John Bolton’s indictment is each ironic and horrifying for democracy

To the editor: On Oct. 16, a federal grand jury returned an indictment in opposition to former nationwide safety advisor John Bolton for preserving some categorized paperwork (“John Bolton pleads not responsible to expenses accusing him of sharing categorized info,” Oct. 17). This can be a declaration that “irony is useless,” as President Trump was beforehand accused and located to have retained categorized paperwork at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The president, in what was reportedly a direct message to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi that was posted publicly by chance, pressured her to go after FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James. Let’s be clear: The president of the USA is placing a heavy hand on the scales of justice to vindictively search to punish his enemies, and Bolton is simply the most recent.

Trump’s rhetoric and conduct fall clearly outdoors the professional province of a democracy and extra squarely into the realm of an autocracy. He has now utterly weaponized the Division of Justice in a way far past every other president in U.S. historical past.

Of us, we’re in uncharted waters, and the judicial tsunami unleashed by the president towards Bolton and different perceived enemies might find yourself sinking our democracy.

Ken Derow, Swarthmore, Pa.