John Bolton pleaded not guilty at a Maryland federal court on Friday (October 17). This comes after the former Trump administration national security adviser was indicted on 18 counts for his alleged mishandling of classified information.

Greenbelt

John Bolton, former National Security Advisor and Trump critic, has entered a not guilty plea to 18 criminal charges in a federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. The charges stem from allegations that Bolton transmitted and retained national defense information, including sharing over 1,000 pages of sensitive material with relatives. 

Bolton's arraignment marks his first appearance as a federal criminal defendant. Both he and his legal team have pledged to prove his innocence. The case involves complex classified information protocols, which are expected to slow the legal process considerably. The prosecution is being led by a career national security prosecutor, and further court hearings are anticipated.

John Bolton pleads not guilty to criminal charges

Okay, but right off the top, we're following breaking news in the government's case against former National Security Advisor-turned-Trump critic John Bolton. Bolton pled not guilty to 18 criminal charges in connection to that classified documents case in his arraignment today. Those charges include eight counts of transmitting national defense information, 10 counts of retaining national defense information. The indictment also alleges Bolton, quote, abused his position as National Security Advisor by sharing more than 1,000 pages of information about his day-to-day activities with relatives. So let's go live now to CBS News Justice Correspondent Scott McFarland, good to see you, my friend. So walk us through Bolton's day here in federal court. Did we learn anything new, any new details out of that arraignment? He pleaded not guilty, that was expected. He made his first appearance in court before a judge as a federal criminal defendant, that was expected, but it is still worth stepping back a moment and reflecting on the fact that a former National Security Advisor is now a federal criminal defendant. He was processed inside the U.S. courthouse you see there in Greenbelt, Maryland. He did not answer questions on the way in and he did not answer the many, many questions shattered at him on the way out. Things moved quickly so far. He was indicted yesterday, made his first court appearance today. Now things slow down, like a lot. This is a case that alleges a mishandling and an unlawful transmission of classifieds, in some cases, top secret information. That means there are all kinds of classified protocols that need to be enacted by the court and through the legal teams. That means the federal criminal justice system, which moves slow by nature, is gonna be even slower in John Bolton's case. Could be many months until there are future hearings in a way that we'd see him in front of a judge again. So that not guilty plea on all of these counts means he is getting ready for a fight. What happens next with Mr. Bolton? In his statement last night after the case was filed and in his defense attorney's statement last night after the case was filed, both pledged they would be vindicated and prove themselves innocent of the alleged crimes, which means there's gonna be court hearings aplenty in the future, but this case is just different in so many ways. It's happening in Greenbelt, Maryland, the suburb of Washington, D.C., nearest to John Bolton's home, but it's a career national security prosecutor, a longtime-er who is handling this case, unlike those cases, Reed, against James Comey and Letitia James, which is being handled by a new politically appointed prosecutor in which allegations at this point are still very bare bones in the docket. All right, Scott McFarlane, thank you so much for following that. Always good to talk to you.

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