Trump says Obama team launched bogus investigation of him on Russia

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump accuses Obama of conspiring to help Hillary Clinton win In the heat of the ongoing Russia investigation, President Trump pointing the blame squarely at his predecessor, for orchestrating what he calls part of a cover-up “bigger than Watergate.” Nathan Rousseau Smith reports.

WASHINGTON — President Trump accused predecessor Barack Obama and his team Monday of launching the Russia investigation in order to help elect Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, describing it as a scandal bigger than Watergate.

"Why did the Obama Administration start an investigation into the Trump Campaign (with zero proof of wrongdoing) long before the Election in November?" Trump tweeted. "Wanted to discredit so Crooked H would win."

He added: "Unprecedented. Bigger than Watergate! Plus, Obama did NOTHING about Russian meddling."

Watergate was a political scandal that started in June 1972 when burglars affiliated with the reelection campaign of President Richard Nixon were caught trying to break into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington's Watergate office complex. Nixon had to resign in August 1974 after revelations he had tried to stop the FBI from investigating the ties to his campaign.

Numerous government officials, including non-political law enforcement officials, have said there were reams of evidence in 2016 justifying an investigation of Russian efforts to interfere in that year's presidential election — the subject of an ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Officials also said there were indications of possible links to the Trump campaign, though the president and his aides have consistently denied collusion.

John Brennan, CIA director during the Obama administration, told Trump in a reply tweet that his claim is "a great example of your paranoia, constant misrepresentation of the facts, and increased anxiety and panic (rightly so) about the Mueller investigation."

Added Brennan: "When will those in Congress and the 30 percent of Americans who still support you realize you are a charlatan?"

This tweet is a great example of your paranoia, constant misrepresentation of the facts, and increased anxiety and panic (rightly so) about the Mueller investigation. When will those in Congress and the 30 percent of Americans who still support you realize you are a charlatan? — John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) March 5, 2018

Trump's tweet, one that echoes previous accusations against Obama, comes as his lawyers and Mueller negotiate possible testimony from the president. Mueller's team is also investigating claims that Trump sought to obstruct justice in the probe, including his decision to fire then-FBI Director James Comey.

Last year, Trump accused Obama, without evidence, of having Trump Tower wiretapped during the election. Those claims were never verified.