# The John Bolton Investigation **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 12, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994 "2025-09-12T21:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/21 "2025-10-20T22:06:05Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Rather, the accusations seem more plausible . . . Every accusation seems more plausible if compared to the most notorious cases of federal prosecutorial overreach in American history. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/22 "2025-10-20T22:06:20Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Every accusation seems more plausible if compared to the most notorious cases of federal prosecutorial overreach in American history. Fair point. šŸ˜† ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/23 "2025-10-20T22:17:32Z")
The Atlantic sums it up in a way that does not look good for Bolton (hope the gift link works, the Atlantic is not always good at that): > **[The Bolton Case Is Not Like the Others](https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/10/john-bolton-indictment-trump/684597/?gift=cU4WmXraWG3WoSDDx6g_kfH3P2s1778E1HiVjuxKy4Y&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share)** > > Trump wanted these charges, but that doesnā€™t make them baseless. Itā€™s chickenhawks all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/24 "2026-06-04T21:01:13Z")
> **[Ex-national security adviser John Bolton will plead guilty in classified...](https://apnews.com/article/bolton-justice-department-trump-classified-information-3a92a8f87521cee9a7627db53a75e9c1)** > > Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information under a deal with the Justice Department that could allow him to avoid prison time. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/25 "2026-06-04T21:15:56Z")
Very last line of that article: > Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a ā€œwashed-up guyā€ and a ā€œcrazyā€ warmonger who would have led the country into ā€œWorld War Six.ā€ I know someone Iā€™d describe that way, but itā€™s not Bolton. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/26 "2026-06-04T21:19:11Z")
Well, rocks and glass houses aside, itā€™s not an unfair description of Bolton. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/27 "2026-06-04T21:51:26Z")
I just tried the following prompt in at least four AIā€™s to see if there is any precedent for what they are doing to Bolton. Here is my prompt: ā€œPrior to John Bolton, was anyone ever charged with retaining classified information when the classified information was limited to notes sent to friends or family and the notes did not quote from the classified documents?ā€ Looking at everything I can see, I think the answer is no. I think this is the first time that Trump used the legal system to target a prominent enemy, and it worked. Iā€™m not aware of anything Bolton put in his book that should have been secret. If anything, he should have revealed his findings earlier. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/28 "2026-06-04T21:54:40Z")
It could be that in this case it worked because Trump targeted someone who was actually guilty. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/29 "2026-06-05T17:24:21Z")
Hereā€™s an article discussing his plea deal, and comparing it to others who were charged with similar (or much worse) crimes. The upshot is, this deal is far worse than what others got for worse offenses. You have to wonder what they were telling him that made him accept a deal that is so disproportionate to similar precedents. > **[John Bolton gets screwed by Trump team](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/5/800050577/courts/john-bolton-gets-screwed-by-trump-team/)** > > Looks like the Trump administration has finally nabbed a high-profile criminal conviction. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/30 "2026-06-05T18:12:04Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > telling him that made him accept a deal that is so disproportionate to similar precedents Presumably that he had personally offended the Dear Leader more than those other people, so he would make sure his enforcers made Bolton suffer proportionately more if he didnā€™t grovel and accept his punishment. No one is pretending this is about things like precedent and the rule law. This about vindictive deluded fascist dictator getting retribution against people who have wronged him. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/31 "2026-06-05T20:24:41Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > You have to wonder what they were telling him that made him accept a deal that is so disproportionate to similar precedents. It was just like with any plea bargain. They were telling him that if he didnā€™t give up his right to a fair trial, he might do fine, but also might spend the rest of his life in prison. The jury would not have been looking at the precedents where cases like this were not prosecuted. The jury would instead have been looking at whether he literally broke the law. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/32 "2026-06-05T20:24:54Z")
From that article: > Sure, itā€™s a plea deal. And sure, itā€™s a Republican. And sure, itā€™s one of President Donald Trumpā€™s own first-term Cabinet members. But hey, gotta take those vindictive prosecution wins where you can They say that like the average person prosecuted by the Trump admin isnā€™t a Trump selected compatriot and/or Republican. On the Democratic side, I think they went after the DA from Georgia who was overseeing the False Electors case, and Perkins Coie. The Trump associate / Republican side, youā€™ve got (just off the top of my head): - Elliott Broidy - Michael Cohen - Steve Bannon - John Bolton - James Comey - Paul Manafort - Rick Gates - Michael Flynn - Roger Stone Not to mention smaller and lesser known people like Stephen Calk, Bijan Rafiekian, Sam Patten, and a dozen more. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/33 "2026-06-05T21:16:14Z")
Jack Smith Letitia James Mark Kelly Elissa Slotkin Maggie Goodlander Jason Crow Chrissy Houlahan Chris DeLuzio Jerome Powell Lisa Cook Adam Schiff Eric Swalwell ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2026, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/34 "2026-06-05T22:06:14Z")
Thatā€™sā€¦a list of names. Jack Smith hasnā€™t been charged with anything, Adam Schiff hasnā€™t been charged with anything. Jerome Powell was appointed by Trump and was investigated by the DOJ but hasnā€™t been charged with anything. Mind telling us what the linking factor is? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2026, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/35 "2026-06-06T00:25:17Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Mind telling us what the linking factor is? They didnā€™t actually commit any crimes? Which is why Trump has had such a hard time getting any of his ā€œvindictive prosecutionsā€ to work. With the exception of Comey and Bolton and Republicans you listed committed actual crimes, and were convicted in his first administration before he took complete control of the DOJ, and most were later pardoned by him. So they certainly canā€™t be called vindictive prosecutions on his part. However in spite of over [a dozen people](https://abcnews.com/US/list-individuals-including-lisa-cook-targeted-trump-administration/story?id=124968309) (almost all Dems) heā€™s targeted, Bolton is the sole exception where his weaponized DOJ actually scored a hit again because he may have actually done something wrong. You canā€™t seriously be suggesting that Trump is going after more Republicans and Dems. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2026, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/36 "2026-06-06T06:22:07Z")
I didnā€™t realize we were only talking about people criminally charged. Are vindictive investigations not enough to rise to the level of attempted prosecutions? ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/37 "2026-06-26T15:35:33Z")
Bolton pleads guilty, and under the plea deal will have his sentence limited to a maximum of 5 years, pay $2.25 million in fines, give up his government pension, and do 100 hours of community service. The judge gets to set the sentence though, and if it is set higher than the agreed amounts, then the guilty plea can be withdrawn. > **[Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining...](https://apnews.com/article/bolton-justice-department-trump-classified-information-e95c29e7f8659d8b4b01d44148ae1ab4)** > > Former national security adviser John Bolton is pleading guilty to illegally retaining classified information. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/38 "2026-06-26T16:20:21Z")
Wow, thatā€™s some sentence! I think itā€™s unfair, but on the other hand, couldnā€™t have happened to a nicer guy. I wonder how many lives that guy is responsible for ending? How much blood and treasure was wasted for this chickenhawk? From the wiki: > Bolton was a supporter of the Vietnam War,[39] but avoided combat through a student deferment followed by enlistment in the Maryland National Guard.[33][40][41] During the 1969 Vietnam War draft lottery, Bolton drew number 185. (Draft numbers were randomly assigned to birth dates; someone born on December 31 could have received Number 1. Numbers 1 to 195 were eventually called up.)[42] As a result of the Johnson and Nixon administrationsā€™ decisions to rely largely on the draft rather than on the reserve forces, joining a Guard or Reserve unit became a way to reduce the chances of service in Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/39 "2026-06-26T16:40:11Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I think itā€™s unfair, but on the other hand, couldnā€™t have happened to a nicer guy. The rational part of my brain says that justice needs to be fair and proportionate, and this seems extremely excessive to me. The rest of my brain says itā€™s John Bolton and this is karma. So Iā€™m torn on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994/40 "2026-06-26T16:44:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The rational part of my brain says that justice needs to be fair and proportionate, and this seems extremely excessive to me. Itā€™s a lot more than Trump got for doing much worse. But I guess thatā€™s your point. On the other hand, when I was negotiating plea deals, my clients never had the option to withdraw their plea if the judge didnā€™t go along with it. Iā€™d have to tell my client that the judge _usually_ follows the recommendations, but they donā€™t have to and youā€™re taking a risk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-bolton-investigation/1022994.md?page=3)