After the indictment of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Thursday, he drew a stark comparison between the Trump administration and the secret police under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
In his statement, Bolton expressed that he’s become a target of a politically motivated action by the Department of Justice. “They want to indict those I consider enemies on charges that were previously dismissed or mischaracterized,” he remarked.
He then referenced a chilling quote attributed to the head of Stalin’s secret police: “Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime,” suggesting parallels to his own situation.
Federal prosecutors indicated that Bolton had sent over a thousand pages of personal notes to his wife and daughter, along with retaining other documents tied to national defense matters.
Bolton alleged that these charges are part of a retaliatory campaign that intensified following the release of Trump’s memoir, “The Room Where It Happened.” Initially, the Trump administration sought to stop the book’s publication, claiming it held classified details, but the Biden administration later opted not to pursue charges.
The indictment also includes claims that Bolton neglected to inform the FBI about the hacking of his email account, which reportedly contained classified information, allegedly compromised by Iranian hackers in 2021.
In his remarks regarding the charges, Bolton insisted the FBI was aware when the hacking occurred. He believes the situation transcends his personal issues with Trump. “These charges are not solely focused on me or my diary; they’re indicative of a broader effort to intimidate dissenters, allowing only Trump to dictate the narrative about his conduct,” he stated.
Bolton emphasized the importance of dissent in a constitutional democracy, asserting, “Disagreement is essential to our freedoms. I’m prepared to defend my actions legally and shed light on this abuse of power.”
Following an FBI raid in August at Bolton’s home and office, Trump commented, calling Bolton “not a smart guy,” implying that his former adviser could also be “very unpatriotic.”
Prosecutors have noted that some of the classified information Bolton managed to store and share was marked as top secret. Legal experts suggest the case against him appears to be more solid compared to those against other former Trump administration figures in recent weeks.
The indictment states, “At no point did Mr. Bolton have authorization to store or transmit any confidential information to Person 1 and Person 2 through personal devices or accounts. Similarly, neither Person 1 nor Person 2 had the right to access any confidential information shared with them by Mr. Bolton.”
