The American people deserve honesty from their government — and accountability when power is abused. That’s why Obamagate still matters.
Recent revelations confirm what many suspected: the Obama administration, aided by partisan allies in the intelligence community and in the media, weaponized our government to undermine Donald Trump before he ever took the oath of office. This wasn’t routine oversight or national security vigilance — it was political sabotage, plain and simple.
Former Obama officials surveilled members of the Trump campaign under dubious pretenses. General Michael Flynn, the incoming National Security Advisor, was targeted over perfectly legal calls. His identity was leaked to the press, destroying his career in what now looks like a politically motivated hit job. Surveillance against campaign adviser Carter Page relied on flawed FISA applications, with the FBI omitting key exculpatory information.
We were told this was about Russian interference. But that narrative, too, is unraveling.
In July, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the discovery of “burn bags” inside FBI headquarters — thousands of documents nearly destroyed — including a 29-page annex to the Durham report that reportedly warned the FBI might promote a false Trump-Russia narrative. These documents were hidden. Why?
Even more damning, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard declassified a 2020 House Intelligence report that directly contradicts the official Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) issued after the 2016 election. The ICA, crafted under Obama’s orders, claimed Russia sought to help Trump win. Yet earlier assessments, now public, found no such intent. The original findings were rewritten — after the election.
This wasn’t about protecting democracy. It was about controlling it.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has since launched a Justice Department “strike force” to investigate these revelations. That’s a welcome start. But true accountability requires more than headlines. It requires political will.
The response from Democrats has been predictable — deflect, deny, and discredit. Even former President Barack Obama broke precedent to condemn the investigation as “outrageous.” Yet the facts don’t lie. Intelligence tools meant to protect us were turned against a political opponent. The public was misled. Key documents were buried or nearly destroyed. That’s not oversight — it’s overreach.
The media, for its part, was more than complacent. It served as a megaphone for unverified leaks and disinformation, all while ignoring or dismissing evidence that contradicted the collusion narrative. That behavior hasn’t just damaged the press — it’s damaged public trust in democracy itself.
This isn’t a partisan issue. If intelligence agencies can be used against a Republican today, they can be used against a Democrat tomorrow. The principle is simple: the government serves the people, not the party in power.
Transparency is not a threat to democracy — it is the only cure to government abuse. Every American, regardless of party, should demand the release of the full Durham annex, the Patel documents, and the original intelligence assessments. Let the public judge the truth.
President Trump called Obamagate “the biggest political crime in American history.” Hyperbole? Perhaps. But the abuse of power is real — and it must never happen again.
We need the truth. And we need it now.
Saul Anuzis is the president of the 60 Plus Association and a Republican Party politician from the U.S. State of Michigan. He was chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 2005–2009 and was also a candidate for national chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2009 and 2011 as well as a Member of the RNC from 2005-2012.