CNN reported Thursday that sources are claiming President Donald Trump wants the Justice Department to indict his former national security advisor, John Bolton. It comes amid reports that former FBI Director James Comey will be indicted sometime in the next few days after Trump spent years railing against him.
There was no love lost for Bolton among both the right and left, with MAGA fans ranting on X that Bolton allegedly stole classified documents and should be put in jail. Those on the left expressed their disgust with Bolton but confessed empathy for him and happiness that he would stand up to Trump.
Former national security official Miles Taylor cited the CNN report, "DOJ might charge John Bolton as soon as this week. ... Wow. Charging people with crimes. To make Trump happy. Land of the free."
"Charging Bolton, or anyone, just to make the Felon happy? That’s not justice. That’s a tantrum," remarked Dr. Tracy A. Pearson, J.D. "Picture it: a 3-year-old screaming for a cookie. DOJ isn't supposed to be the parent who caves, handing him the whole jar. That's not rule of law, that's daycare."
Staff writer Shane Harris, at The Atlantic, pointed out key information from the report that some documents marked classified might not still be classified.
He cited the report reading, "Investigators previously collected many records from his home and office, some marked as classified, and they may need to take additional steps examining the evidence and interviewing witnesses before a case could be charged, the source told CNN."
"Indeed," Harris agreed. 'Like determining if the documents are even still classified. Or speaking with officials Bolton worked with at the time to determine if he had some reason for taking them. This is basic work before bringing a charge. But the clock ticking here is on Comey's case, not Bolton's."
"Much as I hate to defend Jim Comey, I need to point something out: It is not his own actions that have resulted in this chain of events. It is not his 'karma.' It is a violent, blatant abuse of power by the DOJ to carry out a revenge tour on behalf of the president," wrote author Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin.
"You can't be halfway in for the weaponization of the DOJ. You can't be part of the way in because of what he did to HRC," she added. "If you are in favor of the DOJ doing this to Comey, you have to be ok with it doing the same to Maddow, to Kamala, to YOU. Everyone understand? The state should NEVER have this power. Even and perhaps especially against someone you don't like."