George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley stated Friday that the indictment of former National Security Advisor John Bolton suggests a pattern of “casual treatment” of classified information, calling the facts alleged “very damning.”
Appearing on “Fox and Friends,” Turley discussed the 18-count federal grand jury indictment handed down against Bolton on Thursday for the retention and transmission of classified material.
Turley characterized the allegations as “shocking,” noting that the information involved was classified at the highest levels, potentially risking national security by revealing “sources and methods that represent really threatening consequences.”
Turley pointed to previous controversies involving Bolton and classified documents, including a 2020 lawsuit by the Trump administration over a tell-all book which a federal judge accused Bolton of using to undermine national security. The law professor also noted allegations that Bolton emailed classified information to family members and may have been hacked by the Iranian government.
READ: John Bolton Indicted In Federal Investigation Over Classified Documents
Commenting on clips of Bolton criticizing other officials for their retention of classified documents, Turley said these remarks could prevent Bolton from testifying. “He looks like an utter hypocrite,” Turley argued, adding that the indictment shows a “level of casual treatment of intelligence information. It’s quite shocking, he comes across like a teenager in a chat room.”
FBI agents recovered classified documents, including some marked “secret,” from Bolton’s Bethesda, Maryland, home and his Washington, D.C., office during simultaneous searches on August 22.
Turley dismissed potential defense arguments that the material was simply “old” or that the practice of retaining such information is common, stating, “Whether you transmit the document or the contents, it’s classified.”
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