Obama Denies Trump’s ‘Bizarre Allegations’ That He Was the ‘Ringleader’ of Russian Collusion Allegations

President Obama is strongly denying the claim that he was a “ringleader” behind the since-debunked allegation that the 2016 Trump campaign colluded with Russian operatives.Earlier in the day, President Trump said that the Department of Justice should charge Mr. Obama and other members of his administration — including President Biden — for allegedly manufacturing the allegation of Russian collusion. In a rare statement, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, Patrick Rodenbush, said, “Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response.“But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” Mr. Rodenbush said. The statement said that “nothing” in a document produced last week by the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, refutes the “widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.” “These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio,” Mr. Rodenbush said.His comments come after Ms. Gabbard declassified documents that she said provide “overwhelming evidence” that the Obama administration “politicized intelligence” and cooked up the Russian collusion narrative after Mr. Trump won the 2016 election. A press release from Ms. Gabbard stated, “In the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) consistently assessed that Russia is ‘probably not trying … to influence the election by using cyber means.’” Her press release did not include any document that flatly contradicted reports that Russia sought to meddle in the election. The press release noted that on December 9, 2016, Mr. Obama met with several top aides, including the CIA director, John Brennan, the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, and an adviser, Susan Rice, to “discuss Russia.”The two intelligence assessments referenced by Ms. Gabbard discuss concerns about potential Russian attempts to interfere with voting machines. The assessment determined, “There is no indication of a Russian threat to directly manipulate the actual vote count through cyber means.” After the meeting, the press release notes that the Obama administration released an assessment that stated, “Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election.”“Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency,” the assessment read.Top Democrats, such as the vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, Senator Warner, noted that the chamber produced a report that found Russia “used social media to conduct an information warfare campaign” to push back on the suggestion that concerns about any Russian meddling in the 2016 election were made up. During a press conference at the White House on Tuesday, Mr. Trump addressed Ms. Gabbard’s report and said he thinks several former officials should be prosecuted, “Based on what I read, and I read pretty much what you read, it would be President Obama. He started it. President Biden, Comey, Clapper.”“They caught President Obama absolutely cold,” Mr. Trump said.

Obama Denies Trump’s ‘Bizarre Allegations’ That He Was the ‘Ringleader’ of Russian Collusion Allegations

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