Tulsi Gabbard's Quest for a 'Deep State' Conspiracy Falls Flat

Tulsi Gabbard, the director of US national intelligence, has been adamant about uncovering evidence of a "slow-motion coup" orchestrated by Barack Obama and his national security team to undermine Donald Trump. However, a newly declassified report by John Durham has significantly undermined Gabbard's case. The report, which confirms that Russian spies were behind the emails that were released as a result of a Russian cyber-hack of internal Democratic information channels, has further eroded Gabbard's assertions. Despite this, Gabbard remains resolute in her pursuit of a "deep state" conspiracy, echoing Trump's views on the matter. However, her claims have been met with skepticism by some former intelligence insiders and a CIA director under Obama, who has shed light on the real motives behind the intelligence.

Key Takeaways:

• A previously classified annex to a report by special counsel John Durham has undermined Tulsi Gabbard's case for a "treasonous conspiracy" orchestrated by Barack Obama and his national security team to undermine Donald Trump.
• The report confirms that Russian spies were behind the emails that were released as a result of a Russian cyber-hack of internal Democratic information channels and that were used to demonstrate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
• The report further erodes Gabbard's assertions that Obama and his team conspired to falsely show that Russia intervened in the election to help Trump.
• Gabbard's claims have been met with skepticism by some former intelligence insiders and a CIA director under Obama, who has shed light on the real motives behind the intelligence.
• The US intelligence community's assessment that Putin wanted Trump to win the 2016 election is supported by credible intelligence, including a clandestine source that said Putin ordered an influence campaign against Hillary Clinton.
• The assessment was corroborated by a series of events, including the hacking of US materials by Russian intelligence services and the favorable portrayal of Trump by Russian media.

Statistics:

• 2016: The year of the US presidential election in which Russian interference was first reported.
• 2017: The year in which the US intelligence community issued a report expressing "high confidence" in Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
• 2018: The year in which Vladimir Putin admitted wanting Trump to win the 2016 presidential election.
• 29: The number of pages in the recently unclassified report by John Durham.
• July 25 and July 27: The dates of the emails that were released as a result of a Russian cyber-hack of internal Democratic information channels.

Sources:

• Robert Mueller, the original special counsel appointed to investigate the Russia allegations.
• A bipartisan five-volume report from the Senate intelligence committee.
• John Durham, special counsel appointed towards the end of Trump's first presidency.
• The New Yorker.
• PBS News Hour.