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A newly declassified House Intelligence Committee report has accused former CIA Director John Brennan of treason for allegedly creating the Trump-Russia collusion narrative using questionable intelligence. The report claims Brennan insisted on including the unverified “Steele dossier” in a critical December 2016 intelligence assessment despite strong opposition from senior CIA officers who said it failed to meet basic tradecraft standards.
The controversy centers on how the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference changed dramatically after Trump’s 2016 victory. Initially, the CIA determined Russia did not substantively interfere with the election. However, following President Obama’s December 2016 order for a revised assessment, the narrative shifted to claim Russia was working to help Trump win.
According to the declassified report, this conclusion was based primarily on secondhand information from a Russian spy named Oleg Smolenkov, who reported that an unidentified source believed Putin was “counting on” Trump’s victory. A CIA whistleblower told investigators that these two words were interpreted differently by different people, with no clear understanding of their actual meaning.
The Steele dossier, funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign, contained unverified allegations about Trump, including claims about prostitutes in a Moscow hotel room. When CIA officers objected to its inclusion, Brennan reportedly justified it by asking, “Yes, but doesn’t it ring true?”
Current Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has referred the matter to the Justice Department, accusing Brennan and other Obama-era officials of “treasonous conspiracy.” A new DOJ strike force is examining how these officials launched what is now being called a discredited narrative that allegedly hobbled Trump’s first presidency.
The plan reportedly originated from a December 9, 2016, White House meeting that included National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Brennan, former DNI James Clapper, Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, and others.
Information was subsequently leaked to the Washington Post about CIA conclusions regarding Russian election interference.
Former FBI Director James Comey also faces scrutiny for promoting the dossier as credible and making false statements about intelligence agency consensus. Both Brennan and Comey became prominent Trump critics on television after leaving their positions.
Brennan has expressed uncertainty about what lies ahead, telling NBC News he finds the situation “very troubling.” Clapper has reportedly “lawyered up” in anticipation of potential legal action. House and Senate Republicans are planning hearings and seeking testimony from the officials involved, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stating they will “follow the evidence where it leads.”
Read more: Intel docs put John Brennan in crosshairs of new probe into Trump-Russia collusion hoax
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