Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to convene a grand jury to examine allegations that senior officials in former President Barack Obama's administration manipulated intelligence regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The directive follows a July criminal referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who declassified over 100 pages of intelligence files and accused Obama-era officials of orchestrating a "treasonous conspiracy" to undermine Donald Trump's campaign. The Department of Justice confirmed it received the referral but declined to comment further.
According to Fox News, Bondi personally ordered an unnamed federal prosecutor to present department evidence to a grand jury, which could decide whether to pursue indictments based on alleged misconduct in the production or dissemination of the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russian election interference.
Trump hailed the development in a post on Truth Social, stating: "The TRUTH always wins out. This is great news." Last month, he directly accused former President Obama of treason, claiming without evidence that the Democratic administration falsified intelligence linking him to Russia.
In her statement accompanying the declassified documents, Gabbard alleged the intelligence community "suppressed" and manipulated underlying evidence that formed the basis of the January 2017 assessment. The documents include internal emails, a summary from a principals committee meeting, and excerpts from a President's Daily Brief, many originating from the final months of the Obama administration.
In public statements, Gabbard characterized the materials as evidence of a "treasonous conspiracy" and a "years-long coup" plotted by Obama-era officials against Trump. She claimed the documents supported criminal charges and said she would forward them to the Department of Justice.
Democrats have vehemently pushed back. A spokesperson for Obama said, "These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction." Lawmakers also cited a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report that reaffirmed the U.S. intelligence community's findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to harm Hillary Clinton's campaign and benefit Trump.
That January 2017 intelligence report concluded that Russia deployed a coordinated campaign of social media disinformation, cyberattacks, and propaganda, but found no conclusive evidence that the interference altered the final vote tally. Russia has denied all allegations of involvement.
