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By: Jerome Brookshire

In a development that could reverberate across Washington, the Department of Justice confirmed Monday that it has officially received a criminal referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard concerning explosive allegations against senior Obama administration officials. The referral, tied to what Gabbard describes as a politically motivated effort to frame then-President-elect Donald Trump with fabricated allegations of Russian collusion, was first reported by Fox News Digital.

While the DOJ declined further comment on the specifics of the referral, officials did confirm to Fox News Digital that Gabbard’s submission is now in the department’s hands. The significance of this confirmation, as emphasized in the Fox News Digital report, shines a spotlight on the gravity of the claims being leveled against some of the most prominent figures in recent American political history, including former President Barack Obama and his national security leadership.

Gabbard, who previously served in Congress and now holds the position of Director of National Intelligence, released a cache of unclassified documents on Friday that she claims expose “overwhelming evidence” that Obama-era officials deliberately manipulated intelligence to promote a narrative of Russian interference aimed at undermining the legitimacy of Trump’s 2016 election victory over Hillary Clinton. As reported by Fox News Digital, Gabbard stated that these documents suggest a concerted effort to weaponize intelligence for political purposes in the waning weeks of the Obama presidency.

“Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people,” Gabbard declared in a statement shared on X, as highlighted by Fox News Digital. She further pledged that all pertinent documents were being turned over to the Justice Department for a formal criminal referral, calling for full investigations and prosecutions of those allegedly involved. “No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The integrity of our democratic republic depends on it.”

On Sunday, Gabbard joined Maria Bartiromo on the Fox News Channel, where she elaborated on the evidence her team uncovered. During the interview, she asserted that the documents reveal a coordinated conspiracy directed from the highest levels of the Obama administration. As she told Fox News Digital, “The implications of this are frankly nothing short of historic.”

Gabbard explained that the more than 100 documents released detail a scenario where, just weeks before Obama was due to leave office, his administration allegedly orchestrated an intelligence operation aimed at undermining the incoming Trump administration. “This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is an issue that is so serious it should concern every single American because it has to do with the integrity of our democratic republic,” Gabbard insisted during her interview with Fox News Digital.

In a swift reaction to Gabbard’s revelations, Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform, sharing a video montage that juxtaposed public statements from Democrats – including Obama – asserting that “no one is above the law,” with AI-generated footage showing Trump and Obama in the Oval Office before Obama is humorously depicted being arrested while the song “YMCA” plays. Though provocative, the video speaks volumes about Trump’s long-standing claim that the Russia probe was politically motivated – a claim now amplified by Gabbard’s referral.

Trump also shared an AI-generated image attributed to X user @sirtemplemount that showed fake mugshots of Obama and officials from his Administration with the words “The Shady Bunch.”

Time.com reported that the president also shared a screenshot from X of user @Real_JaredMarsh, who responded to a clip of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R, Fla.) saying on Fox News that “there needs to be criminal prosecution and arrests.” Marsh posted, “I agree with @RepLuna!” alongside an image of men being arrested outside the U.S. Capitol with the words “Unless this happens, nothing will change” overlaid on the image.

Gabbard’s announcement comes after Fox News reported earlier this month that the FBI is investigating its former director James Comey as well as former CIA director John Brennan for possible false statements to Congress after current CIA director John Ratcliffe released a review in June that was critical of a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that claimed Russia attempted to influence the 2016 election to help Trump, as was reported by Time.com.

Meanwhile, the fallout from Gabbard’s revelations appears to be extending to Capitol Hill. Fox News Digital confirmed Monday that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is preparing to release declassified documents related to the Justice Department’s handling of the investigations stemming from the 2016 presidential election. Grassley will reportedly focus on the appendix of the 2018 DOJ Inspector General report, which pertains specifically to the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Leading Republican lawmakers and White House officials publicly weighed in on what some are calling one of the most significant political scandals in American history.

In interviews and posts amplified by conservative media outlets, several prominent Republicans compared the scope of Gabbard’s claims – that senior Obama administration officials allegedly manufactured intelligence to justify the Trump-Russia investigation – to the Watergate scandal of the 1970s.

“This is potentially Watergate-esque,” declared Representative Pat Fallon, a Texas Republican, in remarks to Fox News over the weekend, as was reported by Time.com. Fallon’s comments drew attention to the seriousness with which members of the GOP are treating Gabbard’s criminal referral to the Department of Justice.

Rep. Pat Harrigan of North Carolina went a step further, posting to X that the emerging revelations “make Watergate look like amateur hour.” Harrigan’s statement, quickly picked up by conservative commentators, reflects a growing chorus within the Republican Party that views Gabbard’s allegations as a watershed moment – not only in the context of the Trump-Russia investigation but in the broader debate over the politicization of intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

Inside the White House, the reaction to Gabbard’s claims has been equally pointed. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a rare public amplification of a former Democrat’s social media post, shared Gabbard’s statement on X along with a succinct endorsement: “Every American should read this.” Leavitt’s repost highlighted the degree to which the administration sees Gabbard’s allegations as a validation of long-standing concerns about the conduct of the intelligence community during the 2016 election cycle.

Time.com also reported that Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy and a prominent figure in the administration’s political messaging, offered one of the most forceful reactions yet. In a post to X, Miller asserted that Gabbard “exposed the startling depths of a seditious coup against the Republic.” He warned that the alleged conspirators “have done and will do anything to protect their grasp on illegal & illegitimate power.”

“But WE are stronger,” Miller concluded, echoing a rallying cry for supporters who believe the allegations confirm their worst fears about entrenched political forces within the federal government.

While the Department of Justice has confirmed receipt of Gabbard’s criminal referral, it has declined further comment on any potential investigation. Nevertheless, the flood of responses from Republican lawmakers and White House officials suggests that the political ramifications of this episode are only beginning to unfold.

As noted in the Fox News Digital report, Hillary Clinton’s email practices came under FBI scrutiny after it was revealed that she held classified information on a private server at her home – a revelation that sparked significant controversy during the 2016 campaign. Then-FBI Director James Comey publicly criticized Clinton for her handling of classified information but ultimately declined to recommend criminal charges, a decision that drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.

The anticipated release of the appendix could shed further light on what the Fox News Digital report has described as a pattern of politically charged decision-making within the Justice Department and the FBI during the final years of the Obama administration. Grassley’s move signals that the Senate Judiciary Committee is also taking a renewed interest in examining how intelligence and law enforcement agencies operated during the tumultuous election season of 2016.

Throughout its reporting, Fox News Digital has emphasized that Gabbard’s claims – if substantiated – could represent a historic breach of public trust, implicating former administration officials in an alleged scheme to misuse the intelligence apparatus against a political opponent. The referral’s potential legal and political consequences remain to be seen, but the gravity of the accusations has already reignited partisan debate over the legacy of the Obama administration and the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.

The Department of Justice has yet to announce whether it will open a formal investigation based on Gabbard’s referral, but as the Fox News Digital report has pointed out, the mere confirmation of its receipt marks a significant procedural step. Should the DOJ pursue further inquiry, it would likely entail interviews with key figures from the Obama-era national security team, a review of classified communications, and an examination of how intelligence assessments regarding Russia were produced and disseminated in the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration.

With claims of a “treasonous conspiracy” now formally presented to federal prosecutors, the question looming over Washington is whether these allegations will trigger a new chapter of investigations into the events surrounding the 2016 election – investigations that could potentially reach into the highest echelons of American political power.

For now, the ball is in the DOJ’s court. Both supporters of Trump and defenders of the Obama administration are watching closely as this unprecedented referral begins to chart its course through the U.S. legal system. The debate over the politicization of intelligence and the integrity of federal institutions, reignited by Gabbard’s bombshell claims, appears far from over.

Also on Monday, Gabbard released more than 230,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The unprecedented disclosure, confirmed by multiple federal agencies and coordinated through the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), follows through on President Trump’s Executive Order 14176, which mandates the full declassification of records concerning high-profile political assassinations.

This monumental release of documents – never before digitized nor publicly available in full – represents a significant departure from previous decades of restricted access. For years, these records remained scattered in federal archives, held by various agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Their publication marks a new chapter in the American public’s effort to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the assassination of the iconic civil rights leader.

President Trump’s Executive Order 14176 builds on his prior directives for the release of classified documents relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The MLK document release now stands alongside those efforts as part of a broader presidential initiative aimed at what Trump has described as “delivering the truth the American people deserve.”

Unlike the Kennedy files – whose declassification was mandated under existing federal law – the MLK records had languished, largely unexamined, in federal repositories for decades. For the release to become possible, Gabbard worked in close coordination with the DOJ, CIA, FBI, and NARA, which reflects what administration officials describe as an unparalleled interagency commitment to transparency.

The documents made public encompass a vast trove of material from the FBI’s original investigation into Dr. King’s assassination in 1968. The files include detailed internal memoranda, investigative leads pursued by federal agents, and correspondence between law enforcement entities. One notable section of the records pertains to interviews and reports involving James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin, and his former cellmate – who allegedly discussed with Ray a purported plot against Dr. King.

The scope of the release also extends beyond domestic intelligence. The files contain foreign evidence, including reports from a Canadian police department that assisted in the international manhunt for Ray following King’s death. Additionally, the release includes never-before-seen CIA intelligence reports detailing overseas surveillance efforts conducted during the global search for Ray after the assassination.

By bringing these documents to public view, federal agencies aim to provide an unfiltered look at the breadth of the investigation – from initial suspect interviews and forensic evidence to broader intelligence gathering related to Ray’s movements abroad.

Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., expressed her gratitude for the Trump administration’s commitment to transparency. “I am grateful to President Trump and DNI Gabbard for delivering on their pledge of transparency in the release of these documents on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Dr. King. She reflected on her uncle’s enduring legacy, emphasizing his lifelong pursuit of truth and justice. “While we continue to mourn his death, the declassification and release of these documents are a historic step towards the truth that the American people deserve.”

Gabbard, speaking on behalf of the ODNI, reiterated the administration’s stance on transparency. “The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination,” Gabbard stated. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation’s history.”

Attorney General Pamela Bondi echoed similar sentiments. “The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders,” said Bondi. She commended the DOJ’s collaboration with the ODNI, citing the Trump administration’s directive as the driving force behind the release.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, whose agency contributed foreign intelligence materials to the release, emphasized the role of interagency cooperation. “In partnership with ODNI and FBI, today’s release represents a significant milestone in CIA’s efforts to deliver maximum transparency to the American people,” Ratcliffe said. He affirmed the CIA’s commitment to President Trump’s initiative, characterizing the document release as a contribution to the public interest.

The National Archives and Records Administration also played a central role in reviewing and facilitating the publication of the MLK assassination documents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted NARA’s mission in a statement. “Today’s record release marks a historic step in the Trump Administration’s ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability,” Rubio said. “Preserving, protecting, and releasing the records of the U.S. government is at the core of NARA’s mission.”

Rubio also credited President Trump’s leadership and the “coordinated interagency process” for enabling NARA to conduct its review and release the records at what he termed an “unprecedented speed.”