If found guilty, Bolton could face up to 10 years in prison for each charge.
"There is one tier of justice for all Americans," US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the charges.
"Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law."
Hmm, where do I remember hearing about some elected official who had boxes of National security documents hidden in their home? Actively moved them around to avoid being found by authorities. Surely they faced the most serious outcome for that deliberate and gross misuse of secret information.
Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
Speaking from knowing many people who once had jobs requiring security clearance, I think it's likely that a thorough search of their papers would uncover some stuff that officially shouldn't have left the office. People work on stuff from home and the evaluation of how sensitive something is can be fuzzy. The real concern should be whether the possessor was deliberately acting against national security. This "possession of classified materials" charge has become a political tool. Maybe once both political sides have suffered from it, there will be some effort to reign it in.
Letitia James. As New York’s attorney general, Ms. James opened an investigation into Mr. Trump on allegations that he inflated the value of his real estate holdings
James Comey: Mr. Comey led the early stages of an investigation into ties between Russia and Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Trump fired Mr. Comey for his involvement.(From NYT [1])
John Bolton. Bolton has long been a target of Trump's ire since leaving his first administration and publishing a tell-all book.
INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY
Senator Adam Schiff. When Mr. Schiff was in the House, he helped lead the first impeachment trial of Mr. Trump in 2019.
Lisa Cook, Federal Reserve governor. Trump in August said he was firing Cook, a member of the seven-person Federal Reserve board of governors that helps shape the nation's monetary policy,
Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor. Christie, an ABC News contributor, was an early supporter of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and served as the head of his transition team, though he has since become one of the president's fiercest critics. "I know Chris better than anybody in the room. I always felt he was guilty," Trump said.
Jack Smith, former special counsel. Smith led the classified documents and Jan. 6 investigations into Trump, "Deranged Jack Smith, in my opinion, is a criminal," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Miles Taylor, former chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Taylor ... authored an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times in 2019 claiming that "senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of [Trump's] agenda and his worst inclinations.
Christopher Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Krebs ... was fired by Trump in 2002 when Krebs contradicted Trump's false claims about election fraud following the 2020 election.
ACCUSED OF CRIMES
Former President Joe Biden
Former President Barack Obama
REVOKED OR THREATENED WITH REVOCATION OF SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION / SECURITY DETAIL
Kamala Harris, former vice president, 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden ,Ashley Biden, daughter of former President Joe Biden. ... more
The rules are not the same for everyone b/c some animals are more equal than others.
Speaking from knowing many people who once had jobs requiring security clearance, I think it's likely that a thorough search of their papers would uncover some stuff that officially shouldn't have left the office. People work on stuff from home and the evaluation of how sensitive something is can be fuzzy. The real concern should be whether the possessor was deliberately acting against national security. This "possession of classified materials" charge has become a political tool. Maybe once both political sides have suffered from it, there will be some effort to reign it in.
Recent indictments: [0]
Letitia James. As New York’s attorney general, Ms. James opened an investigation into Mr. Trump on allegations that he inflated the value of his real estate holdings
James Comey: Mr. Comey led the early stages of an investigation into ties between Russia and Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Trump fired Mr. Comey for his involvement.(From NYT [1])
John Bolton. Bolton has long been a target of Trump's ire since leaving his first administration and publishing a tell-all book.
INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY
Senator Adam Schiff. When Mr. Schiff was in the House, he helped lead the first impeachment trial of Mr. Trump in 2019.
Lisa Cook, Federal Reserve governor. Trump in August said he was firing Cook, a member of the seven-person Federal Reserve board of governors that helps shape the nation's monetary policy,
Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor. Christie, an ABC News contributor, was an early supporter of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and served as the head of his transition team, though he has since become one of the president's fiercest critics. "I know Chris better than anybody in the room. I always felt he was guilty," Trump said.
Jack Smith, former special counsel. Smith led the classified documents and Jan. 6 investigations into Trump, "Deranged Jack Smith, in my opinion, is a criminal," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Miles Taylor, former chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Taylor ... authored an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times in 2019 claiming that "senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of [Trump's] agenda and his worst inclinations.
Christopher Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Krebs ... was fired by Trump in 2002 when Krebs contradicted Trump's false claims about election fraud following the 2020 election.
ACCUSED OF CRIMES
Former President Joe Biden
Former President Barack Obama
REVOKED OR THREATENED WITH REVOCATION OF SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION / SECURITY DETAIL
Kamala Harris, former vice president, 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden ,Ashley Biden, daughter of former President Joe Biden. ... more
SECURITY CLEARANCE REVOKED
Joe Biden, former president, and LOTS more
[0] https://abcnews.go.com/US/list-individuals-including-lisa-co...
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/07/us/politics/t...