Reference News Network, July 26 report - According to the UK's The Guardian website on July 24, in the context of the Epstein scandal, the controversial US Department of Justice has formed a "task force" to investigate claims that the Obama administration implemented a "treasonous" conspiracy. It is alleged that the Obama administration used false intelligence to suggest that Russia helped Donald Trump by interfering in the 2016 US presidential election.

On the 23rd, after National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard released a large number of declassified documents from the Obama administration's national security team, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the formation of this group. At the time of her announcement, President Trump was deeply embroiled in the Epstein scandal and was trying to shift the focus to his political rivals to divert attention.

On the 24th, two Republican senators, Lindsay Graham and John Cornyn, called on Bondi to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate what they described as the Obama administration's "unprecedented and clearly abusive" actions.

The senators stated in a statement: "For the country's interest, we urge Attorney General Bondi to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his aides, and government officials manipulated American intelligence agencies for political purposes."

Gabbard accused Obama and his senior officials of orchestrating a "long-standing coup" against Trump, which the special prosecutor and FBI investigations have shown. Gabbard claimed that they "fabricated" intelligence within weeks of Trump defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016 to indicate that Trump's campaign team had colluded with Russia.

Gabbard suggested criminal charges against individuals including Obama himself. Trump accepted her view and said that Gabbard's investigation revealed "concrete evidence" of treason.

After Gabbard presented what she called "criminal evidence" at a White House press conference on the 23rd, Bondi said this created the conditions for the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation.

Bondi said in a statement: "The Department of Justice is honored to collaborate with my friend Director Gabbard, and we appreciate her cooperation in holding people accountable for the American people. We will fully investigate these disturbing disclosures and do everything possible to pursue justice."

Fox News Channel cited a source close to Bondi's "task force" who said that any major leads would be focused on.

However, any action to prosecute Obama could be blocked by a ruling from last year's U.S. Supreme Court, which granted presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while performing their presidential duties.

This ruling was widely seen as beneficial to Trump, who faces criminal investigations for his actions during his first term, including mishandling classified documents. Irony is that this ruling may now become a stumbling block for Trump's desire to "punish" political opponents.

The Obama office issued a rare statement on the 22nd, calling these allegations "absurd."

Other individuals mentioned in Gabbard's documents may also become subjects of the investigation. They include James Clapper, who previously served as the director of national intelligence, CIA former director John Brennan, former FBI director James Comey, who was fired by Trump, Andrew McCabe, Comey's former deputy, Susan Rice, former national security advisor, John Kerry, former secretary of state, and Loretta Lynch, former attorney general.

Although Obama's national security officials remained silent on the matter, some senior intelligence community figures have criticized Gabbard's approach.

Former CIA analyst Fulton Armstrong wrote in an email: "The Trump administration's politicization of the 'intelligence community' is worrying. Every administration wants to do it, and several have done it, but this group did it right from the start."

He said: "It's not a new trick - fabricating facts has been around for decades - but now it has become institutionalized, and as Gabbard's actions show, it is also encouraged." (Translated by Ma Dan)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7531261408613384755/

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