Former President Barack Obama faced criticism Tuesday after speaking out against Texas Republicans’ push to enact a new congressional district map, but critics on social media were quick to point out the heavily gerrymandered map in Illinois, Obama’s home state and where he once served as a U.S. Senator.
“We can’t lose focus on what matters – right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections. This is a power grab that undermines our democracy,” Obama wrote on X.
The post also contained a flyer from a group calling itself the National Redistricting Foundation announcing a “virtual event” for a “Texas Call to Action” urging supporters to protest the effort.
Other X users accused Obama of deflection, noting that he and members of his administration are now the subject of a grand jury investigation into their ‘Russiagate’ hoax scheme to disrupt President Donald Trump’s first term and possibly drive him from office.
In response, many users shared images of Illinois’ congressional map, highlighting a notably long, narrow district that stretches through the center of the state, flanked on both sides by Republican-leaning districts.
To that point, Trump earlier this week posted a meme on his Truth Social page featuring him and Vice President JD Vance in police cars chasing Obama, who is depicted driving a white Ford Bronco down a Los Angeles freeway.
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The image is a parody of the infamous 1994 police chase involving O.J. Simpson, with Obama’s face superimposed over Simpson’s. Law enforcement famously pursued the retired NFL star after accusing him of murdering his ex-wife and her friend.
The exact message Trump intended with the meme is unclear, but it appears to be part of his broader effort to shift the media narrative and public scrutiny surrounding the so-called “Epstein files”—back onto his Democratic predecessors, particularly Obama.
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday instructed federal prosecutors to convene a grand jury to investigate claims that members of the Obama administration fabricated intelligence regarding Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, reports said.
The grand jury would have the authority to issue subpoenas as part of a criminal probe into renewed allegations that Democratic officials sought to damage Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign by falsely accusing it of collusion with the Russian government.
It could also weigh potential indictments if the Justice Department opts to move forward with charges, CNN noted.
The investigation stems from a referral by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who in July declassified documents she says call into question the Obama administration’s conclusion that Russia sought to aid Trump in defeating Hillary Clinton.
Gabbard formally asked the Justice Department to investigate former President Barack Obama and senior members of his administration for an alleged conspiracy. Shortly after her referral, Bondi announced the formation of a DOJ “strike force” tasked with reviewing the evidence disclosed by Gabbard and determining potential legal actions that could result from her revelations, CNN continued.
A DOJ spokesperson told the outlet that Bondi is taking the referrals from Gabbard “very seriously.” The person added that the AG believes there is “clear cause for deep concern” and a need for next steps.