Former National Security Adviser John Bolton surrendered to authorities on Friday after getting charged by a federal grand jury on mishandling classified information.
Bolton was spotted leaving his Maryland home and later appeared in a Greenbelt district court for his first hearing.
He is charged with up to eight counts of transmitting national defense information and 10 counts of illegal possession.
The 76-year-old stated that he used personal email and messaging apps to share Top Secret documents and provided information regarding potential attacks, foreign adversaries, and more.
Moreover, Bolton is accused of keeping classified materials at his home, including sensitive intelligence gathering techniques.
Bolton has denied wrongdoing, calling the charges politically motivated and accusing former President Donald Trump of seeking retribution after Bolton’s 2020 memoir criticized him. “I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department,” he said.
However, Bolton has refused wrongdoing, calling the indictments politically inspired and alleging President Donald Trump of taking revenge after Bolton’s 2020 memoir criticized him.
Bolton stated, “Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts."
He continued, the indictments are about Trump's "intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct."
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that the matter had been “investigated and resolved years ago.”
Notably, these mishandling classified information charges on John Bolton comes after recent Justice Department actions against other Trump critics.
