the capital, a mob of rioters attacked the capitol building january 6 to stop certification of the presidential electoral vote and keep trump in office. a federal grand jury indicted trump on these counts. conspiracy to defraud the united states, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. that arraignment of former president trump is today at 4:00 p.m. eastern. bill is on the republican line in orange park, florida. hello. caller: hello. this might be the best deal for mr. trump there ever was. now he has complete subpoena power. he is going to bring in everybody that went against him, the so-called witnesses, including that hooker.

my sister-in-law just moved to indiana. talking with people, she found out mike pence could not be elected dog catcher in that state. he goes back to indiana, he cannot get elected for nothing. host: why do you think that is? caller: trump won the state by how many points, 50 or 60 points? they know he is better. he is even trying to run for president. 2% is milk, he ain't even got that. host: next up is pamela on the democrats line in tennessee, good morning. caller: i have a few questions for the trump supporters. i would like to ask them if they

think the president could change the outcome of the election, don't they think someone might have tried it before? also, would they like to be convicted of a crime without any evidence, or if someone committed a crime against them to get away without any evidence? that is what is happening to us now. the president tried to change the outcome of the election and deprive us of our rights to vote for those of us who voted for biden, it was a legitimate election. i would like some honest answers, i have come discussions with friends of mine who are trump supporters. do you realize he is trying to become a dictator of america, that that is his ultimate goal? if he is elected, he will never leave office again. do you understand that?

this election will determine whether we remain a democracy or become a dictatorship. mr. trump has shown himself to be a traitor to america, he wants to become a dictator. people in congress -- i am sorry they are so dishonest and entrenched. but this country will end up a dictatorship. that is why the rest of the world is watching, that is why our credit rating got dropped. the rest of the world thinks we are fools. i would really like answers from the republicans to those questions. thanks for your >> and a look outside the forecast -- outside now -- and i look outside the courthouse now -- and a look outside the courthouse down.

the former president faces four criminal counts. you can read the indictment in full on our website on c-span.org. we wl get your reaction on the arraignment on -- and on our app,-span now. president trump is departing new jersey at this hour and he posted on truth social, "am going to washington dc to be arrested for having challenged a corrupt, great and stolen election. it is a great honor because i am being arrested for you." the not above the law coalition had a press conference.