DNI Gabbard calls for trial of Obama administration over claims of Russian influence in Trump's 2016 US Presidential win

Washington DC [US], July 19 (ANI): The US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday (local time), called for a trial of the Obama administration over claims of Russian influence in Trump's US Presidential win in 2016, alleging a "treasonous conspiracy" to undermine the election outcome through politicised intelligence.
Gabbard, in a statement, accused former US President Barack Obama and senior officials in his office, including former DNI James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey, and others, of manufacturing intelligence to falsely implicate Russia in influencing the 2016 election in favour of Donald Trump.

"Americans will finally learn the truth about how in 2016, intelligence was politicised and weaponised by the most powerful people in the Obama Administration to lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Donald Trump, subverting the will of the American people and undermining our democratic republic," Gabbard claimed in a statement posted on X.

The Office of the DNI (ODNI) released a 114-page document detailing evidence that, prior to the November 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) consistently assessed that Russia was "probably not trying ... to influence the election by using cyber means."

It further noted that on December 8, 2016, a draft of the President's Daily Brief (PDB) stated that Russia "did not impact recent US election results" by conducting malicious cyber activities against US election infrastructure.

However, this assessment was abruptly withdrawn "based on new guidance" and never published.
As per Gabbard's findings, on December 9, 2016, a National Security Council meeting convened by Obama, involving Clapper, Brennan, and other high-level officials, allegedly directed the IC to produce a new assessment claiming Russian interference, despite contradicting prior findings.

"The next day (December 9, 2016), top national security officials, including FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan and DNI James Clapper, gathered at the Obama White House to discuss Russia. Obama directed the IC to create a new intelligence assessment that detailed Russian election meddling, even though it would contradict multiple intelligence assessments released over the previous several months," Gabbard said in her statement.
The report further noted that an email from Clapper's Executive Assistant tasked the CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS with creating this new narrative "per the President's request".
Gabbard further alleged that Obama officials leaked false claims to media outlets, including The Washington Post, asserting Russia's interference through cyberattacks.
"Obama officials immediately leaned on their allies in the media to advance their falsehoods. Anonymous IC sources leaked classified information to the Washington Post and others that Russia had intervened to hack the election in Trump's favour," her statement read.
As per Gabbard, on January 6, 2017, Clapper released an Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that she claims relied on the discredited Steele Dossier, laying the foundation for the Mueller investigation, congressional impeachments, and heightened US-Russia tensions.
"On January 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months. After months of investigation into this matter, the facts reveal this new assessment was based on information that was known by those involved to be manufactured i.e. the Steele Dossier or deemed as not credible. This was politicised intelligence that was used as the basis for countless smears seeking to delegitimise President Trump's victory, the years-long Mueller investigation, two Congressional impeachments, high-level officials being investigated, arrested, and thrown in jail, heightened US-Russia tensions, and more," the ODNI statement read.
Gabbard concluded by calling for an investigation and prosecution under the US Department of Justice (DOJ) of those involved, stating, "No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to ensure nothing like this ever happens again," as quoted by the ODNI.
She announced that all related documents have been sent to the DOJ for criminal referral.
"The American people's faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it. As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve," she stated. (ANI)