Legal Proceedings - Former National Security Advisor John Bolton faces 18 counts related to transmission and retention of national defense information [3] - The charges involve storing diary-like entries with classified information and sharing over 1,000 pages with unauthorized family members [3] - Bolton denies wrongdoing, comparing the Trump administration to Stalin's secret police [4] - Bolton is expected to be processed, including fingerprinting and a picture, before an initial court appearance [6] - An arraignment with a plea is not expected during the initial court appearance [7] Parallels to Other Cases - The situation is described as potentially both retributive and meritorious [7] - Parallels are drawn to the Trump Mara Lago case, with Bolton facing charges of retaining and distributing national defense information [7] - Prosecutors highlight Bolton's opportunities to return information, starting with a 2021 settlement with the Department of Justice [8] Prior Conduct and Statements - Bolton's team reported a hack of his AOL account by an entity close to the Iranian Republic, but prosecutors allege incomplete disclosure about using the account for classified communication [8] - Prosecutors cite Bolton's past cable news interviews criticizing Hillary Clinton and Pete Hexath regarding classified information handling [9] - Interviews where Bolton criticized President Trump's handling of classified materials are notably missing from the prosecution's cited examples [9]