Former President Barack Obama responded to President Donald Trump‘s call to prosecute himself and others in a rare public statement on Tuesday.
Trump, earlier on Tuesday, claimed that former President Barack Obama was the “ringleader” of Russiagate, calling for him to be criminally investigated amid new claims that members of his administration allegedly “manufactured” intelligence that prompted the Trump–Russia collusion narrative.
“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,” Obama spokesman Patrick Rodenbush said in a statement. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one.”
“These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” Obama’s spokesman continued. “Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.”
He added: “These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.”
Rodenbush’s statement on behalf of Obama comes after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently declassified documents revealing “overwhelming evidence” that claimed that after Trump won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, then-President Obama and his national security team allegedly laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump–Russia collusion probe. (RELATED: Tulsi Gabbard Declassifies Treasonous Conspiracy By Obama Officials in Trump-Russia Probe)
The new documents name Obama, top officials on his National Security Council, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, national security advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, among others.
Gabbard, on Monday, sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department related to those findings. Department of Justice officials did not share further details on whom the criminal referral was for.
In the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump called for “severe consequences” for Obama.
Trump said:
The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama. What they did to this country in 2016, starting in 2016 but going up to 2020 of the election, they tried to rig the election and they got caught. There should be very severe consequences for that. When we caught Hillary Clinton, I said, you know what, let’s not go too far here. It’s the ex-wife of a president and I thought it was sort of terrible. I let her off the hook and I’m very happy I did. But it’s time to start — after what they did to me and whether it’s the right or wrong — it’s time to go after people. Obama has been caught directly.
As for Gabbard’s criminal referral, Trump was asked which specific figures should be under criminal investigation, to which he replied: “President Obama. He started it.”
“And Biden was there with him, and Comey was there, and Clapper, the whole group was there. Brennan. They were all there in the room right here. This is the room,” Trump said from the Oval Office Tuesday during a meeting with the president of the Philippines. “It was President Obama. It was lots of people all over the place.”
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let the evidence that is available tell the story; I am sure that all is in chronological order, and can be studied by “experts” for a determination of WHO did WHAT and WHEN. Somebody started it , and it is a known fact that the watch hunt depended on the “STEELE DOSSIER” which was paid for by the Clinton team turned out to be a NOTHING BURDER – trash. So let the circus begin.
Does anyone honestly believe Obama would admit it???
Absolutely NOT!
You can tell a Democrat is lieng, because their lips are moving
he should probably just stfu right now.
Obama’s spokesperson didn’t appear to answer any of the claims. Just more doublespeak.
Of course Obama claims the Senate committee confirmed the allegations. The Senate was not provided with the rest of the info that Obama ordered the players to spin the findings.
BUT he seeded this years ago & did nothing since U own this Obama
Sure, Obama, and we believe you!