Former Attorney General William Barr has criticized the indictment of former President Donald Trump over his alleged involvement in the 2016 hush money scandal. He argued that the legal theory behind the indictment was "pathetically weak" and that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is "going after the man, not a crime."
Barr also disagreed with the claim that the payments were a campaign finance violation because they were effectively a contribution to the Trump campaign. He accused Democrats of using law as a political tool to "preempt political decisions and sow discord in the political process" and accused them of using it to help President Donald Trump win re-election in 2024.
In an interview with Fox News, Barr said, "This case is being brought because there's a fervor among some people politically to bring down Donald Trump... It's not about pursuing justice, it's about using prosecution as a political weapon."
Trump is due to be fingerprinted and photographed in a New York courthouse next week as he becomes the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges in a case involving hush-money payment made during his presidential campaign.
Despite this, President Joe Biden sidestepped questions from reporters about the indictment on Friday stating there was 'zero chance' Trump would plead not guilty.
Trump’s legal team went on offensive following his historic indictment vowing he would never seek plea deal while accusing Democrats for lying, cheating and stealing in their obsession with trying to get him.
Barr served as attorney general under ex-President Donald Trump but has become one of his frequent critics since leaving office.