Action on Gabbard Evidence, Ex-Obama officials face federal grand jury probe into whether they promoted false Trump-Russia ties

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has launched a federal grand jury investigation targeting former Obama administration officials accused of orchestrating a false narrative connecting Donald Trump to Russia during the 2016 election, according to information obtained by The Post.

This significant legal step could potentially lead to criminal charges against high-profile members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet, including ex-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey.

It’s not yet clear whether the grand jury will convene in the Democratic-leaning capital, Washington, DC, or elsewhere.

Both President Trump and current Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have called for a federal investigation into the origins of “Crossfire Hurricane,” the FBI’s probe into alleged Trump-Russia ties. However, Trump has acknowledged that former President Obama is likely shielded from prosecution due to a 2024 Supreme Court decision protecting official presidential actions.

Trump has accused these former officials of engaging in a “treasonous” scheme intended to derail his presidency — a campaign that resulted in years of politically charged investigations, ultimately leading to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s conclusion that there was no evidence of collusion.

White House spokesman Harrison Fields said the administration is fully supporting a deep investigation:
“Following DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s compelling findings that exposed the blatant political weaponization by corrupt intelligence figures working on behalf of the Democratic Party — and possibly President Obama himself — this administration is committed to uncovering the full truth.”

“This investigation is about revealing how far some former government officials went to undermine President Trump’s administration and override the will of the people, in a dangerous attempt to sabotage our Constitutional Republic.”

Fox News was the first to report on the grand jury probe, though any potential prosecution may face obstacles due to the expiration of statutes of limitations for certain offenses.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump was indicted four times — twice by the Biden Justice Department and twice by Democratic prosecutors. Recently, he has expressed regret over not being tougher on political opponents during his first term.

“I let Hillary Clinton off the hook,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty last Friday, referring to her use of a private server for classified emails. “And then they turned around and did this to me — except they actually meant it. They hurt a lot of people. And now we have the proof. There should be consequences.”

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, sent a criminal referral to Attorney General Pam Bondi last month, suggesting that Obama and others may have violated the law. This followed ongoing DOJ investigations into Brennan and Comey over potential false testimony to Congress.

One email released by Gabbard revealed that Obama had ordered an intelligence report concluding Russia helped Trump win in 2016. However, Gabbard claims intercepted intelligence showed Moscow actually believed Clinton would win and withheld damaging material about her for future use.

“This is irrefutable proof,” Trump said recently. “Obama was seditious. He was leading a coup with Hillary Clinton and others — but he was at the top.”

Brennan, now 69, is reportedly under investigation for possibly lying to Congress in 2023 regarding the Steele dossier — a report containing salacious allegations against Trump compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. The dossier was commissioned by opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which had been contracted by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Although Brennan testified that the CIA opposed referencing the Steele dossier in a key intelligence assessment, records show he had previously written that the information should be included in the report Obama ordered.

Comey, 64, was questioned by the Secret Service in May after sharing an image online that some saw as a threat to Trump. He has also been accused by Republicans of misleading Congress in 2017.

Lying to Congress is a federal crime that can result in up to five years in prison, although the statute of limitations is also five years. Treason, however, carries no statute of limitations — though no one in the U.S. has been convicted of it since 1949.

Prosecutors may attempt a creative legal strategy to revive expired charges, similar to the approach used by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in 2024 when he secured 34 felony convictions against Trump related to hush money payments.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Christopher Steele was paid by the Washington Free Beacon to compile the dossier. In fact, Steele was hired by Fusion GPS after the firm was retained by Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

Source: NEW YORK POST