Republicans are certainly in deep trouble these days. On the one hand, it would be good for the Grand Old Party if twice-indicted former President Donald Trump could never step inside the White House again. On the other, it crushes all the 2024 rivals, so they can’t say anything mean. A few brave souls have dared to acknowledge the truth: that his second indictment is far more damaging than the first. This includes at least one former employee.
Former Trump AG Bill Barr on Trump’s federal indictment: ‘If even half of this is true, then it’s toast. I mean, it’s a very detailed indictment , and it’s very, very damning. This idea of portraying Trump as a victim here – a victim of a witch hunt, it’s ridiculous.” pic.twitter.com/iUTPR3qeR8
—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 11, 2023
Bill Barr, who served as Attorney General under Trump until almost the very end, went on Fox News on Sunday. Unlike many in the GOP, he didn’t even attempt to recount the crimes of Doctor Trump.
“If even half of this is true, it’s toast,” Barr theorized. “I mean, it’s a very detailed indictment, and it’s very, very damning.”
While the likes of Lindsey Graham and Jim Jordan stuck to pretzels with their lack of logic, Barr argued there was no politicking when it came to Trump’s mishandling of classified government documents.
“This idea of portraying Trump as a victim here or a victim of a witch hunt is ridiculous,” Barr said. “Yes, he has been a victim in the past. His opponents obsessively pursued him with false claims. And I stood by his side to defend myself against them when he was a victim. But it’s very different. He is not a victim here. He was completely wrong to say that he had the right to have these documents. These documents are among the most sensitive secrets the country has. They must be in the custody of the archivist. He had no right to maintain and preserve them.
Barr also presented his record when it comes to Trump, for better and for worse.
“He’s been mad at me for a while,” Barr says. “But you know, I defended the president on Russia-Gate. I got up and called [Manhattan District Attorney] The politicized bestselling work of Alvin Bragg. And I have been speaking out for 30 years against the misuse of the criminal justice process to influence policy. But that’s just not true. This particular episode of attempting to recover these documents, the government acted responsibly. and it was Donald Trump who acted irresponsibly.
Of course, will that stop Barr from voting for Trump if he wins the nomination again? Oh, probably not.
In the days following Trump’s indictment, once again the big guy ranted and raved. But he hasn’t let that stop him from giving public speeches, including one where he blurted out that he only slams transgender people because he knows it annoys his base.
(Via Mediated)