By indicting John Bolton, a frequent critic of Donald Trump, the Department of Justice crossed another name off the list of the president’s perceived enemies. However, as opposed to the indictments of former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the charges against the former national security adviser actually appear to have some substance.

Specifically, Bolton, whose home was searched earlier this year, is accused of having routinely shared highly classified information with two relatives while he served as national security adviser under Trump.

According to the 26-page indictment, which is much more detailed than the flimsy charging documents used to indict Comey and James, Bolton sent “diary-like entries” containing classified information to these relatives, who lacked security clearances.

Another difference in this case is that actual career prosecutors signed the document, and not just Lindsey Halligan, who was quite evidently installed as US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia for the specific purpose of prosecuting people Trump considers to be his enemies.

All of that being said, it seems unlikely that Bolton would have been charged in this case if he had remained one of the president’s loyal sycophants.

What is happening at the DOJ is gross, and even a “real” indictment brought for political purposes can’t change that.

Of course, Attorney General Pam Bondi tried to put a different spin on things.

“There is one tier of justice for all Americans,” she said on Thursday. “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

If only that were true.

Let’s not forget that the president himself was also charged with retention of national defense information for keeping classified materials at his home and only got off the hook because he was able to slow-walk the case that was being heard by a Trump-friendly judge angling for a Supreme Court appointment.

It’s certainly worth re-reading the indictment that also charged Trump with obstructing justice and a smattering of other crimes (but not with transmitting the information to others).

In light of that case, the words of William DelBagno, the special agent in charge, ring hollow.

“The FBI is committed to protecting classified information to keep Americans safe,” he said. “Anyone entrusted with this knowledge takes an oath and has a duty to safeguard it. The charges alleged in this indictment demonstrate there will be consequences for those who violate this responsibility.”

Sadly, none of that applied to Trump, who has been able to skirt accountability in almost all cases.

And we are seeing now what happens when one man is placed above the law and then gets to weaponize the Department of Justice against anybody who has crossed him.