During an interview with PBS aired on Thursday’s broadcast of “PBS NewsHour,” former Attorney General Bill Barr said that D.C. might not be a fair jurisdiction for 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump to stand trial on the charges over January 6 and the Department of Justice should consider moving the venue like they did in the documents case.
Co-host Geoff Bennett asked, “Can Mr. Trump get a fair trial in Washington, D.C.? Because his legal team is asking for a change of venue — or at least they say they’re going to ask for a change of venue — because they say that D.C. isn’t politically favorable.”
Barr responded, “To be honest, I feel strongly that the most important thing in any of these, whether you like the defendant, whether you’re rooting for him or not, is fairness to the individual. And, to be honest, I think that this may not be the — a fair jurisdiction for him, given the heat of political sentiment these days. So, I think that motion is worthy of consideration.”
He added, “I would just point out that, in the other case, I thought the Justice Department sought venue in Florida, rather than D.C., and then it was moved to an even more favorable jurisdiction, Fort Pierce. So, that favors the President — President Trump. I think it would be good to consider that here.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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