Bondi Faces Scrutiny Over Gabbard's Involvement in FBI Operation

Attorney General Pam Bondi found herself in a tight spot as she attempted to clarify the perplexing circumstances surrounding Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's unexpected appearance at an FBI raid in Georgia last month.

On January 28, agents executed a search warrant in Fulton County, seizing ballots and voting information related to the contentious 2020 election. The presence of Gabbard, a high-ranking intelligence official, raised eyebrows and prompted a flurry of inquiries.

During a briefing on Friday, Bondi struggled to provide clarity after President Trump claimed that Gabbard was dispatched “at Pam’s insistence.” This statement seemed to contradict Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s earlier assertion that Gabbard was “not part of this investigation.”

“There seems to be a little confusion with DNI Gabbard down in Atlanta last week for the Fulton County Search,” a reporter pressed Bondi. “Originally, this office said that she was not part of the investigation. [Gabbard] put in a letter to Congress that President Trump directed her to do so, and then now, President Trump yesterday said that it was at your insistence that she went down there. So what is the case here?”

Bondi sidestepped the question, emphasizing her close working relationship with Gabbard. “We are constantly together, we constantly talk. We collaborate as a cabinet; we're all extremely close,” she stated. “And she was down there with Deputy Director Andrew Bailey of the FBI, and I’m not going to talk about any other details of that matter right now, because Georgia is a very important issue to us.”

Trump further fueled the narrative on Thursday, asserting that Gabbard “took a lot of heat two days ago because she went in at Pam’s insistence.” He elaborated, “She went in and she looked at votes that want to be checked out from Georgia. The media asked, ‘Why is she doing it?’ Right, Pam? Because Pam wanted her to do it, and you know why? Because she’s smart.”

According to reports, Trump administration officials have provided six different explanations regarding Gabbard’s attendance at the raid. Following the president's remarks, Gabbard's spokesperson clarified that both Trump and Bondi had requested her presence in Georgia.

“There’s no contradiction,” spokesperson Olivia Coleman stated. “As the President said, he asked for Director Gabbard to be there. Attorney General Bondi also asked for her to be there. Two things can be true at the same time.”

The raid is part of Trump’s ongoing claims that he won the 2020 election against Joe Biden and that widespread fraud occurred. Concerns have been raised regarding Gabbard’s oversight of the FBI operation, particularly since her role is typically limited to foreign intelligence matters.

Independent commissions and judges have consistently found no evidence supporting claims of election fraud. However, public interest surged when Gabbard was spotted at the raid, dressed inconspicuously in a black coat and baseball cap.

As the chief of intelligence, Gabbard’s responsibilities generally involve overseeing America’s 18 intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA, while advising on national security issues. Her office defended her involvement by citing federal law that allows her to oversee election integrity matters, although this statute specifically pertains to foreign interference.

In defending Gabbard’s role in the investigation into the 2020 election, Trump lamented his own treatment during his first term regarding allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. “They say, ‘Donald Trump is using the Justice Department to get even.’ And I don’t. But wouldn’t I have a right to?” he questioned.

“Think of it, there's never been, in history, a president treated like I got treated,” he added.