John Bolton Set to Plead Guilty in Classified Documents Case, Faces Millions in Fines
Bolton heads for a guilty plea, a multimillion-dollar fine, and another chapter in Washington’s document drama. #MorningSixpack
Turns out mishandling classified documents is a lot easier to explain when you’re taking a plea deal instead of doing cable news hits about it.
John Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a federal charge tied to his handling of classified materials while serving as national security adviser. Prosecutors say the case centers on sensitive records he shared and stored outside approved government channels.
After fighting the charges for months, Bolton is now reportedly agreeing to plead guilty and pay a $2.25 million fine.
A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for June 26. According to reports, Bolton plans to plead guilty to one count of retaining national defense information, reducing his exposure from the 18 counts originally filed against him.
Federal prosecutors alleged Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of “diary-like” national security updates with relatives who were helping him prepare his 2020 memoir. Investigators also said he sent classified material through a personal email account that was later compromised by a suspected Iranian-linked hacker.
The plea agreement reportedly leaves open the possibility of anything from no prison time to five years behind bars, depending on how the judge rules. The case has drawn attention because Bolton was once one of Donald Trump’s top national security officials before becoming one of his most vocal critics.
Source: Washington Post report
Editor: Washington has spent years arguing about who mishandled classified documents. Now one of the loudest voices in that debate may be walking into court to admit he did exactly that.