Explosive declassified documents reveal a calculated effort by Obama administration officials to spin a false tale of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as Fox News reports. The truth, buried under layers of bureaucratic maneuvering, paints a starkly different picture. It’s a story that demands scrutiny, not blind acceptance of polished narratives.

Intelligence reports from 2016, now public, show the Obama team pushed a Russian interference story despite evidence to the contrary.

The documents, declassified by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, expose a deliberate effort to mislead the public. This wasn’t just a misstep -- it smells like a coordinated hit job.

Before the November 2016 election, the intelligence community concluded Russia was “probably not trying” to sway the vote through cyberattacks. This assessment, clear as day, didn’t fit the narrative some wanted to sell. So, they pivoted, and the truth got sidelined.

Early intel contradicts narrative

By Dec. 7, 2016, James Clapper’s talking points confirmed foreign actors didn’t alter the election outcome through cyber means.

A Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) the next day, backed by multiple agencies, doubled down: Russian and criminal hackers had no impact on the results. Yet, this inconvenient truth was shelved.

The PDB noted a minor breach in Illinois’ voter database but ruled out broader success by Russian actors. Any efforts, it said, were likely psychological, meant to sow doubt, not change votes. Cybercriminals tried and failed to disrupt the process, per the same report.

The FBI raised red flags, urging the PDB’s delay until concerns were addressed. They drafted a dissent, but the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) pushed publication to the following week. The stage was set for a rewrite of reality.

White House meeting shifts gears

On Dec. 9, 2016, a high-stakes White House meeting brought together heavyweights like Clapper, John Brennan, Susan Rice, and Andrew McCabe. Their conclusion? Sanction Russian officials for alleged cyber meddling, despite the PDB’s clear findings. The fix was in, and the narrative was about to shift.

After the meeting, Clapper’s team was tasked with crafting a new Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). Led by the ODNI, with CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS input, it aimed to detail Moscow’s supposed election interference. This new report, rushed and reoriented, would contradict earlier findings.

Obama officials, undeterred by facts, leaked claims to the media about Russian cyberattacks. These leaks, built on shaky ground, fueled a frenzy that painted Russia as the election’s puppet master. The public was fed a story, not the truth.

Politicized ICA fuels controversy

The Jan. 6, 2017, ICA flipped the script, claiming Russia lacked the intent and capability to hack the election. This directly contradicted the unpublished December PDB’s assertion that Russia “did not impact” the vote. Intelligence officials later called the ICA “politicized,” a product of agenda-driven editing.

The ICA leaned heavily on the discredited Steele Dossier, pushed by then-CIA Director John Brennan despite its “internet rumor” status. FBI and NSA expressed low confidence in attributing DNC and DCCC leaks to Russia, yet the narrative steamrolled forward. Truth became collateral damage.

“This is not a partisan issue, but one that concerns every American,” Gabbard told Fox News Digital. She’s right -- when trust in elections is undermined, everyone loses. But her words also highlight the stakes: a government weaponizing intelligence against its people.

Criminal probes target top former officials

The fallout is seismic, with criminal investigations now targeting Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s referral to FBI Director Kash Patel has opened the door to accountability. Patel’s declassification of FBI documents further unravels the Trump-Russia probe’s shaky foundation.

“They’re very dishonest people,” President Donald Trump said, reacting to the probes. His blunt assessment resonates with those who see this as a betrayal of public trust. The Obama-era tactics, if proven, aren’t just dishonest -- they’re a gut punch to democracy.

Gabbard’s vow to deliver all documents to the Justice Department signals a reckoning. “The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic…depends on it,” she said. Let’s hope this pursuit of truth restores what was so recklessly eroded.