Legal Expert Lays Out ‘Very Damning’ Details of John Bolton Indictment: ‘This… Gets People Killed’
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley commented on former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s recent indictment for mishandling classified information. Bolton was indicted on 18 counts related to the retention and transmission of classified documents, some of which the FBI recovered during coordinated searches of his Maryland home and Washington, D.C. office. Turley described Bolton’s apparent casual attitude toward highly sensitive intelligence as “shocking” and damaging to national security, noting that such information could jeopardize lives by exposing sources and methods. Turley also highlighted previous controversies involving Bolton’s publication of a tell-all book and alleged sharing of classified information with family members. Additionally, Turley suggested Bolton’s public comments about other officials’ handling of classified materials might hinder his ability to testify, as they could be used to impeach him in court. the indictment portrays Bolton as treating classified information recklessly despite its grave implications.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said that former National Security Advisor John Bolton appeared to engage in a pattern of “casual treatment” of classified material when discussing the former Trump administration official’s indictment during a Friday appearance on “Fox and Friends.”
A federal grand jury indicted Bolton on 18 counts involving retention and transmission of classified information on Thursday.
Turley told Fox News host Lawrence Jones that the “shocking” facts alleged in the indictment were “very damning” and that Bolton might not testify, due to comments he made during media appearances on other controversies involving classified documents.
“It’s very damning and we still have to learn about the timeline of when this information was transmitted but certainly this information is classified at the highest levels because this is information that gets people killed,” Turley said.
“I mean, this is the type of information that if it gets out, can reveal sources and methods that represent really threatening consequences for national security.”
Turley observed that a federal judge accused Bolton of undermining national security with the publication of a tell-all book in 2020, marking the subject of a lawsuit filed by the first Trump administration, which also opened a criminal investigation.
Turley noted that Bolton allegedly ed classified information to family members and that he might have been hacked by the Iranian government.
The FBI arrived at Bolton’s Bethesda, Maryland, home at around 7:00 a.m. Eastern time on Aug. 22 after obtaining a warrant.
FBI agents recovered classified information during the search, including documents marked “secret,” while searching his office in Washington, D.C., a probe carried out simultaneously with the search of his home in Maryland.
Jones played a clip of Bolton commenting on the retention of classified material by other former government officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, and former President Joe Biden.
“Well, you know, Lawrence, those clips, I can tell you as a criminal defense attorney, probably rule out his ever being put on the stand because while the court might not allow those to be admitted initially, they very well could be admitted to impeach him or rebut him,” Turley told Jones.
“And I don’t think he can take the risk because he looks like an utter hypocrite. I mean, this indictment shows a level of casual treatment of intelligence information. It’s quite shocking, he comes across like a teenager in a chat room. I mean, he’s sending this stuff by after all the controversies that we have had for years about trying to secure this type of information.”
“Lawrence, there is two arguments here that will not work. One is well, this is just old classified material. That doesn’t fly. The question is is it classified or not? That’s why jurors tend to view these as rather cut and dry questions,” Turley continued.
“The other argument that is sort of suggested by his counsel is well everyone does this, this is just keeping a diary. That’s not going to work either. Whether you transmit the document or the contents, it’s classified.”
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