NEW: Obama-Era Officials Made Stunning Trump-Russia Admission In Unearthed Transcripts

Intelligence officials who served in the Obama era came forward and admitted they had no “empirical evidence” to support a conspiracy between then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 election, newly unearthed transcripts reveal. Despite the lack of evidence, the officials acknowledged they continued to push the “narrative” of alleged collusion.

In 2017, the House Intelligence Committee conducted a series of depositions centered around top intelligence officials within the Obama administration. This included Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, along with national security advisor Susan Rice and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, along with other individuals.

Transcripts of those interviews contain responses from these officials, which are also in line with the results of an investigation from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. His probe ultimately concluded there was no evidence of any kind of criminal partnership between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential race. The report did not, however, reach a conclusion on the issue of obstruction of justice.

“Their testimony has come back into the spotlight amid revelations that former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are under criminal investigation for potential wrongdoing related to the Trump–Russia probe, including allegedly making false statements to Congress, Justice Department sources exclusively told Fox News Digital,” Fox News reported. “The transcripts, from 2017 and 2018, revealed top Obama officials were questioned by House Intelligence Committee lawmakers and investigators about whether they had or had seen evidence of such collusion, coordination or conspiracy – the issue that drove the FBI’s initial case and later the special counsel probe.”

“I never saw any direct empirical evidence that the Trump campaign or someone in it was plotting/conspiring with the Russians to meddle with the election,” Clapper stated in his testimony from 2017. “That’s not to say that there weren’t concerns about the evidence we were seeing, anecdotal evidence…. But I do not recall any instance where I had direct evidence.”

Lynch said she did “not recall that being briefed up to me. I can’t say that it existed or not,” making a reference to evidence of collusion, conspiracy, or coordination between Trump and Russia.

However, both Clapper and Lynch were present in the Oval Office, along with Vice President Joe Biden, on July 28, 2016, which is the date when Brennan briefed former President Barack Obama and FBI Director James Comey concerning intel he’d been given from a foreign policy advisor with Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

The intelligence’s purpose was “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.”

“We’re getting additional insight into Russian activities from (REDACTED),” Brennan’s handwritten notes dated October 2020, go on to say. “CITE (summarizing) alleged approved by Hillary Clinton a proposal from one of her foreign policy advisers to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.”

Following that briefing, the CIA then forwarded the information through a Counterintelligence Operational Lead to Comey and Peter Strzok, who was serving as the Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence. The forwarded message’s subject line?

Crossfire Hurricane.

“Per FBI verbal request, CIA provides the below examples of information the CROSSFIRE HURRICANE fusion cell has gleaned to date,” the memo added. “An exchange (REDACTED) discussing US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s approval of a plan concerning US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russian hackers hampering US elections as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server.”

A few days after the message was forwarded, on July 31, 2016, the FBI began the “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into the alleged collusion of Trump and Russia.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, according to the transcript of her interview with the House Intelligence Committee, was asked if she saw or had in her possession any actual evidence that Trump was working with Russia to influence the election.

She responded, “I am not in possession of anything – I am not in possession and didn’t read or absorb information that came from out of the intelligence community.”

Power was asked a second time. She again responded, “I am not,” meaning she did not have any evidence that proved this accusation. Obama’s national security advisor at the time, Susan Rice, was also asked if she knew of or was in possession of evidence that would prove the accusations made against Trump.

“To the best of my recollection, there wasn’t anything smoking, but there were some things that gave me pause,” she told investigators. “I don’t recall intelligence that I would consider evidence to that effect that I saw… conspiracy prior to my departure.”

Rice was then asked if she had any evidence of “coordination,” to which she said, “I don’t recall any intelligence or evidence to that effect.” When asked about collusion, she gave the same reply.

Others essentially said the same thing when asked these questions. No evidence of Trump colluding in any way with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Fast forward to today. Sources spoke with Fox News and revealed there is currently an investigation into Comey and Brennan by President Trump’s Justice Department, though the individual said specific details could not be shared at this time.