Former AG Barr slams 'pathetically weak' legal theory behind Trump indictment: 'An abomination'

Former Attorney General Bill Barr reacted to the indictment of erstwhile President Trump implicit his alleged 2016 hush wealth ungraded connected Friday, calling it "an abomination."

Trump was indicted by a expansive assemblage connected Thursday. He is the archetypal ex-president successful U.S. past to beryllium indicted.

Barr appeared connected Fox Business to sermon the indictment with big Larry Kudlow.

"Obviously, we don't person the indictment, truthful there's a small spot of speculation involved," Barr began. "But based connected the quality reports, if they're accurate, this is an abomination."

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William Barr, U.S. lawyer general, speaks during a roundtable treatment with federal, state, and section officials, not pictured, astatine the U.S. Attorney's Office successful Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., connected Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"It's the epitome of the maltreatment of prosecutorial powerfulness to bring a lawsuit that would not beryllium brought against anyone else. They are going aft the man, not a crime. And the ineligible theory, frankly, is pathetically weak," helium argued.

"They are going aft the man, not a crime. And the ineligible theory, frankly, is pathetically weak."

The erstwhile lawyer wide delved into the ineligible arguments that volition apt beryllium made by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

"The assertion is that [recording the Cohen reimbursements arsenic ineligible payments] is mendacious and truthful violated a misdemeanor statute successful the archetypal lawsuit against mendacious documents," Barr said. "I really don't deliberation that's a valid assertion successful this case, due to the fact that the statute really requires that it beryllium done with the intent to defraud."

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a 2024 predetermination run rally successful Waco, Texas, March 25, 2023. (Suzanne Corderio/AFP via Getty Images))

"They're assuming that the payments were a run concern usurpation due to the fact that they were efficaciously a publication to the Trump campaign. I tin archer you that's not the law. I don't deliberation that's however the Justice Department would presumption it," Barr added.

The bureau of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been investigating the alleged hush wealth ungraded for years. The purported payments see the $130,000 sum fixed to Stormy Daniels, positive the $150,000 fixed to erstwhile Playboy exemplary Karen McDougal.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media during an predetermination nighttime lawsuit astatine Mar-a-Lago connected November 08, 2022 successful Palm Beach, Florida. Trump spoke arsenic the federation awaits the results of voting successful the midterm elections.  (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

President Biden declined to comment connected the indictment erstwhile asked astir it connected Friday.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.