Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr voiced his reaction on Wednesday to President Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Barr, a former Trump administration official, expressed his surprise and concern over the case, predicting it will be overturned.
In an interview on Fox Across America, Barr described the case against Trump as an "abomination" and "vaporous." He was surprised the case proceeded, noting that it could impact the upcoming election if Trump loses and the case is later overturned.
During the interview with Fox News host Jimmy Failla, Barr explained his stance further. He questioned how the American public would react if Trump lost in a close election and the case was eventually overturned. Barr said:
When people were talking about it, I said that the case was an abomination, and I didn't think it was going to be brought at the end of the day because it was so vaporous. I was surprised they went ahead with it… it was an abomination.
He emphasized the potential impact on voters and criticized the media's role in the situation. Barr argued that the media fails to provide honest reports on significant issues.
Barr expressed concern about how the case could affect Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. He labeled the case "obviously political" and unfair to voters. "It's unfair to the voter. And, you know, the co-conspirator in all of this is the mainstream media," Barr said.
He stressed that the Justice Department should recognize that the facts alleged would not constitute a federal campaign violation. Barr criticized the imposed gag order on Trump, calling it unprecedented and suggesting it prevents Trump from defending himself adequately.
The guilty verdict against Trump has sparked reactions from voters across political affiliations. Former Hillary Clinton supporter Shaun McGuire commented on the escalation of lawfare tactics.
"We were told that Donald Trump would be the end of democracy, but it turns out that lawfare tactics have been escalated by the Democrats and not by the Republicans," McGuire said. He believes the Republican Party is currently less of a danger to democracy than the Democratic Party.
University of Chicago law school professor Adam Mortara also shared his concerns about the implications of Trump's loss in the upcoming election. He highlighted the potential validation of judicial system weaponization.
Barr also discussed the perceived discrepancy in the justice system’s approach between Hunter Biden’s laptop case and Trump’s criminal charges. He described this as "absolutely interference," blaming the media for their role in the laptop controversy.
"Again, it's unprecedented and crazy that you have a major candidate who can't defend himself," Barr stated. He criticized the media as "co-conspirators in the whole laptop thing." Barr concluded by emphasizing the importance of using every appropriate tool to beat the Democrats in the upcoming election.
Barr’s interview on "Fox Across America" highlighted his strong opinions on Trump’s guilty verdict and its potential implications. He criticized the case as political and expressed concern over its impact on voters and the upcoming election. Voters from various backgrounds have reacted strongly to the verdict, seeing it as a pivotal moment in American politics. Barr’s comparison of the justice system’s treatment of Trump and Hunter Biden underscores his belief in media and judicial bias.
