Legal & Compliance Risks - The DOJ is indicting former Trump official John Bolton for allegedly mishandling classified information, involving 18 criminal counts related to retention and transmission of national defense information [1][2] - Allegedly, Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of information about his activities as NSA with unauthorized individuals, potentially his wife and daughter, via a commercial messaging application [3][4] - The core of the case revolves around Bolton allegedly keeping notes/diary entries with classified information and sharing it with unauthorized individuals, which constitutes unlawful transmission [5] - Legal experts note the existence of a longer case record, but also question the DOJ's impartiality given recent actions and potential political motivations [8][10][21] - Concerns are raised about selective prosecution, comparing Bolton's case to similar conduct by others who were not investigated [27][28] National Security Implications - The indictment details the transmission of classified information, including top-secret information, over unclassified communication systems like Gmail [22][23] - This transmission to unauthorized individuals (wife and daughter) posed a security risk, as a hack occurred [23] - The case is considered serious due to the nature of the classified information involved and the potential compromise of national security [22][25] Political & Reputational Risks - The case raises questions about potential political targeting, given Trump's past criticisms of Bolton [5][7][13] - The indictment may be perceived as part of a broader pattern of actions by the DOJ that are influenced by political considerations [9][10][11] - The case could impact perceptions of fairness and impartiality within the justice system, potentially leading to a systemic flaw [27] - Bolton's reputation as a conservative Republican is highlighted, emphasizing the potential impact of the case on individuals who break with Trump [14][18]

President Trump has named his enemies list and in the past few weeks the DOJ has been on a tear against them. We followed several indictments and now there's a grand jury and panel looking at charges against John Bolton, a former Trump aid. Uh Trump has basically tried to turn the DOJ into a sort of selective prosecution operation.That of course is unlawful if defense council has the evidence that Trump was basically ordering these cases regardless of the facts and that the facts don't support the charges. ...

Comeies, it's worth noting James Comey's son-in-law um who is I believe married to Meen Comey, his daughter, who was fired from um uh the Southern District of New York, I do believe, is where she served. His son-in-law used to work in the Eastern District of Virginia office up until they indicted his father-in-law and he resigned in defense of the Constitution. And so, I think Mark's point about look, this is not business as usual.This isn't even politics as usual. What we are the president is weaponizing f ...

Legal Proceedings & Potential Outcomes - The case against James Comey is viewed by some legal experts as a vindictive and selective prosecution [1] - The defense plans to file motions around selective malicious prosecution, acknowledging the high legal bar [4] - Evidence suggests actual vindictiveness from the government towards Comey could lead to the case's dismissal [7][8] - Concerns exist regarding the unusual handling of the case, including the appointment of inexperienced prosecutors and the lack of clarity regarding the alleged false statements [1][2] - The defense argues the prosecution is targeting Comey in a way that wouldn't be applied to others [7] Key Individuals & Their Roles - Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty in federal court [1] - Lindseay Halligan, a prosecutor with limited experience, was handpicked to lead the case after the previous US attorney refused to indict Comey [1] - Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey's defense lawyer, intends to file motions challenging the prosecution [1][4] - Morin Comey, James Comey's daughter and former federal prosecutor, was present at the arraignment [1] Political Context & Motivations - President Trump's repeated calls to prosecute Comey are noted as a driving force behind the case [1] - The prosecution is perceived by some as a means to keep Comey under a cloud of suspicion, regardless of the ultimate verdict [1] - A message from Trump urging Comey's prosecution was accidentally posted publicly, suggesting a personal agenda [4][5]

Legal Proceedings & Strategy - The legal team intends to file motions for selective prosecution and unlawful appointment of the interim US attorney, aiming to dismiss the case before trial [2][12][13] - Discovery prospects are extensive, potentially involving White House and Justice Department communications, and grand jury proceedings [2] - The defense may argue the prosecution is retaliatory, violating free speech rights [13] - The White House might assert executive privilege to withhold certain communications [22] Potential Outcomes & Motivations - A conviction is considered a success for the Trump White House, potentially across multiple investigations [9][11] - James Comey may seek vindication through a jury trial, aiming to prove his innocence [7] - There are concerns about potential retribution from the Trump administration, including frivolous lawsuits and IRS targeting [16][17] Key Individuals & Dynamics - James Comey's confidence is noted, but this is his first time being on the defense side [5] - The involvement of Pam Bondi and potential White House coordination are under scrutiny [20][21] - An FBI agent was allegedly fired for refusing to do a "perp walk" with James Comey, indicating a desire for public spectacle [18]

I want to bring in Rebecca Roy, former assistant Manhattan DA, now professor at New York Law School, and Rob Demo, former FBI agent who worked under Comey, now MSNBC national security and intelligence analyst. Welcome to you both. So, Rebecca, first of all, how strong is the government's case and what do you make of the way it came together in just a few days.>> So, as a general matter, when things are working normally, I would say it's dangerous to speculate about the strength of a case because none of us ...

So, Ken Delaneian, what happens from here. Uh, we just said the arraignment will be October 9th, but what happens to James Comey today, this weekend, over the next several days. Where does this case go.We're still reporting this out, Willie. There was some talk last night that Comey was going to surrender for processing at an FBI office in the Eastern District of Virginia today, this morning. Uh we're still trying to figure out whether that's going to happen because it's not necessarily true that he has to ...

DOJ & White House Scandal - The DOJ is facing a crisis of Trump's own making regarding the potential indictment of James Comey, despite career prosecutors finding no evidence to indict him [1][2] - Trump pushed the attorney general to bring charges against Comey, but some allies expressed reservations about the case [3] - Trump denies involvement in pursuing Comey, contradicting his own words and actions [5][6] - Trump was demanding Bondi move faster in indicting opponents [8] Legal & Ethical Concerns - Bringing cases solely based on Trump's personal demands constitutes selective prosecution, which is illegal in America [13] - The pursuit of Leticia James, the New York Attorney General, is also under scrutiny, raising concerns about unlawful revenge [14][16] - The administration is accused of weaponizing the Department of Justice and criminalizing political foes to scare people out of exercising their lawful right to disagree [28] Broader Implications - The situation is compared to a "Banana Republic" with members of the opposition party being indicted [10] - The pursuit of Comey is seen as a continuation of these "Banana Republic indictments" [21] - The current administration's conduct is categorized as unlawful, a shift from the "lawful but awful" behavior of the first Trump administration [23]

President Trump's Justice Department is weighing potential charges against former FBI Director James Comey. >> This is a surprise. >> Three sources familiar with the matter.>> No, it's not cuz Donald Trump ordered his attorney general to do this last week and fired a US attorney because the US attorney couldn't get evidence to go after his political enemies. Three sources familiar with the matter tell MSNBC the department is considering charging the former bureau chief with lying to Congress for his respons ...

Legal and Political Analysis - The report suggests a potential pattern of retaliatory investigations against those who have investigated or criticized Donald Trump [2][5][7] - A probe has been launched into Special Counsel Jack Smith, who indicted Donald Trump, by an independent agency responding to Republican politicians' claims of political motivation [3][4] - The investigation into Smith is considered unusual for an office responsible for looking into federal employees' violations of prohibited personnel practices [7] - Legal experts view the investigation as suspicious and potentially a distraction, even though it is currently a civil matter and not a criminal probe [14][18] Trump's Actions and Implications - Trump has expressed a desire for revenge and indicated he might use governmental powers to target his prosecutors if he were to win office [2] - Trump pardoned individuals convicted in connection with the January 6th insurrection, further aligning himself with their actions [1][12] - Trump faces felony charges related to national security laws, conspiracy to obstruct justice, defraud the United States, disenfranchise voters, and obstruct an official proceeding [9] Historical Context and Parallels - The report draws a parallel to non-democratic regimes where leaders control justice departments to prosecute enemies [3] - The Mueller probe is referenced as a prior investigation into Trump, which did not lead to an indictment but did implicate several individuals [1] - Mark Meadows' past statement about disregarding the Hatch Act is cited to highlight the irony of the current administration investigating Hatch Act violations [17]