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Ex-President Donald Trump has consistently shown his desire to see critics probed, exerting influence on the Justice Department to prosecute ex FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

"We cannot postpone any longer, it's damaging our reputation and trustworthiness," the president wrote last month in a social media message.

"I was impeached me, and charged me (5 times!)" he said, referencing the multiple legal proceedings he faced after leaving the White House in 2021 and James's civil case.

Both have since been indicted, in cases that many experts have stated seem to be politically motivated and difficult to win in court.

But the latest allegations against a presidential opponent, ex national security adviser John Bolton, differ significantly, legal specialists and ex-prosecutors assert.

"I would say, comparing Bolton's charges to Comey's is like comparing apples to oranges," said Mark Lesko, a former federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York.

This Details of Bolton's Legal Situation

Bolton has been formally charged on national allegations related to the alleged improper handling of sensitive materials. After leaving the White House in 2019, he has emerged as a outspoken presidential opponent, even to describe him "remarkably ignorant" and unsuitable for the presidency in his book.

Experts contend that while there may be political motivations to go after Bolton, the procedures used to obtain an charge and the proof gathered against him suggest a possibly more substantial case than the DOJ presented against James.

"These actions that's being claimed is both more severe and appears 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.

During his time as Trump's national security adviser, and after his 2019 White House departure, authorities alleged that Bolton put the nation at risk by wrongfully retaining and transmitting sensitive documents to family members using insecure means, including AOL. Several of the materials were labeled highly classified.

The indictment states that at a certain time a hacker accessed to Bolton's account where files were stored and transmitted an seeming warning to cause "the biggest controversy since Hillary [Clinton]'s emails were released".

Bolton entered a not guilty plea during a hearing on Friday to eighteen separate charges of mishandling classified information.

Political Motivation or a Strong Legal Argument?

The schedule of his indictment - coming on the tails of charges against James - has revived concerns about political pressure on the justice system.

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

"Undoubtedly that the timing of this charge, when combined with others, has prompted questions about the strength of these charges, and why these charges are being brought now," stated Jamil Jaffer, creator and director of the National Security Institute.

However, he continued, "should the DOJ is capable to demonstrate the allegations alleged and show the material is properly designated, his behavior may very well have broken the statute".

Prosecuting such a high-ranking 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 classified information present difficulties to prosecute, but they can and are brought against equally low-level and senior personnel, from time to time," she explained.

Parallels to Investigations into Former President and President

Trump likewise faced allegations of wrongfully storing sensitive materials at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and hindering their return, but that case was ultimately dismissed by a court official and voided by his return as leader.

A special counsel additionally found that ex-President Joe Biden improperly maintained sensitive materials from his period as vice president, but failed to prosecute him.

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

Rigorous procedures regulate the management of sensitive materials. To win a conviction, the government must demonstrate that Bolton was aware the information he was sending was restricted, and he had to intentionally transmit it to someone not entitled to obtain it.

"Due to the sensitive nature of the information at issue in this matter, we don't have a great deal of details about why the prosecution contends things like the diary entries and the other material he communicated by electronic message, and the reason there were classified," said Mr Jaffer.

A More Traditional Legal Action

The process by which the DOJ initiated this case will be under scrutiny, following Trump openly expressed his desire to see his political opponents prosecuted and some of those charges materialized.

But Mr Lesko said in Bolton's case, authorities appear to have followed standard procedure.

"The Bolton prosecution and eventually the indictment seemed to have followed the regular procedure including the rules and norms within the DOJ," he said.

Unlike Comey's short, two-page charge, Bolton's was a more "traditional" document that "clearly sets forth the details involving the circumstances and circumstances in this instance," Mr Lesko commented.

"It appears fairly consistent with a long line of cases... where public servants mishandled and shared classified material."