John Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser during his first term, pleaded not guilty to 18 counts related to unlawful handling of classified materials on Friday.
Bolton, who became a fierce critic of Trump after leaving his job in the administration, was formally charged on Thursday with eight counts of illegal transmission of national defense information and ten counts of retention of national defense information. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Bolton's attorney claimed on Friday that the "underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago.:
"These charges stem from portions of Amb. Bolton’s personal diaries over his 45-year career – records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021," said attorney Abbe David Lowell. "Like many public officials throughout history, Amb. Bolton kept diaries – that is not a crime."
Bolton's home was raided in August, and court documents show the FBI seized multiple documents marked secret, confidential, and classified.
Bolton called the investigation and subsequent charges a form of retribution.
"These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct," Bolton said in a statement obtained by Scripps News. "Dissent and disagreement are foundational to America's constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power."
Attorney General Pam Bondi defended bringing the charges, saying, "There is one tier of justice for all Americans."