Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., on Thursday criticized former national security adviser John Bolton over an expected guilty plea in a classified documents case, saying the development undermines claims that prosecutions involving classified records are politically motivated.

During an appearance on Newsmax TV‘s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Banks said Bolton’s reported decision to plead guilty contradicted arguments from media figures and others who had suggested the case represented an improper use of the Justice Department.

“All of the left-wing media figures who said that President Trump was weaponizing the Department of Justice against this guy, and then he ends up pleading guilty,” Banks said. “It just goes to show the hypocrisy on the left.”

Banks argued that Bolton’s plea was an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

“He pled guilty because he was guilty,” Banks said. “He had classified documents that he kept illegally in his home for whatever purposes, whether it was to write a book or whatever it was.”

Banks’ comments came in response to past remarks by Bolton regarding the handling of classified documents cases. Bolton had argued that prosecutors should pursue cases involving the improper retention of classified materials if the evidence supports the charges.

“In this case, proceed with the prosecution and do the same for anybody else who does anything even remotely like it,” Bolton said in June 2023 following the indictment of Trump on 37 criminal counts for conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and alleged illegal retention of classified documents.

“Read the indictment and ask yourself if the government can prove what they allege here.”

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