Former US Attorney General Bill Barr criticized the Fulton County, Georgia, indictment of former President Donald Trump as “too sweeping” and “too broad”, The Hill reported.
Barr argued the indictment helps “feed the narrative” that Trump is being unfairly targeted by prosecutors.
“I’m not happy with the Georgia case,” he was quoted as having told Fox News. “I think it’s much too sweeping, much too broad, excessive case that is [going to] make it look like people are piling on and being excessive to Trump and feed the narrative that he’s being victimized here.”
“I also think there’s merit in the point that this is a case that I don’t think is going to be triable before the election,” he added. “It’s just too sprawling.”
19 defendants, including Trump, were charged on Monday might in the Georgia 2020 election subversion case. Trump’s former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, are among those indicted.
Trump was also indicted on federal charges earlier this month over his efforts to block the transfer of power after the election, culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Barr served as Trump’s attorney general until stepping down in December 2020 over disagreements about the pervasiveness of election fraud.
In June, he criticized Trump after the former President was indicted in the classified documents case, saying Trump is "toast" if "even half" of the material in his indictment is true.
Barr argued that the incident is "very damning" for Trump, who has claimed he will continue running for president in 2024 even if he is convicted.