United States attorney general Pam Bondi directed her staff on Monday to proceed with the criminal referral from director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard concerning the alleged Russia-Trump conspiracy, Fox News Digital reported adding that the department of Justice is initiating a grand jury investigation into this matter.According to a letter reviewed by Fox News Digital and information from a source close to the investigation, Bondi has authorised an unnamed federal prosecutor to begin legal proceedings. The prosecutor will present evidence to a grand jury, potentially leading to an indictment.while declining to comment specifically on the investigation, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed that Bondi is treating Gabbard’s referral with utmost importance. The spokesperson indicated that Bondi identified significant reasons for concern and the necessity for further action.The DOJ acknowledged receiving Gabbard’s criminal referral two weeks prior. The referral included documentation regarding the Intelligence Community’s alleged suppression of evidence showing that Russian and criminal activities did not affect the 2016 presidential election through cyber-attacks. No charges have been filed at this point against any potential defendants.This development follows Gabbard’s July declassification of intelligence, which provided fresh perspectives on the Obama administration’s alleged assessment that Russia aimed to assist Trump in the 2016 election.According to Gabbard’s press briefing, the Obama administration allegedly promoted an artificial narrative about Russian interference favouring Trump’s victory. The declassified materials included records of Obama requesting his deputies to prepare a December 2016 intelligence assessment regarding Moscow’s electoral influence methods.The assessment concluded that whilst Russian actions aimed to create distrust in democratic processes, they did not affect the election outcome. Gabbard has suggested that Obama and his national security officials established the foundation for allegations of Trump-Russia collusion.The scope and potential charges of the grand jury investigation remain uncertain, particularly given that statutes of limitations have expired for many activities from nearly ten years ago. Former Obama intelligence officials, including John Brennan, James Clapper and James Comey, have faced scrutiny regarding their alleged roles in developing intelligence that challenged Trump’s 2016 victory.
