John Bolton, a long-standing figure in Republican foreign policy circles and one-time national security adviser, turned himself in to federal authorities on Friday following his indictment for alleged mishandling of classified information. The charges come after a federal grand jury issued an 18-count indictment accusing him of improperly keeping or transmitting sensitive government materials.
Bolton appeared at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, for his first hearing a day after the grand jury delivered the indictment. Prosecutors claim the 76-year-old retained and shared restricted national security documents during his time serving under President Trump, in violation of federal law.
According to the indictment, Bolton allegedly used a personal AOL email account to send some of the classified materials to individuals not authorized to receive them. The document further asserts that over 1,000 pages of sensitive notes were shared with his wife and daughter, neither of whom held the necessary security clearances.
Prosecutors also allege that Bolton transmitted information labeled “top secret” using various messaging platforms. The material reportedly included intelligence related to planned U.S. military operations and foreign adversaries, actions that investigators say violated strict national security protocols.
{Matzav.com}
