(DailyVantage.com) – Former Attorney General Bill Barr has criticized Donald Trump’s legal argument for keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home, calling the former president’s arguments “absurd.” Barr made the comments during his latest appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation, noting that Trump’s claims about having privileges in relation to possessing classified documents was a mischaracterization of the law.
Barr also brought up the Presidential Records Act, which was passed after Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, and sought to prevent presidents from taking classified documents with them once they left the White House. Barr also stated that he believed Trump intentionally lied to the Department of Justice during their investigation, presumably to hide any alleged wrongdoing or violations of the Presidential Records Act. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 37 new federal charges he’s facing in relation to his alleged violation of the Presidential Records Act, and is facing over a century in prison should he be found guilty of all charges.
The federal indictment against Trump contains numerous charges, including more than 30 counts of willful retention of national defense information. The indictment means that Trump is now the first former US president to face federal criminal charges. It’s only the latest legal battle that Trump must devote time to during the 2024 presidential election.
Trump is also facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, and concealing a document in a federal investigation. While Trump has pleaded not guilty, he could face over 400 years if found guilty, as many of the charges have a minimum sentence of ten years in prison. Despite his ongoing legal battle, Trump remains confident in his ability to win the upcoming election against Joe Biden.
Bill Barr isn’t the only official to serve under Donald Trump to criticize the former president openly. Former Defense secretary Mark Esper has come out and claimed that he believes Trump to be a security threat. Esper compared Trump and his classified document case to Jack Teixeira, the 21 year old Massachusetts Air National Guard member who allegedly leaked military secrets to social media.
While the cases are similar in that they involve classified documents, the two federal indictments will likely differ in their conclusions. Trump has already stated that even if found guilty of all charges and sentenced to prison, he will not drop out of the 2024 election.
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