DNI Gabbard Blows Open ‘Russiagate’ Hoax Implicating Obama-Era Officials
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has sent shockwaves through the intelligence community, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released a declassified memo on Friday that appears to dismantle the long-standing "Russiagate" narrative. The document provides the clearest evidence to date that high-ranking officials in the Obama administration were informed that Russia played no significant role in Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, even as they launched the "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation.
The "Smoking Gun" Memo
The 2016 memo, addressed directly to then-President Barack Obama, stated explicitly: “Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure.” While the intelligence community noted failed targeting attempts, the memo confirmed that voting systems remained untouched and election outcomes were never altered.
DNI Gabbard’s disclosure serves as a major vindication for President Trump, who has consistently characterized the Russia collusion investigation as a partisan hoax. Senior officials now suggest that the Obama administration and the Clinton campaign "schemed the operation," using the CIA and FBI to run an internal influence campaign more consequential than any foreign interference.
Criminal Referrals and Retribution
The pressure is now mounting on the architects of the probe. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has indicated that career intelligence officials are preparing evidence for a potential criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey.
A 200-page congressional audit currently under review explores whether Brennan committed perjury during his testimony to Congress regarding the use of the discredited Steele dossier. Investigators believe that while the statute of limitations for perjury may have lapsed, charges for "conspiracy to commit perjury" remain a viable legal avenue.
Comey Under Scrutiny
James Comey also remains under intense pressure. Following a series of cryptic social media posts that some officials viewed as suggestive of violence, reports indicate he was visited by the Secret Service earlier this year. As the DOJ and intelligence agencies weigh the declassification of further "Crossfire Hurricane" notes and transcripts from the Durham investigation, the narrative of the 2016 election is being fundamentally rewritten in the halls of power.
Senate Democrats warily eye new allegations about Platner
Three women who were romantically involved with Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner described to The New York Times his “unsettling and at times emotionally wrenching” behavior.
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks during a campaign event near the entrance to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on May 19, 2026, in Kittery, Maine.
Senate Democrats are still digesting a report with new allegations surrounding a candidate running for Senate in Maine whom Democrats hope will help them recapture the majority come November.
But at least one Democratic senator, who conceded she had yet to read The New York Times’ report on Graham Platner, is sick of talking about alleged bad behavior by men.
“I look forward to the day where I am not answering every single week a question about bad behavior by another dude,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., told MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace Thursday night.
Platner, 41, is facing a fresh round of allegations after several of his former girlfriends accused him of “toxic,” “unsettling” and “violent” behavior days before Maine’s June 9 primary. The new allegations were first reported Thursday by the Times. The article was based on interviews with more than two dozen people, including six women who dated Platner.
“First of all, I think about the women who are coming forward,” Slotkin told MS NOW, noting that her staff informed her of the Times’ reporting. “Second of all, I think if there are allegations of violence, I got a real problem with that, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican. If there’s violence, that’s not okay.”
Platner denied “anything alleging physicality” in an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes on Thursday night.
He also pushed back on concerns voiced by Slotkin, telling Hayes, “My response is that I agree, but those allegations are false.”
In the Times’ report, some women offered positive accounts, describing Platner as caring and supportive. But three former partners recounted turbulent relationships with Platner, alleging he was demeaning toward women, drank heavily and was frequently unfaithful. In one instance, one woman recalled he also made physical threats.
One of the accusers, Lyndsey Fifield, recalled two specific incidents where she alleged Platner was physical with her. Fifield said Platner pulled her by her wrist out of a taxicab in once incident and in another, she alleged Platner twisted her arm and trapped her in a bedroom.
Platner’s campaign told the Times he “strongly disputes” allegations that he physically intimidated or threatened anyone.
The allegations have tested Democratic support for a candidate viewed as the party’s strongest challenger to incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the new allegations reinforced his concerns.
“I did not see that coming … he’s like in Texas, for every ranch you see, there’s another 50 you won’t,” Fetterman told NOTUS. “He lied about his Nazi tattoo and assured people there wouldn’t be more. He just came here a day ago and said nothing more, nothing more, and then so this, so nothing’s changed for me.”
Speaking to NOTUS, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., called the report “troubling,” adding it’s “up to the voters of Maine to decide.”
Platner met privately with Senate Democrats on Tuesday as questions swirled about his personal conduct. Despite the controversies, several progressive leaders, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have continued to support Platner’s candidacy.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said in a statement that the behavior described in the Times “was wrong and toxic,” but he added, “Graham has acknowledged that and sought redemption.”
“The people of Maine deserve a senator who is going to stand up to the billionaire class, against genocide, and for the working class,” Khanna said.
Platner’s alleged patterns of volatility
The latest accusations add to a series of controversies that have dogged Platner’s campaign.
Last week, reports surfaced that he sent sexually explicit text messages to multiple women during his marriage. His wife, Amy Gertner, publicly defended him and criticized the release of private communications. Platner responded to the initial reports in an earlier statement to CBS News, saying, “Amy and I went through something hard — because of me.”
On Thursday, Platner’s former girlfriends described to the Times a pattern of “volatile” behavior, including derogatory comments about women and discussions of violence.
One woman alleged Platner made comments about rape during conversations about home intruders. The Times said a campaign official did not dispute that comment.
She also disputed Platner’s previous explanation of a tattoo resembling a Nazi “death’s head” symbol, saying he taught her the term years ago and referred to the tattoo as “my Totenkopf.” Platner previously said he got the tattoo while serving in the military and did not understand its historical significance at the time. Platner’s campaign strongly denied he knew the tattoo’s meaning in response to that allegation, and last year, his campaign said he covered it up.
Platner, who has been open about his struggles with PTSD following his military service, told MS NOW in a statement that he was “far from a perfect boyfriend” and frequently self-medicated with alcohol during a “very dark period” of his life.
“Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated. I’m not proud of who I was then, but I am proud of the work I’ve done since, and the movement we are building in Maine,” Platner said in the statement.
Platner remains the leading Democratic candidate in the race after Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the primary in April after trailing him in polls for months. A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll, conducted May 21-25, found Platner led Collins 51% to 42% in the general election matchup.
Xavier Becerra advances in California governor race to replace Newsom
Jun. 5, 2026, 8:08 PM EDT By Julianne McShane
Xavier Becerra will advance to the general election in California’s gubernatorial race.
Becerra was barely leading the field when The Associated Press reported Friday he would go on to the general election. In second place with roughly 67% of the votes counted was former Fox News host Steve Hilton, trailed by billionaire businessman Tom Steyer.
The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election.
Becerra previously served as the Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, was California attorney general from 2017 to 2021 and was a member of Congress for more than 20 years. He made a late-in-the-race surge in polling at 25% in late May, after coming in at 5% in early March.
The race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom became wide open after former Vice President and California Sen. Kamala Harris and the state’s senior senator, Alex Padilla, chose not to run. The race was further shaken when some candidates who were gaining popularity became embroiled in scandals. Former Rep. Eric Swalwell, viewed as a potential front-runner, dropped out after facing sexual misconduct allegations, while former Rep. Katie Porter came under scrutiny over allegations that she bullied staffers.
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Steyer is a billionaire and hedge fund investor who launched a Democratic bid for presidency in 2020, branding himself as a progressive climate activist.
British-born Hilton is a registered Republican who received backing from President Donald Trump. In a Truth Social post earlier Tuesday, Trump wrote that Hilton “will work with me and the Federal Government, the money will flow because I have confidence in him (but not any of the others!), and we will MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN.” California has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was first elected in 2003.
The next governor of California will inherit a range of challenges, including an unstable state budget, an affordability crisis and the fallout from ongoing clashes with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
Julianne McShane
Julianne McShane is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW who also covers the politics of abortion and reproductive rights. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at jmcshane.19 or follow her on X or Bluesky.
Sophie Cunningham turned heads off the court before dominating Angel Reese, Spurs-Knicks ticket price & Saban!
Sophie Cunningham finished with a +11 off the bench as Indiana dominated Atlanta on both ends of the floor
Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com.
We did it! We made it to another Friday. To the first weekend of June. Whew. Everyone can exhale now.
And hey! For June, we have a pretty loaded weekend on tap.
NBA Finals (for those interested)
Stanley Cup
Super Regionals
Memorial tournament
Belmont Stakes
Honestly? It's not the worst lineup you'll see this summer. We're also experiencing a rare June cold front down here in Florida, which is nice. By "cold front," I mean it's 82 instead of 92, but that makes a big difference this time of year.
So, yeah, we're rolling right now. A lot of momentum. Let's pump out one final class this week and get on outta here.
Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark dominate Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream, both on and off the court. You'll see.
What else? I've got the best of the rest from a loaded week of #content, Scottie ripping his caddie a new one after a water ball off the tee, and more Nick Saban talk in June.
HERE'S WHY NICK SABAN AND NOTRE DAME'S PETE BEVACQUA ARE WRONG ABOUT NIL RUINING COLLEGE FOOTBALL
OK, grab you a veggie burger for National Veggie Burger Day — throw it straight into the trash and get a Bubba Burger instead — and THEN settle in for a Friday 'Cap!
Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Caitlin and Sophie set the tone and take Game 1
Let's spin the wheel and start with ... the WNBA! That's right.
Look, I normally wouldn't do it, but when Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham and Angel Reese are all on the floor at the same time, I sort of have to. I'm nothing if not a sucker for the Google Algo.
The Fever won the first game of something called "The Commissioner's Cup" last night over Reese and the Dream. For those who don't know, that now makes Caitlin Clark 6-1 against Reese since the infamous finger-point in college, which I'm sure will delight most of you.
There were a few newsy moments from the game, most notably this little sequence in the first half that I reckon will now be used whenever an Angel Reese fan tries to say she's better than Caitlin Clark:
Lordy. Not great! Why is Angel Reese anywhere near the three-point line? Seems silly to me, but I admittedly ain't the biggest basketball fan.
The box score tells me that Reese finished with a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds), while Clark finished with 17 but shot just 6 of 17 from the floor. For those interested in the +/- stat, Reese was a -2, while Caitlin was a +2.
They all paled in comparison to Sophie, who finished with eight points off the bench and a +11 on the court.
WNBA'S SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM'S LATEST VIRAL ATTIRE CELEBRATES HER LOVE OF BBQ, CORNHOLE GOLF COURSE & HOT STEAKS!
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) plays in the first half against the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 17, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
That's our girl! Remember where you met Sophie Cunningham first, boys and girls. Right here, in these spaces, last year.
She became famous last summer when she defended Clark after a hard foul, and it's been off to the races ever since.
Perhaps we should've known she was primed for a big game when she got to the arena dressed like someone ready to bash some skulls.
Choose your fighters, America:
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM BELTS OUT A GARTH BROOKS CLASSIC IN HER SHREDDED JORTS AT INDY BAR, PGA BEER PRICES & MEAT
