In an exclusive interview with CBN News, House Speaker Mike Johnson says newly declassified documents implicating the Obama administration of manufacturing intelligence to malign President Trump’s first term is “deeply problematic.”
Although news during Donald Trump’s term has been coming fast and furious, the latest bombshell is downright startling.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents showing what she labels “overwhelming evidence” of former President Barack Obama and his national security team basically creating intelligence about Russia attempting to influence the 2016 election.
“It was manufactured intelligence that sought to achieve President Obama and his team’s objective which was undermining President Trump’s presidency and subverting the will of the American people,” she told Fox’s Maria Bartiromo.
Gabbard called the act a treasonous conspiracy. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is troubled, too.
“Well, I don’t know how to summarize it by way of description and a snappy phrase, but I will tell you, it is deeply problematic,” he told CBN News.
Johnson added, “We recognize that the people who are being called out now were involved in a scheme. We knew that it was a shameless, false set of accusations, and yet they perpetuated the lie on the American people. And they looked right into the camera and just lied clearly, and they knew what they were up to the whole time. So there must be accountability for that.”
When asked what role Congress will play in prosecuting key players for this manufactured intel, including former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan or former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper, or even Obama himself, Johnson says he is willing to hold people accountable for their actions.
“Of course. Look, I think we have a responsibility to follow the truth where it leads,” he explained. “And I do expect that whether there’s a special counsel appointed, which some are suggesting, and or in conjunction with the house investigations, that we will get the answers and there will be accountability to the extent that we’re able to do that, referring people to the DOJ for prosecution and any other measure that is appropriate as we begin to uncover more of the facts.”
“Does it get tricky at all with the former president, President Obama, looking at what his role in this is and bringing him in for some sort of deposition potential subpoena,” CBN’s Chief Political Analyst David Brody asked.
“Well, listen, we have no concern about that. If it’s uncomfortable for him, he shouldn’t have been involved in overseeing this, which is what it appears to us has happened,” said Johnson.
There is another story continuing to make waves: the Epstein files.
Democrats and even a few Republicans want a House vote to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all the Epstein documents.
So far, they’ve filed a discharge petition, meaning if 218 members of Congress agree, they can force a vote.
However, the Speaker has some tactical maneuvers to stop it, if he chooses to do so.
“There’s no daylight between the House Republicans and the White House on maximum disclosure (of the files),” Johnson told CBN News.
“The President has said that he wants all credible evidence to come forward, and he’s now ordered the Grand Jury testimony, or asked the DOJ and the Attorney General to request that of the court, and they have and we’ll allow the space for all that to play out, and so if there’s a role for Congress to play, we will, but right now, we’re in full agreement with the Commander in Chief.”
He adds that a discharge petition is a “political ploy.”
“The Democrats are playing games with this. You know, I’ll let everybody else determine the motives of everyone involved. The Democrats here have shown their hand many times. They want to try to damage the president. They want to go after President Trump. They want to put speed bumps in the way of all the progress we’re making, and they see here a political opportunity.”
For the Speaker of the House, it’s just another politically-charged and busy week on Capitol Hill.
