Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
One instance was on Dec. 7, 2016, weeks after the election, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s talking points stated: "Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the U.S. presidential election outcome."
Fox News Digital obtained a declassified copy of the Presidential Daily Brief, which was prepared by the Department of Homeland Security, with reporting from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, State Department and open sources, for Obama, dated Dec. 8, 2016.
"We assess that Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure," the Presidential Daily Brief stated. "Russian Government-affiliated actors most likely compromised an Illinois voter registration database and unsuccessfully attempted the same in other states."
Former Director of U.S. National Intelligence James Clapper (R) listens to former CIA Director John Brennan (L). (Gary Cameron/Reuters)
The brief stated that cyber criminals "tried to steal data and to interrupt election processes by targeting election infrastructure, but these actions did not achieve a notable disruptive effect."
Fox News Digital obtained declassified, but redacted, communications from the FBI on the Presidential Daily Brief, stating that it "should not go forward until the FBI" had shared its "concerns."
Those communications revealed that the FBI drafted a "dissent" to the original Presidential Daily Brief.
The communications revealed that the brief was expected to be published Dec. 9, 2016, the following day, but later communications revealed that Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "based on some new guidance" decided to "push back publication" of the Presidential Daily Brief.
"It will not run tomorrow and is not likely to run until next week," wrote the deputy director of the Presidential Daily Brief at Office of the Director of National Intelligence, whose name is redacted.
The following day, Dec. 9, 2016, a meeting convened in the White House Situation Room, with the subject line starting: "Summary of Conclusions for PC Meeting on a Sensitive Topic (REDACTED.)"
WHITE HOUSE WANTS OBAMA INTEL OFFICIALS 'HELD ACCOUNTABLE' FOR ROLE PEDDLING 2016 RUSSIA HOAX
The meeting included top officials in the National Security Council, Clapper, then-CIA Director John Brennan, then-National Security Advisor Susan Rice, then-Secretary of State John Kerry, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, among others, to discuss Russia.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Secretary of State John Kerry look on as U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement after meeting with his National Security Council at the State Department, February 25, 2016 in Washington, DC. The meeting focused on the situation with ISIS and Syria, along with other regional issues. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Later, Obama officials "leaked false statements to media outlets" claiming that "Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election."
By Jan. 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months."
Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that the ICA was "politicized" because it "suppressed intelligence from before and after the election showing Russia lacked intent and capability to hack the 2016 election."
Officials also said it deceived the American public "by claiming the IC made no assessment on the ‘impact’ of Russian activities," when the intelligence community "did, in fact, assess for impact."
"The unpublished December PDB stated clearly that Russia ‘did not impact’ the election through cyber hacks on the election," an official told Fox News Digital.
From left, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper sit together in the front row before President Barack Obama spoke about National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance, Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at the Justice Department in Washington. The president called for ending the government's control of phone data from millions of Americans. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (The Associated Press)
Gabbard told Fox News Digital that this "is not a partisan issue," but one that "concerns every American."
COMEY SAYS MCCABE LIED, CONFIRMS HE KICK-STARTED PROBE THAT LED TO HIS FIRING
"The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government," Gabbard told Fox News Digital. "Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people."
Gabbard said the "egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution" by Obama-era officials "threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic."
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, joined at center by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, testifies as the Senate Intelligence Committee holds its worldwide threats hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Tuesday, March 25. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Fox News Digital reached out to Obama, Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Rice, Lynch and McCabe for comment and did not receive a response.
The declassification of records and release by Gabbard and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence comes after Fox News Digital exclusively reported that former CIA Director Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are under criminal investigation for activities related to the original Trump-Russia probe.
The criminal referral for Brennan came from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, after he declassified records revealing that Brennan did, in fact, push for the discredited anti-Trump dossier to be included in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, despite the CIA’s consensus that it was filled with "internet rumor."
That dossier ultimately served as the basis for the Trump-Russia probe inside the FBI and for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
FBI Director Kash Patel declassified an FBI reporting document containing the allegations. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Ratcliffe sent the criminal referral for Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel, who then opened a criminal investigation into Brennan and into Comey.
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Reacting to the news of the investigation, Trump said he thinks "they’re very dishonest people."
"I think they're crooked as hell," Trump said. "And, maybe they have to pay a price for that."
Trump added: "I believe they are truly bad people and dishonest people. So whatever happens, happens."
Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-admin-manufactured-intelligence-create-2016-russian-election-interference-narrative-documents-show