Attorney General William Barr told Fox News on Sunday that if former national security adviser John Bolton does not complete the review process for removing classified information from his book before it is published, then he will “forfeit” any proceeds that he makes from the book to the government.
“What about John Bolton, the DOJ’s breach-of-contract suit against the former national security adviser?” Fox News host Maria Bartiromo asked. “Is it too late now to push back?”
“I don’t think it’s too late, because what we’re asking is for him to complete the process before the book is published, complete the process of taking out classified material,” Barr responded. “And, in our view, there remains – there remains very highly classified material in the book still. And we would like him to address that. And so, under the law, we are bringing a civil action to enforce his agreement that he would do that before publishing.”
“The process is run through the National Security Council, called pre-publication review, for any book,” Barr later added. “And as that wasn’t completed, the National Security Council contacted us. So, that’s initially how the DOJ got involved.”
Barr noted that there would potentially be consequences for Bolton if he did not complete the review process to remove the classified material from the book.
Barr said, “The remedy, if he doesn’t complete it, is that he forfeits any money from that book to the government.”
WATCH:
TRANSCRIPT:
FOX NEWS HOST MARIA BARTIROMO: What about John Bolton, the DOJ’s breach-of-contract suit against the former national security adviser?
Is it too late now to push back?
ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR: I don’t think it’s too late, because what we’re asking is for him to complete the process before the book is published, complete the process of taking out classified material.
And, in our view, there remains – there remains very highly classified material in the book still. And we would like him to address that. And so, under the law, we are bringing a civil action to enforce his agreement that he would do that before publishing.
The remedy, if he doesn’t complete it, is that he forfeits any money from that book to the government.
BARTIROMO: How did you get involved? Did the president ask you to get involved in this?
BARR: No, actually, he didn’t. I mean, this would have been in the normal course.
The process is run through the National Security Council, called pre-publication review, for any book. And as that wasn’t completed, the National Security Council contacted us. So, that’s initially how the DOJ got involved.
BARTIROMO: How often do you speak to the president?
BARR: I would say very regularly.
BARTIROMO: Are you doing his bidding?
BARR: I’m enforcing the law. And as I said when I was confirmed, anything within the four walls of the Department of Justice, any matter, is going to be handled strictly on the laws, the law and the facts. It’s going to be reflecting our independent judgment of what the law requires.