Bill Barr Tells Fox News Trump’s Post-Election Conduct Was ‘Reprehensible,’ Says Indictment ‘Is Not Interference In the Election’

Former Attorney Bill Barr hit back at criticisms of this week’s indictment of his former boss Donald Trump.

Trump was arraigned in federal court on Thursday on four counts related to his actions after the 2020 presidential election, which the former president falsely claims was rigged against him. In response, Trump pressured officials to overturn the results in states he lost. Special Counsel Jack Smith charged Trump with 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.

Critics of the indictment say the charges are politically motivated and are intended to affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential election in which Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee.

Appearing on Friday’s edition of The Story on Fox News, Barr reacted to those claims.

“What I object to is this onslaught of attacks saying it’s you know, an abuse to bring in case, and it’s weaponization, and it’s a crime against humanity and so forth,” Barr began. “And I think that’s overkill. I think it’s a legitimate case from a legal standpoint, responding to a very grave misconduct.”

The former attorney general added that just because the DOJ has a legitimate case, that does not necessarily mean prosecutors should have brought it – considering the political ramifications.

“I think that there are some considerations here that I would’ve seriously considered not bringing the case,” he continued. “And here you are being aggressive against President Trump. I’m not saying it’s improper, but I’m saying it’s an aggressive move versus, I think, very lenient treatment of Hunter Biden. And I think that that is very divisive in the country.”

He added, “This is not interference in the election.”

Barr then returned to the criticisms of the indictment.

“I don’t like all of these overkill attacks that this was somehow reprehensible to bring it,” he reiterated. “What was reprehensible was the conduct after the election. And it’s perfectly to be expected that the Department of Justice would approach it the way it would approach something like this, which is under the laws against defrauding the United States and obstructing proceedings.”

Earlier in the week, Barr appeared on CNN, where he pushed back against claims Trump’s actions after the election were protected by the First Amendment’s right to freedom of speech.

“All conspiracies involve speech, and all fraud involves speech,” he said. “So, free speech doesn’t give you the right to engage in a fraudulent conspiracy.”

Trump is also under federal indictment over his retention of government documents after leaving office.

Watch above via Fox News.

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