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Former President Donald Trump has consistently expressed his wish to see critics probed, exerting influence on the Justice Department to charge ex FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

"We cannot postpone further, it's damaging our standing and credibility," the president stated recently in a Truth Social post.

"They impeached twice, and charged me (five times!)" he said, referencing the multiple legal proceedings he encountered after departing the White House in 2021 and James's civil case.

Both have subsequently been indicted, in cases that numerous specialists have stated seem to be driven by politics and difficult to succeed in court.

But the latest charges against a presidential opponent, ex security advisor John Bolton, differ significantly, legal specialists and former prosecutors assert.

"In my opinion, contrasting Bolton's charges to Comey's is like equating apples to oranges," stated Mark Lesko, a former acting US attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

This Details of Bolton's Legal Situation

Bolton has been formally charged on federal charges pertaining to the supposed mishandling of sensitive materials. Since leaving the White House in 2019, he has become a vocal presidential opponent, even to describe him "remarkably ignorant" and unfit for the presidency in his book.

Specialists contend that while there may be political reasons to go after Bolton, the methods used to obtain an indictment and the evidence gathered against him suggest a potentially stronger legal argument than the DOJ brought against James.

"These actions that's being claimed is simultaneously more serious and seems to have taken place over a considerable period of time," commented Carissa Byrne Hessick, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Throughout his time as Trump's national security adviser, and following his 2019 White House exit, prosecutors alleged that Bolton put the country at risk by wrongfully keeping and sending sensitive documents to relatives using unprotected methods, including AOL. Several of the materials were marked top secret.

The charge alleges that at a certain time a hacker gained access to Bolton's account where files were stored and transmitted an apparent threat to cause "the biggest scandal since Hillary [Clinton]'s emails were leaked".

Bolton pleaded not guilty during a hearing on recently to 18 distinct charges of mishandling sensitive materials.

Retribution or a Substantial Legal Argument?

The timing of his indictment - arriving on the heels of charges against Comey - has revived questions about external influence on the legal system.

Trump previously implied Bolton belonged in prison, and described him a "sleazebag". Bolton, for his part, wrote a publication about his experience in the Trump administration that was highly critical of the leader.

"Undoubtedly that the timing of this charge, when paired with others, has raised questions about the strength of these charges, and the reason these charges are being filed at this time," stated Jamil Jaffer, founder and executive director of the National Security Institute.

Nevertheless, he continued, "should the Justice Department is capable to demonstrate the allegations stated and demonstrate the material is correctly designated, his behavior may certainly have violated the statute".

Prosecuting such a senior figure for mishandling classified documents is "rare" but not unprecedented, said Carrie Cordero, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

"Cases that involve sensitive materials present difficulties to try, but they can and are filed against equally junior and senior personnel, from occasionally," she said.

Similarities to Investigations into Former President and President

Trump similarly encountered charges of wrongfully storing sensitive materials at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and hindering their recovery, but that case was ultimately dismissed by a federal judge and voided by his re-election as leader.

A independent investigator additionally determined that ex-President Joe Biden wrongfully maintained sensitive materials from his period as vice president, but failed to prosecute him.

Bolton's situation bears similarities to Trump's classified documents issues, said Mr Lesko, who also held a top security role at the DOJ.

Rigorous protocols govern the handling of classified documents. To secure a conviction, the prosecution must prove that Bolton was aware the information he was sending was classified, and he had to intentionally transfer it to someone not entitled to obtain it.

"Due to the classified character of the material at question in this case, we lack a lot of particulars about the reasons the government contends elements like the personal notes and the other material he communicated by email, and the reason there were classified," said Mr Jaffer.

A Increasingly Traditional Prosecution

The procedure by which the Justice Department initiated this case will be closely examined, following Trump publicly posted his wish to see his political opponents prosecuted and several of those charges came to fruition.

But Mr Lesko said in Bolton's situation, authorities seem to have adhered to standard procedure.

"This Bolton prosecution and eventually the indictment appeared to have followed the standard process including the regulations and standards within the Department of Justice," he said.

In contrast to Comey's short, two-page charge, Bolton's was a more "conventional" filing that "explicitly sets forth the details involving the facts and circumstances in this instance," Mr Lesko commented.

"It appears reasonably consistent with a long line of cases... where government officials improperly handled and transmitted classified material."