Why case against John Bolton is not like the others against Trump critics

The US Justice Department's latest move to prosecute a high-ranking Trump critic, former national security adviser John Bolton, has raised eyebrows due to its similarities with the politically charged investigations into other Trump associates. Unlike previous cases brought against prominent critics of the president, such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Bolton case appears more traditional in its approach.

Prosecutors have secured an indictment against Bolton on 18 charges related to mishandling classified information, a move that follows a familiar pattern. The US government typically pursues prosecution of cases involving the mishandling of sensitive documents following established protocols and procedures.

The timing of this latest indictment - coming on the heels of similar proceedings against Comey and James - has led some experts to question whether there is more to this case than meets the eye. Trump once publicly urged his critics, including Bolton, to face prosecution for crimes that were perceived as politically motivated, further fueling concerns about potential politicization.

While charges against Bolton may be seen by some as retribution against a vocal Trump critic, it's worth noting that prosecutors seem to have followed standard procedures in building their case. Unlike the earlier cases brought against Trump's critics, which were dismissed or failed to produce convictions due to perceived political motivations and uneven treatment, Bolton's indictment appears more routine.

That said, the overall situation raises questions about the potential for politicization within the US Justice Department's handling of high-profile investigations into Trump associates. Experts point out that the handling of classified documents cases - a common area of scrutiny in recent years - can be complex due to strict guidelines and procedures governing the use of sensitive information.

Ultimately, Bolton's prosecution will be evaluated on its merits, with prosecutors seeking to prove their case against him based on established standards for mishandling classified material. As such, it remains to be seen whether his indictment will succeed in demonstrating that he knowingly violated laws related to handling sensitive documents, or if it will follow a similar trajectory as previous cases involving Trump's associates.

I'm not sure I buy the whole 'standard procedures' angle ... Bolton was always gonna get heat for being a vocal Trump critic, and now that the GOP is in charge, he's getting the book thrown at him . Don't get me wrong, mishandling classified info is serious business, but this feels like more of a political ploy to set an example ... what if they're trying to send a message to others who might be thinking about crossing Trump? The timing is all too convenient, don't you think?

idk about this Bolton thing... seems like just another case of trump critics getting squeezed by the system . prosecutors are trying to play it cool but i'm sure some of us know that the politics behind these investigations is more complicated than they're letting on . and let's be real, trump has a history of making an example out of his enemies so this indictment might be more about sending a message than actually prosecuting someone guilty . still, we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out

man this is getting crazy like what's next? they're prosecuting ppl for speaking out against the prez? it feels like we're living in some alternate universe where the government gets to decide who's guilty and innocent based on their politics... Bolton was just trying to do his job, can't we trust him to handle classified info properly? this whole thing reeks of politicization

idk about this... the whole thing just feels like more of the same. prosecution by proxy? is this really what we've come to? using standard procedures to silence critics? i'm all for holding people accountable, but is it always gotta be done with such a heavy hand? can't we try to find some middle ground here? and what's up with the timing? does anyone think this just happens to coincide with other cases brought against trump's allies by coincidence?

I'm low-key worried about this one, tbh . The fact that prosecutors are pushing forward with an indictment against Bolton on 18 charges doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing, but the timing and the scrutiny around it are giving me some anxiety. I remember when Comey and James were dealt with in similar situations, and there was just so much drama and controversy around it . Now, if this case is as cut-and-dried as everyone says it is, then kudos to the Justice Department for following procedure . But if there's something more going on beneath the surface, that's when things get sketchy for me . I'm rooting for John Bolton to get a fair shake and for his case to be judged based on its merits, but at the same time, I want to make sure we're not seeing some kinda witch hunt vibe go down .

omg u no wnt to ask wht's goin on w/ john bolton?? like i get it, ppl r concerned bout politicization in us justice dept... but idk man, prosecutors seem 2 b doin thir job & followin rules . dont get me wrong, i no trump critics got treated unevenly in da past (see: james comey & letitia james) ... but this Bolton case seems pretty straightforward . what's next tho?

I think the real question here is what the US Justice Department's motives are behind going after Bolton like this. It looks pretty standard on paper, but when you look at how some of these cases have played out in the past... it feels like they're playing a bit of a long game. They want to make sure Trump supporters know that he's not above the law, but at the same time, they don't want to make him go all nuclear on this one. Either way, we'll just have to wait and see how this all shakes out!

I'm curious about the timing of this latest indictment ... seems like it's on the heels of other high-profile investigations into Trump associates. It's like, is there some hidden agenda here? But at the same time, I guess prosecutors have followed standard procedures in building their case. Still, with all these similar cases happening in a row, you can't help but wonder if there's more to this than meets the eye... and what will be the outcome for John Bolton? Will it be just another case of retribution against a vocal critic or will it actually hold up in court?

I'm getting really uneasy about this whole thing . The fact that we're seeing another high-profile prosecution of someone who's going against the current administration is just super suspicious. I mean, how many times do we have to see this before we start thinking that there's some kind of pattern here? And let's be real, the guy got indicted on 18 charges related to mishandling classified information... that's a lot! It feels like they're just trying to make an example out of him. Plus, I've seen Trump tweeting about his critics getting " prosecuted" in the past... it's not like he was ever actually worried about someone getting held accountable for something real bad. What if this is just another case of them using the justice system as a tool to silence dissent?

the thing is, this Bolton case does seem kinda fishy given all the other moves they've made against Trump's critics. I mean, what's up with always going after these folks just before elections? it's like they're trying to send a message or something. and don't even get me started on the whole mishandling classified info thing - that's some serious stuff. If they're really gonna go through with this, I hope prosecutors have solid evidence or else it could be a total PR disaster

man I feel bad for john bolton he's just trying to do his job and now he's getting thrown under the bus for something that might've been misinterpreted Trump can be super toxic sometimes, like really unfair to his critics and it's not right the US justice department should be all about upholding the law, regardless of who you're friends with or what party you belong to I don't think we know the full story yet, maybe there's more to this case than meets the eye

You know what really gets me? All these high-profile investigations and prosecutions are like a big game of cat and mouse. It feels like the US Justice Department is trying to show that they're not swayed by politics, but it's hard not to wonder if there's some underlying stuff going on here... I mean, John Bolton was always a Trump critic, so it's natural to think he'd be targeted. But at the same time, prosecutors did follow standard procedures this time around. Fingers crossed that justice will be served and not just some retribution for being a vocal Trump critic

I gotta say, this whole thing feels fishy to me . If the prosecutors are following standard procedures and protocols, then why did they wait until now to bring charges against Bolton? It seems like just another way for Trump to make his critics pay for speaking out against him. And what about all those other cases that were dismissed or failed to produce convictions? It's like the US Justice Department is playing a game of catch-up with its own investigations ‍. I'm not saying Bolton didn't mess up, but this feels like more than just your average case of mishandling classified info .

This whole thing is really weird, you know? Like Bolton just happens to get indicted on the same charges as Comey and James right when everyone's super paranoid about politics getting in the way of justice... idk if it's just a coincidence or what The government should focus on following procedures rather than making examples out of people who spoke up against Trump. It's not like Bolton didn't do something wrong - we all messed up with classified info at some point, but it seems like this case is being scrutinized way more closely because of his outspoken criticism

I'm not sure what to make of this whole thing. On one hand, you've got to admit the timing is pretty suspicious. Like, who decides to bring charges against someone just because they're a vocal critic? It seems like there's some sort of motive behind it, even if it's not explicitly stated.

On the other hand, I do think prosecutors did follow standard procedures in building their case. I mean, mishandling classified documents is no joke - it's serious business. If Bolton is guilty, then he should face consequences.

But what really gets me is how this whole thing has made you wonder if there's some sort of politicization going on within the Justice Department. Like, are they just trying to send a message or something? It's hard to say for sure at this point, but I think we'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

One thing that does concern me is the precedent that's being set here. If prosecutors can bring charges against someone like Bolton just because they're a Trump critic, then what happens to people who are actually guilty of something? Does it become a matter of "who's your friend" rather than "who's done something wrong"?

It's all pretty murky right now, but I think we'll have to keep an eye on this one.

omg what's up with all these trump critics getting prosecuted ? i mean i get it, mishandling classified info is no joke but this feels like a case of the fox guarding the henhouse . john bolton's indictment on 18 charges is pretty heavy, but what if prosecutors just chose to go after him 'cause he was a vocal critic? that's what some ppl are thinking and i gotta admit it makes me wonder if there's more to this story than meets the eye . we've seen similar cases before where trump associates got let off with a slap on the wrist or had their charges dropped, so is this just business as usual or is there something more going on? can't help but feel that the US justice department might be playing politics here .

I'm not sure why everyone is jumping to conclusions about this one... the indictment against Bolton just seems like standard procedure, ya know? The fact that prosecutors are following established protocols and procedures doesn't necessarily mean it's all innocent... or maybe it just means they're trying to do their job properly. Either way, let's not forget that we can't assume the worst without concrete evidence, right? It's always better to wait and see how this plays out before making any judgments. And who knows, maybe Bolton will get a fair shake in court... Fingers crossed!

[grumpy cat face] prosecutor at work... [distracted expression] is it just me or does this whole thing feel like a repeat of the same old meme?

idk about this one... feels like they're setting a precedent for how the govt handles "troublemakers" vs actual crimes Bolton's case seems pretty cut & dry - mishandling classified info is no joke but what if it's just another way to get at Trump critics? and btw, shouldn't we be more concerned about the whole politicization of investigations than whether or not this one follows standard procedures?