Khaberni - Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived at a federal court today, Friday, to surrender to authorities in his first court appearance after being accused of keeping secret information at home and sharing diary-like notes containing secret information with his relatives.
The indictment, which consists of 18 charges, also indicates that secret information was exposed when agents believed to be associated with the Iranian regime hacked Bolton’s email account in 2021 and accessed sensitive materials he had shared. The prosecutors say that a representative for Bolton informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the email breach, but did not disclose that he had shared secret information through the account or that the hackers now possessed government secrets.
The indictment outlines the path of a closely followed legal case centered around a prominent figure in the foreign policy circles of the Republican Party, known for his hawkish views. Although the investigation leading to the criminal case was ongoing when Trump took office again in January last year, it became public in August when the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his office in Washington.
Prosecution representatives said that one of Bolton’s lawyers informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2021 that his emails had been hacked, without revealing that Bolton had shared the confidential information through the account or that the hackers had obtained government secrets.
John Bolton denied any wrongdoing in the secret documents case, saying the charges were part of "Trump’s efforts to intimidate opponents".
Bolton said in a statement: "Now, I have become the latest target in using the Department of Justice as a weapon to direct accusations against those whom he considers his enemies, with accusations that were previously rejected or to distort facts".
Bolton is currently seen as the third opponent of Trump to be prosecuted recently, which means the case will unfold against a backdrop of concerns that the president is using his Department of Justice to pursue political enemies. Bolton referred to this argument in a defiant statement on Thursday, denying the charges attributed to him and describing them as part of an "intensive effort" by Trump "to intimidate his opponents".
Bolton said: "Now, I have become the latest target in using the Department of Justice as a weapon to direct accusations against those whom he considers his enemies, with accusations that were previously rejected or to distort facts".
Bolton’s lawyer, Abigail Lovell, said in a separate statement: "The basic facts of this case have been investigated and resolved for years.
These charges arise from parts of Ambassador Bolton’s personal memoirs over his 45-year career—records that are not classified, shared only with his immediate family, and were known to the FBI since 2021".
She added: "Like many public officials throughout history, Bolton kept memoirs - and this is not a crime. We look forward to proving once again that Ambassador Bolton neither shared nor stored any information illegally".
The case follows separate indictments last month that accuse the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, James Comey, of lying to Congress and accuse the Attorney General of New York, Letitia James, of committing bank fraud and making false statements, charges both deny.
