Posted on 11/06/24
| News Source: FOX News
Former Attorney General Bill Barr, who served in President-elect Trump's first administration, is urging prosecutors at both the state and federal levels to drop the pending legal cases against Trump before he takes office again.
Barr told Fox News Digital that the American electorate was aware of all the allegations against Trump when re-electing him, and he believes it’s in the country's best interest for prosecutors to respect the voters' decision.
"The American people have rendered their verdict on President Trump, and decisively chosen him to lead the country for the next four years," Barr said. "They did that with full knowledge of the claims against him by prosecutors around the country, and I think Attorney General Garland and the state prosecutors should respect the people’s decision and dismiss the cases against President Trump now."
Barr stated that some legal theories in these cases have been "greatly weakened by a series of court decisions" and that these matters "have now been extensively aired and rejected by the American people."
President-elect Trump has yet to be sentenced in a New York criminal case where he was convicted earlier this year. Barr argues that this case and all others against Trump should be dismissed before he takes office. Once Trump is in office in January, federal prosecutors will be unable to pursue cases against him during his term. A Trump-appointed attorney general could dismiss federal cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, including one in Washington, D.C., regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and another in Florida involving classified documents.
The Florida case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on technical grounds concerning Smith's appointment, and the Washington case faced setbacks after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling granted presidents immunity from prosecution for certain official acts.
While Trump may be able to halt federal cases, Barr pointed out that he cannot prevent state cases, such as the criminal case in Georgia over alleged efforts to overturn 2020 election results and a New York case involving business record falsification.
Barr stated that continuing these cases against an incoming president would "serve no legitimate purpose and only distract the country and the incoming administration." He urged Attorney General Garland and state prosecutors to focus on unity and moving the country forward.
"The public interest now demands that the country unite and focus on the challenges we face at home and abroad," Barr added. "Attorney General Garland and all the state prosecutors should do the right thing and help the country move forward by dismissing the cases."
Barr also specifically addressed the New York case where Trump has already been convicted but not yet sentenced, calling for its dismissal due to "legal abuse and error," suggesting that continuing it would be counterproductive and likely result in eventual reversal.