Overview

• On August 4, Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed federal prosecutors to present evidence to a grand jury on whether Obama administration officials manufactured or politicized intelligence about Russia’s 2016 election interference
• The probe stems from criminal referrals by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who released a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report alleging Russia withheld damaging Clinton material to influence the post-election narrative
• Prior to the grand jury order, Bondi had formed a DOJ strike force to vet Gabbard’s documents and assess possible legal steps without filing charges
• Critics including a former senior DOJ official and former national security staffers argue the inquiry is politically driven and point out that Mueller, Durham and bipartisan panels found no evidence of an Obama-era conspiracy
• Key details remain unknown, including which former officials might face scrutiny, the exact charges under consideration and when the grand jury will begin its work