DOJ prosecutors ‘likely have the basis to legitimately indict’ Trump

Former Attorney General Bill Barr told PBS’s “Firing Line” on Friday that the Justice Department appears “to have the basis to legitimately indict” former President Donald Trump.

Partial transcript as follows:

BARR: If a former president commits a crime, you know, especially a serious crime, he should be charged for it. If the Department of Justice can prove that these were indeed very sensitive documents, which I think they probably were, and also show that the president knowingly misled the department, deceived the government and played games after receiving the subpoena for the documents, these are serious charges. It is serious.

HOOVER: Is that a serious enough crime?

BARR: Well, I said that I personally think they probably have the basis to legitimately indict the president. I don’t know, I’m speculating. But given what happened, I think they probably have the evidence that would tick the box. They have the case.

HOOVER: And if they have it, should they?

BARR: It’s a decision for–

HOOVER: If you were AG, would you?

BARR: I’m not going to get into that.

HOOVER: Do you think they will?

BARR: I think it’s becoming more and more likely.

HOOVER: And you think it would be appropriate if they did?

BARR: Well, that’s what the Attorney General gets paid for, those kinds of decisions. You know, the argument for doing that is if you let somebody off the hook who, you know, if the facts are as raw as they can be and you let somebody off the hook, how can you protect these secrets? How can you insist that people in government take these things seriously? So, you know, it’s an important thing to weigh in, and what it will do to the country and to the office of the presidency. And I think Merrick Garland is going to have to make that call.

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