John Bolton Turns Himself In to Face Allegations of Sharing Sensitive Information
John Bolton, that served during the first Trump administration, made his way at a federal court to surrender to law enforcement facing accusations of improperly handling sensitive documents.
The 18 charges arise from claims that he shared or kept sensitive materials, including some labeled as highly classified.
Bolton, who separated with the White House contentiously, has become one of the Trump's most vocal outspoken opponents.
The indictment makes Bolton, seventy-six, the third of the US president's political opponents to be indicted in recent weeks.
Court Appearance
On Friday, Bolton remained silent to shouted questions as he walked into the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland to surrender to authorities.
He is anticipated to make an first court hearing before a magistrate and may have to stop at the federal marshals' facility for "possible" fingerprinting and mugshot.
Government's Claims
Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using personal messaging apps and electronic mail to illegally transmit classified data.
"These documents revealed information about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations," prosecutors wrote.
Addressing the charges, Bolton said he would defend his "legal actions".
He stated he had "become the most recent focus in using the Justice Department to charge those he [Trump] deems to be his enemies with allegations that were declined before or misrepresent the truth."
Details of the Indictment
The formal charges filed this recently accused Bolton of sharing "journal-style notes" with two unidentified persons, and using his personal email account to send communications with confidential information.
The indictment also states that between a two-year period, Bolton was allegedly the target of a cyber intrusion from a "digital entity thought to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran" that gained access his account, exposing the sensitive documents.
Previous Scrutiny
Bolton has been investigated for his handling of sensitive data since two years ago, when he attempted to release a book about his tenure in the Trump's initial presidency.
The Justice Department tried to block the book's release, claiming it could contain sensitive material.
A US magistrate denied the government, but rebuked Bolton in his decision, stating he had "gambled with the national security of the United States".
An probe into Bolton persisted into the Joe Biden administration.
Legal Process
An formal charge in the US justice system is a formal accusation issued by a public panel - a group of members of the public set up by a government lawyer to examine evidence to determine if a case should proceed.