Gabbard’s 2020 Threat: Examining Criminal Referrals Over Russia Probe Intelligence
Gabbard’s 2020 Threat: Examining Criminal Referrals Over Russia Probe Intelligence
In a significant development from 2020, then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard threatened criminal referrals to the Justice Department for Obama administration officials, alleging they “manufactured and politicized intelligence” regarding Russia’s 2016 election interference. This move was part of a broader effort by officials aligned with the Trump administration to challenge the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian meddling.
Gabbard declassified documents at the time, claiming they supported her allegations, and stated she was turning them over for potential prosecution. This action followed a CNN report that the FBI was already investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey for possible false statements to Congress, stemming from a referral by then-CIA Director John Ratcliffe, also related to the 2016 intelligence assessment.
Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe were actively declassifying documents in 2020, aiming to undermine the intelligence community’s 2017 conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to aid Donald Trump. However, other reviews, including a bipartisan 2020 Senate Intelligence Committee report, supported the original assessment of Russia’s interference.
Democrats sharply criticized Gabbard’s actions, calling them an attempt to “rewrite history.” Senator Mark Warner, then the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, highlighted the committee’s unanimous, bipartisan conclusion on Russian interference. Similarly, Representative Jim Himes, top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, noted that all legitimate investigations, including the bipartisan Senate probe, found no evidence of politicization and endorsed the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment findings.
The broader context included the FBI’s criminal investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia, which began in 2016. This was subsequently reviewed by the Justice Department’s inspector general and Special Counsel John Durham. While the Durham probe resulted in indictments for three individuals, it ultimately found no wrongdoing in the handling of the intelligence that initiated the Trump-Russia probe.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.