US Attorney General Pam Bondi has requested federal prosecutors to open a grand jury investigation into allegations that senior officials in former President Barack Obama's administration fabricated intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 US election, AP reported on 5/8, citing sources familiar with the matter.
A grand jury investigation is a crucial part of the US legal system. A grand jury is convened to review evidence presented by the prosecutor to determine whether there is sufficient basis to bring criminal charges against individuals.
FOX News reported that a federal prosecutor appointed by Attorney General Bondi will present evidence to the grand jury.
A justice department spokesperson declined to comment on the information, but US President Donald Trump appeared to confirm the investigation on social media. "Truth always wins. This is great news. God bless America", Trump wrote on Truth Social, posting a link to the NYPost article about the information.
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US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate on 25/6. Photo: AFP |
US Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate on 25/6. Photo: AFP
The tensions targeting the Obama administration began when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on 18/7 that she had found new evidence accusing officials in the Barack Obama administration of manipulating intelligence to suggest that Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 election was due to Russian interference.
She accused Obama and senior officials under him of using information from British intelligence analyst Christopher Steele "despite knowing it was unreliable". The new report names officials such as former intelligence director James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan, and former FBI director James Comey.
The justice department established a task force in late July to evaluate the evidence presented by Gabbard. Trump also accused former President Obama of leading a plot to "steal the election" in 2016 and called for punishment for "treasonous acts".
A spokesperson for Obama refuted the allegations, calling them "outrageous". Obama's side considered the "ludicrously bizarre" accusations a "feeble attempt to distract the public", alluding to the justice department's failure to release the file on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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Barack Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, on 20/8/2024. Photo: AFP |
Barack Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, on 20/8/2024. Photo: AFP
In 2016, during the final days of Obama's second term, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that Russia had attempted to interfere in the US election with the intention of supporting Trump's victory. The US government then expelled several Russian diplomats and imposed sanctions on Moscow.
A 2017 US intelligence community report detailed Russia's influence campaign on the US election. In 2019, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russia interfered in the election "in a sweeping and systematic fashion", but did not find sufficient evidence to confirm that Trump's campaign colluded with Russia.
Trump has always viewed the investigations as political attacks aimed at undermining his power, while Moscow has denied the allegations.
Duc Trung (According to AP, AFP, FOX News)
