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Ex-President Donald Trump has consistently expressed his desire to see critics investigated, applying influence on the DOJ to charge former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

"We can't delay further, it's killing our reputation and trustworthiness," the leader wrote last month in a social media post.

"I was impeached twice, and charged me (five times!)" he said, referencing the four criminal cases he encountered after leaving the White House in 2021 and James's lawsuit.

Each have subsequently been indicted, in situations that numerous experts have stated appear to be driven by politics and challenging to win in legal proceedings.

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

"I would say, contrasting Bolton's charges to Comey's is like comparing two different things," stated Mark Lesko, a ex federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York.

This Specifics of Bolton's Case

Bolton has been formally charged on federal charges related to the alleged improper handling of sensitive materials. Since departing the White House in 2019, he has become a vocal Trump critic, going so far as to describe him "stunningly uninformed" and unsuitable for the presidency in his memoir.

Experts contend that while there may be political motivations to go after Bolton, the procedures used to secure an charge and the evidence gathered against him indicate a possibly stronger case than the Justice Department brought against Comey.

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

Throughout his tenure as Trump's security advisor, and after his 2019 White House exit, authorities alleged that Bolton put the nation at danger by wrongfully keeping and sending classified information to family members using unprotected methods, including AOL. Some of the materials were labeled top secret.

The indictment alleges that at a certain time a unauthorized user gained access to Bolton's system where files were kept and transmitted an apparent threat to cause "the largest controversy since Hillary [Clinton]'s emails were leaked".

Bolton entered a not guilty plea during a court appearance on recently to eighteen distinct counts of improperly handling sensitive materials.

Political Motivation or a Strong Case?

The schedule of his indictment - coming on the tails of allegations against Comey - has revived concerns about political pressure on the legal system.

Trump previously suggested Bolton belonged in jail, and described him a "disreputable person". Bolton, for his part, wrote a book about his experience in the Trump government that was sharply negative of the leader.

"There's no question that the schedule of this indictment, when paired with others, has prompted doubts about the validity of these allegations, and the reason these counts are being brought at this time," stated Jamil Jaffer, creator and director of the National Security Institute.

However, he added, "if the DOJ is capable to prove the allegations stated and show the material is properly classified, his behavior may certainly have violated the statute".

Prosecuting such a high-ranking official for improperly handling classified documents is "uncommon" but not without precedent, said Carrie Cordero, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

"Cases that involve classified information pose difficulties to prosecute, but they can and are brought against equally junior and high-level personnel, from time to time," she said.

Similarities to Examinations into Former President and President

Trump likewise faced allegations of wrongfully storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and obstructing their return, but that matter was eventually dismissed by a federal judge and voided by his return as leader.

A special counsel also found that former President Joe Biden improperly maintained sensitive materials from his period as second-in-command, but did not criminally charge him.

Bolton's case shares characteristics to Trump's classified documents matters, said Mr Lesko, who also held a top national security role at the Justice Department.

Strict protocols govern the management of classified documents. To secure a guilty verdict, the government must demonstrate that Bolton knew the information he was transmitting was restricted, and he had to intentionally transmit it to someone not entitled to obtain it.

"Due to the classified character of the information at issue in this matter, we don't have a lot of details about the reasons the prosecution believes elements like the personal notes and the additional material he shared by electronic message, and why there were restricted," explained Mr Jaffer.

A More Traditional Legal Action

The process by which the DOJ brought this case will be under scrutiny, following Trump openly posted his wish to see his critics charged and several of those charges came to fruition.

But Mr Lesko indicated in Bolton's case, authorities appear to have followed protocol.

"This Bolton case and eventually the charge seemed to have observed the regular procedure including the regulations and standards within the DOJ," he said.

Unlike Comey's brief, two-page indictment, Bolton's was a increasingly "conventional" document that "clearly sets forth the details involving the circumstances and situation here," Mr Lesko commented.

"It appears reasonably aligned with a long line of precedents... where public servants improperly handled and transmitted sensitive information."