Good evening, everyone. Welcome to cnn tonight. Lots of news on the legal cases against former President Trump. In georgia, the Fulton County district attorney, who is Directing Efforts of overturning joe bidens victory, says she is ready to make a charging decision. And in florida, the Property Manager making his appearance in a courtroom today. This is to look at efforts to conceal classified documents. Hes accused of Obstruction Of Justice and making false statements to the fbi. Ill talk to a strategist who says ron desantis is a flawed candidate. And the biden family news. President biden acknowledging his seventh grandchild for the first time. I have seven grandkids, four or five of them old enough to talk on the phone. Every day, i text or call them. Well find out if biden will suffer repercussions for delay in acknowledging hunters 4yearold daughter. And are Donald Trumps legal troubles putting iting a dent support. I sit down with a group of Republican Voters to find out. If he is in the middle of a trial when the general election comes up, or if somehow is con convicted, would you still vote for him . Their answers in a moment. Lets begin with the 2024 ce donald trump is crushing his competition in theoles, despite his legal problems. The latest poll has trump at 54 . His closest challenger, ron desantis is at 17 . Why is desantis struggling to make a dent in the trump lead . In a moment, ill ask the republican strategist that was heading up the desantis Action Committee but blames the missteps. For the Campaign ManyRepublican Voters were not fans of ron desantis war on woke. Only 48 of gop votersill support a candidate that fights corporations that support socalled woke ideology. 52 want a candidate that stays out of what businesses do or do not support. Desantis has gone to battle with multiple companies, including disney, bud light, norwegian cruises, u. S. Sugar and big tick. Joining me now, former reagan political chief adviser, jim rollins, who stepped down from a prodesantis pac, after coming to the conclusion that desantis is a flawed candidate. Thanks for having me here. What makes him flawed . Being a candidate out in iowa, New Hampshire, president ial campaigns are totally different. Its about going out and talking to people. Not about preaching to people. We have to talk to him. Instead of going out, and preaching the Culture Value to iowa, you should say, tell us about your school system. What do you want . Culture just is not the key thing. Whats the key thing there, farming. The proper cost of wheat, corn, gas, all those things. And political people, particularly in places like iowa and New Hampshire, they expect you to come out and listen to them. Did you tell him that . Did you share your concerns . I shared with some on staff. I was involved on super pac. We cant have coordination and cant talk. Im not sure he would listen to what i told him. He has good, smart people around him. I think its him. And everybody who told me since, i was involved. And i travel to israel, members of congress. Never said a word. Hes not a natural candidate. I have nothing against him as a governor. We have great governors who run for president. I dont think hes a guy thats going to beat trump. Trump at this point, stronger as he ever has been. Hes not a people person. Not a people person. Is he open to constructive criticism . No. What i hear, no. He makes dumb moves. He raised a lot of money early on. You dont lay off a third of your staff before you announce in iowa. You wait a couple weeks. You spread them out. Do something with them. You send them hope. You dont arrive, going to run in iowa, i havent been managing my budget, i have to lay off onethird of my people. This is the job youre running for, about management. For me, hes not a bad guy. A good guy. A lot of good guys run for the presidency. Youre not going to beat trump. Was that the moment that made you not want to be involved anymore . No. It was a big part of it. I heard rumblings before that the staff was being blamed for it. The candidates that have done well, in iowa and New Hampshire, people like ronald reagan, is personal. Barack obama, bill clinton. And its not about how good governors they were. Its how they relate to people. Who do you support now . I support the nominee. Even donald trump . You had left working with donald trump . Yes. The tragedy of donald trump is that if donald trump would have walked away the day after the election, and basically said, okay, im going to challenge everything, and when i lose the challenges, if i do, i will run against again, he would be 30 points ahead. The reality is, they dont like what he has done as an expresident. No one has become a historian. Ive been a president ial scholar at hofstra. And ive studied every presidency many times and taught the courses. Theres never been a presidency like trumps. And never going to be a Campaign Like this one. If not desantis, who is going to challenge trump . I dont know if anybody will challenge trump . The most that has criticized trump is christie. At the end of the day, i think trumps base is strong. It stays above 50 . Equally as important, his campaign is better than it was four years ago, two years ago. On the republican side, its winnertakeall. If he gets 50 in california, all of the california delegates. Thats more than all of the delegates were talking about in iowa and New Hampshire. My sense is theyre running a smarter campaign. Since you described hes a sore loser, why would you support him as the nominee . Im a republican. And ive been a republican for 50 years. And i believe the philosophies im for stronger government. And Strong National defense, supporting cops. The things we used to do. And things that are important to the country. Thanks for being here. A lot to talk about. Lets bring in political commentator, anna kna navarro, watergate prosecutor, john sell. Great to have you here tonight. Heres what he said tonight, ed rollins criticism. When i hear about a culture war, standing up for the rights of parents, standing up for the wellbeing of children, thats not culture war. Thats central to the lives tens of millions of people throughout this country. Its right to impose indoctrination in the schools. And i reject being in iowa and New Hampshire that people dont think those are important. They do think those are important. Your thoughts . He is sticking with the culture wars. He has to stick with it. Its the only thing he has. Thats his onehit, woke, woke, woke. Today, he tried to talk about the economy. If he had started with the economy, if he made the economy his banner issue, he might be in better shape. He goes for antiwokeness. He has created a environment in florida. You live in florida. I live in florida. One ignorant parent can get a book banned. He created an environment where mickey mouse is now a criminal. Even black republicans are telling him to stop defending. When you pick a fight with defendants of slaves like the africanamerican congressmen from florida, republican, maybe youre on the wrong path here. Do you think that ron desantis is losing steam . And do you think someone else will pick it up . The issue with Governor Desantis is always not what you do, how you do it. Not what you say, how you say it. Yes. He is correct, theres a large, robust population of republicans that are concerned about the cultural issues. What ed is trying to nudge him towards, now that hes no longer with the pac, is the reality facing most americans, they dont want joe biden to be their president anymore. And if youre going to make a case to republican primary voters, you should be talking about the deficiencies of the presidency, the economy, talking about the schools that are not teaching our children. Talking about the fact we have a migrant crisis that goes unchecked. We should be talk about is there actual doctrine from the Biden Administration as it relates to ukraine. And what would your doctrine be in light of the billions of dollars not being spent at home. Theres a host of issues that are ripe for the taking. If the government would go down that path. I think, theres a lot of people who, in their own way, are trying to nudge the governor towards a path thats better suited if his plan is to overtake President Trump. We have heard Donald Trumps opponents, many in the gop field, begin to get more aggressive about criticizing donald trump. Heres what theyve recently said this week. By the time we get on the debate stage on august 23rd, the frontrunner will be out on bail, in four different jurisdictions. If these accusations are true, its incredibly dangerous to our national security. When he hits me with the juvenile insults, i think it helps me. Its a reminder why millions of voters wont vote for him going forward. Donald trump is not running to make America Great again. Donald trump is running to stay out of prison. What do you see happening here . The New York Times study said theres 37 of voters that are in the maga base. 63 is greater than 37. Theres a majority of republicans not in that space. And maybe theres six months or three months for the party to figure out who can be the alternative. They are not coalescing around anyone else . They are not. From the other side of the aisle, theres some democrats that are relishing the opportunity to have donald trump be the nominee. Hes a weak dom nominee in the general election. This is playingdynamite. Its terrifying to consider the campaign, let alone of the possibility of him becoming president , or whatever he would become after he abolishing the checks and balances of our government. I dont want to say im optimistic. But it is the case that for desantis to run to the right of trump, the antiwoke thing, there is a large constituency. Back to trumps legal problems in georgia today, the Fulton County d. A. Says she will be announcing a charging decision, she says, the work is accomplished. What is she waiting for . Months ago, she said im going to make a charging decision. Clear the decks. Clear the courthouse. They indicted former President Trump in miami. The big mobs didnt turn it. Im concerned that the feds and georgia are going to step on toes. I dont know why she makes announcements. Bring charges or close it. Trumps codefendant in the classified documents case in maralago, was indicted for the first time today. Now that the new trial is added, does that push it beyond may . It has to. And jack smith actually brought this delay on by bringing the new case. When you have a new defendant, he hasnt been arraigned, he doesnt have florida counsel. Maybe some method to the madness. Maybe just maybe, if the January 6th Case is brought tomorrow, like were thinking, and if the classified document case is put off, that might bring a case for the washington, d. C. Judge to set a new case. Hes going to be presumed innocent and it will protect him. Two, is a strategy of delay. Every defendant that he uses. And the third is the money. The big pac. The 40 million or so. And money makes a difference. Thank you. Were going to talk about that very thing. Donald trumps political Action Committee spending 40 million on his legal fees this year alone. So, next, i sit down with this group of gop voters to ask what they think of trumps legal problems. Me out of the bed . Baby, only on game nights. You know you are retired right . Am i . Ya save up to 500 on the new sleep number® smart bed. Plus, 60 month financing on most smart beds. Shop now only at sleep number®. man mm, hey, honey. Looks like my todo list grew. Paint the bathroom, give baxter a bath, get Life Insurance, hm. I have a few minutes. I can do that now. Oh, that fast . Remember that Colonial Penn ad . I called and i got information. They sent the simple form i need to apply. All i do is fill it out and send it back. Well, that sounds too easy man give a little information, check a few boxes, sign my name, done. They dont ask about your health . man no health questions. Physical exam . Dont need one. Its Colonial Penn guaranteed acceptance whole Life Insurance. If youre between the ages of 50 and 85, your acceptance is guaranteed in most states, even if youre not in the best health. Options start at 9. 95 a month, 35 cents a day. Once insured, your rate will never increase. A Lifetime Rate Lock guarantees it. Keep in mind, this is lifetime protection. As long as you pay your premiums, its yours to keep. Call for more information and the simple form you need to apply today. Theres no obligation, and youll receive a free Beneficiary Planner just for calling. Donald trumps political Action Committee has spent millions on his legal fees. Cnns tom foreman has been diving into the details for us. Tom, what have you found . Aheadlines are swirling that the former president s troubles with the law, many troubles, has his political Action Committee, the save america pac, on a massive, massive spending spree, 40 million so far this year. Thats how much the pac has spent on legal fees. So much, that the New York Times first reported the pac gave 60 million the a super pac supporting trump. And now, wants that money back by comparison. The federal Election Commission showed save america spent less that for lawyers in all of 2022. All of the millions just for Donald Trumps defense . No. Its not all just for him. With so many cases coming down on trump, his team is creating a Legal Defense fund to help defend some of the people who have worked with him and have also come under legal scrutiny. For example, the two men you mentioned a minute ago. The Department Of Justice has accused them, along with trump, to delete Security Camera footage in the classified documents case. Walter nada and carlos alvaro. Where is the xhun cmoney coming from . Its coming from small donors. The team says its fine to spend the Money Fighting what trump calls political persecution of to protect the innocent people and prevent their lives from being destroyed, the leadership pac contributed to the legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment. Legal and political analysts are raising eyebrows over trumps team paying the bills of some who might be wanted as witnesses against the former president. Tom, thank you very much. Youre welcome. So, we wondered how Republican Voters feel about trumps political pac spending millions or his legal problems rather than on the campaign. We gathered a small group together tonight to ask them. None of these voters say trump is their first choice in the primary. But wait until you hear what they say about the general election. Heres our pulse of the people. With this news that Donald Trumps super pac has spent 40 million at least on his legal bills, show of hands, how many of you are bothered by that . Ryan, tell me your thoughts. 40 million is a huge sum of money. His bucket for the campaign has a giant hole in it. Thats a problem from a strategic standpoint. I think its going to hurt pym. Jack, your thoughts . If you donate to President Trump and his campaign, 10 of that money is going to that super pac. The small donors that are donating to the campaign, think its going to fund political activity, thats where i have the problem with. Governor chris christie, one of trumps competitors, calls it disgraceful. Basically, his point is that, you know, donald trump is a billionaire. And why cant he pay for his own legal fees . I dont have a problem with Trump Using Campaign donation for his Legal Defense fund, because his legal issues have everything to do with his reelection bid. Do any of you think this will hurt him . That his legal entanglements will hurt him in the general election . It will hurt him. It will be a side show. It will be a constant distraction. Its a distraction thats purposeful. His legal problems started when he went down the escalator. And it will continue until he gives up Political Office and any ambitions of that. Is any of this his fault . Has he been reckless with the law and the boundaries . I think we have to wait for information to come out there. Anyone is innocent until Proven Guilty in a court of law. How many of you would have been upset if barack obama had taken boxes of classified documents home with him and when the National Archives realized it, moved them around. Joe biden tookdocuments. And gave them back. When the National Archives asked for them, gave them back. Is there no distinction of giving them back or obstruction of giving them back. Is there no distinction . The fbi told donald trump to add a lock on his safe. It was in one location. On the Hillary Clinton stuff, there was evidence it was likely hacked by the russians and the chinese. Thats not true. The fbi decided her server was not hacked. It was her personal server. Which is more secure . The clintons server they built in their home, or the