CNN legal analyst Elie Honig told “CNN News Central” co-host John Berman on Tuesday that there were “indicators” that the investigation of former National Security Advisor John Bolton might have “more legitimacy” than other high-profile prosecutions.
The FBI arrived at Bolton’s Bethesda, Maryland, home at around 7 a.m. Eastern time on Aug. 22 to execute a search warrant. Honig hinted that there were signs that the case against Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump’s national security advisor from April 2018 to September 2019, might be serious. (RELATED: ‘Now You’re Saying That’: Sparks Fly Between CNBC Hosts Over Letitia James Indictment)
“I’m going to withhold judgment on the Bolton case until we see an indictment, if there is one, but there are indicators that there may be more legitimacy to this case,” Honig said. “The reporting is that this case against John Bolton originated during the prior administration, the Biden Administration. There are also indicators that this case developed organically, that it was based on a leak of information from John Bolton, or provisioned by John Bolton, of information to some foreign entities, which then came to the attention of American intelligence. Also worth noting, John, two separate federal judges, one in Maryland, one in D.C., both reviewed and approved search warrants when John Bolton’s home and office were searched back in August.”
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“That had to go through two separate federal judges, both of whom found at least probable cause to engage in those searches,” Honig continued. “So if there’s an indictment, as the reporting says there could be sometime soon, let‘s take a closer look at that. I’m not so sure that’s going to fall in the same bucket as the Comey and James cases.”
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on two counts on Sept. 26, one of obstructing a Congressional investigation and one of making false statements to Congress. Democratic Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on two counts of fraud pertaining to a mortgage on a house in Norfolk, Virginia.
“I think voters know a lot about classified document retention now. Do we know how this case could be similar or different to the cases of, say, former President Biden or current President Trump and their retention of classified documents?” Berman asked Honig.
“Right. There certainly is recent precedent of investigations and, in some cases, prosecutions. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, all were subject of substantial investigations for mishandling of classified info,” Honig responded. “The two key facts to watch for, one was the handling of that classified information or mishandling, was it intentional or was it accidental? And second of all, was that information disseminated? Did the person provide it to any outsider? Those are really two key questions. If the answer to both of those is yes, then I think it’s much more likely we will actually see a criminal indictment of John Bolton.”
FBI agents recovered classified information during the raid, including documents marked “secret” while searching his office in Washington, D.C., a search carried out simultaneously with the search of his home in Maryland.
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