US Attorney General initiates court proceedings against former Obama administration
Photo: US Attorney General Pam Bondi (Wikimedia)
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed the Department of Justice to open a grand jury investigation, according to NBC News.
The objective is to determine whether officials in the Obama administration may have violated federal law while assessing Russia’s actions during the 2016 US presidential election period.
The federal prosecutor has been tasked with presenting existing evidence to the grand jury that may indicate potential violations.
However, in the letter signed by Bondi, it is not specified which charges are under consideration, who will be investigated, and when hearings will begin.
Charges
This initiative became public after a statement by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who in July at a White House briefing accused certain Obama-era officials of a "treasonous conspiracy" against then-candidate Donald Trump.
She also stated that she has already forwarded relevant criminal files to the DOJ.
Meanwhile, former US officials from the Department of Justice and national security criticized the initiative, calling it a "dangerous political stunt" and a "distraction from other scandals," including the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Political context and positions
Democratic lawmakers believe the Trump administration is politicizing law enforcement and rewriting the history of Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
They also accuse Trump of attempting to weaponize federal institutions against political adversaries.
In response, conservative representatives are demanding disclosure of documents related to FBI, CIA, and intelligence activity in 2016.
Criticism has been leveled at former FBI Director James Comey and ex-CIA Director John Brennan, accused of alleged political influence over investigations into the Trump team.
Previous investigations and findings
The investigation led by John Durham, appointed during the Trump administration.
Over three years, he did not find evidence of a conspiracy between intelligence agencies and the Obama administration that would indicate falsification of information regarding Russia’s actions.
Trump continues to publicly call for arrests of former officials, repeatedly posting videos on social media—including AI-generated footage—depicting the arrest of Obama.
FBI Director Kash Patel “accidentally discovered” classified documents concerning supposed links between Donald Trump and Russia.
Read more about the FBI Director in RBC-Ukraine’s detailed material.
