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Former National Security Adviser Bolton Indicted for Mishandling Classified Information
A federal grand jury in Maryland has indicted John Bolton, former National Security Adviser to President Donald Trump, on 18 criminal charges related to mishandling classified national defense information. The indictment, returned on October 16, alleges Bolton improperly shared sensitive materials and retained classified documents at his Maryland home after leaving office.
Bolton faces 10 counts of unlawful retention of classified defense information and eight counts of transmitting such material. According to the 26-page indictment, Bolton “abused his position” by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities, including classified material, with two unauthorized individuals, reportedly his wife and daughter.
Prosecutors allege Bolton sent “diary-like entries” containing top secret information via personal email accounts and messaging applications. Some of these entries were allegedly printed and stored at Bolton’s residence, while digital copies were kept on personal electronic devices. The FBI recovered some of these materials during a court-ordered search of his home on August 22.
The indictment also reveals that Bolton’s personal email account was hacked by someone believed to be associated with Iran, potentially compromising classified information. While Bolton’s representative informed the FBI of the hack in July 2021, they allegedly failed to disclose that the email account had been used to transmit classified defense material.
Bolton has pleaded not guilty to all charges and characterized the indictment as politically motivated. “Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those [Trump] deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” Bolton said in a statement following the indictment.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, defended Bolton’s actions, stating the charges “stem from portions” of “personal diaries over his 45-year career – records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021.” Lowell emphasized that keeping diaries “is not a crime.”
Bolton’s case represents the third high-profile indictment of a perceived Trump opponent in recent weeks, following charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. However, legal analysts have noted significant differences in the Bolton case.
Unlike the Comey and James indictments, which were obtained by Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump attorney with no prior prosecutorial experience who was recently appointed as interim U.S. Attorney, Bolton’s case was presented by career prosecutors led by Thomas Sullivan, an assistant U.S. Attorney for Maryland.
Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney and professor at the University of Michigan Law School, described the Bolton indictment as substantially different from the other cases, noting its “detailed recitation of the allegations and the serious nature of the charges.” In a Substack post, McQuade stated the charges “appear to be based on strong evidence.”
Andrew Weissmann, a former FBI lawyer and NYU Law School professor, echoed this assessment, telling NPR the case appears “stronger and more merited” than those against Comey and James, pointing to the involvement of career prosecutors as an indicator of the case’s legitimacy.
Bolton has been a vocal critic of Trump since leaving the administration in September 2019 after 17 months as national security adviser. In his 2020 memoir, “The Room Where It Happened,” Bolton portrayed Trump as unfit for office, prompting Trump to call him “grossly incompetent,” “a liar,” and a “wacko.”
When asked about Bolton’s indictment, Trump called him “a bad guy” and later described the indictment as “a good thing.” The relationship between the two deteriorated after Bolton’s departure from the White House over foreign policy disagreements.
Notably, the indictment states that the classified information at issue was not included in Bolton’s memoir, which had undergone pre-publication review. The Trump administration had previously sued Bolton to delay the book’s publication and initiated a criminal investigation into whether it contained classified material, but that investigation was dropped in June 2021 during the Biden administration.
If convicted, Bolton could face up to 10 years in prison for each count. The case continues to unfold against the backdrop of heightened political tensions following Trump’s recent election victory.
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11 Comments
This indictment raises a lot of questions about Bolton’s conduct and the potential security risks involved. Proper procedures for safeguarding classified information must always be followed, even after leaving office.
This is a complex and concerning situation. The indictment lays out some alarming allegations against Bolton. It will be important to see how this case unfolds and what the implications might be.
I agree, the details in the indictment are quite serious. It’s critical that the handling of sensitive national security information is done with the utmost care and responsibility.
This is a serious breach of trust. Bolton should have been more careful in handling classified information, even after leaving office. Proper protocols must be followed to safeguard national security.
The allegations against Bolton are quite alarming. Retaining and transmitting classified information in this manner is a grave breach of protocol. Proper investigations and due process must be followed.
This indictment raises serious questions about Bolton’s conduct and judgment. Mishandling sensitive national security information is a major offense that undermines trust in government officials.
Wow, this is a pretty explosive development. The details in the indictment suggest Bolton may have put critical information at risk. I hope the legal process can get to the bottom of this situation.
Wow, over a thousand pages of sensitive material shared with unauthorized individuals? That’s a massive security risk. The indictment outlines some concerning details about Bolton’s actions.
I agree, this appears to be a significant lapse in judgment. It’s troubling to see such a high-ranking official allegedly disregarding proper procedures for handling classified data.
It’s troubling to see a former top national security official facing such serious charges. Proper safeguarding of classified materials is crucial, even after leaving office. This case bears close watching.
The charges against Bolton are certainly very serious. Mishandling classified materials is a major breach of trust, especially for someone in a high-level national security role. This case bears close watching.